Identify Animals (Pictures): Advanced

Okapi

A shy forest animal from the Congo that looks like a cross between a zebra and a horse. In fact it is the closest relative of the giraffe.

💡 Did you know? The okapi was only scientifically described in 1901 and was long called the ‘African unicorn’.

Cheetah

The fastest land cat in the world, slender with long legs and black ‘tear stripes’ on its face. It hunts gazelles on open grassland.

💡 Did you know? A cheetah accelerates to over 100 km/h in just a few seconds.

Leopard

A powerful big cat with a rosette-shaped spot pattern. The leopard is a secretive loner and an excellent climber.

💡 Did you know? Leopards often haul their prey up trees to keep it safe from lions and hyenas.

Lynx

A medium-sized wild cat with tufted ears and a short tail. The lynx lives in the forests of Europe and Asia.

💡 Did you know? The black tufts on the ears probably improve the lynx's hearing.

Meerkat

A small, sociable predator of Africa's dry regions. Meerkats live in colonies and post sentries.

💡 Did you know? While the group feeds, one meerkat always stands guard and warns of danger.

Anteater

A South American mammal with a long snout and bushy tail that feeds on ants and termites. It has no teeth.

💡 Did you know? Its sticky tongue is up to 60 centimetres long and flicks out at lightning speed.

Armadillo

A small American mammal with a shell of bony plates. When threatened, some species roll up into a ball.

💡 Did you know? The nine-banded armadillo almost always gives birth to four genetically identical young.

Sloth

An extremely slow tree-dweller from the rainforests of Central and South America. It hangs upside down in the branches and eats leaves.

💡 Did you know? Sloths move so little that algae even grow in their fur.

Pangolin

The only mammal with armour of true horny scales. It feeds on ants and rolls into a ball when threatened.

💡 Did you know? Pangolins are among the most heavily poached wild animals in the world.

Axolotl

A Mexican salamander that stays in its larval stage with external gills for life. It lives only in lakes near Mexico City.

💡 Did you know? The axolotl can fully regrow lost limbs and even parts of its heart.

Quokka

A small, cat-sized marsupial from Australia with a rounded face. It lives mainly on Rottnest Island near Perth.

💡 Did you know? Because of its seemingly smiling face, the quokka is called the ‘happiest animal in the world’.

Wombat

A stocky, burrowing marsupial from Australia. Wombats live in extensive underground tunnels.

💡 Did you know? Wombats produce cube-shaped droppings: unique in the entire animal kingdom.

Coati

A curious raccoon relative of the Americas with a long, mobile snout and a ringed tail. It forages on the ground for insects and fruit.

💡 Did you know? Females roam in large groups with their young, while males mostly live alone.

Tapir

An ancient plant-eater with a short trunk, related to horses and rhinos. Tapirs live in the forests of South America and Southeast Asia.

💡 Did you know? Young tapirs wear a spotted and striped camouflage coat that later disappears.