The Anolis carolinensis, commonly known as the green anole, is a small arboreal lizard native to the southeastern United States. It is easily recognizable by its bright green color, although it can change to brown depending on its mood or environment. Typically measuring between 12 and 20 cm, this anole has a long tail and adhesive toes that allow it to climb easily. It primarily feeds on insects and plays an important role in controlling pest insect populations. The green anole is often seen in gardens, forests, and urban areas, where it adapts well to human presence.
The Nettapus auritus, or African Pygmy Goose, is a small African duck with distinctive plumage. Males have a white head with metallic green patches, while females display more subdued tones. Their body is mainly brown with greenish reflections on the wings. These aquatic birds prefer wetlands such as marshes and shallow lakes where they feed on seeds and aquatic plants. They are often seen in small groups and are known for their fast, direct flight. Their behavior is generally suspicious, making them difficult to approach.
The pronghorn is an ungulate 1.2–1.5 m long and 35–65 kg, with light brown and white striped fur and curved horns. It inhabits grasslands and arid steppes of North America, feeding on herbaceous plants and leaves. During the rut, males loaf near females and perform high-speed intimidation runs.
The roan antelope, Hippotragus equinus, is a large African herbivore known for its reddish-brown coat and long, ringed horns. It primarily inhabits the savannas and wooded grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa. Males are slightly larger than females, reaching up to 1.5 meters at the shoulder and weighing around 300 kg. Both sexes have horns that can grow up to a meter long. The roan antelope is a gregarious animal, living in small herds led by a dominant female. It is known for its wary nature and ability to vigorously defend its young from predators.
The Blue-and-yellow Macaw, or Ara ararauna, is a striking parrot native to the tropical forests of South America. Known for its vibrant blue plumage and bright yellow belly, this bird is a symbol of Amazonian biodiversity. Measuring about 86 cm in length, it has a strong beak suited for consuming nuts and fruits. Sociable and intelligent, the Blue-and-yellow Macaw lives in groups and communicates through a variety of calls. It plays a crucial role in seed dispersal, aiding forest regeneration. Unfortunately, it is threatened by deforestation and illegal trade, although conservation efforts are underway to protect its natural habitat.
The Red-and-green Macaw, scientifically known as Ara chloropterus, is a large parrot species native to the tropical rainforests of South America. It is renowned for its striking red plumage, complemented by green and blue on its wings and tail. These macaws are highly intelligent and social, often seen in pairs or small family groups. They feed primarily on fruits, nuts, and seeds. With a length of about 90 to 95 cm and a wingspan that can be quite impressive, they are a sight to behold. In captivity, they can live up to 50 years, making them a long-term commitment for bird enthusiasts.
The Scarlet Macaw is one of the most iconic and colorful parrots, easily recognized by its vibrant red, blue, and yellow plumage. This large parrot primarily inhabits the humid tropical forests of Central and South America, where it feeds on fruits, nuts, and seeds. The Scarlet Macaw is a social bird, living in groups and possessing a highly developed vocal behavior. Its powerful call is often heard throughout the forest canopy. It is also known for its ability to fly long distances, gliding with grace and agility.
Unfortunately, the Scarlet Macaw is threatened in certain regions due to habitat loss and illegal wildlife trade. Conservation efforts are underway to protect this majestic species.
The Argali is the largest wild sheep in the world, known for its imposing size and majestic spiral horns. It primarily inhabits the mountains of Central Asia, where it frequents the arid and semi-arid regions of steppes and high plateaus. This large ungulate is perfectly adapted to mountainous environments, moving nimbly on steep terrain at high altitudes. The Argali is a herbivore, feeding on grasses and woody plants.
The Argali is also a symbol of strength and resilience, but it is threatened by habitat loss and overhunting. Conservation efforts are underway to protect this iconic species and preserve its natural habitat.
The Ribbon-tailed Astrapia is a fascinating bird endemic to the mountainous forests of Papua New Guinea. Recognizable by its long, ribbon-like white tail, the male displays an iridescent black plumage with green and violet highlights. The female, more discreet, has brownish tones. This bird primarily inhabits tropical rainforests at altitudes between 1800 and 3500 meters. It feeds mainly on fruits, insects, and small animals. Its behavior is rather suspicious, making it difficult to observe. The breeding period is poorly documented, but it is known that the male performs spectacular courtship displays to attract the female.
Native to the mountains of New Guinea, Rothschild's astrapia is a bird with vibrant colors, featuring an outstanding plumage of iridescent green, blue, and purple. The male is particularly spectacular, with a long tail and feathers adorned with bright colors. This bird is primarily frugivorous but also feeds on insects and small animals. Threatened by habitat loss, Rothschild's astrapia is a protected species.
The Northern Goshawk is an elegant and powerful raptor, known for its slender silhouette and rapid, erratic flight through dense forests. This medium-sized hawk primarily inhabits temperate forests in Europe, Asia, and North America, where it hunts birds, primarily wood pigeons, doves, and sometimes smaller prey. The Northern Goshawk is an exceptional hunter, using its speed and precise aerial maneuvers to catch its prey.
Despite its remarkable flying skills, the Northern Goshawk is discreet and often difficult to spot, preferring to blend into its forest environment. While not currently threatened, habitat loss and human disturbance pose risks to its population.
The Ostrich is the largest living bird on Earth, known for its impressive size and powerful long legs that allow it to run at remarkable speeds, reaching up to 70 km/h. Native to Africa, the Ostrich inhabits savannas and desert regions, where it primarily feeds on plants, seeds, and small insects. Although it cannot fly, its wings and plumage help it maintain balance and protect itself from the sun.
The Ostrich is a social bird, living in groups and known for its interesting defense behaviors. When threatened, it can run at high speeds to flee or crouch to blend into the ground, a method that helps it escape predators.
The Somali ostrich, also called the blue-necked ostrich, is a large flightless bird standing 1.5–2.7 m tall and weighing 90–156 kg, with black plumage and a pale blue-gray head and neck in males, and brown plumage in females. Endemic to the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya), it inhabits dry savannas, grasslands and sparse thornbush, feeding mainly on plants, seeds and insects. Solitary or in small groups, it relies on its remarkable speed to evade predators.
The Pied Avocet is a graceful bird, easily recognizable by its long, upturned bill and striking black-and-white plumage. This bird inhabits wetlands, lagoons, and estuaries in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The Avocet primarily feeds on small aquatic invertebrates, which it catches by sweeping its bill characteristicly through the water. Its flight is light and elegant, and it often moves in small groups, creating scenes of great beauty.
During the breeding season, the Pied Avocet exhibits courtship behaviors where males display their plumage and perform graceful movements to attract females.
The Axolotl is a fascinating species of amphibian native to lakes around Mexico City, Mexico. Unlike most other amphibians, the Axolotl retains its juvenile form throughout its life, a phenomenon known as neoteny. It is famous for its exceptional ability to regenerate parts of its body, including limbs, internal organs, and even its heart. It has a distinctive appearance with its pale pink skin and external gills, giving it the appearance of a small aquatic dragon. The Axolotl primarily lives in cold, deep waters of lakes, where it feeds on small invertebrates.
Aye-aye
Daubentonia madagascariensis
The Aye-aye is a nocturnal lemur endemic to Madagascar, known for its strange appearance, notably its extremely long and thin middle finger which it uses to extract insects and larvae from tree trunks. It is a shy and secretive animal, primarily living in the tropical forests of the island. Due to its unique feeding method, it is sometimes viewed as an omen of misfortune by local populations, though its ecological role in maintaining forest balance is crucial. The Aye-aye is listed as vulnerable due to deforestation and cultural beliefs surrounding it.
The olive baboon, or Papio anubis, is a robust and adaptable primate widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. It is characterized by its olive-green coat, powerful limbs, and elongated snout. Males are significantly larger than females, weighing up to 30 kg. These baboons live in complex social groups of up to 150 individuals, where hierarchy is crucial. As opportunistic omnivores, they feed on fruits, seeds, insects, and small animals. Their habitat ranges from savannas to tropical forests, demonstrating great adaptability. Although their status is currently "least concern," deforestation and hunting pose potential threats.
The chacma baboon, Papio ursinus, is a primate from the Cercopithecidae family, widely found in southern Africa. It is recognizable by its gray-brown fur and dark face, often surrounded by a lighter mane in males. Chacma baboons live in complex social groups that can number up to 100 individuals. They are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, seeds, insects, and small vertebrates. Their habitat ranges from savannas to open forests and rocky areas. Known for their intelligence, they can adapt to various environments, including urban areas. Although sometimes considered pests, they play a crucial role in their ecosystem.
The yellow baboon, Papio cynocephalus, is a medium-sized primate known for its yellow-brown coat and elongated face. It primarily inhabits the savannas and open woodlands of East Africa. Yellow baboons are social animals, living in groups that can number up to 200 individuals. They have a complex social structure with well-established hierarchies. Omnivorous, they feed on fruits, seeds, insects, and small vertebrates. Their behavior is marked by great adaptability, allowing them to thrive in various environments. Yellow baboons play a crucial role in their ecosystem, particularly in seed dispersal.
The baiji, or Yangtze river dolphin, was a freshwater mammal endemic to China’s Yangtze River, measuring 2–2.5 m in length and weighing 135–230 kg, with a streamlined pale grey-blue body and a long, slightly upturned beak. It relied on echolocation to feed on fish and shrimp in the river’s turbulent, silt-laden waters.
The Osprey is a remarkable raptor, easily identifiable by its white and brown plumage and keen eyes. This large bird of prey is specialized in fishing, catching fish by diving at high speed from the air. It is mainly found near lakes, rivers, and coastal areas in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, where it builds large nests on trees or pylons. The Osprey is a solitary bird and an extremely precise hunter, often seen hovering over the water before diving to catch its prey.
Despite its great agility and ability to catch fish, the Osprey is vulnerable to water pollution and habitat destruction. Conservation efforts are underway to protect this iconic species.
Blainville's beaked whale is a little-known species of beaked whale, primarily inhabiting the deep waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is easily recognized by its long, narrow rostrum. This species is difficult to observe due to its deep-ocean habitat and migratory habits. The Blainville's beaked whale is still poorly studied but is threatened by pollution, ship collisions, and underwater noise.
Cuvier's beaked whale, also known as the Cuvier's whale, is a deep-diving cetacean found primarily in tropical and temperate oceans worldwide. It is easily recognized by its elongated head and prominent beak. This cetacean is one of the deepest diving whales, capable of descending more than 2000 meters in search of food. Its diet primarily consists of squid and deep-sea fish. Although it is a difficult animal to observe due to its deep habitat, it is sometimes seen at the surface to breathe. Cuvier's beaked whale is known for its long dives and mysterious behaviors.
The Humpback Whale is one of the most iconic whale species, known for its spectacular jumps and fascinating songs. This massive whale can grow up to 16 meters long and weigh up to 36 tons. It is found in oceans worldwide, migrating between the cold waters of the Arctic and the warmer tropical waters to breed. Humpback whales primarily feed on krill and small fish, which they capture using a group hunting technique known as "bubble netting," where they create bubbles underwater to trap their prey.
In addition to their impressive hunting behaviors, Humpback Whales are also famous for their complex songs, which males use to attract females during the breeding season.
The Blue Whale is the largest animal ever known to have existed on Earth. This impressive cetacean can grow up to 30 meters long and weigh as much as 180 tons. Its gray-blue skin and streamlined body are perfectly adapted to ocean life, and despite its enormous size, the Blue Whale primarily feeds on small marine organisms such as krill, which it consumes in large quantities. Using its massive tongue and enormous mouth, it can swallow up to 4 tons of krill in a single gulp.
Unfortunately, although once abundant, the Blue Whale is now classified as an endangered species due to commercial whaling, which has significantly reduced its population. Conservation efforts are now in place to protect this majestic creature.
Omura’s whale is a small baleen whale measuring 8–12 m in length, with a slender grey body and a slightly asymmetrical head. It inhabits shallow tropical and subtropical waters, feeding mainly on small crustaceans and fish by filtering water through its baleen plates. Usually seen alone or in small groups near the surface.
The Greenland whale is one of the largest baleen whales, with a size that can reach 16 to 18 meters. It lives in the icy waters of the Arctic and primarily feeds on krill and small fish, filtering them through its baleen plates. It is a long-lived animal, with a lifespan that can exceed 200 years. While protected, it is threatened by climate change, pollution, and ship collisions.
The southern right whale is a large baleen whale in the family Balaenidae, measuring 13–18 m in length and weighing up to 80 tonnes. Its robust body lacks a dorsal fin and is covered with white callosities on the head. It inhabits temperate coastal waters of the Southern Hemisphere and feeds on zooplankton by slow-swimming filter feeding. During the breeding season, females give birth to and nurse calves in sheltered bays.
The North Atlantic right whale is a large baleen whale, recognized for its imposing size and rough black skin. This cetacean, once hunted for its oil, is now protected and classified as critically endangered. It primarily lives in the coastal waters of the North Atlantic, from New England to Eastern Canada. Feeding on plankton and krill, it uses its baleen plates to filter food. Due to pollution, underwater noise, and ship collisions, the species remains severely threatened.
The Black-tailed Godwit is an elegant wader, easily recognizable by its long, slightly curved bill and long legs. It primarily inhabits wetlands and estuaries in Europe, Asia, and North Africa, where it feeds on aquatic invertebrates, worms, and insects, which it detects in the soft sediments along the shores. The Black-tailed Godwit is also known for its long migration, covering great distances between its breeding grounds in temperate regions and its wintering sites in warmer areas.
During the breeding season, males perform spectacular courtship displays, flying gracefully and emitting distinctive calls to attract females.