Spectacled Caiman
The spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) is a medium-sized crocodile that lives in the wetlands, savannahs and forests of Central and South America. It can be green, brown, yellow or gray, with bands on the tail and body. It gets its name from the distinctive bony ridge it has between its eyes which makes it appear as if it is wearing glasses. The body of this caiman is slender, with other ridges of scales on the back. The male measures between 1.50 and 2 m in length on average (although with age some reach 2.50 m) and weighs between 13 and 40 kg.
Capybara
The capybara (or Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the world’s largest rodent and lives throughout savannahs, forests and wetlands of South America. Its large, barrel-like body is covered in coarse brown fur. Capybaras have partially webbed feet to accommodate their semiaquatic lifestyle, a short vestigial tail, and small ears on their oblong shaped head. They typically measure 50cm to 62cm in height and 106cm to 134cm in length. Although similar in size, female capybaras tend to be heavier than males, with an average weight of 61kg for females and 50kg for males.
Fire Salamander
The fire salamander (or Salamandra salamandra) is an amphibian living in the deciduous forests throughout mainland Europe. Its skin is black with yellow spots, although there can be much variation in their patterning. Fire salamanders are between 15cm to 30cm long and weight approximately 30g to 50g. Males and females do not differ in size or appearance. While larvae are aquatic, adults cannot swim and spend their lives on solid ground.
European Fallow Deer
The European fallow deer (or Dama dama) is an ungulate found in grasslands and woodlands throughout Europe. The coat is tan with rows of white spots on the body, with a pale underside and throat, although there are various morphs such as leucism (white), melanism (black) and menil (paler coat without tail markings) occurring in European fallow deer as well. Males, called bucks, have large palmate antlers which span an average length of 60cm when fully developed, whereas females, called does, do not.
European Badger
The European badger (or Meles meles) is a large species of mustelid inhabiting woodlands, shrublands and even man-made parks and pastures throughout Europe. The badger’s most distinct feature is its facial pattern, with two distinct black stripes extending from the neck over ears and eyes down to the snout, across a white face. Its body is covered in thick grey fur, with black legs and lighter fur on the sides. European badgers have a shoulder height of 25cm to 30cm and a head-body length of 60cm to 90cm, with a short tail measuring additional 12cm to 24cm.
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx (or Lynx lynx) is a medium-sized cat that is found in temperate and boreal forest and mountains of Europe and Asia. It has a broad, stocky build with large feet, and is known for its short tail and distinctive ear tufts. Its coat colour ranges from cream to tan, with black spots all over the body. Both the tail tip and ear tufts are black too. Males and females look alike, although males are slightly larger and significantly heavier. Male Eurasian lynxes weigh 20kg up to 45kg, with a head-body length of 98cm to 109cm and shoulder height of 60cm to 75cm.
Alpine Ibex
The Alpine ibex (or Capra Ibex) is a large species of mountain goat native to the Alpine regions of Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. Its thick coat is a uniform brown on the body, with a pale underside and a darker coloration on legs and tail. Alpine ibexes have large ridged horns that curve backwards towards the body. Males are much larger and heavier than females. They have 69cm to 98cm long horns, measure 1.49m to 1.71m in length and 0.9m to 1.05m in height, and weigh 80kg to 100kg.
American Bullfrog
The American bullfrog is a large species of amphibian that lives in the swamps, ponds and lakes of the USA and Canada. Depending on its environment, it may be dark green, pale green or pale brown dorsally with a paler coloured belly. It may have darker spots on its back and a banding pattern on its legs, although some variations of the bullfrog have no pattern. The American bullfrog is sexually dimorphic; females are larger than males, and males have distinctive yellow coloration on their throat and a much larger tympanum (ovular hearing gland) on the sides of their head.
Black-Tailed Prairie Dog
The black-tailed prairie dog is a species of rodent that lives in the prairies, grasslands, semi-deserts and steppes of the USA as well as small areas of Canada and Mexico. The black-tailed prairie dog has sandy coloured fur with paler coloration on the underside. They have long claws, small ears, black eyes and a black tipped tail. Males are slightly larger than females, but otherwise they are the same in appearance. Black-tailed prairie dogs weigh between 0.68- and 1.36kg, have a head-body length of 36 to 43cm and a tail length of 7.6 to 10.2cm.
North American Beaver
The North American beaver is a large species of rodent that lives in the temperate woodland and riverine areas of the USA and Canada. The North American beaver has a double coat, meaning its fur has a surface layer of long, coarse hairs and an undercoat of shorter, finer hairs. This coat gives the beaver’s fur a coarse appearance. The beaver may be brown, red or tan in appearance and have small ears and eyes, a black nose high on the snout and large, pronounced front teeth. North American beavers have a head-body length of 74 to 90cm and a tail length of 20 to 35cm.