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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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Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
The Critically Endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) has been exploited for thousands of years as the sole source of…
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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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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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Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)
The mighty great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is often mistakenly thought of as the most voracious predator of the seas…
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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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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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Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Occurring on every continent except Antarctica, the osprey is the one of the most widespread birds of prey. The plumage of the osprey is…
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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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Coconut crab (Birgus latro)
The coconut crab (Birgus latro) is a type of land hermit crab with a spectacular appearance and intriguing biology. Able to grow to…
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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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Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)
Standing over a metre in height and weighing up to 40 kilograms, the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the undisputed…
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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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Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)
The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the largest fish in the world; with its vast size it resembles the whales from which its common name is…
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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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Grass snake (Natrix natrix)
The grass snake (Natrix natrix) is Britain's largest terrestrial reptile. This snake is typically olive-green, brown or greyish in colour…
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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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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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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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Green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is one of the largest and most widespread of all the marine turtles. The oval carapace varies from olive…
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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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Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the second largest fish in the seas, after the whale shark (Rhincodon typus); its maximum…
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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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American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
The largest reptile in North America, the iconic American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is considered to be a living fossil, having…
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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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Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Instantly recognisable as the national emblem of the United States, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) has long been a key symbol in…
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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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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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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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Royal penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli)
Royal penguins differ from the other crested penguins by having white or pale grey faces and chins. They have black crowns, backs and…
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House spider (Tegenaria domestica)
The house spider (Tegenaria domestica) is probably the best known and perhaps the most hated of the British spiders, and is often…
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Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis)
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest lizard in the world, and with its ancient appearance and evocative name, the Komodo…
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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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Barbary falcon (Falco pelegrinoides)
Like the Peregrine falcon, with which it often considered conspecific, the Barbary falcon exhibits dazzling aerial mastery and speed…
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Shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)
The shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) is believed to be the fastest-swimming of all sharks, thought to be capable of attaining bursts of…
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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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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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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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Giant freshwater crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi)
This magnificent crayfish is the largest known freshwater invertebrate and has particularly powerful pincers. They range in colour…
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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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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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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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Adder (Vipera berus)
The adder (Vipera berus) is an extremely widespread reptile, and is the UK’s only venomous snake. As a result of its venomous bite, the…
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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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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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Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)
The Venus flytrap is perhaps one of the best-known and most awesome plants. Its leaves are modified in an extraordinary way in order to feed…
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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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Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus)
The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) is the largest salamander in the world, and is fully aquatic, with many adaptations for…
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Alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)
One of the largest freshwater turtles in the world, the alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is a prehistoric-looking species…
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Barn owl (Tyto alba)
Ethereal and ghost-like, the barn owl (Tyto alba) has golden-grey coloured upperparts, and pure white underparts. The…