Aardvarks are unusual African mammals with long snouts, huge ears, strong claws, and sticky tongues. They sleep in burrows during the day and come out at night to search for ants and termites.

Addax are desert antelopes from North Africa. They have pale coats, long spiral horns, and broad hooves that help them walk on sand. These tough animals are built for dry places, but they need protection because they are very rare in the wild.

African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. There are two main African elephant species: the huge savanna elephant and the smaller forest elephant. Both are smart, social mammals with trunks, tusks, big ears, and important jobs in their habitats.

African penguins are flightless seabirds from the coasts of South Africa and Namibia. They have black-and-white feathers, pink patches above the eyes, donkey-like braying calls, and a conservation story that needs urgent help.

African wild dogs are social carnivores with long legs, rounded ears, and patchy coats that look painted. They live in packs across parts of sub-Saharan Africa and are famous for teamwork, communication, and caring for pups.

Aldabra tortoises are giant land reptiles from the Aldabra Atoll in Seychelles. These slow, powerful grazers have huge domed shells, sturdy legs, long lifespans, and an important job shaping island vegetation.

Aye-ayes are rare nocturnal lemurs from Madagascar with huge ears, big eyes, bushy tails, strong teeth, and one extra-long skinny middle finger. They tap on wood to find insects hiding inside trees.

Baboons are large Old World monkeys with long faces, strong bodies, and social lives. They often live in troops, travel across the ground, groom each other, and use calls, gestures, and facial expressions to communicate.

Ball pythons are nonvenomous constrictor snakes from West and Central Africa. They are also called royal pythons, and their common name comes from their habit of curling into a tight ball when stressed or frightened.

Bee-eaters are bright, colorful birds known for catching flying insects in the air. Many perch on branches, wires, or banks, then swoop out to grab bees, wasps, dragonflies, and other insects with quick flying skills.

Black mambas are long, fast, highly venomous snakes from parts of sub-Saharan Africa. They are not usually black on the outside; their name comes from the dark inside of the mouth, which they may show when threatened.

Blackbird can mean different birds in different places. In Europe, the common blackbird is a thrush with a beautiful song, while in the Americas, many blackbirds belong to a different songbird family. Both are known for calls, songs, and lively behavior.

Boas are mostly nonvenomous constrictor snakes found in the Americas and some nearby regions. Boa constrictors and their relatives use strong muscles to hold prey, and many boas give birth to live young instead of laying eggs.

Bongos are large African forest antelopes with reddish coats, white stripes, big ears, and spiral horns. They live in dense forests, where their markings help them blend into shadows, leaves, and stripes of sunlight.

Bonobos are endangered great apes found only in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are close relatives of chimpanzees and humans, live in rainforest groups, build sleeping nests, use expressive faces and sounds, and spend lots of time building social bonds.

Buffalo are large, strong hoofed mammals in the cattle family. Some buffalo live in Asia near water, while African buffalo live in grasslands and open woodlands. Buffalo are often confused with bison, but they are different animals.

Bush babies, also called galagos, are small African primates with huge eyes, big ears, soft fur, long tails, and springy back legs. They live in trees and are mostly active at night.

Caecilians are unusual amphibians with long, limbless bodies that can look like worms or snakes. Many live underground in warm, moist soil, where they use strong heads, ringed bodies, and tiny sensory tentacles to explore.

Camels are desert-ready mammals famous for their humps, long eyelashes, wide feet, and amazing ability to survive in dry places. They have helped people travel, carry goods, and live in harsh desert regions for thousands of years.

Canaries are small finches famous for cheerful songs. Wild canaries come from islands near northwest Africa, while many pet canaries have been bred in bright colors, including yellow, orange, white, brown, and greenish shades.

Caracals are sleek wild cats with reddish-brown fur, short tails, long legs, and dramatic black ear tufts. They live in dry places, grasslands, hills, and scrub areas across Africa and parts of Asia.

Chameleons are colorful lizards known for moving eyes, sticky tongues, grasping toes, and amazing color changes. Many live in trees and use careful slow movement to sneak through branches.

Cheetahs are slim, spotted wild cats famous for being the fastest land animals on Earth. They have long legs, flexible spines, black tear marks, and amazing acceleration that helps them chase fast prey.

Chimpanzees are clever, social apes that live in Africa. They are closely related to humans, use tools, care for their young, build sleeping nests, and communicate with sounds, faces, and gestures.

Civets are small to medium mammals with long bodies, pointed faces, spotted or striped coats, and strong scent glands. Many civets are active at night and live in forests, grasslands, and wooded habitats of Africa and Asia.

Coelacanths are rare deep-water fish with fleshy lobe-like fins and an ancient family history. Scientists knew them from fossils and were amazed when a living coelacanth was found off South Africa in 1938.

Colobus monkeys are African Old World monkeys known for long tails, tree life, leaf eating, and reduced or missing thumbs. Many live in forests, where they leap between branches and feed on leaves, fruit, flowers, and seeds.

Crocodiles are large reptiles with powerful jaws, sharp teeth, armored skin, long tails, and strong swimming skills. They live in warm places near rivers, wetlands, lakes, coasts, and mangroves.

Dik-diks are tiny African antelopes with big eyes, large ears, thin legs, and pointed noses. They live in bushy habitats, where they hide from predators, browse on plants, and call “dik-dik” when alarmed.

Dormice are small rodents known for big eyes, fluffy tails, and long periods of sleep. Many live in forests, hedgerows, and woodlands, where they climb through branches searching for fruit, nuts, flowers, and insects.

Dugongs are gentle marine mammals often called sea cows. They live in warm coastal waters, graze on seagrass, breathe air at the surface, and use a whale-like fluked tail to swim.

Egyptian geese are bold waterbirds from Africa with long legs, pinkish bills, dark eye patches, and loud calls. They look a bit goose-like, but they are close relatives of ducks and shelducks in the waterfowl family.

Elands are the largest antelopes in the world. These huge African hoofed mammals have strong bodies, spiral horns, long faces, big ears, and loose skin under the throat called a dewlap.

Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. They are smart, social, gentle giants with long trunks, big ears, strong tusks, and close family groups.

Emperor scorpions are large black scorpions from western Africa. They have big pincers, a curved tail with a stinger, eight legs, and a quiet nighttime life in warm forests and savannas.

Fennec foxes are tiny desert foxes with huge ears, sandy fur, fluffy tails, and quick little feet. They live in deserts of northern Africa and nearby regions, where their ears help them hear prey and release heat.

Flamingos are tall wading birds with long legs, long necks, curved bills, and pink feathers. They live in wetlands, lagoons, lakes, and mudflats, where they feed by filtering tiny foods from water and mud.

Fossas are catlike carnivores that live only on Madagascar. They are strong forest hunters with long tails, sharp claws, flexible bodies, and amazing climbing skills that help them move through trees and across the forest floor.

Gazelles are graceful antelopes with slim bodies, long legs, sharp senses, and speedy running skills. They live in grasslands, savannas, steppes, and dry places in Africa and Asia, where they graze and browse on plants.

Geladas are large monkeys from the high mountains of Ethiopia. They are famous for eating lots of grass, living near cliffs and high plateaus, having pale eyelids, and showing a bright patch of skin on the chest.

Genets are small, catlike mammals with spotted coats, long ringed tails, pointed faces, and quick climbing skills. Most genets live in Africa, while the common genet also lives in parts of southern Europe and western Asia.

Gerbils are small rodents that live in deserts, grasslands, and dry regions. They are known for long tails, strong back legs, burrowing skills, and social behavior with family groups.

Gerenuks are slim, long-necked antelopes from dry parts of East Africa. They are sometimes called giraffe gazelles because they can stand on their hind legs and stretch upward to nibble leaves.

Giraffes are the tallest animals on Earth. They are famous for their long necks, spotted coats, long tongues, and gentle nature. These amazing animals live in Africa and spend much of their day eating leaves from tall trees.

Goliath beetles are giant scarab beetles from tropical African forests. They are among the heaviest insects on Earth, especially as chunky larvae, and adults have strong legs, hard wing covers, and bold patterns.

Gorillas are the largest apes and some of humans' closest living relatives. They live in African forests, move mostly on their knuckles, eat many plant foods, and often stay in family groups led by a silverback male.

Hedgehogs are small mammals with sharp spines, tiny faces, short legs, and curious noses. They are known for curling into a prickly ball when threatened and searching for food mostly at night.

Hippopotamuses, often called hippos, are huge mammals that live in Africa. They spend much of the day in rivers, lakes, and swamps to stay cool, then often come onto land at night to graze on grass.

Honey badgers, also called ratels, are tough mustelid mammals with strong claws, loose thick skin, and a bold black-and-white coat. They live across parts of Africa and Asia in habitats such as grasslands, deserts, forests, and scrublands.

Hoopoes are striking birds with fan-like crests, long downcurved bills, pinkish-brown bodies, and bold black-and-white wings. They use their bills to probe soil and grass for insects, larvae, worms, and other small invertebrates.

Hornbills are tropical birds with large curved bills and, in many species, a helmet-like casque on top. They live in forests, savannas, and woodlands of Africa and Asia and often eat fruit.

Hyenas are clever, strong mammals known for loud calls, powerful jaws, social groups, and nighttime activity. They may look a little like dogs, but hyenas belong to their own animal family and have amazing survival skills.

Ibexes are wild goats that live in steep mountain habitats. They have strong hooves, excellent balance, beards on males, and large curved horns that help them look perfectly built for cliffs.

Ibises are long-legged wading birds with long, slender, downward-curving bills. They use those curved bills to probe mud, shallow water, grass, and soft ground for insects, worms, crustaceans, and other small foods.

Impalas are graceful African antelopes known for powerful jumps, fast running, reddish coats, and black markings near the back legs. They live in savannas and woodlands of eastern and southern Africa.

Jerboas are small jumping rodents with long hind legs, short front legs, long tails, and big eyes. They live in deserts and dry grasslands of northern Africa, Asia, and parts of eastern Europe.

Kudus are graceful African antelopes with long legs, big ears, pale body stripes, and amazing spiral horns in males. They use woodland cover for safety and can stand very still when hiding from predators.

Lemurs are primates known for big eyes, soft fur, long tails, and curious faces. Wild lemurs are native to Madagascar, where different species live in forests, dry areas, and other special habitats.

Leopards are powerful spotted wild cats found in parts of Africa and Asia. They are skilled climbers, quiet hunters, and adaptable animals that can live in forests, grasslands, mountains, deserts, and rocky places.

Lions are powerful big cats known for their loud roars, social family groups, and impressive hunting skills. They are among the most famous animals on Earth and are often called the kings of the jungle.

Locusts are special grasshoppers that can change behavior when conditions are right. They may live quietly alone, but when many gather together, they can form marching hopper bands as nymphs and flying swarms as adults.

Lovebirds are small, colorful parrots from Africa and Madagascar. They are known for short tails, chunky bodies, bright feathers, social behavior, and strong pair bonds, which helped give these little parrots their sweet name.

Macaques are clever Old World monkeys found mostly in Asia, with one famous species, the Barbary macaque, living in North Africa. They are social primates that often live in troops and can adapt to forests, mountains, cities, temples, and rocky places.

Mambas are fast, slender, venomous snakes from Africa. Some mambas live mostly in trees, while the black mamba often moves on the ground. They are amazing reptiles, but they should always be watched from far away and never touched.

Manatees are gentle aquatic mammals often called sea cows. They have round bodies, paddle-shaped tails, flippers, whiskery faces, and big lips that help them eat aquatic plants.

Mandrills are large, colorful Old World monkeys from the rainforests of west-central Africa. Adult males have bright blue and red faces, strong bodies, short tails, and bold colors that make them look like living rainforest masks.

Marabou storks are huge African wading birds with long legs, bald heads, big bills, and a dangling throat pouch. They are famous scavengers, helping clean up carrion and scraps while also catching live prey such as insects, fish, and small animals.

Meerkats are small, social mammals that live in dry deserts and grasslands in southern Africa. They are famous for standing upright, living in busy groups, digging burrows, and taking turns watching for danger.

Mongooses are small bold carnivorous mammals found mainly in Africa, with some species in Asia and southern Europe. They are quick, alert hunters, and some mongooses are famous for attacking venomous snakes such as cobras.

Monitor lizards are smart, active reptiles with long bodies, strong claws, powerful tails, and forked tongues. Different species live in Africa, Asia, Australia, and nearby islands, from forests and deserts to rivers and mangroves.

Mudskippers are unusual fish that can spend time out of water on muddy shores. They use strong fins to move across mudflats, climb roots, guard burrows, and breathe through moist skin and mouth lining.

Naked mole rats are small nearly hairless rodents that live underground in eastern Africa. They are famous for large colonies, a queen, worker roles, big front teeth, wrinkly skin, and amazing survival in dark low-oxygen tunnels.

Nightingales are small brown songbirds famous for powerful, beautiful songs. The common nightingale is often heard in spring and early summer, and males may sing from hidden shrubs during the day or even at night.

Nurse sharks are slow-moving sharks that often rest on the ocean bottom during the day and hunt at night. They have rounded heads, small mouths, barbels near the nose, and strong suction feeding skills.

Nyalas are elegant antelopes from southeastern Africa with white stripes, big ears, and shy forest habits. Males are dark with spiral horns, while females are reddish brown and usually smaller.

Okapis are shy rainforest mammals with brown bodies, white-striped legs, large ears, and long dark tongues. They live only in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and are the closest living relatives of giraffes.

Oryxes are large antelopes with long horns, pale coats, and bold face markings. They live in dry deserts and near-deserts, where their bodies are adapted to heat, scarce water, and open spaces.

Ostriches are huge flightless birds from Africa. They have long necks, long legs, big eyes, small heads, soft feathers, and powerful running skills that help them survive in open country.

Pangolins are shy scaly mammals from Africa and Asia. They have tough overlapping scales, long sticky tongues, strong claws, and a special habit of curling into a ball when danger comes near.

Penguins are flightless birds that are excellent swimmers. They have flipper-like wings, waterproof feathers, webbed feet, and strong bodies built for ocean life. Most penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere.

Porcupines are large rodents famous for sharp quills that help protect them from predators. They are mostly plant eaters, and different porcupine species live in forests, deserts, grasslands, rocky places, and trees around the world.

Pottos are slow-moving nocturnal primates from African forests. They have large eyes, strong gripping hands and feet, woolly fur, and careful climbing skills that help them move quietly through trees at night.

Pythons are nonvenomous snakes with long muscular bodies, flexible jaws, smooth scales, and strong squeezing power. They live in warm habitats and are famous for being constrictors, which means they wrap around prey instead of using venom.

Rhinoceroses, often called rhinos, are huge plant-eating mammals with thick skin, strong bodies, and one or two horns on their snouts. They live in parts of Africa and Asia and are some of the largest land animals on Earth.

Ring-tailed lemurs are Madagascar primates famous for long black-and-white striped tails, bright eyes, and lively social groups. They spend more time on the ground than many lemurs and live in dry forests, rocky areas, and scrubby habitats.

Secretary birds are tall African birds of prey with long legs, hooked beaks, black crest feathers, and a famous snake-hunting style. Unlike many raptors, they spend much of their hunting time walking on the ground.

Servals are slender African wild cats with very long legs, large ears, spotted coats, and quick jumping skills. They live mostly in grasslands and wet areas, where they listen carefully for small animals hiding in tall grass.

Servaline genets are slender spotted mammals from Central Africa. They look a little catlike, but they are viverrids, relatives of civets and other small carnivores, with long tails, sharp senses, and secretive nighttime habits.

Shoebills are tall gray swamp birds with huge shoe-shaped bills, long legs, broad wings, and an almost statue-still hunting style. They live in freshwater wetlands of tropical eastern and central Africa.

Sifakas are leaping lemurs from Madagascar with silky fur, long tails, big eyes, and powerful legs. They live mostly in trees and are famous for springing between branches and doing funny sideways hops on the ground.

Springboks are graceful antelopes from southern Africa. They live on open plains and dry grasslands, where they run fast, leap high, graze on plants, and sometimes perform bouncy jumps called pronking.

Starlings are clever songbirds known for shiny feathers, noisy calls, and amazing flock flights called murmurations. They search for insects, fruit, seeds, and other foods in fields, gardens, towns, farms, and open habitats.

Velvet worms are soft, ancient-looking invertebrates with many stubby legs, tiny claws, feelers, and velvety bodies. They live in damp forests and can shoot sticky slime to catch prey like a miniature creature from a secret rainforest lab.

Warthogs are wild members of the pig family that live in Africa. They have tusks, face bumps called warts, short legs, bristly hair, and a funny habit of trotting with their tails held high.

Waterbucks are large African antelopes that often stay near rivers, lakes, marshes, and wetlands. They have shaggy coats, rounded ears, and males have long ringed horns that curve backward and forward.

Zebras are wild members of the horse family known for their bold black-and-white stripes. They live in Africa, eat grasses, stay in groups, and use their sharp senses to watch for danger.