Temperate

The red panda (or Ailurus fulgens) is a small mammal that lives in the woodlands of the Himalayas and multiple areas of China. Despite its name, it is not closely related to the giant panda, however it does share some characteristics such as a diet mainly consisting of bamboo. With red fur, black legs, a ringed tail, and white ears and snout, the red panda averages between 50 and 64cm from head to body, with a tail 28 to 59cm long. They are excellent climbers and good swimmers that enjoy living in a varied environment.

The pronghorn antelope (or Antilocapra americana) is, in fact, not a true antelope. While the North American mammal occupies a similar environmental niche to antelopes – hence the same name being used – for this reason it is often simply referred to as the ‘pronghorn’. It has a tan coloured coat on its back and sides, a white underbelly, and white chevron-shaped markings on its neck. The species stands an average of 81 to 104cm tall at the shoulder, measuring between 1.3 and 1.5m in length.

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 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.

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.

Colloquially known as the peacock, the Indian peafowl (or Pavo cristatus) is a large bird native to Southern Asia but which humans have introduced worldwide. The males – peacocks – are famous for their bright blue shiny feathers and extremely large ornamental tail, which they fan out to show off the size and distinctive appearance of their eye-spotted feathers. This is designed both to impress females and intimidate other males. Female peafowl – peahens – look very different to their male counterparts, sporting brown feathers, a flash of blue on the back of their necks, and no tail fan.

Native to both Central and Southeast Asia, the Indian or Asian elephant (or Elephas maximus indicus) is a species distinguishable by a distinctive trunk, small ears, and grey skin with pink mottling around the face. They are smaller than their African counterparts, with males reaching an average height of 2.75m and weighing 4000kg, compared to the female average of 2.40m and 2400kg. They are large herbivores and live in a variety of different environments, including forests, grasslands and mountains, wherein they feed on tree leaves, bark and grasses.

The green iguana (or Iguana iguana) is a large species of lizard that lives throughout Central America, Northern South America and the Caribbean. It has a long tail with a serrated crest that goes from its head to the base of its spine, as well as muscular legs with long toes and claws. They may also have striations on their tail and body. Although named ‘green’ iguanas, they occur in many colours – commonly green, blue, brown and orange – and these different colour morphs often depend on their location of origin.

The greater flamingo (or Phoenicopterus roseus) is a large species of migratory bird that is widespread across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. It lives on the mudflats and coastal lagoons of temperate and warm environments, and is a filter feeder which uses its beak to stir up mud and filter out algae, invertebrates and seeds. Male and female flamingos look the same with pale-pink to orange-pink feathers, pink legs, a pink beak with a black tip, and often brighter pink patches on their wings.

The giant tiger land snail (or Achatina achatina) is a large species of gastropod that lives in the woodland areas of West Africa; specifically Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria, among others. They have a grey body and a conical shell that’s yellow, orange or tan with black stripes – the distinctive pattern being the inspiration for their name. The species is hermaphroditic, possessing both male and female reproductive parts, so there are no distinct ‘males’ and ‘females’.