221 Amazing Wild Animals Encyclopedia

Common name : English monkey Scientific name : Cacajao calvus Family : Pitheciidae Native to : Brazil, Peru and Columbia Interesting fact : Give birth every two or three years. Conservation status : Vulnerable The trademark red, hairless face of the monkey is due to a lack of skin pigments which may have evolved after […]

Common name : Brock Scientific name : Taxidea Taxus Family : Mustelidae Native to : African Sahara Interesting fact : A badger lives in a home called a sett. Badgers are of different types including the honey badger, skunk and polecat. They are known for their tidy and clean and solitary living habits–like the character

Common name : Bactrian camel, Wild Bactrian camel Scientific name : Camelus bactrianus Family : Camelidae Native to : North-West China, Gobi Desert (Mongolia) Interesting fact : They go without water for months and consume more than fifty litres at a time. Conservation status : Critically Endangered The Bactrian camel is wonderfully suited beast of

Common name : Olive baboon, Anubis baboon Scientific name : Papio Family : Cercopithecidae Native to : Africa and Asia Interesting fact : Ancient Egyptians related the animal to Thoth, the god of letters.. Conservation status : Least Concern They have long, dog-like muzzles and sharp canine teeth. Known to be omnivorous, they eat insects

Common name : Pig deer Scientific name : Babyrousa Family : Suidae Native to : Indonesia Interesting fact : Their teeth, if not ground, can eventually keep growing so as to penetrate the animal’s own skull. Conservation status: Vulnerable/Endangered Only males grow these tusks, although females also have lower tusks. The upper tusks of the

Common name : Pampas fox Scientific name : Pseudalopex gymnocercus Family : Canidae Native to : South America It leads a life of isolation, moving in pairs only to breed or rear its young. Usually nocturnal, they may also hunt in the daytime. They live in dens and burrows, even those of other animals like

Scientific name : Daubentonia madagascariensis Family : Daubentoniidae Native to : Eastern coast of Madagascar Interesting fact : They are believed to be ill omens, and are killed on sight. Conservation status : Endangered It has unique physical features which combine rodent-like teeth and a special thin middle finger that acts as a woodpecker! It

Common name : Donkey Scientific name : Equus africanus asinus Family : Equidae Native to : African Sahara, Middle East and Asia Interesting fact : Mammoth jack or American mammoth donkey stands as tall as horses. Conservation status : Least Concern Used as beasts of burden from time immemorial, this humble animal is bred in

Scientific name : Elephas maximus Family : Elephantidae Native to : Asia Interesting fact : Sway, when emotionally disturbed. Conservation status : EndangeredThe Asian elephant is smaller in size than the African one; they also have smaller ears since they don’t need to radiate much heat. The Asian elephant has a finger-like process in its

Common name : Hoover hog Scientific name : Dasypus novemcinctus Family : Dasypodidae Native to : North and South America Interesting fact : Salmon-coloured armadillos are called ‘pink fairy’. Its armour is the bony plates on its body which protect it from ant bites! They have poor eyesight, but a keen sense of smell and

Scientific name : Vulpes lagopus Family : Canidae Native to : Iceland Conservation status : Least Concern Found in the Arctic temperatures, which are some of the most challenging, the Arctic fox lives in a vegetation free zone. In fact, they are the only land mammals found in Iceland. Their natural shaded coat blends in

Common name : Palouse horse Scientific name : Equus ferus caballus Family : Equidae Native to : America and Spain Leopard spots on the coat and striped hooves of the appaloosa distinguish this unique horse from the rest of its breed. It has bloodlines that date back to the Arabian horses. Known for its use

Scientific name : Myrmecophaga tridactyla Family : Myrmecophagidae Native to : Africa, Asia and Australia Interesting fact : Baby anteaters cling to their mothers backs. Conservation status : Least Concern They are of three types–the giant anteater, the silky anteater, and Northern and Southern Tamanduas. The silky anteater is arboreal in totality. The anteater has

Scientific name : Capra aegagrus hircus Family : Bovidae Native to : Ankara, Turkey Interesting fact : Their image is found on the Turkish Lira banknotes Conservation status : Domesticated Named after the city of Angora (now Ankara) in Turkey, this breed of the domestic goat is best known for the mohair fibre it yields.

Scientific name : Vicugna pacos Family : Camelidae Native to : South America Interesting fact : Fur is hypoallergenic; it doesn’t make you cough, sneeze or itch. Conservation status : Domesticated They are bred mainly for the fibre, not for use as beasts of burden. Since they are too tiny to be used as pack