The aardvark (or Orycteropus afer) is a medium-sized insectivore that lives throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. They have pink-grey skin with sparse, coarse hair, large slender ears and an elongated head that ends in a pig-like snout. Males are slightly larger than females, but both sexes are generally between 105 and 130cm long, have a tail between 60 and 70cm, and weigh between 40 and 65kg.

The addax (or Addax nasomaculatus) is a species of antelope that lives in remote areas of the Sahara Desert. Having historically lived throughout North Africa, they are now only found in areas in Niger and Chad. The addax is cream, white, or sandy in colour, with brown markings around the face and muzzle. Both sexes have dark, twisted horns, which is why they are sometimes called screwhorn antelope. Addaxes can achieve a body length of 1.20m to 1.30m. Males are usually taller and heavier than females, standing 1.05m to 1.15m tall at the shoulder and weighing 100kg to 125kg. Their horns are also generally longer and thicker, with a length of 70cm to 85cm. Female addaxes are 0.95m to 1.10m tall, weigh between 60kg and 90kg, and have 55cm to 80cm long horns.

Living throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, the African buffalo (or Syncerus caffer caffer) is the largest member of the cow family – bovids – found in the African wild. They are typically between 1.7 and 3.4m in length, measure 1.0 to 1.7m tall, and are identifiable by their distinctive horns, which are broad, curved and unite in a ‘boss’ in the centre of their forehead. The dominant male in a herd will often have the largest horns.

The African crested porcupine (or Hystrix cristata) is a large species of rodent found in the semi-deserts, savannahs, and montane areas of Central and Northern Africa, as well as Italy. Its coarse, bristled fur is dark brown to black in colour, with its most distinctive feature being the black and white quills that grow from the middle of its neck, across its back and sides, and down its tail. These quills are raised upright when the porcupine feels threatened, and are very sharp. The African crested porcupine has a blunt, rounded snout, small eyes, and round ears. Its body is stout with short, stocky limbs. There is no sexual dimorphism exhibited by this species, and males and females are difficult to tell apart. They reach a length between 60cm and 83cm and weigh between 13kg and 27kg.

The African elephant is native to Sub Saharan Africa and lives in savannahs, forests and mountains. African elephants are large and thickset with thick grey skin and a characteristic trunk that they use for vocalising, drinking and grasping food. Both male and female African elephants have tusks. Elephants are known for their intelligence and strong social bonds. Female herds bond for life and will remember and communicate with family members even if herds split up. Bonds are especially strong between mothers and their babies.

The African leopard (or Panthera pardus pardus) is the nominate subspecies of the leopard, native to Central and Southern Africa. It has a slender build with an elegant head. The base coat colour ranges from yellow to dark golden and is covered in small, tightly spaced rosettes that turn into black spots towards the lower body, face, and tail tip. The underside and inside of the legs are white. The African leopard is sexually dimorphic, with males being larger and heavier than females. Males are 60cm to 70cm tall at the shoulder, 1.52m to 1.83m long, with an extra 66cm added by the tail, and weigh 58kg to 96kg. Females stand 55cm to 65cm tall at the shoulder, are 1.39m to 1.67m long with a 60cm tail, and weigh 24kg to 37.5kg.

The African penguin is a flightless bird that inhabits the coastline and islands of South Africa and Namibia. The African penguin has a black back and flippers, black feet and a black face ‘mask’ with white surround. It also has a white torso with a black strap across the upper chest. The eyes of the African penguin are surrounded by pink patches which are used in thermoregulation. Each penguin has a unique pattern of black spots on its chest. African penguins are 60 to 68cm in size and weigh between 2.2 and 3.5kg. Males are slightly larger than females and have a longer beak.

The African spurred tortoise (or Centrochelys sulcata), also known as the sulcata tortoise, is the largest tortoise of continental Africa, and third-largest tortoise in the world. It inhabits the semi-arid savannahs and shrublands of the Sahel and Sahara. The oval carapace is brown to beige in colour, the scutes darken towards the edges and show grows rings. Superficially, males and females look alike except for slight differences in the scutes on the plastron (the 'belly' of the carapace), though males can achieve greater sizes than females. On average, male tortoises have a straight carapace length of up to 86cm and weigh up to 80kg, while females' straight carapace length averages at 58cm, with a weight of 30kg to 50kg.

African wild dogs (or Lycaon pictus) are also known as African hunting dogs or painted wolves. They live throughout sub-Saharan Africa – the continent has several different populations and five subspecies in total. The dogs are slim and tall in comparison to other canines, with extremely large rounded ears and distinctive colouration. Generally they have yellow and black mottled fur with white patches on their legs, chest and tail, however this varies on the subspecies. Some may also have a spot-like patterning on parts of their body.

Endemic to the Seychelle Islands, an Indian Ocean archipelago east of the African coast, the Aldabra giant tortoise (or Aldabrachelys gigantea) is a reptilian species capable of growing to extremely large sizes. Males average between 200 and 250 kg, while the smaller females still average between 121 and 159kg. Their shells are a dull, grey-brown colour made up of peaked keratinous plates and their skin is scaly and grey.

The alpaca (or Vicugna pacos) is a small, domesticated camelid species originating from the Andes regions of Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. It was domesticated thousands of years ago by native South American peoples, who used alpaca fleece to create clothing. Alpacas have a long, slender neck and long legs. Their whole body is covered in thick wool, except for the face, sometimes giving them the appearance of having a ‘hairdo’. The wool may be any shade of white, red, brown, or black. Colouration may be solid or piebald. Male and female alpacas look alike, standing 80cm to 100cm tall and weighing between 48kg and 90kg.

The Alpine goat is a breed of domestic goat (or Capra hircus) originating in the French Alps, found in France, Italy, and Switzerland. Alpine goats were developed as a dairy breed with a high yield of milk per animal and are adapted to the climatic conditions of their montane pastures. They have a stocky body, with long, thin limbs and neck. The short coat may be a solid brown, black, white, or grey, with black or white markings, or a patterned combination of all base colours. The head is small, with long, straight ears and slightly curved horns. Both bucks and does may have curved horns and a beard below the chin, though ornamentations tend to be larger in males. Alpine goats are 0.76m to 0.95m tall at the shoulder. Males are taller and heavier than females, weighing 77kg to 100kg, while females weigh between 61kg and 70kg.

The Alpine ibex (or Capra Ibex) is a large species of mountain goat native to the Alpine regions of Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. Its thick coat is a uniform brown on the body, with a pale underside and a darker coloration on legs and tail. Alpine ibexes have large ridged horns that curve backwards towards the body. Males are much larger and heavier than females. They have 69cm to 98cm long horns, measure 1.49m to 1.71m in length and 0.9m to 1.05m in height, and weigh 80kg to 100kg. Female ibexes have 18cm to 35cm long horns, measure 1.21m to 1.41m in length and 0.73m to 0.84m in height, and weigh only between 17kg to 32kg.

The Amazonian giant centipede (or Scolopendra gigantea) is a large, fearsome and predatory arthropod that is native to the forests of South America and the Caribbean. It is capable of catching, envenoming and killing many animals, and has learned specific techniques for catching particular prey. The centipede can reach 30cm in length and can occur in a variety of colours – typically red, yellow, brown or black – with yellow legs and dark stripes between body segments.

The American alligator is a large species of crocodilian that lives in the rivers, swamps, marshes and wetlands of the Southern USA and Mexico. American alligators may be dark green, brown or grey in colour. They have a broad rounded head with a large gape and many teeth, of which some can be seen protruding externally. The body of the American alligator is broad, with several raised ridges of scales running down their back. Their legs stick out laterally and they move close to the ground but will raise themselves off the ground when running. Male American alligators measure 3.4 to 4.6m in length and weigh 200 to 626kg. Females measure 2.6 to 3.0m in length and weigh 30 to 200kg. American alligators continue growing throughout their lives so can reach very large sizes.

The American plains bison (or Bison bison bison) is a large ungulate native to the USA and Canada. Bison are characterised by their large head, shoulder hump and forequarters, all of which are covered in a shaggy coat. Their hind-quarters are comparatively less muscled with a thinner coat. Both sexes have horns are similar in size, but males are much heavier due to having more muscle.

The American bullfrog is a large species of amphibian that lives in the swamps, ponds and lakes of the USA and Canada. Depending on its environment, it may be dark green, pale green or pale brown dorsally with a paler coloured belly. It may have darker spots on its back and a banding pattern on its legs, although some variations of the bullfrog have no pattern. The American bullfrog is sexually dimorphic; females are larger than males, and males have distinctive yellow coloration on their throat and a much larger tympanum (ovular hearing gland) on the sides of their head. The American bullfrog measures between 90-152mm in length and weighs 300-500g.

The American standard donkey (or Equus africanus asinus) is a type of North American donkey that is domesticated. North American donkeys are classified by their size rather than their pedigree in order to determine their type (as opposed to a specific breed) due to the diverse genetic influences of their ancestors – donkeys that were imported to the Americas from all over the Old World from the fifteenth century onward. The American standard donkey is 1.2m to 1.4m tall at the withers and weighs between 180kg and 227kg. Other size types are the miniature and small standard donkey, which are smaller, and the mammoth donkey, which is larger than the American standard. North American donkeys may be grey, brown, or black, with a lighter underside and black primitive markings on the back, shoulder, and sometimes legs. Some donkeys also exhibit a spotted pattern, where the coat is dotted with large white spots. Males and females look alike.

The Amur leopard (or Panthera pardus orientalis) is a subspecies of the leopard found in temperate forests between the Russian Far East and China. The species is adapted for both warm summers and cold winters of the region. This big cat has a stocky, muscular build, a thick tail and broad face with small, rounded ears. The dense coat of the Amur leopard ranges from tan to orange in base colour, with a white belly. The body of the animal is covered in black rosettes, turning into solid black spots towards the legs and underside. Amur leopards measure 60cm to 78cm at the shoulder and 100cm to 136cm in length, with further 82cm to 90cm added by their tail. Females tend to be smaller than males. Males weigh between 32kg and 48kg, while females are lighter with a weight of 25kg to 42kg.

The Lesser Antillean Iguana (or Iguana delicatissima) is a large species of lizard endemic to the Lesser Antilles Islands of the Caribbean – specifically Anguilla, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Dominica.  It is a critically endangered species, threatened by habitat loss, hunting by feral animals, and hybridization with the invasive green iguana. The Lesser Antillean iguana is grey with a green belly and has a short, blunted face with white scales around the jaw; males have pink jowls and blue scales around the eyes, whereas females lack this colouration and are about two thirds of the size of their male counterparts.

The Arctic fox is a small species of canid that lives in the Arctic regions and Alpine tundra of Canada, the USA, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. In the winter, most Arctic foxes have a thick, white coat that insulates them from extreme temperatures. In summer, their coat is brown or dark grey, pale on the underside and is much thinner. A small percentage of the population stays brown in both winter and summer, known as blue morphs. The Arctic fox has broad rounded ears, small amber eyes and a small black nose. They stand 25 to 30cm tall at the shoulder and have a tail length of 25 to 35cm. Males have a head-body length of 46 to 68cm and weigh between 3.2 and 9.4kg, at an average  of 3.5kg. Females are slightly smaller, with a head-body length of 41 to 55cm and weigh between 1.4 and 3.2kg, averaging 2.9kg.

Arctic wolves (or Canis lupus arctos) are a large canid species that live in Northern Canada and Greenland. Also known as white wolves, they are large pack predators that feed primarily on muskoxen and arctic hares, although they may also eat foxes, birds and bear cubs, as well as occasionally scavenging carrion.

Native to the rivers and streams of Central and Southeast Asia, the Asian small-clawed otter (or Aonyx cinereus) is the smallest otter species in the world. Its sleek body is covered in brown fur, with a white belly and throat. Asian small-clawed otters grow between 72cm and 96cm in total body length and weigh 2.7kg to 5.4kg. There are no notable physical differences between females and males of this species.

The Asian water monitor (or Varanus salvator) is a large reptile native to the rainforests, swamps, and mangrove forests throughout much of the warmer areas of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It is dark green to black in colouration, with pale brown and yellow reticulated markings across its whole body. These reticulations often appear as bands on the tail. The Asian water monitor displays sexual dimorphism, with males being larger. Male monitors measure 1.5m to 2m in length, and weigh between 5kg and 50kg, averaging at 20kg, while females measure 1.2m to 1.8m in length and weigh 2kg to 22kg.

The axolotl (or Ambystoma mexicanum) is an amphibian found exclusively in freshwater lakes in Mexico, with only Lake Xochimilco remaining as their natural habitat. Its wild type is green and brown in colour, with dark speckles across the body, however axolotls in the pet trade are often leucistic (white) or come in a number of other, vibrant colourmorphs. They have prominent gill fans protruding from their necks, a feature common in all salamander larvae, although due to their more aquatic lifestyle, the axolotl keeps these external gills. Its face is wide, with small eyes and a large mouth. They range between 15cm and 45cm in length, and average at around 300g of weight.

The North Sulawesi babirusa is a species of pig native to the Sulawesi island of Indonesia and several small surrounding islands. The North Sulawesi babirusa is mostly hairless with grey skin. Male babirusas have four large tusks that curl back towards their skull. The North Sulawesi babirusa has a head-body length of 85 to 110cm, a tail length of 29 to 32cm and a shoulder height of 58 to 66cm. Male babirusas weigh between 70 and 100kg and female babirusas weigh between 45 and 80kg.

Domestic Bactrian camels (or Camelus bactrianus) are large ungulates native to Central Asia. They have two humps and thick sandy-coloured wool coats, although they can also be dark brown or white. On average they are 2m tall at the shoulder with an extra 30cm of height added by their humps, and males are significantly larger than females.

Baird’s tapir (or Tapirus bairdii) is an endangered mammal native to the woodlands of Central America. It’s one of five species of tapir – four of which live in Central and/or South America. Males and females are similar sizes,  although females are slightly larger, and both have a dark brown to black coat, as well as a pale chin and chest when fully grown. Calves, meanwhile, are tan with white spots and stripes; their colouration provides them with camouflage in the dappled light of the woodland where they live.

The Bengal tiger (or Panthera tigris tigris) is native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Western China. It can live in all kinds of environments, including grassland, forests and mangroves, and will hunt large prey such as cloven-hoofed animals like goats, deer and cows (collectively known as ungulates). The Bengal tiger can be identified by its bright orange coat and brown or black stripes, along with a large head, muscular limbs and large teeth.

The binturong, also known as the bearcat, is a species of mammal that lives in the forests of South and South-East Asia. It has a long, stocky body with comparatively short broad legs. They have wiry black hair with a brown face and white-tipped rounded ears. Females are approximately 20% larger than the males. The binturong has a head-body length of 71-91cm, and a tail length of 56-91cm. The males weigh between 9-20kg and the females weigh between 11-32kg.

The black rhinoceros (or Diceros bicornis), also known as the hook-lipped rhinoceros, is a large ungulate native to the grasslands and scrublands of Southern and Eastern Africa. Black rhinos have two horns on their face, with the anterior horn being much longer than the posterior horn. They have thick, grey skin, stocky limbs, small eyes, and oval-shaped ears. The black rhinoceros stands 1.40m to 1.80m tall at the shoulder, is 3m to 3.75m long, and weighs between 800kg and 1400kg. Males and females are similar in size.

The black wildebeest (or Connochaetes gnou) is a large ungulate species native to Southern Africa, also known as the ‘gnu’ after the distinctive noise they make when alarmed. The species is recognisable by a brown-black coat and L-shaped horns, and males can be distinguished from females due to their darker colour and larger size. Both sexes have thick, bushy manes and a long horse-like tail, measuring between 1.7 and 2.2m long, 1.06 to 1.21m tall at the shoulder, and weighing 120 to 193kg.

The black-and-white ruffed lemur (or Varecia variegata) is a species of primate native to the eastern rainforests of Madagascar. As the name implies, its coat is made up of distinct black and white patches: the underside, head, paws and tail are black, while limbs, back and the distinctive ruff are white. Black-and-white ruffed lemurs are 50cm to 55cm long, with a tail of around 60cm length. Like in other lemurs, females are slightly larger than males.

The black-tailed prairie dog is a species of rodent that lives in the prairies, grasslands, semi-deserts and steppes of the USA as well as small areas of Canada and Mexico. The black-tailed prairie dog has sandy coloured fur with paler coloration on the underside. They have long claws, small ears, black eyes and a black tipped tail. Males are slightly larger than females, but otherwise they are the same in appearance. Black-tailed prairie dogs weigh between 0.68- and 1.36kg, have a head-body length of 36 to 43cm and a tail length of 7.6 to 10.2cm.

The blue wildebeest (or Connochaetes taurinus) is a large antelope native to Southern Africa. It is also known as the common or white-bearded wildebeest, or brindled gnu. They have a pale grey or brown coat with dark stripes across their neck, shoulders, and chest. Blue wildebeest have a long black tail and a long black mane, which either stands up or drapes over the neck depending on the subspecies. The beard trailing under the neck is white. The species is sexually dimorphic, with males being larger than females, but both males and females have distinctive, L-shaped horns. They stand 1.23m to 1.65m tall at the shoulder, are 1.7m to 2.4m long and weigh between 165kg and 290kg. Females on the other hand are 1.14m to 1.42m tall at the shoulder, 1.75m to 2.15m long and weigh 140kg to 260kg.

The boa constrictor is a large species of snake native to Central and South America. They are a ubiquitous species split into 9 subspecies, all of which are capable of living in most environments but mostly found in rainforests, coastal areas and semi-deserts. Although there are many different colours and patterns among these snakes, the typical appearance is pale brown, dark brown and black scales in a rhomboid pattern down the length of the body. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism; the males and females look different. Males are an average length of between 1.8 and 2.4m, with pelvic spurs around their cloaca that are used to facilitate mating. Females are larger, with an average length of between 2.1 and 3m, whilst they have pelvic spurs they are smaller than the male’s.

The bongo (or Tragelaphus erycerus) is a secretive, forest-dwelling antelope that lives in the woodlands of Central Africa. They have a tan-to-red coloured coat, white vertical stripes on their torso and pale inner legs, large ears, and a yellow chevron under their eyes. Their main distinguishing features are their large, spiraling, vertical horns. While males and females are a similar size – between 1.1 and 1.3m tall at the shoulder, and 2.15 and 3.15m long – the males are much heavier, averaging 310kg compared to a female’s 190kg.

Bonobos (or Pan paniscus) live in the forests and wetlands of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and are most closely related to the common chimpanzee (or Pan troglodytes). Out of any species in nature, these two types of ape have the most DNA in common with humans. Bonobos have pink lips and dark, forward-facing eyes, small ears, a flat nose with wide nostrils, as well as black hair. Male bonobos are larger than females – averaging 73 to 83cm tall and weighing 39kg – whereas a female stands 70 to 76cm tall and weighs 31kg.

The orangutan (or Pongo pygmaeus) is native to the island of Borneo, their range also spanning areas of Bornean Indonesia and Malaysia. They are large apes identifiable by their red fur and brown skin, while mature males also have distinct, large cheek pads and throat pouches used for making loud vocalizations to attract females. They are incredibly intelligent animals and have been observed creating and using tools in the wild to acquire food. However, they cannot swim and their range is often limited by rivers that they cannot cross in the wild.

The Brazilian salmon pink tarantula (or Lasiodora parahybana) is a large species of spider exclusively endemic to the Atlantic Forest area of East Brazil. They are black in colour, with pink or red hairs on their legs and abdomen. When looked at as a whole, the males are slightly larger than females with a leg span that can reach 28cm, but females are heavier with a larger abdomen. Males also often have brighter coloration than females.

The Brazilian wandering spider (or Phoneutria nigriventer) is a species of arachnid native to South America – predominantly in the rainforests, although it does often live in urban areas alongside humans. The spiders are large, venomous and pale brown in colour, with a hairy body and black striations on their legs. Males are slightly smaller than females with a much smaller abdomen, and also have swollen bulbs on the end of their palps, which are the segmented appendages near the mouth and are often used to distinguish the sexes. They have an average leg span of between 130 and 150mm, and an average body size of 17x48mm. A classic behaviour of the Brazilian wandering spider is its defensive posture, whereby it raises its front two sets of legs and leans from side to side.

The brown-throated sloth (or Bradypus variegatus) is an arboreal mammal living in the rainforests of Central and South America. It is pale grey to brown in colour, has long gangly limbs, longer arms than legs, and a short, vestigial tail. The sloth has three long claws on both of its hands and feet, although the front claws are significantly longer. The brown-throated sloth has a round head with inconspicuous ears and dark brown markings going laterally from the eyes to the side of the head. Males and females mostly look the same, with the only difference being the male’s distinctly patterned patch on its back. They measure 60cm in length on average, and weigh 3.5kg to 5.2kg.

The California Sea Lion is a species of eared seal native to the coastal regions of the Western USA and Mexico. This sea lion is usually dark brown in colour with paler coloration on the sides and belly, although some females are pale brown in colour. Young pups are different in appearance, possessing a juvenile coat that is tan and fluffy, which they lose for their adult coat when they are between 5-7 months old. Male California sea lions measure 2.25 to 2.5m in length and weigh 250 to 350kg. Females are much smaller, measuring 1.8 to 2.1m and weighing 80 to 100kg.

The capybara (or Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the world’s largest rodent and lives throughout savannahs, forests and wetlands of South America. Its large, barrel-like body is covered in coarse brown fur. Capybaras have partially webbed feet to accommodate their semiaquatic lifestyle, a short vestigial tail, and small ears on their oblong shaped head. They typically measure 50cm to 62cm in height and 106cm to 134cm in length. Although similar in size, female capybaras tend to be heavier than males, with an average weight of 61kg for females and 50kg for males.

The caracal (or Caracal caracal) is a small wildcat living in the savannahs, marshes, semi-deserts and wood and scrublands of Africa and the Middle East. Its coat is tan-red with a paler underside and the body is stocky with large feet and a comparatively short tail. It has large pointed ears with long, black tufts protruding from the tips, as well as dark facial markings above the eyes and sides of their lips. Caracal males are slightly larger than females, but sexes otherwise look alike. Males stand 41cm to 53cm tall at the shoulder, have a head-body length of 75cm to 108cm with and weigh 7.2kg to 19kg. Females are 39cm to 51cm tall, 71cm to 103cm long and weigh 7kg to 15.9kg. The short tail is between 18cm and 34cm long.

The cheetah (or Acinonyx jubatus) lives in the savannahs and dry woodlands of Central and Southern Africa. They can be recognised by their slim body, deep chest, thin legs and tail, as well as dark ‘tear marks’ on the face. Not to mention their most distinctive feature – their spots. Cheetahs are famous for being the fastest land animal, reaching up to 70mph when pursuing their prey. This is generally medium-sized mammals such as gazelle and impala.

The Chinese pangolin (or Manis pentadactyla) is a critically endangered insectivorous species native to India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Taiwan and Southern China. They are small, secretive and slow-moving animals, their most distinguishing feature being their layered armour-like keratinous scales. Chinese pangolins are between 40 and 58cm long with a tail measuring 25 to 38cm. They spend their days sleeping in their burrows, and their nights foraging for ants, termites and other insects.

The clouded leopard is a medium-sized arboreal cat that lives in the forests and grasslands of South East Asia. It has yellow to grey fur that is covered in large black reticulated rings. Their head, legs and tail are covered in black spots and stripes. Clouded leopards are between 69 and 108cm long, with a tail length of 61 to 91cm. Males are larger than females. Clouded leopards weigh between 11 and 23kg.

The cloudless sulphur (or Phoebis sennae) is a butterfly found in temperate open areas – grasslands, parks, gardens, watercourses and seashores – of North, Central and South America. It has yellow wings with brown and/or black spots and borders. Females tend to be less vibrant than males and have yellow spots along the dark wing borders. The cloudless sulphur has a wingspan of 5.5cm to 7.8cm. Caterpillars of the cloudless sulphur are bright yellow or green with a yellow stripe and blue spots along each side.

The collared peccary (or Pecari tajacu) is a pig-like mammal adapted to living in a diverse array of environments. It’s native range spans across the rainforests, woodlands, semi-deserts, and grasslands of North, Central, and South America. Collared peccaries have coarse, grey hair that is slightly longer around the neck and spine. They are named after the ring of paler hair around their neck. They have a pig-like, round snout, short and straight tusks, and small, rounded ears. There is no sexual dimorphism in collared peccaries, meaning males and females look alike and are the same size. They measure 30cm to 50cm tall at the shoulder, are 84cm to 106cm long, and weigh between 15kg and 42kg.

The Colombian white-faced capuchin monkey (or Cebus capucinus) is an arboreal primate that lives in the forests of Colombia, Panama and Ecuador. There are 11 species of capuchin and even more subspecies, and the Colombian white-faced variant can be distinguished by its black body fur and distinctive white fur on the shoulders, upper chest and around the face. They also have a 'cap' of black fur on the top of their head and a pale pink face covered in sparse hair, as well as forward facing brown eyes. White-faced capuchins are between 33 and 45cm in length with a 35 to 55cm long tail, weighing between 1.5 and 4kg. Males are larger and heavier than females.

The common death adder (or Acanthophis antarcticus) is a venomous snake that lives in the grasslands, forests and bushlands of Eastern and Southern Australia. It has a flat, triangular head, a squat body and a rapidly tapering tail, as well as a banded patternation of light brown, dark brown and grey in order for it to be well disguised in leaf litter and other debris. On average, the common death adder is between 70 and 100cm long.

The common ostrich (or Struthio camelus) is the largest known bird species in the world. Males have black body feathers and white feathers on their wing-tips and tails, while females have grey-brown body feathers. On both sexes, the head, neck and legs are pink to white in colour, and there is some variation in appearance depending on the bird’s original location in Africa. The males have an average height of 2.1 to 2.8m, whereas females are smaller, measuring between 1.7 and 2.0m.

The common warthog (or Phacochoerus africanus) lives throughout Sub-Saharan Africa in a wide variety of environments. Although not currently endangered, the species is vulnerable to drought and hunting, as they’re often viewed by humans as pests. The reason for this is twofold. Firstly, they can spread disease to livestock. Secondly, they can destroy crops on farmland when rooting with their tusks. This has resulted in some pockets of the population being wiped out.

The common wombat (or Vombatus ursinus), also known as the coarse-haired or bare-nosed wombat, is a marsupial found in the scrub and woodlands of south eastern Australia and Tasmania. It has a squat, round build with short, muscular legs and a blunt snout. The body is covered in coarse grey-brown fur. Common wombats measure between 90cm and 115cm in length from nose to rump and weigh 22kg to 39kg. There are no obvious external differences between males and females.

Found only in the Northwestern rainforests of Madagascar, Coquerel's sifaka (or Propithecus coquereli) is a Critically Endangered, medium-sized species of Lemur. Their body is covered in distinctly coloured fur that is white with dark red patches along the limbs, chest, and back, which may fade into grey fur along the tail. The face is black, with yellow eyes and a white stripe on the nose, and is framed by a short white ruff. No distinct sexual dimorphism occurs in this species, with both sexes looking alike, although females are sometimes reported to grow slightly larger than males. Coquerel's sifakas' body length ranges from 42cm to 54cm, with the tail adding additional 50cm to 60cm, and they weigh between 3.7kg and 4.3kg.

The cougar is a large species of felid that lives in the forests, mountains, grassland, deserts and scrubland of Canada, the USA, Mexico, and all of South America. The cougar is also commonly known as the puma and the mountain lion. The cougar has sandy coloured fur, thick legs and a thick tail, a broad head with rounded ears, a white muzzle and dark tear marks coming down from the eyes. Male cougars have a head-body length of 120 to 200cm, a height of 60 to 90cm at the shoulder, a tail length of 63 to 95cm and weigh between 53 and 100kg. Females have a head-body length of 90 to 180cm, weigh between 29 and 64kg and have a similar height and tail length to males.

Cuvier's dwarf caiman is a small species of crocodilian that inhabits in the rivers and swamps in the forests of northern South America. The appearance of this species changes as it matures. Caimans have large protruding brown (although occasionally yellow) eyes. Males are an average of 1.3-1.5m in length while females are an average of 1.15m in length. They usually weigh between 6-7kg.

The Dall sheep (or Ovis dalli) – also known as ‘Dall’s sheep’ or ‘thinhorn sheep’ –  is a species of wild sheep that lives on the mountain meadows of Alaska (USA), Yukon and British Colombia (Canada). They are white to pale brown in colour, with yellow-brown horns, and are sexually dimorphic; the males being significantly larger than the females and with much thicker, curlier horns. Males measure between 1.3 and 1.8m long and weigh between 73 and 113kg, while females measure between 1.3 and 1.6m and weigh 46 to 50kg.

The dama gazelle (or Nanger dama) is a species of ungulate living in the Sahara desert and the Sahel. It has a short white coat on its belly, legs, hindquarters, and face, and red-brown fur on its back, shoulders, and neck. On its head, the dama gazelle has large protuberant ears and a black, curled horn. These horns are present on both males and females, however those of females are much shorter. Horn length in males ranges from 25cm to 35cm, with female horns around half that size on average. Dama gazelles measure 95cm to 105cm tall at the shoulder and 140cm to 168cm in body length, with females being slightly smaller. Male gazelles weigh 35kg to 75kg, while females are much lighter at 35kg to 40kg.

The Danube crested newt (or Triturus dobrogicus) is an amphibian species living in the slow-flowing waters, tributaries and surrounding woodlands of the Danube River. Sides and back of the newts are covered in black and brown skin with white and black mottling, while their belly and throat are coloured bright red and orange with dark patterns. As with all crested newts, the species expresses sexual dimorphism where males have a distinctive spiked crest running down the length of their spine during breeding season. Male newts are 13cm to 15cm long, females are slightly larger measuring up to 18cm in length.

The desert horned viper (or Cerastes cerastes) is a venomous snake native to the deserts and semi-deserts of Northern Africa and the Middle East. It is also known as the Saharan horned viper. The body of the desert horned viper is sand-coloured, often with a paler underside. They may have slightly darker brown mottling on their scales as camouflage. The head is large and triangular. Most notably, they may have distinctive, pointed horns above their eyes, from which they get their name. Males and females look alike, although females tend to be slightly larger. Their body length varies from 30cm to 60cm long.

The Ussuri dhole lives in the forests, grasslands and tundra of India, Nepal, China, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand, and is the largest of all subspecies of dhole. The Ussuri dhole has a red coat, white underbelly and narrow muzzle. They have summer and winter coats, with the winter coat being thicker and a brighter red. The dhole has a head-body length of 88-113cm, a tail length of 41-50cm and a shoulder height of 45-55cm. Both sexes are similar in size, but males are significantly heavier than females, with males weighing between 15 and 20kg and females weighing between 10 and 13kg.

The Northern diamondback terrapin is a small species of turtle that lives in the brackish and coastal swamps of the Eastern and Southern United States of America. It is characterized by its distinctive shell pattern of interlocking ‘diamonds’ that tend to have concentric light and dark rings within them. However, pattern and coloration does vary within the species. The average shell length of males is 13cm, whereas the average shell length of the female is 17cm.

The dingo (or Canis lupus dingo) is a large species of canid that lives throughout Australia. With sandy-coloured fur, a white underside, pointed ears and a long, blunt snout, the dingo is skinny in appearance, averaging between 52 and 60cm in height and measuring 1.2 to 1.5m long. They weigh between 14 and 19kg, with males being slightly larger than females. They are opportunistic predators but also scavengers, resulting in a varied diet of mammals, birds, reptiles, carrion, fruit and vegetables.

The dromedary camel (or Camelus dromedarius) is a camelid living throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and Western Asia. It has also been introduced to European countries and Australia. Dromedaries are usually sandy brown, tan, or cream in colour, but may also have dark or pied colouration. They have a single hump on their back, long legs, and a long neck. The dromedary camel has a domed head with small, rounded ears, large eyes with long lashes, and large, protuberant lips. Males are larger and heavier than females, spanning 2.50m to 3.40m in length, 1.80m to 2m in shoulder height, and 400kg to 600kg in weight. Female dromedaries stand 1.70m to 1.90m tall at the shoulder, are 2.20m to 3m long, and weigh between 300kg and 540kg.

The eastern blue-tongued lizard, or eastern blue-tongued skink is a species of reptile that lives in the woodland, scrubland and semi-desert areas of Australia. They are broad and squat animals, with a triangular head and a thick tail. It has various colour morphs but typically has tan, beige and black scales arranged in a striped pattern. As its name suggests, it has a bright blue tongue. Adult eastern blue-tongued lizards are between 45 and 60cm in length.

The Eastern brown snake (or Pseudonaja textilis) is a venomous species of reptile that lives in Australia and New Guinea. It prefers to live in dry areas so can be found in the grassland, scrubland and sparse forests. The snakes are pale to dark brown in colour, often with a paler underside, and they may have slightly darker brown mottling on their scales as camouflage. Eastern brown snakes usually measure between 1.5 and 2m in length, and the species is known for its defensive displays, whereby it will lift much of its head and body off the ground and coil it into an S-shape with its mouth open. These displays are often mistaken for aggression.

The Egyptian fruit bat (or Rousettus aegyptiacus) is a megabat living in the rainforests, deciduous woodlands and scrublands of Sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula. Their body is covered in fur that may be yellow, orange or brown in colour. They have large, grey-black wings with pinker colouration around the fingers. Egyptian fruit bats have a long snout ending in a blunt nose, large round eyes and big pointed ears. On average, they measure 15cm in length, with a wingspan of around 60cm. Their weight ranges between 80g and 170g. Males of this species tend to be slightly larger and heavier than females.

The emu (or Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the world’s second largest species of flightless bird, only dwarfed by the common ostrich. It lives in the savannahs and woodlands of Australia. The emu has a long, bald neck which may have a blue tint, shaggy brown feathers that begin partway down the neck, and long grey legs with large three-toed feet. Emus have a grey beak, orange eyes and tufty feathers on the top of their head. Males and females look alike, although female emus are generally larger and heavier than males. Male emus measure 1.5m to 1.8m in height and 1.39m to 1.57m in length, and weigh 30kg to 55kg. Females stand 1.6m to 1.9m tall, are 1.5m to 1.64m long, and weigh 35kg to 60kg.

The Eurasian lynx (or Lynx lynx) is a medium-sized cat that is found in temperate and boreal forest and mountains of Europe and Asia. It has a broad, stocky build with large feet, and is known for its short tail and distinctive ear tufts. Its coat colour ranges from cream to tan, with black spots all over the body. Both the tail tip and ear tufts are black too. Males and females look alike, although males are slightly larger and significantly heavier. Male Eurasian lynxes weigh 20kg up to 45kg, with a head-body length of 98cm to 109cm and shoulder height of 60cm to 75cm. Female lynxes only weigh 18kg to 25kg, measure 94cm to 106cm in head-body length and stand 54cm to 68cm tall at the shoulder. The stubby tail is 11cm to 24cm long in both sexes.

The European badger (or Meles meles) is a large species of mustelid inhabiting woodlands, shrublands and even man-made parks and pastures throughout Europe. The badger’s most distinct feature is its facial pattern, with two distinct black stripes extending from the neck over ears and eyes down to the snout, across a white face. Its body is covered in thick grey fur, with black legs and lighter fur on the sides. European badgers have a shoulder height of 25cm to 30cm and a head-body length of 60cm to 90cm, with a short tail measuring additional 12cm to 24cm. Male and female badgers are approximately the same size but males tend to be heavier, weighing 9.1kg to 16.7kg while females weigh between 6.6kg and 13.9kg.

The European fallow deer (or Dama dama) is an ungulate found in grasslands and woodlands throughout Europe. The coat is tan with rows of white spots on the body, with a pale underside and throat, although there are various morphs such as leucism (white), melanism (black) and menil (paler coat without tail markings) occurring in European fallow deer as well. Males, called bucks, have large palmate antlers which span an average length of 60cm when fully developed, whereas females, called does, do not. Bucks are larger than does, with a head-body length of 1.4m to 1.6m and shoulder height of 0.85m to 0.95m; while does are 1.3m to 1.5m long with a shoulder height of 0.75m to 0.85m.

The European peacock (or Aglais io) is a species of butterfly living throughout the temperate grasslands and woodlands of Europe and Asia. It has four red wings with brown edges and distinctive eye spots. These eye spots may be made up of yellow, blue, red or purple scales and have black surrounding marks. The undersides of the wings are brown to black. Males and females looks alike, although females may be up to 10% larger than males. European peacocks reach a wingspan of 5cm to 6.4cm. Caterpillars of the European peacock are black and hairy, and the chrysalises are green with pointed ridges on the dorsal side.

The fennec fox is a small species of canid that lives in the Sahara desert. The fur of the back, head and tail is sandy coloured, and the fur of the legs, belly and face are white. The fennec fox’s most distinctive feature is its extremely large pointed ears. The fennec fox is very small, measuring 18 to 22cm tall at the shoulder with a head-body length of 34 to 40cm. Their tail is up to 25cm long and their ears measure 9 to 10cm in length. They weigh between 0.8 and 1.9kg. Males are slightly larger than females. The fennec fox is not considered an endangered species and their population size is unknown but thought to be numerous.

The fire salamander (or Salamandra salamandra) is an amphibian living in the deciduous forests throughout mainland Europe. Its skin is black with yellow spots, although there can be much variation in their patterning. Fire salamanders are between 15cm to 30cm long and weight approximately 30g to 50g. Males and females do not differ in size or appearance. While larvae are aquatic, adults cannot swim and spend their lives on solid ground.

The Formosan black bear (or Ursus thibetanus formosanus) is a subspecies of the Asiatic black bear that’s endemic to Taiwan. They have a stocky build with black fur, rounded ears and a long straight snout; plus their most characteristic and distinct visual feature, which is a V-shaped white patch on their chest. The Formosan black bears are sexually dimorphic; in this case the males are much larger than females. The former weigh and measure an average of 135kg and 1.7m, and the latter average 70kg and 1.35m.

The fossa (or Cryptoprocta ferox) is a large mammal found in the forests of the island of Madagascar. It belongs to the family of Eupleridae, the Madagascan carnivores, of which the fossa is the largest. Mostly arboreal, the fossa has a long and slender cat-like build, with a tail almost as long as its body. Its fur is uniformly tan-brown. The fossa has rounded ears, a round nose, and yellow eyes resembling that of a cat. Males and females look alike, and are between 61cm to 80cm long, with the tail adding another 60cm to 75cm. Fossas weigh 5kg to 9kg.

The gemsbok (or Oryx gazella) is a species of antelope that lives in the Kalahari and Namib deserts of Southern Africa. They are characterised by several visual features: long, slim and spiral horns; a black face with white markings over the eyes and muzzle; a grey-brown coat with black markings on the upper legs and back; as well as white ‘socks’. On average, Gemsbok stand between 1.1 and 1.3m tall at the shoulder, measure 1.9 to 2.4m long and have an average horn length of 85cm. The males are also slightly larger and significantly heavier than the females.

Gharials (or Gavialis gangeticus) are a critically endangered species of crocodile native to the rivers of the Indian subcontinent. With recent estimations stating there are just 200 left in the wild, the dwindling population is now restricted to just four stretches of river in Nepal and North India. Their collapse in numbers has been caused by the increase in river pollution reducing the amount of fish in the water, as well as by sand-mining destroying sandbanks that are essential for egg-laying females.

The giant anteater (or Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is a medium sized mammal that lives in the grasslands and forests of Central and South America. As the name suggests, the species feeds almost exclusively on ants and termites, detecting ant colonies by smell, before digging a hole to feed using its long, sticky tongue. The giant anteater has a very distinctive appearance, with a long, tubular snout, small eyes and ears, stocky limbs, a coarse mane and a thick bushy tail. They also have a characteristic pattern across their bodies; white front legs, a grey muzzle and a black strip across their chest, throat and shoulders, with bristly, black to brown tails and manes.

The giant burrowing cockroach (or Macropanesthia rhinoceros) is a large insect native to the scrublands and dry forests of Northern Australia. They measure approximately 8cm long, weigh 30g, and are dark reddish-brown in colour. They are so named for their habit of digging burrows in the sandy earth, often delving up to 1m into the ground. They are a popular pet because of the ease of care and their positive response to being handled.

A large species of arachnid native to the deserts of the Southern USA and Mexico, the giant desert hairy scorpion (or Hadrurus arizonensis) is a predator specialising in ambush. Typically yellow, tan or pale green and with darker areas of colour on its back, the scorpion spends its time buried beneath the sand or under rocks, attacking insects and small vertebrates with its stinger. This immobilses its prey before the scorpion can then grab it with its jaws. Once fully grown, the scorpion can be between 10 and 18cm in length and, despite the pain caused, the sting is not usually dangerous to humans.

The giant forest scorpion (or Heterometrus swammerdami titanicus) is a large species of arachnid that lives in the tropical rainforests of India and Sri Lanka. It’s a stout, black coloured animal with thick chitinous body plates and very large pincers. It may also have a blue or green sheen to its cuticle. The giant forest scorpion’s pincers are strong and capable of catching and crushing prey, whereas its venom is relatively weak; most likely because it relies more on the strength of its pincers than the potency of its sting.

The Giant Galapagos tortoise (or Chelonoidas nigra) is a species of reptile endemic to the Galapagos Islands and does not appear anywhere else in the world. They come in two types – saddleback shelled and dome shelled – and both variants have a dull grey-brown shell and scaly, grey coloured skin. Saddleback shell tortoises have long necks and live in dry lowland areas, while dome shell tortoises have short necks and live in humid highland areas. Both can grow to extremely large sizes, with the average male weighing between 272 and 317kg, and the average female weighing between 136 and 181kg.

The giant Malaysian leaf insect is a large species of insect that lives in the Western tropical rainforests of Malaysia. This species exhibits extraordinary camouflage. As its name suggests, it has evolved to blend in with the leaves of the trees in which it lives. Females are 12cm in length, broad and flat in appearance and have small vestigial wings that do not allow them to fly. Males are approximately 9cm in length and much more slender. They have long wings and can fly.

The giant otter is a large semi-aquatic mammal that lives in the Amazon river basin and the Pantanal wetlands of South America. The giant otter has thick, velvet-like brown fur with distinctive white markings around its throat. Giant otters have large, webbed feet and a wing like tail adapted for swimming. Male and female giant otters do not differ in size and are typically between 150 and 180cm long, though they vary in weight. Males weigh 26 to 32kg, while females are slightly lighter with 22 to 26kg.

The giant panda (or Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a species of bear native to the mountains of Central China. They have black and white fur in a distinctive pattern, with black legs, ears and circles around their eyes. Pandas feed almost exclusively on bamboo and, as a result, are extremely dependent on rich bamboo forests to survive. This is a low energy food, so pandas must eat a lot of it to live and spend most of their waking hours foraging and eating. Their low energy intake also means they produce very tiny and vulnerable cubs.

The giant tiger land snail (or Achatina achatina) is a large species of gastropod that lives in the woodland areas of West Africa; specifically Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria, among others. They have a grey body and a conical shell that’s yellow, orange or tan with black stripes – the distinctive pattern being the inspiration for their name. The species is hermaphroditic, possessing both male and female reproductive parts, so there are no distinct ‘males’ and ‘females’. However, small or sub-adult individuals have often not yet developed the reproductive parts and so may be considered ‘males’.

The Gila monster (or Heloderma suspectum) is a large species of venomous lizard native to the arid regions of the Southern United States and Northern Mexico. It has orange and black scales arranged in a banded and reticulated pattern, measures 51 to 60cm long, and weighs between 350 and 700g. The Gila monster has a very keen sense of smell that it uses for hunting, and can often be seen scenting the air by flicking its tongue in and out of its mouth. The species is near threatened, often killed by humans out of fear, despite the fact it is too slow moving for it to be a serious threat to people.

The golden poison frog (or Phyllobates terribilis) is a species of poison dart frog endemic to the rainforests of the Pacific Coast of Colombia. Although being called ‘golden’ frogs, they are actually found in mint green, yellow and orange colour morphs. All variants measure an average of 50 to 55mm and have extremely poisonous skin that’s used as a defense mechanism against predators, while their bright colouration acts as a warning signal to potential threats. They live on the forest floor and, unlike other frog species, do not require to live in or near water, though they do need a water source in which to deposit their eggs.

The Goliath beetle (or Goliathus goliatus) is a large species of insect that lives in the savannah and rainforests of Central Africa. The males and females are different in appearance and size; the males being larger – between 60 and 100mm – with a dark brown abdomen, a brown thorax with white stripes, black legs, as well as a white head with a Y-shaped horn. The females have shorter, thinner stripes on the thorax, are smaller in size – between 50 and 80mm – and do not have a horn. Little is known about the lifecycle of this species in the wild, but it is threatened by habitat loss due to destruction of the rainforests that it lives.

The Goliath birdeater (or Theraphosa blondi) is an extremely large species of tarantula native to the tropical rainforests, swamps and marshes of Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Brazil and Venezuela. It is tan brown in colour, covered in red-brown hair, has a large abdomen with a large, round thorax, thick segmented legs, and elongated pedipalps (mouth parts). The female is larger than the male, and both sexes have pronounced appendages on the end of their abdomen known as ‘spinnerets’ that aid in web deposition. The web of the Goliath birdeater is used for making egg sacs and for sperm transfer, but they do not spin webs for hunting.

The Goliath frog (or Conraua goliath) is an extremely large species that lives in the African rainforests of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, specifically in the fast-flowing rivers and streams. It can be green to dark brown in colour, with a paler underbelly, large yellow eyes, and may also have small, ridged bumps on its skin. Males are larger than females, weighing between 0.6 and 3kg and measuring between 17 and 30cm long. The species is endangered due to being over-hunted for food, as trophies and by the pet trade.

The greater flamingo (or Phoenicopterus roseus) is a large species of migratory bird that is widespread across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. It lives on the mudflats and coastal lagoons of temperate and warm environments, and is a filter feeder which uses its beak to stir up mud and filter out algae, invertebrates and seeds. Male and female flamingos look the same with pale-pink to orange-pink feathers, pink legs, a pink beak with a black tip, and often brighter pink patches on their wings. They also have black flight feathers, measure between 110 and 150cm tall, and weigh between 2 and 4kg.

The green iguana (or Iguana iguana) is a large species of lizard that lives throughout Central America, Northern South America and the Caribbean. It has a long tail with a serrated crest that goes from its head to the base of its spine, as well as muscular legs with long toes and claws. They may also have striations on their tail and body. Although named ‘green’ iguanas, they occur in many colours – commonly green, blue, brown and orange – and these different colour morphs often depend on their location of origin. Whatever the colour, the green iguana can reach 2m in length including the tail, and males are larger than females, weighing an average of 4kg compared to 2kg.

The Atlantic grey seal is a species of marine mammal that lives around the landmasses of the Atlantic Ocean (UK, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Canada, USA). Western Atlantic grey seals are significantly larger than the Eastern Atlantic morph. Their males measure between 2.3 and 2.9m in length and weigh 205-370kg, while females measure between 1.9-2.3m in length and weigh 160-250kg.

Native to northern USA and Canada, the grizzly bear is in fact a subspecies of brown bear (or Ursus arctos horribilis) and is often called the North American brown bear to prevent confusion. A Grizzly can be identified by its thick, brown fur, a large shoulder hump, a straight snout and rounded ears. They have strong front legs with long claws used for digging and hunting. They can also grow extremely large, but there’s often a lot of variation in size between different populations – the average male weighs around 240kg and measures 2.2m long, while an average female weighs 160kg and measures 1.8m.

The hamadryas baboon (or Papio hamadryas) is a species of baboon, a large and mostly terrestrial primate, native to Ethiopa, Djibouti and Somalia in the Horn of Africa and Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula. Hamadryas baboons exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism not just in size, but also appearance. Both sexes are covered in shaggy fur, which is brown in females and silvery-white in males. Additionally, males have a thick mane, or cape, around the neck and a ruff of hair around the cheeks. With a dog-like snout, the face is hairless and red-brown in colour. Baboons have conspicuous callosities on their buttocks, thickened patches of naked skin that allow them to sit comfortably on branches and other rough surfaces. Male hamadryas baboons are about twice as large as females, measuring 70cm to 95cm in head-body length, with a 42cm to 60cm long tail and weight of 15kg to 30kg. Females are 50cm to 65cm long, with a 37cm to 41cm long tail, and weigh only 10kg to 15kg.

Hermann’s tortoise (or Testudo hermanni) is a small species of tortoise that is found throughout the coastal forests of the Mediterranean. The carapace is patterned in yellow and black and varies based on the subspecies and by individual. The Eastern subspecies is much larger than the Western, reaching sizes of up to 28cm long, compared to 18cm long. Females are generally larger than males in this species. Depending on their size, Hermann’s tortoises can weigh between 2kg and 4kg.

The Highland is a breed of cattle (or Bos taurus) from Scotland. The name of the breed references the Scottish Highlands, where the breed originated. Highland cattle are best known for their unique, long coats. Their fur is made up of a wavy outer layer of long guard hairs, which protects the animals from the elements, and a downy undercoat keeping them warm. Most Highlands have rusty red fur, though they may also be blonde, brown, or black in colour. The Highland’s head sports a characteristic ‘fringe’ over the forehead and two long, angular horns. It is a rather small breed of cattle: bulls stand 1.05m to 1.2m tall and weigh 600kg to 850kg, while cows are slightly smaller at a height of 0.9m to 1.05m and a weight of 400kg to 500kg.

The Hill Radnor is a breed of the domestic sheep (or Ovis aries) from the United Kingdom, found in Wales and England. Its name is a reference to its location of origin, the highlands of the historic Welsh county of Radnorshire and surrounding areas. It was likely developed from other native breeds in the area and was first recognised as a breed in 1911. Hill Radnors are a hardy breed of sheep, with broad bodies, and thick, off-white wool. The legs and face are brown to tan in colour and free from wool, and the muzzle is white. Rams of this breed have two curled horns, while ewes are naturally hornless. Rams average at 80cm tall, weighing 70kg to 80kg, and ewes stand 75cm tall with a weight of 50kg to 55kg.

The Himalayan brown bear (or Ursus arctos isabellinus) is a subspecies of brown bear that lives in the mountains of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Northern India, West China, Nepal, Kazakhstan and Tibet. They are very rare and extremely endangered – the size of the population left in the wild are unknown, but they are threatened by numerous factors including habitat fragmentation through human development, as well as poaching for their fur and other body parts. They have thick reddish-brown fur and males are larger than females, with an average length of 1.9m and weight of 135kg, in comparison to the female averages of 1.6m and 70kg. They live at high altitudes – often above the tree line – and spend the summer months foraging, hunting and mating. The winter months are spent hibernating.

The common hippopotamus (or Hippopotamus amphibius) is a large mammal native to the rivers of Sub-Saharan Africa. They are large, water dwelling animals with long protruding teeth, nostrils on the top of their snout, small ears and thick grey-brown skin. Males are 4 to 5m long and weigh between 1500 and 2000kg, whereas females measure between 3.3 and 4.2m, and weigh 1000 to 1500kg.

Native to both Central and Southeast Asia, the Indian or Asian elephant (or Elephas maximus indicus) is a species distinguishable by a distinctive trunk, small ears, and grey skin with pink mottling around the face. They are smaller than their African counterparts, with males reaching an average height of 2.75m and weighing 4000kg, compared to the female average of 2.40m and 2400kg. They are large herbivores and live in a variety of different environments, including forests, grasslands and mountains, wherein they feed on tree leaves, bark and grasses.

Colloquially known as the peacock, the Indian peafowl (or Pavo cristatus) is a large bird native to Southern Asia but which humans have introduced worldwide. The males – peacocks – are famous for their bright blue shiny feathers and extremely large ornamental tail, which they fan out to show off the size and distinctive appearance of their eye-spotted feathers. This is designed both to impress females and intimidate other males. Female peafowl – peahens – look very different to their male counterparts, sporting brown feathers, a flash of blue on the back of their necks, and no tail fan. However, both sexes have a feathered crest on their head.

Also known as the ‘Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros’, the Indian Rhinoceros (or Rhinoceros unicornis) is a large grazing ungulate native to the river basins of Northern India, Nepal and Bhutan. The species can be distinguished by its short, thick horn and brown-grey bumpy skin, which is often likened to plate armour. Male rhinos are bigger than females – the former averaging 2100kg and 3.7m long, compared to the latter’s average of 1600kg and 3.2m. As well as their difference in size, males look different thanks to their large neck folds.

The jaguar (or Panthera onca) is a species of big cat that lives throughout South America, Central America and Mexico, with rare individual sightings in southern USA. Although they can live in multiple environment types, they prefer to be in dense forests, near swamps and rivers. They are stockily built compared to the other big cat species, weighing an average of between 56 and 96kg, and measuring 112 to 185cm long. They have yellow to orange fur with black rosette patterning, and a white underside.

The Japanese macaque (or Macaca fuscata) is a species of monkey endemic to the islands of Japan. It lives in a variety of environments, including the sub-arctic forests of Japan’s northern regions, and is therefore also known as the snow monkey. It has a thick beige fur coat, white belly and pink face, with males measuring an average of 57cm long and weighing 11kg. Females are slightly smaller, averaging 52cm long and weighing 8kg. Both sexes live in groups of between 10 to 160 individuals, comprising related females with strong bonds, as well as unrelated males that have immigrated in from other groups. The species is not endangered and is surviving well in the wild – so much so that, when numbers get too high, macaques may be culled to prevent damage to crops and trees.

The king penguin (or Aptenodytes patagonicus patagonicus) is a large species of marine bird that lives in the Southern Ocean and breeds on sub-Antarctic islands including the Falklands and South Georgia. King penguins have dark grey feathers on their backs and flippers, white feathers on their chests and stomachs, and yellow colouration on their throats, while their heads are black, with bright orange cheek patches, as well as an orange streak along their beaks. Standing at between 70 and 100cm tall, king penguins weigh an average of 9 to 14kg, and are the second largest species of penguin after the emperor penguin.

Native to Eastern and Southern Africa, Kirk's dik-dik (or Madoqua kirkii) is a small antelope adapted to live in open grasslands. Giving them a delicate appearance, the short body rests on thin legs, the hind legs being longer. The head is small, with a pointy snout and large, round eyes. Males have short horns which may be covered partially or wholly by the tuft of hair on the forehead. The short fur is brown, gradually greying towards the back and hindquarters and a lighter shade on the belly. Males and females look alike except for the male's horns. They are between 35cm and 45cm tall and weigh around 7.2kg.

The Queensland koala bear (or Phascolarctos cinereus) is an arboreal marsupial that lives in the eucalyptus forests of Eastern Australia. They have grey to brown fur, stocky limbs with dexterous claws, rounded fluffy ears, and a face with a bulbous black nose. They are a sexually dimorphic species, meaning the males are significantly bigger than the females; Queensland koalas are between 60 to 75cm long, with males weighing between 4.2 and 9.1kg, and females weighing 4.1 to 7.3kg. Both sexes feed almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves.

The Komodo dragon (or Varanus komodoensis) is a large species of reptile that lives on the Indonesian isles of Komodo, Rinca, Flores and Gili Motang. They are a dull green-brown in colour with wide set limbs with a wide gape, have a long, muscular tail, and a yellow forked tongue. The males reach an average length of 2.59m and usually weigh between 79 and 91kg, whereas the females are smaller, averaging 2.29m long and between 68 and 73kg.

The lar gibbon (or Hylobates lar), also known as the white-handed gibbon, is a primate that lives in the rainforests of Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. The fur of this animal can vary from dark brown to ginger, tan, or cream in colouration. Its face is black, with a distinct white ring of hair around it. Its hands and feet are also white. Male and female lar gibbons look alike, have a head-body length of 42cm to 59cm, and weigh between 4kg and 7.6kg.

Lehmann’s poison frog (or Oophaga lehmanni) is a species of amphibian endemic to the Colombian rainforests of the Anchicaya valley, and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Preferring to live on the forest floor, the frog can occasionally be found residing on low branches and bushes, distinguished by the thick dark brown to black banding on its back, head and legs. In between these are bright lines of colouration that can occur in red, yellow and orange colour morphs. The frogs are an average of 31-36mm in length when fully grown.

The little penguin (or Eudyptula minor), also known as the blue penguin, is a small species of marine bird that lives on the coastlines and in the surrounding oceans of Southern Australia and New Zealand. It has dark blue feathers dorsally – on its back – and white feathers ventrally – covering its belly and chin. The little penguin has black eyes, a black beak, and pink feet. Males and females of this species look alike. Little penguins stand 30cm tall on average, and weigh between 1.1kg and 1.5kg.

The llama (or Lama glama) is a species of camelid native to the mountains and steppes of Western South America. Naturally found in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina, llamas have since been introduced all over the world as livestock because of the high-quality wool they produce. They are domesticated animals and have lived alongside humans as livestock and pack animals for 4000 years. They have a long neck, long legs and a stocky body covered in thick, shaggy wool, and they can be white, tan, piebald, black or grey in colour. Both sexes are between 1.6 and 1.8m tall and 92 to 160cm long, weighing between 130 and 200kg.

The Malayan tapir is a mammal native to the rainforests of South East Asia. The Malayan tapir’s head, shoulders, front legs and back legs are black, and their mid-body and back end is white. It is a heavy-set animal and has a distinctive prehensile proboscis nose. Malayan tapirs measure between 1.8 and 2.5m in length and weigh between 250 and 540kg. Females tend to be slightly larger than males and 10% to 20% heavier.

The mandrill (or Mandrillus sphinx) is a species of large monkey that lives in the rainforests and plateaus of Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Congo. They have olive to dark grey fur, a white stomach, and distinctive coloration on the face; a long pink strip runs down the middle of their muzzle to their nostrils, with blue pads on either side. They also have a yellow beard. Mandrill males are much larger than – and look very different from – females, with extremely bright colours on their faces and hindquarters. Males measure between 75 and 95cm, weighing 19 to 40kg, whereas females average between 55 and 66cm and weigh 15 to 30kg.

Found in the wood, grass and scrubland of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, the maned wolf (or Chrysocyon brachyurus) is a species of canid named for the dark, thick mane running down the centre of its neck to its shoulder blades. It has long, thin limbs and an overall lanky appearance. The maned wolf is covered in red, shaggy fur on its body, and short, black fur on its legs. Male and female maned wolves are similar in size and appearance, standing 73cm to 95cm tall at the shoulder. They are 95cm to 115cm long, with the tail adding another 30cm to 40cm, and weigh between 20kg and 29kg.

The markhor (or Capra falconeri) is a large goat from Central Asia, which is also sometimes called the screw-horned goat. They are stocky creatures with sturdy, barrel-shaped bodies. Their cloven hooves allow them to climb steep mountains and cliffs. They are covered in thick fur, which is grey-brown for males and a lighter, richer brown in females. A primitive black stripe follows the spine, and legs and face have dark markings. Males have a long, shaggy beard along the entire length of the neck. Both sexes carry thick, curled horns, which are significantly longer in males. Males are also larger and heavier than females, at a shoulder height of 0.95m to 1.15m and weight of up to 110kg, compared to the female's shoulder height of 75cm to 90cm and weight of about 40kg.

The meerkat is a species of social mongoose that is found in complex underground burrows in the savannahs and semi-deserts of Southern Africa. It lives in family packs and is considered to be ‘eusocial’, meaning it is highly socially organised and pack members have strongly defined roles within their group. Meerkats have a flat, pointed head and a sandy-coloured face with black eyes and ears. They have a mottled pattern of grey and yellow fur on their back and a pointed, black tipped tail. Meerkats move on all fours but assume a distinctive stance on their hind legs when alert. The meerkat has a head-body length of 24 to 35cm and weighs between 620 and 970g. Females tend to be heavier than males.

The Menelaus blue morpho (or Morpho menelaus) is a butterfly species found in the tropical grasslands and woodlands of Central and South America. It has distinctive bright blue and turquoise wings lined by black wing borders with white spots. The scales on their wings are structured in a way that give them a distinct, iridescent appearance. The underside of its wings are brown and populated with multiple eye spots. Male Menelaus blue morphos are smaller and have much brighter blue wings with thinner borders than females. On average, the Menelaus blue has a wingspan of 12cm. The caterpillars of this butterfly are red-brown with green patches, and are equipped with irritating spikes to deter predators.

The Mexican red knee tarantula (or Brachypelma hamorii) is a species of spider that lives in the scrublands, deserts and forests of Mexico. It has a black body and legs, orange-red coloration on the joints and, like all tarantula species, a body that’s covered in sensitive hairs. They measure around 10cm long with a leg span of 15cm and are nocturnal, living in burrows during the day and spending their nights hunting for prey. They feed on insects, small amphibians and small mammals.

The monarch (or Danaus plexippus) is a butterfly found in a wide range worldwide, but is most commonly seen in North and South America. Monarchs have a wingspan of 8.9cm to 10.2cm and weigh approximately 0.5g. Its wings are orange-red with prominent black veins, lined with thick black edges and white spots. Their legs and antennae are black, and their body is black with white spots. Monarch caterpillars have a plump body covered with yellow, black and white stripes.

Various subspecies of moose are native to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the USA and Canada. They live in boreal and deciduous woodland and their diet consists mostly of the young shoots from trees and woody plants. The moose is a large deer with thick brown fur and a noticeable neck hump. They have a characteristic nasal proboscis. The Alaska moose is the largest subspecies, males are extremely large, measuring between 1.7 and 2.3m tall at the shoulders, have a head-body length of 2.4 to 3.1m and weigh 380 to 700kg. Adult male moose have large palmate antlers that may or may not be covered in ‘velvet’ depending on the time of year. The antlers of the Alaska moose have a span of between 1.4 and 1.8m. Female moose are similar in size but weigh significantly less, usually between 200 and 490kg, and they do not have antlers.

The mute swan (or Cygnus olor) is a large waterfowl that lives throughout Europe and Asia, with invasive populations in North America and Japan. It is white, with black feet and an orange-red bill, and black markings around the nostrils, eyes, as well as the edge and tip of the bill. A leucistic morph can occur, which is almost indistinguishable in adults, where the legs have a pink colour instead of black. Juvenile swans are normally grey, but have a white plumage if exhibiting leucism. Mute swans have a distinctive black basal knob on the root of the beak between the eyes. This knob is generally larger in males, but varies widely based on the individual, environment, and time of the year, growing larger in breeding males and females during the mating season. Males are typically 1.4m to 1.7m long, have a wingspan between 2m and 2.4m, and weigh 9.2kg to 14.3kg. Female mute swans are slightly smaller at 1.25m to 1.55m long, with a wingspan of 1.8m to 2.16m and a weight of 7.6kg to 10.6kg.

The Nile lechwe (or Kobus megaceros) is a species of ungulate native to the marshes and swamps of South Sudan and Ethiopia. They exhibit a high level of sexual dimorphism: male Nile lechwes are larger than females, with a length of 1.6m to 1.8m, shoulder height of 1m to 1.05m and weight of 90kg to 120kg. They have long ridged horns and their coat is of a dark brown colour, with white markings on the shoulders, face and legs. The male’s neck is covered with longer, bushy hairs. Conversely, female Nile lechwes do not have horns and have a much lighter tan coloured coat. Females measure 1.3m to 1.7m in length, stand 0.8m to 0.85m tall at the shoulder and weigh between 60kg and 90kg.

The Nile monitor (or Varanus niloticus) is a large species of reptile that lives in the non-desert area of Sub-Saharan Africa. They have also been introduced to the USA – specifically California and Florida – where they are regarded as an invasive species. Nile monitors much prefer environments close to water, tending to live near rivers. Both sexes look the same and are between 120 and 220cm long, with more than half of this length being their tail. Adults tend to be brown to green, with dark stripes on their body and yellow spots on their legs and head. Meanwhile, juveniles are black with bright yellow spots.

Found in grasslands, rainforests and dried scrublands, the nine-banded armadillo (or Dasypus novemcinctus) is a species of armoured mammal native to North, Central, and South America. There are nine subspecies of nine-banded armadillo spread throughout its range, with a lot of variation in appearance between them. Generally, nine-banded armadillos are covered by a mottled pink-grey carapace made up of large plates across their shoulders and hips, and nine characteristic segmented plates over the torso, which merges into their long, plated tail. They have short legs with large feet and strong claws: four on the front feet and five on the hind feet. Their face is slender with a pointed snout and large ears. Nine-banded armadillos have a head-body length of 38cm to 58cm, with the tail adding another 26cm to 53cm. At the top of the shell they measure 15cm to 25cm in height. Males may be heavier than females, weighing 5.5kg to 7.7kg compared to 3.6kg to 6kg, but sexes are otherwise alike.

The North American beaver is a large species of rodent that lives in the temperate woodland and riverine areas of the USA and Canada. The North American beaver has a double coat, meaning its fur has a surface layer of long, coarse hairs and an undercoat of shorter, finer hairs. This coat gives the beaver’s fur a coarse appearance. The beaver may be brown, red or tan in appearance and have small ears and eyes, a black nose high on the snout and large, pronounced front teeth. North American beavers have a head-body length of 74 to 90cm and a tail length of 20 to 35cm. They weigh between 11 and 32kg.

The North Island brown kiwi (or Apteryx mantelli) is a small flightless bird native to the forests of Northern New Zealand. Its round body is covered in thick, brown feathers and supported by stocky, pink legs and feet. The kiwi has small, black eyes and a long, pink beak. Females are slightly larger and heavier than males, standing 50cm to 60cm tall and weighing around 2.8kg, compared to the male's height of 45cm to 55cm and weight of 2.2kg.

The nyala (or Tragelaphus angasii) is a secretive antelope that lives in the thick undergrowth of the South-Eastern African savannah. They are sexually dimorphic, with males much larger than females; the former has a dark grey shaggy coat, yellow legs and twisted, yellow tipped horns, whereas the latter are tan in colour. Both sexes also have vertical white stripes on their back. Males measure between 0.9 and 1.1m tall, 1.35 to 1.95m long, and weigh 98 to 125 kg. Females are between 0.75 and 0.9m tall, 1.35m to 1.95m long, and weigh between 50 and 68kg.

The okapi (or Okapia johnstoni) is a secretive species native to the dense forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They have a distinctive appearance with a grey-white face, dark brown coat across their torso, as well as bright white stripes across their legs and hindquarters. The sexes differ slightly as the males also have small horns, whereas females have whorls of hair in the equivalent area. Both average 1.4 to 1.6m tall and 2.4 to 2.6m long.

The Old World swallowtail (or Papilio machaon) is a butterfly living in the temperate regions, woodlands and even tundras of Europe, Asia and North America. It has pale yellow wings with grey-black patterning on the forewings, and blue-black accents as well as red eyespots on the hindwings. The hindwings also have an extended ‘tail’, for which they are named swallowtail. There is no sexual dimorphism in size and appearance in the Old World swallowtail, and its average wingspan is 6.5cm to 8.6cm. The caterpillar is plump and pale green with black and orange markings on each body segment.

Pallas's cat (or Otocolobus manul), also known as the manul, is a small wild cat native to Central and East Asia, its range limited to the West by the Caucasus mountains and to the South by the Himalayas. Its most striking feature is the incredibly dense and long fur that give it a chubby, plush appearance. The coat is grey with beige to rusty red shades, with sparse black tabby markings. The head is small and round, with small triangular ears emerging from the thick ruff around it. Male and female Pallas's cats look alike, with a head-body length of 46cm to 65cm and 21cm to 31cm long tail, and weigh 2.5kg to 4.5kg.

The plains zebra (or Equus quagga) is native to Eastern and Southern Africa, preferring to live in easy reach of water sources on the savannah. The species is divided into six subspecies, separated due to different features, usually varying strip patterns, and lack of interbreeding between groups. Plains zebra have the black and white stripes famous of all zebra, but are smaller than Grevy’s zebra and larger than mountain zebra. Males and females can both be 1.10 to 1.45m in height, and between 2.17 and 2.46m in length, although males are generally 10% larger than females.

The platypus (or Ornithorhynchus anatinus), also known as the duck-billed platypus, is a monotreme mammal native to streams, pools and rivers of Eastern Australia including the island of Tasmania. It has thick brown fur, wide webbed and clawed feet, a broad flat tail and a characteristic flat bill. Male platypus measure 42cm to 60cm in length, with a weight of 0.8kg to 2.5kg; whereas females are 38cm to 55cm long, weighing 0.65kg to 2kg.

The polar bear (or Ursus maritimus) is a large ursine species that lives in the Arctic Circle and the sub-Arctic regions. With a completely white coat, dark eyes and a dark nose, they are stocky in build, with sturdy legs and large feet that are well adapted to swimming. To minimise heat loss, the bears have small ears and a short tail. Males are between 2.4 and 3.0m long, weighing between 350 and 750kg; females are between 1.8 and 2.4m long, weighing 150 to 250kg. Both sexes feed on both ringed and bearded seals.

The proboscis monkey is a species of primate that lives in the rainforests, mangroves and swamp forests of the Isle of Borneo (Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei). The monkeys have dark orange fur on their backs and the top of their heads, paler orange fur on their chests, stomachs and upper arms and grey fur on their lower bodies, legs and forearms. Males have a distinctive elongated nose that hangs down over their lip. Females do not have this pronounced feature, although their noses are still quite prominent for primates. Males and females differ in size, with males being an average height of 66-76cm and weighing between 16 and 22.5kg, and females measuring between 53-62cm in height and weighing between 7 and 12kg.

The pronghorn antelope (or Antilocapra americana) is, in fact, not a true antelope. While the North American mammal occupies a similar environmental niche to antelopes – hence the same name being used – for this reason it is often simply referred to as the ‘pronghorn’. It has a tan coloured coat on its back and sides, a white underbelly, and white chevron-shaped markings on its neck. The species stands an average of 81 to 104cm tall at the shoulder, measuring between 1.3 and 1.5m in length. The males are also 10% larger than the females, have a distinct dark streak down their muzzle, and boast longer, thicker horns.

Przewalski’s horse (or Equus ferus przewalskii) is a species of wild horse living in the steppes of Mongolia, also known as the takhi, Mongolian wild horse and the Dzungarian horse. Przewalski’s horse is smaller and has a stockier build than most other equid species. It measures 2.1m to 2.6m in length and stands between 1.2m and 1.5m high at the shoulders. Mature individuals weigh between 250kg and 360kg. Males may be slightly larger than females, though there is no obvious sexual dimorphism in this species. The coat is orange-tan with a paler underside, and is accentuated by an erect black mane, thick black tail and black legs.

The puff adder (or Bitis arietans) is a species of venomous snake that is widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa and the Southern Middle East. It distinguishable by its squat body, broad head and dull scales; these are beige, brown and black, and formed in a reticulated pattern to provide it with excellent camouflage on the savannahs and grasslands where it prefers to live. It’s a slow moving snake, but can reach great speeds when disturbed. Their average length is 1m – although some specimens can reach almost 2m – and males tend to be larger than females, with a wider girth and longer tail.

The pygmy hippopotamus (or Hexaprotodon liberiensis) is a species of medium-sized mammal that lives in the rainforests and swamps of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and the Ivory Coast. They have grey-brown skin, small ears and sturdy legs with four-toed feet, and can usually be found near rivers, where they spend most of their time wallowing and sleeping. On average they are between 75 to 100cm tall, 150 to 175cm long and weigh between 180 and 275kg.

The raccoon (or Procyon lotor) is a medium-sized mammal native throughout North America. It has grey-brown coarse hair, a long black-ringed tail, a pointed snout and distinctive facial markings often described as a ‘mask’ across the eyes. Raccoons have very dextrous front paws which they use like hands. Raccoons measure 41cm to 70cm in length, with tails adding a further 19cm to 40cm. Males are typically larger than females and weigh between 2.5kg and 10.4kg, whereas females weigh 1.8kg to 7.5kg. Size and weight vary greatly across subspecies, climate and time of year.

The red deer (or Cervus elaphus) is a widespread species of ungulate living throughout the temperate grasslands, woodlands and scrublands of Europe, Asia and parts of Northern Africa. Red deer have red-brown fur with a paler underside. They have large, pointed ears, large eyes and a long snout. The species is sexually dimorphic; males are larger than females and grow wide antlers with multiple branches. There are several subspecies of red deer, and size varies depending on the region and environmental conditions. Male red deer are called stags, and can grow between 1.7m and 2.5m long, with a height of 1.07m to 1.37m at the shoulder. Female red deer, called hinds, can achieve a body length of 1.6m to 2.1m and grow 0.95m to 1.22m tall at the shoulder. Stags are much heavier than hinds, weighing 90kg to 240kg and 60kg to 170kg comparatively.

The red fox (or Vulpes vulpes) is a medium-sized canid that lives throughout Europe, Asia and North America, as well as areas of Northern Africa. Red foxes have thick red fur that may be grizzled with brown or black and has a white underside. The tail is long and bushy and the legs are characteristically black. Males measure 96cm to 115cm in total length, of which 32cm to 38cm are constituted by the tail, and stand 35cm to 50cm tall at the shoulder. They weigh between 4.3kg and 7.6kg. Females are smaller and lighter at 91cm to 110cm long, with the tail making up 30cm to 36cm of their length, and measure 33cm to 47cm at the shoulder. Their weight ranges from 3.4kg to 6.1kg.

The red kangaroo (or Macropus rufus) is a large species of marsupial mammal that lives throughout Australia, found everywhere except coastal regions and rainforests. Red kangaroos have large L-shaped back legs and small arms, large rabbit-like ears and a long face with a blunt snout. They are a sexually dimorphic species, meaning the males and females look different; the former being significantly larger, standing between 1.3 and 1.6m tall, with a 1.3m long tail, and weighing between 55 and 90kg; the latter are smaller, standing 0.85 - 1.05m tall and weighing 18 to 40kg. Males have red fur and a pale underside, as well as well-muscled legs, chest and arms, while females have grey fur and do not have large muscles.

The red panda (or Ailurus fulgens) is a small mammal that lives in the woodlands of the Himalayas and multiple areas of China. Despite its name, it is not closely related to the giant panda, however it does share some characteristics such as a diet mainly consisting of bamboo. With red fur, black legs, a ringed tail, and white ears and snout, the red panda averages between 50 and 64cm from head to body, with a tail 28 to 59cm long. They are excellent climbers and good swimmers that enjoy living in a varied environment.

Native to the rivers, lakes and marshes of Western and Central Africa, the red river hog (or Potamochoerus porcus) is a small member of the pig family. It has striking red fur across its body, with a black face, legs, tail and ears. The ears are adorned with long black and white tufts. Down their backs, red river hogs have a wispy, white line of hair. Their facial features and ears are surrounded by coarse white fur. They are sexually dimorphic, with males being generally larger and heavier than females, and having a wider skull with bony protrusions and long whiskers along the face. Red river hogs measure between 100cm and 150cm in head-body length, stand 50cm to 80cm tall at the shoulder, and weigh 45kg to 115kg.

The red-ruffed lemur (or Varecia rubra) is a critically endangered species of primate native to the Northern Masoala rainforests of Madagascar. With yellow eyes and a black pointed face surrounded by the distinctive red ruff, the lemur’s body is covered in thick red fur and it has a black tail, hands and feet. It also has a white patch on the top of its head.

Among the largest of cranes, the red-crowned crane (or Grus japonensis) is a species of wading bird native to the wetlands, rivers and tidal flats of eastern Russia, China, Mongolia, Korea and Japan. Many cranes migrate and spend their summer in Russia, China and Mongolia, and the winter in Korea and China. Japan’s population of red-crowned cranes however are residents and do not migrate. The plumage of red-crowned cranes is white, with black tail feathers, neck and face, as well as a row of black feathers on the wings. They are named for the distinctive patch of bare, red skin on the top of their head. Red-crowned cranes stand 1.5m to 1.58m tall and can have a wingspan of 2.2m up to 2.5m. They weigh between 4.8kg and 10.5kg. Males tend to be heavier than females, but sexes are otherwise alike.

The red-necked wallaby (or Notamacropus rufogriseus) is a medium-sized marsupial native to Eastern Australia and Tasmania. As a member of the kangaroo family it shares the distinctive appearance of large, muscular hind legs and tail, comparatively small forearms, large ears and a blunt snout. The red-necked wallaby has grey fur with a red-brown tinge and a paler underside. The fur on its ear tips, around its nose, and on its feet is black. This species is sexually dimorphic, with males being larger than females. Male red-necked wallabies stand 76cm to 93cm tall, with a 69cm to 88cm long tail, and weigh between 15kg and 26.8kg. Females are 66cm to 80cm tall, have a 62cm to 78cm long tail, and weigh 11kg to 15.5kg.

The red-eyed tree frog is a species of arboreal amphibian that lives in the tropical rainforest regions of Central America. Female frogs are larger than males, but both have the same markings. As the name suggests, the red-eyed tree frog has vivid red eyes with black pupils. The upper body and upper legs of the frog are pale green, and as such when the frog curls up and closes its eyes it is well camouflaged against the leaves on which it lives. The red-eyed tree frog has bright blue sides with yellow reticulation and blue thighs. It has orange feet and a pale underbelly.

The reindeer (or Rangifer tarandus) is a species of ungulate that lives throughout the Arctic and Sub Arctic – specifically in Canada, The USA (Alaska), Russia, Norway, Finland and Greenland. A reindeer’s appearance changes depending on their origin and the time of year, but generally they have a brown and white coat, and a face with a white underside and muzzle, often with darker coloration on the snout. They also have large antlers, multiple points of which are covered in brown velvet. The males are between 1.8 and 2.1m long, weighing between 159 and 182kg. Females are between 1.6 and 2.05m long, weighing between 80 and 120kg.

Also known as the Somali giraffe, the reticulated giraffe (or Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) is a subspecies that lives in the savannahs and open forests of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. The reticulated giraffe is distinguishable from other subspecies thanks to its large, polygonal spots, tan to red in colour, that are divided by white interconnecting lines on the animal’s fur. While both sexes are extremely tall, the males are significantly taller than females and have well developed bony horns on their head; the horns of the female are smaller and thinner. Giraffes are famous for their long neck, which is used for accessing leaves that are out of reach to other animals.

Like all species of lemur, the ring-tailed lemur (or Lemur catta) is native to Madagascar and is not naturally found anywhere else in the world. Ring-tailed lemurs have a pointed muzzle, cat-like ears, and a long tail that has 12 or 13 white rings, 13 or 14 black rings, and a tip that is always black. They are usually between 39 and 46cm in size with a tail of 56 to 63cm and live in groups called ‘troops’ that will travel and forage together. Ring-tailed lemurs are omnivorous and will eat fruit, leaves, insects and most other food they can find.

The sable antelope (or Hippotragus niger) is a species of ungulate that lives in South-Eastern Africa. They have long, notched horns that curve backwards from their face, a tan-to-black coat with a white underbelly, chin and throat, as well as white tear-marks on their face. Males are larger, darker and have longer horns than females. Both sexes graze and browse on the savannah, preferring lightly wooded areas to completely open ones.

The sacred scarab beetle is a dung beetle native to the coastal dunes and marshes around the Mediterranean Sea, meaning it is found in North Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The head of the scarab beetle has 6 oblong projections and its front legs have an additional 4 each, giving the appearance of an arc of rays on the beetle’s front end. The sacred scarab beetle is 10 to 25mm in size and has a shiny, black carapace.

The saiga antelope (or Saiga tatarica) is a bovid living on the steppes and grasslands of Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Russia. It is tan in colour, with a pale underside, and has large eyes and rounded ears. The distinctive large nose has broad, mobile nostrils, which is larger in males. Males are also generally built larger and heavier than females, and carry upright, pale, and slightly translucent horns, which are 28cm to 38cm long. They stand 67cm to 81cm tall at the shoulder, are 1.1m to 1.4m long and weigh between 26kg and 69kg. Females are 61cm to 74cm tall, 1m to 1.28m long, and weigh 26kg to 45kg.

The saltwater crocodile (or Crocodylus porosus) is an extremely large species of reptile native to the coastal areas of South-east Asia, North Australia and East India. It is an effective and dangerous apex predator, with the males capable of growing between 3.5 to 6m long, and weighing between 200 and 1000kg. Females are significantly smaller, averaging 2.7 to 3.4m and 120-200kg. Both sexes have a broader snout and body compared to other crocodile species, and are tan to greenish grey in colour; there is variation in colour among different populations.

The sand cat (or Felis margarita) is a small wild cat native to the deserts of North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. It has thick, sand-coloured fur, with thin, dark stripes across its back, legs, and tail. The sand cat’s face is round, with dark, striped markings, large ears and yellow eyes. Males and females look alike, and are 24cm to 36cm tall at the shoulder, 39cm to 52cm long, with their tail measuring a further 23cm to 31cm. Male sand cats weigh 2.1kg to 3.4kg, while females are a little lighter at 1.4kg to 3.1kg.

The scimitar-horned oryx (or Oryx dammah) is an antelope that used to live in and around the Sahara desert in Northern Africa. The fur of the scimitar-horned oryx is cream-white in colour, fading to tan patches on neck, chest and legs. Their face is white with brown markings. They are named for their most distinctive feature, the long, ridged and backwards curving horns which exceed 1m in length. Scimitar-horned oryxes measure 1.3m to 2.4m in length and are 1m to 1.3m tall at the shoulder. Males are slightly larger and heavier than females, weighing between 140kg and 210kg, whereas females weigh between 90kg and 140kg.

The siamang (or Symphalangus syndactylus) is a species of gibbon living in the rainforests of the Malay Peninsula and Indonesian island of Sumatra. Their body is covered in all-black shaggy fur, which is thinner and grey on their faces. Siamangs have very long arms - their arm span approximately measuring twice their body length, short and sturdy legs and no tail. One of their most prominent features is the throat sac under their chin, which inflates during their distinctive vocalisations. Typically, siamangs are 75cm to 100cm tall and weigh between 10kg and 13kg. Like other lesser apes, this species exhibits little to no sexual dimorphism.

The Siberian tiger (or Panthera tigris altaica) – also known as the Amur tiger – is the largest of the cat species. It is characterised by orange-yellow fur with thin, black stripes and a paler undercoat on its belly. Its head is also very large, with strong jaws containing large canines.

Living in the tropical rainforests and grasslands of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal, the sloth bear (or Melursus ursinus) is a medium-sized bear. It has shaggy, black fur, a light grey muzzle, and a distinctive grey-white crescent marking across its upper chest. The head is broad, with an oblong snout and hairy, tufted ears. Males and females look alike, but males are 10% to 20% larger than females, measuring between 1.4m and 1.9m long, 60cm to 90cm tall at the shoulder, and weighing 80kg to 145kg.

Identifiable by its white to grey fur, black rosettes across its body, and black spots on its face, the snow leopard (or Panthera uncia) lives in the mountains of Nepal, Tibet, Northern India, Southern Siberia, Pakistan, Bhutan and Mongolia. The animal’s fur is extremely thick and well insulated, which helps it comfortably withstand sub-zero temperatures as low as -25oC. They mostly feed on mountain goats and sheep, but also hunt birds and rodents.

As a subspecies of the African wild ass, the Somali wild ass (or Equus africanus somaliensis) is an equid that lives in the deserts and semi-deserts of Somalia, Djibouti, Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea. It has a grey coat with a pale underside and white legs, which are covered in thin black stripes. It has a rigid, black-tipped mane, black-tipped ears and a black tuft at the tip of its tail. The muzzle is pale but may be grey-black around the nose and mouth. Males and females look alike: they typically stand 1.20m to 1.45m tall at the shoulder, are 2m to 2.40m long, and weigh 225kg to 335kg.

The southern cassowary is a large flightless bird that lives in the rainforests, mangroves and grasslands of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Northern Australia. They have black plumage with a shaggy fur-like appearance and robust, grey legs and feet. The southern cassowary has a distinctive brown casque on top of their head, a brown-black curved beak, a royal blue throat and a pale blue crown. The back of its neck is orange and it has two red wattles hanging down from its throat. Although males and females look similar, females are significantly larger than males, have bigger crests, beaks and brighter coloration. Male Southern cassowaries measure between 112-136cm and weigh between 29-34kg on average. Females measure between 140-170cm and weigh between 46-69kg on average.

The Southern white rhinoceros is a large species of ungulate native to Southern Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia). They are large, broad animals with thick, grey skin. The Southern white rhinoceros has two horns, with the front horn being much longer than the secondary horn. The head of the rhinoceros is almost rectangular in shape with a square snout. They have protuberant ears on the top of their head and a hump at the base of the neck formed of the musculature that supports the head. Male Southern white rhinoceros measure between 3.7 and 4m in length, are 170 to 188cm tall and weigh an average of 2300kg. Females measure between 3.4 and 3.65m in length, are 160 to 177cm tall and weigh an average of 1700kg.

The spectacled bear (or Tremarctos ornatus) is a medium-sized bear native to the Andes regions of South America. It has thick, black fur with white markings on face and chest. The face is relatively flat compared to other bears, showing its close relationship with the extinct short-faced bears. Like other bears, the spectacled bear is highly sexually dimorphic, with the female being much smaller than the male. Male spectacled bears stand 76cm to 91cm tall at the shoulder and weigh 100kg to 200kg, while females are 60cm to 73cm tall and weigh only 35kg to 82kg.

The spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) is a medium-sized crocodile that lives in the wetlands, savannahs and forests of Central and South America. It can be green, brown, yellow or gray, with bands on the tail and body. It gets its name from the distinctive bony ridge it has between its eyes which makes it appear as if it is wearing glasses. The body of this caiman is slender, with other ridges of scales on the back. The male measures between 1.50 and 2 m in length on average (although with age some reach 2.50 m) and weighs between 13 and 40 kg. The female, for her part, is smaller and measures between 1.08 and 1.40 m long, sometimes 2 m for older specimens. It weighs between 7 and 30 kg.

The spectacled flying fox (or Pteropus conspicillatus) is a species of megabat that lives in the tropical rainforests and mangroves of New Guinea, as well as Northern Queensland in Australia. The spectacled flying fox is covered in black fur, with yellow-white colouration around the neck, scalp, and eyes, which gives it the appearance of wearing spectacles. It has large, black wings, pointed ears, and big round eyes. Its snout is long and ends in a blunt nose. It has an average body length of 22cm to 25cm, and a wingspan of up to 80cm, and weighs between 500g and 1,000g.

The spotted hyena, also known as the laughing hyena (Crocuta crocuta), is native to Sub-Saharan Africa. They are generalist predators that can live in most environments – although they are not found in rainforests or deserts – and their strong forelimbs, well-muscled neck, and comparatively weaker hindlimbs give them a distinctive appearance. Their head is broad with a wide snout and they have sandy fur with black spots, as well as a mane down their neck to their mid back.

The springbok (or Antidorcas marsupialis) is a small species of antelope native to the savannahs of Southern Africa. They have lyre-shaped black horns, a tan coat with dark brown markings, a white belly and face, with dark brown tear marks from their eyes to their muzzle. Males and females are a similar size and both have horns, although the male’s are more robust.

A generalist predator and scavenger, the striped hyena (or Hyaena hyaena) is native to North Africa, the Middle East and Western Asia. It lives in a variety of environments, from open savannahs, grass and woodlands to arid, mountainous areas. The striped hyena has strong forelimbs and a muscular neck with shorter hind legs, giving the body a sloped build. The head is broad with a wide snout, wideset eyes and large pointed ears. Striped hyenas have tan fur with vertical black stripes along their body and legs. A long mane runs along the entirety of the spine and ends in a thick, bushy tail. Both sexes are similar in appearance, though males are slightly larger and heavier than females. Male striped hyenas measure 65cm to 80cm tall at the shoulder, are 85cm to 130cm long, with the tail adding a further 25cm to 40cm, and weigh 26kg to 41kg. Females stand 60cm to 75cm tall at the shoulder, are 85cm to 105cm long with a 25cm to 40cm long tail, and weigh between 26kg and 34kg.

The striped skunk (or Mephitis mephitis) is a small mammal found throughout North America, including southern Canada, the US and northern Mexico. It is a stocky animal with short legs, a broad build and bushy tail. Its narrow face has a pointed snout and small round ears. Striped skunks are covered in thick and coarse black and white fur and are named for their distinctive pattern: black fur with a white scalp that leads into two striped along their back and onto their tail. Male skunks are 38cm to 46cm long with a 33cm to 41cm long tail, and weigh 2kg to 5.5kg. Females are slightly smaller at 34cm to 41cm head-body length, a 30cm to 37cm long tail, and a weight of 1.8kg to 4.9kg.

The sun bear is a small species of bear that lives in the tropical rainforests of South-East Asia. It has dark brown to black fur with a yellow-tan face and muzzle with a distinctive orange-coloured crescent marking across its upper chest. The sun bear has a broad head, long oblong snout and small rounded ears. Males and females look the same, but males are 10% to 20% larger than females. They measure between 120 and 150cm in length and weigh between 27 and 65kg.

The Sussex chicken is a breed of the domesticated chicken (or Gallus domesticus). It is named after its place of origin, the region of Sussex on the Southeastern coast of England. Sussex chickens are a medium-sized breed with a sturdy body and a broad back. The feathers on their neck, called hackles, and feathers on the tail are darker than the rest of the body (often black), while the body plumage may be white, grey, tan, red, or brown. The head is adorned with a comb on top and wattles below the beak. Sussex chickens are sexually dimorphic. Roosters have a larger comb, longer wattles, and longer tail feathers than hens, and are also larger and heavier. A male Sussex chicken is around 50cm tall with an average weight of 4.3kg, while a female stands about 38cm tall with a weight of 3.3kg.

The takin (or Budorcas taxicolor) is a large goat-antelope living in the montane regions of Tibet, Bhutan, Northern India, Myanmar, and China. Takins have a stocky, cow-like build and are covered in shaggy fur. There are four subspecies of the takin, which vary in coat colouration and size. Legs are often darkened, to nearly black, while the overall colouration ranges from marbled black-brown to grey-yellow to golden. Males are larger than females, but both sexes have horns that measure up to 64cm in length. Male takins are 1.6m to 2.2m long and 97cm to 140cm tall at the shoulder, with a weight between 300kg and 350kg. Females are 1.6m to 1.95m long, 95cm to 125cm tall at the shoulder, and weigh 240kg to 280kg.

The Tamworth is an English breed of the domestic pig (or Sus domesticus). The exact time and location of its origin are unknown, though it is assumed to have originated at the beginning of the 19th century near the town of Tamworth in England. Wild boars were used in the development of this breed, making the Tamworth a strong and hardy pig. Tamworth pigs have a distinct red colouration uniformly across their body, with no markings. They have a muscular and long body, and relatively long legs. The breed is sexually dimorphic: male pigs stand up to 65cm tall with a weight between 250kg and 370kg, females are a bit smaller and weigh 200kg to 300kg.

The Tasmanian devil (or Sarcophilus harrisii) is a large, carnivorous marsupial native to the bushland and forests of Tasmania. It has also been reintroduced to New South Wales in Australia. Tasmanian devils have a stocky build with sturdy legs and a stout tail. They have a pointed snout, small eyes, and rounded, bald ears. The fur of the Tasmanian devil is black, with reddish brown fur on the tail and muzzle, and a white crescent-shaped marking running across the chest and shoulders. This species is sexually dimorphic, with males being larger and heavier than females. A male devil measures 62cm to 71cm in body length, and weighs between 5.5kg and 12kg, while a female is shorter at 52cm to 57cm long, with a body weight of 4.1kg to 8.1kg. Both stand roughly 20cm to 30cm tall at the shoulder, and have a tail length of around 25cm.

Thomson’s gazelle (or Eudorcas thomsonii) is a small species of grazing mammal that lives in Africa’s Serengeti regions of Tanzania and Kenya. It prefers to live in dry grassland – although is also found in woodland – and has a tan coloured back, white underside and a dark stripe on their flank. They also have a tan muzzle, white cheeks and eye region, as well as black streaks running from their eyes to the start of the muzzle. Both sexes have dark, heavily ridged horns – although the male’s are longer and more robust – they both measure an average of 55 to 82cm tall, 80 to 120cm long, and weigh between 20 and 35kg.

Timber wolves (or Canis lupus) are a large canid species that live across most of the Northern hemisphere. Also known as grey wolves, they are large generalist predators that will eat most prey they can catch, and which are capable of living in a wide variety of different environments. The appearance of timber wolves can vary widely and is mostly dependent on which population is being observed. There are 38 subspecies, each with adaptations to their specific environments, thus causing their varied appearance. In general, they have a mottled grey-brown fur coat, pointed ears and a long straight snout. In terms of size, the wolves have a slim build with a deep rib cage and long legs.

The titan beetle (or Titanus giganteus) is an extremely large species that lives in the tropical rainforests of South America. It has a large reddish-brown and black abdomen, black coloration on its legs, antennae and thorax, and pale wings with brown vein structures. The beetle’s robust mandibles are strong enough to snap through twigs and, while both sexes have wings, only the males are capable of flight. Like many species, it is threatened by the ongoing destruction of the rainforest habitat that it calls home.

Although there are an estimated 20,000 lions in the African wilderness today, the West African lion (or Panthera leo senegalensis) numbers far, far fewer. Only 250 still remain across the entire continent, making the subspecies one of the most threatened of its kind in the world. It currently falls under the ‘critically endangered’ conservation status.

The Western chimpanzee (or Pan troglodytes verus) is a subspecies of the common chimpanzee native to the forests of Guinea, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast. Along with bonobos, they are the closest living relatives of human beings, sharing more than 98% of our DNA. 

The Western diamondback rattlesnake (or Crotalus atrox) is a species of venomous snake native to the deserts, grassland and scrubland of the USA and Mexico; so named for the pattern of grey and brown scales on its back. It reaches an average length of 1.2m – although a specimen of 2.1m in length has been reported – and males are larger than females. It is a dangerous species that will strike if it perceives threat.

The Western lowland gorilla (or Gorilla gorilla gorilla) is native to Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo and Southern Niger, living and foraging in the rainforests, swamp forests and abandoned farmland there. They have black skin, dark forward-facing eyes, a prominent brow ridge, large nostrils and coarse hair which covers most of their body except the face, ears, hands and feet. Males are much larger than females and, when they mature, the hair on their backs becomes grey and they are identified as ‘silverbacks’. Gorillas live in small groups with a silverback in control of the females, younger males and juveniles.

The wild boar (or Sus scrofa), also known as the Eurasian wild pig, is a pig native throughout the temperate regions of Eurasia, as well as Mediterranean Northern Africa, Asian deserts and shrublands, and tropical rainforests and grasslands of Southeast Asia. It has also been introduced to North and South America and Oceania. Due to its wide distribution and adaptability, there are 16 recognised subspecies of the wild boar, varying greatly in appearance. The largest wild boars live in Central and Eastern Europe. Their coat is made up of dark brown, coarse bristles, which form into a mane on the male’s neck. Wild boars have a large head which reaches up to a third of their body length, and, together with their powerful neck muscles, makes them adept at digging even into frozen ground. The species is sexually dimorphic, with males being larger and heavier than females. Males can reach a size of 85cm to 100cm tall at the shoulder and 1.45m to 1.75m long, and a weight of 75kg to 130kg. Females grow to be 75cm to 90cm tall at the shoulder, 1.3m to 1.57m in length, and weigh between 60kg and 90kg.

The wild water buffalo (or Bubalus arnee), also known as the Asian water buffalo, is a very large species of bovine living in the marshes, swamps and flood plains of central east and southeast Asia. Its present range is extremely fragmented, with the majority of animals living in India, and other populations surviving in Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand and Cambodia. Wild water buffaloes have grey to black skin, with coarse dark hair covering the body sparsely, and an elongated head with small ears. Both sexes carry large, distinctively curved horns that point out horizontally from the skull and can have a span of 2m, though the horns of bulls can be larger than those of cows. Bulls measure between 2.4m and 3m in length, stand 1.5m to 1.9m tall at the shoulder and weigh up to 1200kg. Cows are about two-thirds the size of males, at 1.8m to 2.25m long, 1.13m to 1.43m tall at the shoulder and weighing up to 800kg.

The wisent (or Bison bonasus), also commonly referred to as the European bison, is a large ungulate living in the forests and meadows of Poland, Russia, Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Slovakia, in Eastern Europe. Wisents are characterised by their large head, shoulder hump and forequarters, all of which are covered in a brown, shaggy coat. The hindquarters are less bulky and are covered in a thinner coat. Both males and females have curled horns that point inwards towards the head and look otherwise alike, though males are larger by about 5%. Bulls grow 1.8m to 2.1m tall at the shoulder, 2.8m to 3.3m long, and weigh 615kg to 920kg. Cows are 1.7m to 2m tall at the shoulder, reach a length between 2.4m to 2.9m and a weight of 425kg to 635kg.

A large mustelid, the wolverine (or Gulo gulo) is native to the tundras and taigas of Northern Eurasia and North America. It has a stocky build with sturdy legs, a curved back, bear-like face, and small, rounded ears. It has thick brown-black fur with a yellow-white streak that runs from the head down each side of the body, rejoining at the tail. Wolverines grow between 65cm to 113cm long, 36cm to 45cm tall at the shoulder, and weigh between 9kg and 30kg. Males are slightly larger and significantly heavier than females.

The yellow anaconda (or Eunectes notaeus) is a large, yellow-scaled species of constrictor snake with brown-black saddles across its back. It can primarily be found in the tributaries, swamps and marshes of the Paraguay river basin, but can also be located in Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil. As generalist predators, the yellow anaconda will feed on most small to medium sized animals that they are able to catch. The species is known for reaching large sizes – adults can reach an average length of 3.3 to 4.4m, as well as an average weight of 25 to 35kg. The largest specimen ever recorded was 4.6m long and weighed 55kg.