Common name : Speckled padloper Scientific name : Homopus signatus Family : Testudinidae Native to : South Africa and Namibia Interesting fact : The tortoise, unlike its relatives, has five toes on its forefeet. Conservation status : Near Threatened The smallest tortoise in the world, the speckled cape tortoise, has a flat shell to hide […]
Common name : White caiman, Common caiman Scientific name : Caiman crocodilus Family : Alligatoridae Native to : Central and South America Interesting fact : Nest temperatures above 32 degrees produce female caimans or vice versa. Conservation status : Least Concern A bony ridge connects the eyes of the caiman like a pair of spectacles.
These rare, large owls mainly live in the Arctic in open, treeless areas called ‘tundra’. One of the largest species of owls, it makes its nest on the ground. These beautiful birds have white and dark brown feathers covering their bodies that camouflage them in their usually snowy habitat. They are well equipped for hunting
Common name : Hissing sand snake, Blow viper Scientific name : Heterodon simus Family : Colubridae Native to : South-Eastern United States Interesting fact : When defensive, it will play dead or puff up, form a hood, hiss continuously and pretend to strike. Conservation status : Vulnerable The Southern hog-nosed snake has an upturned snout
Scientific name : Pseudophryne corroboree Family : Myobatrachidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : Their decline is attributed to a fungal infection by the chytrid fungus. Conservation status : Critically Endangered Found exclusively high up in Mouth Kosciusko National Park, New South Wales, is the Southern Corroboree frog. Its rough skin is covered in
Stick insects look like twigs of sticks and are practically invisible from almost anywhere. They are herbivorous and spend their life on trees where they also get their food. Their brown, thin-shaped bodies make them invisible to their enemies. They can also be green in colour. They tend to freeze when threatened and may even
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Scientific name : Plethodon meridianus Family : Plethodontidae Native to : North Carolina, United States Interesting fact : They belong to the family of lungless salamanders that breathe through their moist skins. Conservation status : Vulnerable Named after its geographical location, the South mountain grey-cheeked salamander is dark grey with light grey cheek patches. They
Tigers have stripes because they live in thick jungles and hunt alone, mainly at night. The stripes provide them with excellent camouflage allowing them to blend in the background. The lion, on the other hand, lives in grasslands; therefore, stripes will not allow it to blend in the background.
Common name : Common snapping turtle Scientific name : Chelydra serpentina Family : Chelydridae Native to : Distributed from South-Eastern Canada to Florida Interesting fact : The turtle’s meat is popular in some areas and used in the turtle’s soup. Conservation status : Least Concern The common snapping turtle has strong legs, claws and a
Scientific name : Plethodon stormi Family : Plethodontidae Native to : California and Oregon, United States Conservation status : Endangered Named after its geographical location, the siskiyou mountains salamander is brown to purplish and speckled in white. They respire through their moist and slimy skins, being lungless. Rocky forests and a cool, moist rainy climate
Scientific name : Plethodon shenandoah Family : Plethodontidae Native to : United States Interesting fact : Shenandoah salamanders can live as long as 25 years. Conservation status : Vulnerable The Shenandoah salamander is exclusively found in Shenandoah National park, Virginia. They may either be striped or unstriped. When striped, they have red stripes on their
Scientific name : Plethodon asupak Family : Plethodontidae Native to : United States Interesting fact : Its common name is derived from its geographical location, the Scott river. Conservation status : Vulnerable Scott Bar salamanders are brown with bronze stripes running down their entire length. These lungless salamanders respire through their moist skins. They inhabit
Zebras live in grasslands and their wavy lines of black-and-white coat blend in with the waving grass around them. This makes it difficult to spot. Moreover, the lion which is its biggest predator, is colour-blind. If the zebra stands perfectly still, a lion will not be able to make out that it is there at
Common name : Cane toad, Marine toad Scientific name : Rhinella marina Family : Bufonidae Native to : Central and South America Interesting fact : Cane toads were used to eradicate pests from sugarcane. Conservation status : Least Concern The Sapo marino is a large, grey-to-brown toad that has a dry and warty skin. They
Scientific name : Xantusia gracilis Family : Xantusiidae Native to : California, United States Conservation status : Vulnerable Sandstone night lizards get their name from their habit of hiding inside sandstone crevices and burrows. Their white bodies are covered in large dark spots. They are active in the night and feed on ants, beetles and