Primarily scavengers, they will kill animals for food and are one of the most lethal animals
They live in large groups or clans and can be as many as 70 individuals
They make the famous laughing sound which depicts fear or submission to senior member of the group
Puma
Pumas or the mountain Lion can run upto 80 km/hour and jump as high as 15 feet
Cubs are born with spots and become spotless as they grow. They also start hunting at just 6 months old
They purr, growl, screech instead of roar like other big cats and are hence called small cats
African Elephant
African elephants are the largest land animals on earth and both males and females have tusks which is used for digging, strip bark from trees, fighting etc.
Elephants use infrasound (which cannot be heard by humans) to communicate across distances of upto 5 kms
Elephants never forget and recognise a long lost member of their social group. They hold grudges, show compassion, play and grief over dead ones.
Peacock
The feathers have crystal-like structures reflecting different wavelengths of light which results in the bright and fluorescent colours
The Peacocks (male) display their bright feathers during mating season to attract the peahens (female) who mainly choose their mate based on size, colour & quality of the feathers
The special sensors in a peahen’s crest allow her to feel the vibrations which a peacock produces for attention
Zebra
Stripes for the win: serve as an air conditioner by dispersing 70% of the incoming heat in the harsh African sunlight
The stripes also help keep the flies away and may protect the Zebras from Lions who are colour blind. A herd of running Zebras could confuse king of the jungle
The Great migration: Zebras cover a distance of over 450 kms between Tanzania and Kenya in search of food and water each year
Lion
Roar of a Lion can be heard as far as 8 kms away
Lions are very social, live in prides consisting of females, offsprings and few adult males
Female lions do most of the hunting while males’ duty is to protect the pride and territory
Snow Leopard
Snow leopards live in extreme cold temperatures and a wide nasal cavity helps heat the freezing air before it reaches the lungs
The long furry tail helps with balance while moving through difficult terrain, stores fat for lean times and wraps around like a blanket to keep warm
A large muscular chest helps the cat absorb more oxygen & take deep breaths in the high altitudes where oxygen is less
Giant River Otter
Their velvety, thick brown fur is water repellent
Sociable animals, they live in groups of up to 20. Grooming, hunting, resting & communicating is their daily routine
Found in South America, they are the world’s largest Otters with some as long as 6 feet
Cheetah
This fastest land animal can reach a speed of 0-112 kms in just 3 seconds. This is faster than any sports car accelerates!
Their ‘tear marks from the eyes to the mouth act as sunglasses, reflecting the glare of the sun when they are hunting during the day
They use their tail as a steering which helps them take sharp turns in any direction while in top speed
Orangutan
In malay, Orangutan means ‘person of the forest’
A mother and baby have the most intense relationship for a non human with the baby staying with her for almost 8 years
These great apes and humans have 97% similar DNA
Jaguar
Jaguars have the most powerful bite amongst big cats which can pierce through crocodile and crack a sea turtle’s shell
Spot is the difference: the black spots in the rosette patterns of a Jaguar differentiates it from a Leopard
These third biggest cats will eat anything: from a giant Caiman to an Anaconda, to Tapir, the largest animal in South America
Vervet Monkey
The male has a distinctive neon blue colour around its genitals which helps him attract females
Scientific studies have proven that they love drinking alcohol especially when mixed with fruit juice
They live almost entire life on trees (prefer acacia habitat) and are omnivores (eat both plants & meat)
Tiger
Largest wild cats in the world, Tigers are solitary and nocturnal hunters with a vision six times better than humans
Tigers are powerful swimmers and have been known to swim great distances to hunt
The distinctive white spot at the back of their ears is believed to help cubs follow their mother’s instructions
Polar Bear
They have black skin and the fur is hollow with no pigmentation. It reflects visible light, much like snow
Living in Arctic regions under sub zero temperatures; The warmth comes from the 10 cm of blubber under their skin
Their favourite food is seals and they can smell their prey upto a distance of a kilometer
Jellyfish
They have no heart, bones or eyes but are made of smooth tentacle arms with tiny, stinging cells
If cut into two peices or injured, they can clone themselves and create new organisms
The mouth is in the center of the body and is used for both eating and discarding waste
Komodo Dragon
The fork shaped tongue helps them detect prey as far as 6 kms away & they can kill large preys like a buffalo & wild boars
A human will find it difficult to outrun a speedy Komodo Dragon
Growing up to 10 feet long, they are venomous, carnivores and also cannibals
Wildebeest
They are Africa’s one of the largest antelopes and can reach upto 4.5 feet height and weigh around 272kgs
They follow the rain round the year in search of grassy plains to sustain their numbers
The greatest and largest migration in the world sees over 1.5 million Wildebeest travel from Kenya to Tanzania
Gorilla
They display emotions like grief, compassion for other primates and humans
Gorillas’ DNA matches 98% with human DNA making them one of our closest relatives
Some Gorillas have been observed using simple tools like wooden sticks to measure depth of water bodies
Red Panda
Its unique red and white tail keeps it warm at night and provides balance whilst moving through the forest
When born, Red Pandas’ fur is actually grey
Imagine! this tiny animal can consume around 200,000 bamboo leaves a day
