221 Amazing Wild Animals Encyclopedia

Common name : Banded anteater, Marsupial anteater or Walpurti Scientific name : Myrmecobius fasciatus Family : Myrmecobiidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : Although they are marsupials yet they don’t have pouches. Conservation status : Endangered Its diet consists of termites and ants. It has a soft-grey to reddish-brown coat, a red area on […]

Common name : Nilgiri ibex Scientific name : Nilgiritragus hylocrius Family : Bovidae Native to : Southern and Western parts of India Interesting fact : Males develop a light grey area on their backs and are thus called ‘saddlebacks’. Conservation status : Endangered They have grey-brown fur with light, pale underbellies and curved horns. Mature

Common name : Maranai Scientific name : Martes gwatkinsii Family : Mustelidae Native to : Nilgiri mountain range and parts of the Western Ghats, India Interesting fact : They have been known to raid beehives of farmers and are thus considered a nuisance. Conservation status : Vulnerable It is the only species of a marten

Common name : Blue bull, Rojh Scientific name : Boselaphus tragocamelus Family : Bovidae Native to : India Interesting fact : They fall prey most commonly to vehicular accidents. Conservation status : Least Concern The nilgai has thin legs and a robust body that slopes down from the shoulder; males have distinctive white marks on

Scientific name : Alces alces Family : Cervidae Native to : Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia and Russia Interesting fact : It is the largest living species of deer. Conservation status : Least Concern Their diet consists of both terrestrial and aquatic vegetation and fruits. An adult moose stands 4.6-6.9 feet high at the shoulder, and weighs

Common name : Little mountain monkey, Colocolo Scientific name : Dromiciops gliroides Family : Microbiotheriidae Native to : South America, primarily, Chile and Argentine Interesting fact : It is the only living South American marsupial, called a ‘living fossil’ since others of its genus are extinct. Conservation status : Near Threatened It is an omnivore

Common name : Mungus, Mungisa Family : Herpestidae Native to : Southern Asia, Africa, and Southern Europe Interesting fact : They are immune to a snake’s venom and are used to control population of vermin as well. Conservation status : Threatened There are 33 species of mongooses, ranging from 24 to 58 cm in length,

Common name : Dirt tosser Family : Talpidae Native to : North America, Asia and Europe Interesting fact : Their blood cells have a special protein which helps them reuse oxygen inhaled, helping them survive below the earth. There are twelve sub-species of these sub-terranean mammals; a group of moles is called a ‘labour’! They

Common name : American mink Scientific name : Neovison vison Family : Mustelidae Native to : America and Europe Interesting fact : Trapped for fur Conservation status : Critically Endangered in America The mink is a common name for the semi-aquatic mammal. For centuries, they were trapped for fur, and only recently, due to various

Common name : Suricate Scientific name : Suricata suricatta Family : Herpestidae Native to : Africa Interesting fact : They are especially scared of birds; aeroplanes send them scurrying into their burrows! Conservation status : Least Concern The meerkat is a small carnivore belonging to the mongoose family. It has a long slender body and

Common name : Cinereus shrew Scientific name : Sorex cinereus Family : Soricidae Native to : Alaska, Canada, Northern United States Interesting fact : They eat constantly, as they can survive only a few hours without food. Conservation status : Least Concern It is grey-brown in colour with a light grey underside and a pointed

Common name : Shakhawat Scientific name : Capra falconeri Family : Bovidae Native to : Mountainous North-Eastern parts of Asia Interesting fact : It is the national animal of Pakistan. Conservation status : Endangered It is a large species of a wild goat found in Asia. They stand 65-115 cm at the shoulder, measure 132-186

Common name : Golden dog, Kalak Scientific name : Chrysocyon brachyurus Family : Canidae Native to : Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru Interesting fact : They are killed for body parts which are believed to have magical properties. Conservation status : Vulnerable It is an omnivorous mammal which looks like a long-legged fox, with a

Common name : Drillo, Papio sphinx Scientific name : Mandrillus sphinx Family : Cercopithecidae Native to : Southern Cameroon, Gabon, Guinea and Congo Interesting fact : They have blue faces around the noses. Conservation status : Vulnerable It is an omnivorous primate found in the tropical rainforests. They have red lips and nostrils, yellow beards,

Common name : American lynx, Canada lynx Scientific name : Lynx canadensis Family : Felidae Native to : North America, Europe, Asia Interesting fact : It is the national animal of the Republic of Macedonia and Romania. Conservation status : Least Concern Lynx are medium-sized wild cats with short tails and characteristic tufts of black