Animal
Animals of the world
100 places, each with its own page: where it is, how it came to be and what makes it special.
- Blue whale 100 000 The blue whale is the largest animal ever known to have lived on Earth, even bigger than the biggest dinosaurs.
- Sperm whale 40 000 The sperm whale has the largest brain of any animal on Earth and can dive deeper than almost any other mammal.
- Humpback whale 30 000 The humpback whale is famous for its long pectoral fins, spectacular breaches, and haunting underwater songs.
- Whale shark 19 000 The whale shark is the largest fish in the world, growing longer than a bus, yet it feeds only on some of the smallest creatures in the ocean.
- Orca 5 500 The orca, or killer whale, is the ocean's top predator, found in every sea from the Arctic to the Antarctic.
- African elephant 5 000 The African elephant is the largest land animal on Earth, living in family herds across the savannas of Africa.
- White rhinoceros 2 100 The white rhinoceros is the largest of the five rhino species and the second-biggest land mammal after the elephant.
- Hippopotamus 1 500 The hippopotamus is a massive, barrel-shaped mammal that spends most of the day in African rivers and lakes to keep cool.
- Giant oceanic manta ray 1 400 The giant oceanic manta ray is one of the largest fish in the ocean, with a wingspan that can stretch up to 7 metres across.
- Narwhal 1 200 The narwhal is famous for the male's long, spiralled tusk, which can grow up to 3 metres, earning it the nickname 'unicorn of the sea'.
- Walrus 1 200 The walrus is a huge Arctic seal relative known for its long ivory tusks and bristly whiskers.
- Great white shark 1 100 The great white shark is the largest predatory fish in the ocean, feared and misunderstood in equal measure.
- Giraffe 1 000 The giraffe is the tallest living land animal, browsing on treetops across the savannas of Africa.
- American bison 900 The American bison is the largest land mammal in North America, once roaming the Great Plains in herds of tens of millions.
- Yak 800 The yak is a large, shaggy-haired bovine built to survive some of the highest, coldest places on Earth.
- African buffalo 650 The African buffalo is a powerful, herd-forming grazer found across the savannas and wetlands of sub-Saharan Africa.
- Bactrian camel 650 The Bactrian camel is the two-humped camel of Central Asia, built to survive the extreme heat and freezing cold of the Gobi Desert.
- Dromedary 500 The dromedary, or one-humped camel, is a desert animal so long domesticated that it no longer exists in its original wild form.
- Polar bear 450 The polar bear is the largest bear on Earth and lives on the sea ice of the Arctic.
- Moose 450 The moose is the largest species of deer in the world, standing tall in the cold forests and wetlands of the far north.
- Saltwater crocodile 450 The saltwater crocodile is the largest living reptile, with males growing up to 6 metres long.
- Nile crocodile 410 The Nile crocodile is Africa's largest crocodile and one of the continent's most feared predators, lying in wait at rivers and waterholes.
- Manatee 400 The manatee, sometimes called a sea cow, is a slow-moving, gentle giant that grazes on underwater plants in warm coastal waters.
- Zebra 300 The zebra is a wild relative of the horse, instantly recognisable by its bold black-and-white stripes.
- Bottlenose dolphin 300 The bottlenose dolphin is one of the most familiar and intelligent ocean animals, recognised by its curved mouth that looks like a permanent smile.
- Brown bear 270 The brown bear is a powerful, shaggy-coated bear found across forests and mountains from North America to Europe and Asia.
- Galápagos tortoise 250 The Galápagos tortoise is the largest tortoise in the world and one of the longest-living animals on Earth, sometimes surviving more than 150 years.
- Great hammerhead shark 230 The great hammerhead shark is instantly recognisable by its wide, flattened head shaped like a hammer, called a cephalofoil.
- Tiger 220 The tiger is the biggest wild cat in the world, known for its orange coat and black stripes.
- Lion 190 The lion is a huge wild cat that lives in prides on the grassy plains of Africa.
- Gorilla 160 The gorilla is the largest living primate, living in family groups in the rainforests of central Africa.
- Llama 150 The llama is a domesticated relative of the camel that has helped Andean communities carry goods across South America's high mountains for thousands of years.
- Green sea turtle 135 The green sea turtle is named not for its shell but for the greenish fat beneath it, coloured by the algae and seagrass it eats.
- Reindeer 110 The reindeer, also called caribou in North America, is a hardy deer built to survive in the freezing Arctic tundra.
- Ostrich 104 The ostrich is the largest and heaviest living bird, standing up to 2.8 metres tall on the African savannah.
- Giant panda 100 The giant panda is a black-and-white bear that lives only in bamboo forests high in the mountains of China.
- Jaguar 90 The jaguar is the largest big cat in the Americas, prowling the rainforests and wetlands of Central and South America.
- Alpine ibex 90 The Alpine ibex is a sure-footed wild goat that lives on steep, rocky slopes high in the European Alps.
- Harbour seal 85 The harbour seal is one of the most widespread seals, resting on rocky shores, sandbanks and ice along coasts throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
- Orangutan 75 The orangutan is a large, red-haired ape that lives almost entirely in the rainforest canopy of Borneo and Sumatra.
- Komodo dragon 70 The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard alive today, growing up to 3 metres long and hunting animals as large as water buffalo.
- Alpaca 65 The alpaca is a small, fluffy relative of the llama, bred by Andean people for thousands of years mainly for its soft, warm wool.
- Leopard 60 The leopard is a powerful, spotted big cat found across more habitats than any other wild cat, from African savannas to Asian forests.
- Red kangaroo 55 The red kangaroo is the largest marsupial on Earth, bounding across the dry outback of inland Australia in powerful hops.
- Cheetah 50 The cheetah is the fastest land animal on Earth, built for explosive speed rather than strength.
- Chimpanzee 45 The chimpanzee is humankind's closest living relative, sharing nearly 99% of our DNA.
- Snow leopard 40 The snow leopard is a rare, thick-furred big cat that lives high in the mountains of Central Asia.
- Grey wolf 40 The grey wolf is the ancestor of all pet dogs and one of the most widespread wild predators, once ranging across most of the Northern Hemisphere.
- Emu 37 The emu is Australia's largest bird and the second-largest bird in the world after the ostrich.
- Chamois 35 The chamois is a nimble goat-antelope that bounds across steep, rocky terrain in the mountains of Europe.
- Emperor penguin 30 The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest of all penguins, living and breeding on the frozen sea ice around Antarctica.
- Sea otter 27 The sea otter has the densest fur of any animal, with up to a million hairs per square inch, keeping it warm without a layer of blubber.
- Wombat 26 The wombat is a sturdy, burrowing Australian marsupial with short legs and powerful claws for digging.
- Reticulated python 25 The reticulated python is the longest snake species in the world, with some individuals measured at over 6 metres.
- Eurasian beaver 20 The Eurasian beaver is the largest rodent in Europe, famous for building dams and lodges out of branches, mud and stones.
- Eurasian lynx 20 The Eurasian lynx is the largest wild cat in Europe, recognisable by its tufted ears, short tail and spotted coat.
- Giant Pacific octopus 15 The giant Pacific octopus is the largest octopus species in the world, with an arm span that can stretch over 4 metres.
- European badger 11 The European badger is a stocky, black-and-white striped mammal that digs huge underground burrow systems called setts.
- Mute swan 11 The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, gliding gracefully across lakes and rivers with its curved neck and orange bill.
- Great white pelican 11 The great white pelican has one of the largest wingspans of any bird, up to 3 metres across, and a huge stretchy throat pouch.
- Koala 9 The koala is a tree-dwelling Australian marsupial that eats almost nothing but eucalyptus leaves.
- Eurasian otter 9 The Eurasian otter is a sleek, playful swimmer found in rivers, lakes and coastlines across Europe and Asia.
- Tasmanian devil 8 The Tasmanian devil is the world's largest carnivorous marsupial, now found only on the island of Tasmania.
- Raccoon 7 The raccoon is a clever, ring-tailed mammal easily recognised by the black mask across its eyes.
- King cobra 6 The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, capable of growing up to 5.5 metres.
- Red fox 6 The red fox is the most widespread wild carnivore in the world, living everywhere from forests and farmland to busy city streets.
- Nine-banded armadillo 6 The nine-banded armadillo is a small mammal covered in a tough, bony armour shell, found from the southern United States down through South America.
- Alpine marmot 5 The Alpine marmot is a large, burrowing rodent that lives in family colonies on high mountain meadows across the European Alps.
- Indian peafowl 5 The peacock, or Indian peafowl, is famous for the male's dazzling train of iridescent blue-green feathers.
- Bald eagle 5 The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States, known for its white head and tail feathers.
- Golden eagle 5 The golden eagle is one of the largest and fastest birds of prey, soaring over mountains and open country across the Northern Hemisphere.
- Brown-throated sloth 4 The brown-throated sloth is one of the slowest-moving mammals on Earth, spending nearly its whole life hanging upside down in rainforest trees.
- Green iguana 4 The green iguana is a large, tree-dwelling lizard with a spiny crest running down its back.
- Arctic fox 4 The Arctic fox is a small, hardy fox built to survive the freezing cold of the Arctic tundra.
- Quokka 4 The quokka is a small, cat-sized marsupial famous for its friendly, smiling face, found mainly on Rottnest Island off the coast of Western Australia.
- European brown hare 4 The European brown hare is a fast, long-legged relative of the rabbit that lives out in the open, unlike rabbits which shelter in burrows.
- Greater flamingo 3 The greater flamingo is the largest flamingo species, wading through shallow salt lakes and lagoons on its long, thin legs.
- Snowy owl 2 The snowy owl is one of the largest owls in the world and one of the few active during daylight.
- Western diamondback rattlesnake 2 The western diamondback rattlesnake is one of the most common and dangerous rattlesnakes in North America, named for the diamond pattern along its back.
- European rabbit 2 The European rabbit is the wild ancestor of all pet and farm rabbits, originally from Spain and Portugal.
- Scarlet macaw 1 The scarlet macaw is one of the largest and most colourful parrots, with brilliant red, yellow and blue feathers.
- European hedgehog 1 The European hedgehog is a small, spiny mammal that curls into a tight ball when threatened.
- Meerkat 1 The meerkat is a small, sociable mongoose relative that lives in tight family groups in the dry grasslands of southern Africa.
- Toco toucan 1 The toco toucan has the largest beak of any bird relative to its body size, a bright orange tool it uses for reaching fruit.
- Atlantic puffin 1 The Atlantic puffin is a small seabird known for its brightly coloured beak and clown-like face, nicknamed the 'sea parrot'.
- Barn owl 0 The barn owl is famous for its heart-shaped white face and silent flight, and it is one of the most widespread birds in the world.
- Red squirrel 0 The red squirrel is a small, agile tree-dweller found in forests across Europe and Asia, known for its bushy tail and ear tufts.
- Goliath birdeater 0 The goliath birdeater is the largest spider in the world by weight and body size, with a leg span as wide as a dinner plate.
- Panther chameleon 0 The panther chameleon is famous for its ability to change colour in flashes of red, orange, green and blue.
- Axolotl 0 The axolotl is a strange salamander that never grows up, keeping its feathery gills and living underwater for its whole life.
- Common kingfisher 0 The common kingfisher is a small, jewel-coloured bird with brilliant blue and orange feathers, often seen as a flash of colour along rivers and streams.
- Golden poison frog 0 The golden poison frog is tiny but is considered the most poisonous animal on Earth, coated in enough toxin to be extremely dangerous.
- Clownfish 0 The clownfish is a small, bright orange reef fish famous for its unusual friendship with stinging sea anemones.
- Red-eyed tree frog 0 The red-eyed tree frog is one of the most recognisable rainforest animals, with vivid green skin, orange feet and startling red eyes.
- Common pipistrelle bat 0 The common pipistrelle is one of the smallest and most widespread bats in Europe, weighing about as much as a two-euro coin.
- Ruby-throated hummingbird 0 The ruby-throated hummingbird is a tiny bird weighing about as much as a coin, yet it can fly hundreds of kilometres non-stop.
- Monarch butterfly 0 The monarch butterfly is famous for its incredible multi-generational migration between North America and Mexico.
- Western honey bee 0 The western honey bee lives in highly organised colonies of tens of thousands of workers and is one of the most important pollinators on Earth.
- Lined seahorse The lined seahorse is a strange, slow-moving fish that swims upright and grips seagrass with its tail.
- Moon jellyfish The moon jelly is one of the most common jellyfish in the world, drifting through coastal seas on every continent.
How these animals were chosen
These are the hundred animals children look up most, which is not the same as the hundred most important animals — there are no beetles here, and beetles outnumber everything. What this list does have is at least one animal from every continent and every kind of habitat: ice, desert, rainforest, open ocean, high mountain and the ordinary field behind a house.
Every animal page carries its size, its weight, what it eats and its conservation status from the IUCN, the organisation that keeps the world's list of species at risk. That last one is on the page for a reason: a child who learns that an animal exists should also learn whether it is still doing well, and for a good number of these the honest answer is no.
Every one of them stands on the globe
These pages are not only a list: every entry here has a place on the spinning globe, at its real coordinates. From far away the planet is a plain blue ball — detail only arrives as you zoom in, and then each of these is standing exactly where it belongs.
It works the other way round too: whatever you click on the globe opens its page, and every page links back to that exact spot on the globe. You can wander from a map into a text and back again without ever using the search box.