Planet Zoo: Console Edition

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 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 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.

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 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.

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.

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 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 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.

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.