Temperate

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.

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%.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 quokka (or Setonix brachyurus) is a small species of wallaby that lives in the swamps, scrublands and forests of Rottnest Island and Bald Island, as well as the coast of South-West Australia. It has thick, buff-brown fur, large and powerful hindlegs, small and dextrous forearms, and a thin tail. It has rounded ears and a round face, with a characteristic ‘smiling’ expression. Quokkas measure 40cm to 54cm in length, with an additional 25cm to 30cm tail. Males are slightly larger than females, weighing between 2.7kg and 5kg, compared to females at 1.5kg to 3.5kg.

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.

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.