Mammals List

Aardvark

There is one family in this order, containing a single species that lives in Africa. Its relationship to other mammal groups is obscure. The name of these unusual mammals comes from the Afrikaans words meaning "earth pig", but aardvarks are not related to pigs.

Addax

The addax antelope is found in the Sahara Desert and is well adapted to some of the driest and hottest conditions on Earth. The antelope rarely drinks liquid water, and can obtain most of the water it needs to survive from the plants it eats.

African Civet

The African civet lives all over sub-Saharan Africa, being equally at home in open grassland and dense forest. They are rarely found far from rivers or another permanent source of water. Its coarse hair is black with yellowish spots and stripes.

African Elephant

The largest of all land animals, the African elephant can be distinguished from its Asian relative by its much bigger ears. There are two races of African elephants: the savannah elephant, which is the world's largest living land animal.

African Wild Dog

The scientific name of these canids translates as "painted wolf" and refers to their highly individual patterning, which allows individuals to be identified from some distance away. Recognized by its dark-brown, black or yellowish coat.

Alpine Ibex

Alpine ibexes can jump well, even when they are as young as two days old. This helps to ensure their survival in the mountainous terrain they inhabit. The appearance of this species is influenced by the Alpine climate.

Amazon River Dolphin

This is a freshwater species, known locally by its Portuguese name boutu vermelho, which translates as "red dolphin" and describes its distinctive colouration. Amazon river dolphin's ancestors entered the Amazon from the sea, and adapted to living in freshwater surroundings.

American Badger

The single species of Taxidea is the only New World badger. It has a rather flattened body shape, but is otherwise similar to other badgers. American badgers are tough animals that live in the North America. They are expert burrowers.

American Bison

Although rare, the American bison has been saved from extinction. Once, vast herds of over a million bison grazed the vast prairies of western North America, often making migrations of several thousand kilometres to winter feeding grounds in the south.

American Marten

The American marten lives in the cold northern pine forests of Canada, ranging from Newfoundland in the east to the US state of Alaska in the west. Martens also live in the high-altitude mountain areas of the continental United States.

Mammals