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Biogeographical realm

Afrotropical

6293 species

The Afrotropical realm is one of Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the majority of the Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, southern Iran and extreme southwestern Pakistan, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly known as the Ethiopian Zone or Ethiopian Region.

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Lion

Panthera leo

The lion (Panthera leo ) is a large cat of the genus Panthera native to Africa and India. It is the most widely recognized animal symbol in human culture and it has been extensively depicted in sculptures and paintings, on national flags, and in...

Blue Whale

Balaenoptera musculus

The Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal and a baleen whale. It is the largest animal known to have ever existed. The Blue whale was once abundant in nearly all the Earth's oceans until the end of the 19th century. It was hunted...

Killer Whale

Orcinus orca

The Killer whale (Orcinus orca) is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. It is the largest member of this family. The sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal behaviors of Killer whales have been described as manifestations of...

Grey Wolf

Canis lupus

The wolf (Canis lupus), also known as the Gray wolf or Grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly understood, comprise wild...

Cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at 80 to 128 km/h (50 to 80 mph) with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being 93 and 98 km/h (58...

Black Mamba

Dendroaspis polylepis

The Black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) is a species of highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. It is native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the second-longest venomous snake after the King cobra. Despite its reputation as a...

Leopard

Panthera pardus

The leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera, a member of the cat family, Felidae. The leopard is distinguished by its well-camouflaged fur, opportunistic hunting behavior, broad diet, strength, and its...

Common Hippo

Hippopotamus amphibius

The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the Pygmy hippopotamus. Its name comes from the ancient Greek...

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

The Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is a large cosmopolitan raptor in the family Falconidae. It is renowned for its speed during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest bird in the world, as well as the fastest...

Domestic Sheep

Ovis aries

Sheep or Domestic sheep (Ovis aries) are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are even-toed ungulates. Numbering a little over one billion, Domestic sheep are also the most numerous species of sheep....

Sperm Whale

Physeter macrocephalus

The Sperm whale or cachalot (Physeter macrocephalus) is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the genus Physeter and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family, along with the...

Honey Badger

Mellivora capensis

The Honey badger (Mellivora capensis) is a mammal widely distributed in Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Despite its name, the Honey badger does not closely resemble other badger species; instead, it bears more anatomical...

Bonobo

Pan paniscus

The bonobo (Pan paniscus) is an endangered species of great ape found in a 500,000 km2 (190,000 sq mi) area of the Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa. Bonobos are one of the closest living relatives to humans,...

Wild Boar

Sus scrofa

The Wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa. The species is now one of the widest-ranging mammals in the world, as well as the most widespread suiform. It has been assessed as the least concern on the IUCN Red...

Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

The Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere. Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been...

Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

The Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds of prey in the...

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. The osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all...

Shoebill

Balaeniceps rex

The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) is a very large stork-like bird. It derives its name from its enormous shoe-shaped bill. It has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified with the storks in the order Ciconiiformes based on...

Meerkat

Suricata suricatta

The meerkat (Suricata suricatta) or suricate is a small mongoose found in southern Africa. They live in rock crevices in stony, often calcareous areas, and in large burrow systems in plains. They use a broad variety of calls to communicate with one...

African Wild Dog

Lycaon pictus

The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) is the largest wild canine in Africa, and the only extant member of the genus Lycaon; it is distinguished from Canis by dentition highly specialized for a hypercarnivorous diet, and by a lack of dewclaws....

House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

The House sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a small passerine bird found in most parts of the world. The extent of its range makes it the most widely distributed wild bird on the planet. Because of its numbers, ubiquity, and association with human...

Domesticated Ferret

Mustela putorius furo

The ferret (Mustela furo) is a small, domesticated species belonging to the family Mustelidae. A ferret is most likely a domesticated form of the wild European ferret or polecat (Mustela putorius ). Ferrets were bred for sport, hunting rabbits in a...

Giant squid

Architeuthis dux

The giant squid (Architeuthis dux ) is a species of deep-ocean dwelling squid in the family Architeuthidae. It can grow to a tremendous size, offering an example of deep-sea gigantism: recent estimates put the maximum size at around 12–13 m...

Dugong

Dugong dugon

The dugong (Dugong dugon) is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest modern relative, Steller's sea cow...

Common Chimpanzee

Pan troglodytes

The chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) is a species of great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. When its close relative the bonobo was more commonly known as the Pygmy chimpanzee, this species was often called the Common chimpanzee...

Aardvark

Orycteropus afer

The aardvark (Orycteropus afer) is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa. Unlike most other insectivores, it has a long pig-like snout, which is used to sniff out food. It roams over most of the southern two-thirds of the...

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa. Mallards live in wetlands, eat water plants and small animals, and prefer to congregate in flocks of...

Serval

Leptailurus serval

The serval (Leptailurus serval ) is a wild cat native to Africa. It is rare in North Africa and the Sahel, but widespread in sub-Saharan countries, except rainforest regions. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and hunting it is either...

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

The Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual; a member of the family Balaenopteridae. The Humpback whale is known for breaching and other distinctive surface behaviors, making it popular with whale...

Okapi

Okapia johnstoni

The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) is an artiodactyl mammal that is found only in central Africa. It was not discovered until 1901. Okapia johnstoni, its taxonomic name, honors its native Central African name, as well as the man who ‘discovered’ it, the...

Caracal

Caracal caracal

The caracal (Caracal caracal) is a medium-sized wild cat. It was first scientifically described by German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in 1776. Typically nocturnal, the caracal is highly secretive and difficult to observe. It was...

Fennec Fox

Vulpes zerda

The Fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) is a small crepuscular fox native to the deserts of North Africa. It is the smallest species of fox. Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to the desert environment with high temperatures and little water....

Common Blackbird

Turdus merula

The Common blackbird (Turdus merula) is a species of true thrush. It is also called the Eurasian blackbird (especially in North America, to distinguish it from the unrelated New World blackbirds), or simply the blackbird where this does not lead to...

Ostrich

Struthio camelus

The Common ostrich (Struthio camelus), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain large areas of Africa and is the largest living bird species. It is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members of the...

Colossal squid

Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni

The colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni ) is part of the family Cranchiidae. It is sometimes called the Antarctic squid or giant cranch squid and is believed to be the largest squid species in terms of mass. It is the only recognized member...

Leatherback sea turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea ), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to 1.8 metres and...

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is a large crocodilian that lives in freshwater habitats in Africa. There it is present in 26 countries. The Nile crocodile is one of the most dangerous species of crocodile and is responsible for hundreds...

European Robin

Erithacus rubecula

The European robin (Erithacus rubecula) is a small insectivorous passerine bird. The term robin is also applied to some birds in other families with red or orange breasts. These include the American robin (Turdus migratorius ), a thrush, and the...

Spotted Hyena

Crocuta crocuta

A highly misunderstood animal, the Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) has the reputation of being cowardly and sly, but it is actually a fascinating and intelligent creature with a very interesting social system. It looks like a dog but is closer...

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

The Common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is a noisy bird, especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations, with an unmusical but varied song. Its gift for mimicry has...

Mandrill

Mandrillus sphinx

The mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) is a large Old World monkey native to west-central Africa. It is one of the most colorful mammals in the world and its closest living relative is the drill. Both species were traditionally thought to be baboons, but...

Fossa

Cryptoprocta ferox

The unusual-looking fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) from Madagascar looks like a puma and has both canine and feline features. It is the largest mammalian carnivore on the island, and preys mainly on lemurs, pursuing them through the trees with...

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