Electric Eel

Electric Eel

White Stork

White Stork

Kiwi

Kiwi

Sheep

Sheep

Hen Harrier

Hen Harrier

Sparrow

Sparrow

Llama

Llama

Okapi

Okapi

Gecko

Gecko

Leopard

Leopard

Bird-of-paradise

Bird-of-paradise

Perch

Perch

Hercules Beetle

Hercules Beetle

Seahorse

Seahorse

Hagfish

Hagfish

Armadillo

Armadillo

House Mouse

House Mouse

Cat

Cat

Takin

Takin

Ant

Ant

Animal Information

Electric Eel (South American Electric Eel (not a true eel))

Type:Fish (Gymnotiformes)
Distribution:Freshwaters of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America

"Electric eels can generate strong electric currents up to several hundred volts for predation and defense; they are famous electric fish."

White Stork (European White Stork)

Type:Bird (Ciconiiformes)
Distribution:Europe, northwestern Africa, and southwestern Asia; winters in Africa and India

"White Storks often nest on human-made structures like rooftops and are considered bringers of good luck and babies in European culture."

Kiwi (Apteryx)

Type:Bird (Apterygiformes)
Distribution:Endemic to New Zealand

"The Kiwi is New Zealand's national bird, flightless, with a long beak and whiskers, and nostrils at the tip of its beak."

Sheep (Domestic Sheep)

Type:Mammal
Distribution:Widely distributed globally as livestock

"Sheep have good memories and can recognize human and sheep faces for years."

Hen Harrier (Northern Harrier (North America))

Type:Bird (Accipitriformes, Accipitridae)
Distribution:Open grasslands, marshes, and farmlands of Eurasia and North America

"Male hen harriers are greyish-white, females are brownish, they often fly low while hunting, and have a white rump patch."

Sparrow (House Sparrow (common))

Type:Bird (Passeriformes)
Distribution:Native to Eurasia and North Africa, now widely distributed in human-inhabited areas globally

"Sparrows are highly adaptable, often nesting near human buildings, and are common urban birds."

Llama (Lama glama (sometimes confused with Guanaco))

Type:Mammal (Artiodactyla, Camelidae)
Distribution:Native to the Andes Mountains of South America; domesticated

"Llamas are important pack and wool animals in South America; they are gentle but will spit when agitated."

Okapi (Forest Giraffe, Zebra Giraffe)

Type:Mammal (Artiodactyla, Giraffidae)
Distribution:Tropical rainforests of central Democratic Republic of Congo

"The Okapi is the only living relative of the giraffe, with zebra-like stripes on its legs, elusive, and known as the 'forest giraffe'."

Gecko (Gekkonidae, House Lizard)

Type:Reptile (Suborder Lacertilia)
Distribution:Temperate and tropical regions worldwide

"Geckos have billions of tiny hairs (setae) on their toes, allowing them to climb vertical and even inverted smooth surfaces."

Leopard (Panther, Spotted Leopard)

Type:Mammal
Distribution:Forests, grasslands, mountains, and desert edges of Africa and Asia

"Leopards are excellent climbers and often drag their prey up trees to avoid other carnivores."

Bird-of-paradise (Paradise Bird)

Type:Bird (Passeriformes, Paradisaeidae)
Distribution:Tropical rainforests of New Guinea and surrounding islands

"Male birds-of-paradise have extremely ornate plumage and perform complex, elaborate courtship dances."

Perch (European Perch, Five-striped Perch)

Type:Fish (Perciformes)
Distribution:Freshwater and brackish waters of Europe and northern Asia

"Perch have spiny dorsal fins and dark vertical stripes on their sides; they are common game and food fish."

Hercules Beetle (Dynastes hercules)

Type:Insect (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea)
Distribution:Tropical rainforests of Central and South America

"Male Hercules beetles have enormous horns on their thoraxes, are one of the longest beetle species, and are very strong."

Seahorse (None)

Type:Fish (Syngnathidae)
Distribution:Shallow tropical and temperate seagrass beds and coral reefs worldwide

"Seahorses are among the few animals where the male is responsible for incubating eggs; females lay eggs in the male's brood pouch."

Hagfish (Slime Eel)

Type:Agnatha (Cyclostomata, Myxiniformes)
Distribution:Deep-water seabeds of temperate oceans worldwide

"Hagfish are primitive jawless fish that can produce copious amounts of slime for defense and feed on carrion or invertebrates."

Armadillo (Dasypodidae)

Type:Mammal (Cingulata)
Distribution:The Americas, from the southern United States to Argentina

"Armadillos are covered in a bony shell; some species can roll into a ball when threatened."

House Mouse (Mus musculus)

Type:Mammal (Rodentia)
Distribution:Globally cohabiting with humans

"House mice are extremely prolific breeders; a pair can theoretically produce thousands of offspring in a year."

Cat (Domestic Cat)

Type:Mammal
Distribution:Widely distributed globally as pets

"Cats have a special structure in their throat that allows them to purr, usually indicating contentment or relaxation."

Takin (Gnu Goat, Golden Takin (subspecies))

Type:Mammal (Artiodactyla, Bovidae)
Distribution:Forests and bamboo thickets of the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China

"Takins are stocky, ox-like animals with short, backward-curving horns, adapted to high mountain life, and are a Class I protected animal in China."

Ant (Formicidae (family name))

Type:Insect (Hymenoptera)
Distribution:All landmasses worldwide except Antarctica and a few remote islands

"Ants are highly social insects, living in organized colonies (nests) with clear division of labor."