Elephant

Elephant

Water Buffalo

Water Buffalo

Iguana

Iguana

Vicuña

Vicuña

Hoopoe

Hoopoe

Vaquita

Vaquita

Nightjar

Nightjar

Cobra

Cobra

Vole

Vole

Kiwi

Kiwi

Indus River Dolphin

Indus River Dolphin

Clam

Clam

Peacock

Peacock

Pig

Pig

Deer

Deer

Hellbender

Hellbender

Giraffe

Giraffe

Louse

Louse

Ant

Ant

Anaconda

Anaconda

Animal Information

Elephant (Asian Elephant, African Elephant)

Type:Mammal
Distribution:Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia

"Elephants are the largest land animals; their tusks are actually elongated incisor teeth."

Water Buffalo (Asian Water Buffalo)

Type:Mammal (Artiodactyla, Bovidae)
Distribution:Native to South and Southeast Asia, now widely distributed as livestock

"Water buffalo enjoy wallowing in water to cool off and avoid insects; they are important draft and dairy animals."

Iguana (Green Iguana (common pet))

Type:Reptile (Suborder Lacertilia)
Distribution:Tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, Galapagos Islands, etc.

"Iguanas are large herbivorous lizards; some species are skilled swimmers and have strong tails."

Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna)

Type:Mammal (Artiodactyla, Camelidae)
Distribution:High-altitude grasslands of the Andes Mountains in South America

"Vicuña wool is extremely fine and valuable; they were once endangered, now protected, and are wild relatives of the alpaca."

Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

Type:Bird (Bucerotiformes, Upupidae)
Distribution:Open woodlands, farmlands, and gardens of Eurasia and Africa

"Hoopoes have a prominent crest of feathers on their heads, usually folded, but fanned out when excited, and a long, slender, curved beak."

Vaquita (Gulf of California Porpoise)

Type:Mammal (Marine Cetacean, Odontoceti)
Distribution:Found only in a very small area in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico

"The Vaquita is the world's most endangered marine mammal, small in size, with dark rings around its eyes, and extremely rare to see."

Nightjar (European Nightjar (common))

Type:Bird (Caprimulgiformes)
Distribution:Temperate and tropical regions worldwide, except Antarctica

"Nightjars are nocturnal birds with camouflaged plumage, wide mouths, feed on flying insects, and have distinctive calls."

Cobra (Indian Cobra (common))

Type:Reptile (Snake)
Distribution:Africa, Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and Indonesia

"When threatened, cobras spread the ribs in their neck, forming their characteristic 'hood'."

Vole (Field Mouse (not House Mouse))

Type:Mammal (Rodentia, Cricetidae - Arvicolinae subfamily)
Distribution:Grasslands, farmlands, and woodlands of North America, Europe, and Asia

"Voles are small herbivorous rodents, numerous in species, and are important food for many raptors and carnivores."

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."

Indus River Dolphin (Blind Dolphin, Side-swimming Dolphin)

Type:Mammal (Freshwater Cetacean, Odontoceti)
Distribution:Indus River system and its tributaries in Pakistan

"Indus River dolphins have very poor vision, almost blind, relying on echolocation to navigate and hunt in murky river waters, often swimming on their sides."

Clam (Bivalve, Venus Clam)

Type:Mollusk (Bivalvia)
Distribution:Sandy or muddy bottoms of oceans and freshwater worldwide

"Clams are filter feeders, drawing in water through siphons to filter out plankton and organic debris."

Peacock (Indian Peafowl, Green Peafowl)

Type:Bird (Galliformes)
Distribution:Forests and shrublands of South and Southeast Asia (wild)

"Male peacocks (peafowl) have magnificent trains (actually upper tail coverts), which they fan out during courtship displays ('peacock's display')."

Pig (Domestic Pig)

Type:Mammal
Distribution:Widely distributed globally as livestock; wild boars found in Eurasia and North Africa

"Pigs are considered quite intelligent animals, with an IQ sometimes thought to be higher than dogs."

Deer (Sika Deer, Red Deer (common species))

Type:Mammal
Distribution:Forests and grasslands of all continents except Antarctica and Australia (introduced)

"Male deer grow and shed antlers annually; antlers are bony structures."

Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)

Type:Amphibian (Caudata, Cryptobranchidae)
Distribution:Clear, fast-flowing streams of the eastern and central United States

"Hellbenders are one of North America's largest amphibians, fully aquatic, with wrinkled skin to increase surface area for respiration."

Giraffe (Qilin (ancient name))

Type:Mammal
Distribution:Savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands of Africa

"Giraffes are the world's tallest mammals; newborn giraffes are about 1.8 meters tall."

Louse (Head Louse, Body Louse (common))

Type:Insect (Phthiraptera)
Distribution:Widely distributed worldwide, parasitic on the skin or hair of mammals and birds

"Lice are small, wingless ectoparasitic insects with piercing-sucking mouthparts, feeding on blood or skin debris."

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."

Anaconda (Green Anaconda (heaviest snake))

Type:Reptile (Suborder Serpentes, Boidae)
Distribution:Swamps and wetlands of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America

"Anacondas are among the world's heaviest and largest snakes, excellent swimmers, non-venomous but powerful constrictors."