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Tiger (Panthera tigris)
One of the largest of the 'big cats', the tiger (Panthera tigris) is an instantly recognisable animal and an iconic symbol of conservation…
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African elephant (Loxodonta africana)
Perhaps one of the world’s most emotive and iconic animals, the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest living terrestrial…
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Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the largest animal to have ever lived, being almost as big as a Boeing 737 and even larger than…
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Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)
The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is one of only two species of orangutan, which together are the only species of great apes to be…
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Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)
The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is universally admired for its appealing markings and seemingly gentle demeanour. A member of the…
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Brown bear (Ursus arctos)
One of the largest carnivores on Earth, the brown bear (Ursus arctos) is perhaps the most archetypal of all bear species; indeed the genus…
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Lion (Panthera leo)
It seems that no animal has inspired the imagination of man more than the lion (Panthera leo). Characterised as fearsome, courageous and…
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Orca (Orcinus orca)
Also known as the killer whale, the orca (Orcinus orca) is the largest member of the dolphin family, and one of the most distinctive of all…
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Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)
Spectacularly tall, the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) has a very long neck with a short, upstanding mane, and high shoulders that slope…
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Polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is the largest living land carnivore, with adult males growing up to 2.6 metres in length. The most…
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Western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla)
The gorilla is a heavily built primate and is the largest of the living apes. Until recently it was considered a single species, but DNA…
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Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)
The black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is the most well known of the five living rhinoceros species, with its aggressive reputation…
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African wild dog (Lycaon pictus)
The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) is one of the world’s most social and distinctive canids. The short, wiry coat is coloured in blotches…
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Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is one of the most well-known species of dolphin. There appear to be two main varieties; a…
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Snow leopard (Panthera uncia)
The beautiful snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a white to smokey-grey colour, with yellow tinged fur and patterned dark-grey to…
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Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)
Despite its massive bulk, this amphibious mammal moves underwater with grace, and trots on land with surprising speed. Indeed, the name…
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Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
The magnificent humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is renowned for its impressive leaping displays and for the mysterious 'singing' of…
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Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
One of Australia’s most iconic animals, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is bear-like in appearance with a stout body and large paws, but…
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Jaguar (Panthera onca)
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest cat of the Americas and a formidable predator. Its common name comes from the native Indian name…
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Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are smaller than their African savannah relatives (Loxodonta africana) and have many other physical…
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Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)
While the bizarre and elusive aardvark (Orycteropus afer) may look vaguely similar in appearance to a pig, (aardvark literally means…
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Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
The size of a small dog, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest member of the genus Vulpes and is well-known for its large bushy…
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Moose (Alces americanus)
Together with its close relative the Eurasian elk (Alces alces), the moose (Alces americanus) is the largest living deer species, and is…
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Grey wolf (Canis lupus)
The world’s largest wild canid, the iconic grey wolf (Canis lupus) has been a source of both fear and respect, inspiring a rich cultural…
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Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)
Along with the pygmy chimp or bonobo (Pan paniscus), the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) is the closest living relative to humans and is…
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Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
The fastest land mammal in the world, the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) has many adaptations that allow it to sprint across the plains. Its…
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Puma (Puma concolor)
Other than man, the large, slender puma (Puma concolor) has the greatest natural distribution of any terrestrial mammal in the Western…
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Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta)
Impossible to confuse with any other lemur species, the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) is a distinctive primate with a long, bushy…
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Giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus)
Armadillos are one of the oldest groups of mammals and have a quirky appearance, possessing a tough shell composed of bony plates in the…
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Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is the largest of the toothed whales, with males growing up to 20 metres in length. The sperm whale…
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Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus)
The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is the world's most threatened species of cat, and is currently teetering on the brink of extinction…
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Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis)
The bizarre aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is one of the most unusual primates on the planet, so much so that it was originally…
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Brown hyaena (Hyaena brunnea)
This scruffy looking scavenger is distinguished from the other three hyaena species by its long shaggy coat and pointed ears. The brown…
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Coyote (Canis latrans)
Renowned for its piercing nocturnal howl, the coyote is one of North America’s most adaptable and resourceful predators. This species is…
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Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi)
Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi) is the largest of the equids (a group that includes horses, asses and zebras). Possessing the same body shape…
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Pygmy three-toed sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus)
With only a small population confined to a single tiny island off the coast of Panama, the pygmy three-toed sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus)…
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Red panda (Ailurus fulgens)
Due to similarities with both the bear and racoon family, the classification of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) has caused continued…
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Wolverine (Gulo gulo)
The elusive wolverine (Gulo gulo) has a fearsome reputation - it is the largest member of the weasel family. The remoteness and voracious…
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Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis)
The astonishing discovery of this unusual, long-horned bovid in 1992 is generally considered to be the greatest animal find of recent times…
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Red wolf (Canis rufus)
The red wolf (Canis rufus) is one of the world's rarest canids. The coat is a cinnamon or tawny red with grey and black touches, the back…
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Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii)
Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) is the last true wild horse, and the only ancestor of the domestic horse that has survived to…
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Narwhal (Monodon monoceros)
Famous for its unicorn-like single tusk, narwhals have inspired legends in many cultures and are still revered across the world. The smooth…
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Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
The clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is named after the distinctive 'clouds' on its coat - ellipses partially edged in black, with…
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Bonobo (Pan paniscus)
Together with the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), the bonobo (Pan paniscus) is man's closest living relative. Although a similar size to…
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Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)
Once classified as Extinct in the Wild, the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is one of the world's rarest mammals and the only ferret…
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Caracal (Caracal caracal)
The caracal (Caracal caracal) is a slender, graceful cat with a short, dense coat and distinctive, long, black-tufted ears. The body colour…
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Black flying fox (Pteropus alecto)
The black flying fox is Australia’s largest bat and, with an incredible wingspan of over a metre, is amongst the largest bats in the world…
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African wild ass (Equus africanus)
The African wild ass (Equus africanus) is the ancestor of the domestic donkey, and has a similar stocky body shape. The short, smooth…
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Common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)
No species has contributed more to the misunderstanding and fear of bats than the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus). Public perception…
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Fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus)
The fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is another feline that contradicts the belief that cats dislike water, frequently entering…