Highly social animals

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...

Coyote

Canis latrans

The coyote (Canis latrans) is a species of canine native to North America. It fills much of the same ecological niche as the Golden jackal does in Eurasia. The coyote is larger and more predatory and was once referred to as the American jackal by a...

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...

Capybara

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is a giant cavy rodent native to South America. It is the largest living rodent and a member of the genus Hydrochoerus. Its close relatives include guinea pigs and Rock cavies, and it is more distantly...

Donkey

Equus africanus asinus

The Domestic donkey is a hoofed mammal in the family Equidae, the same family as the horse. It derives from the African wild ass, Equus africanus, and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, Equus africanus asinus, or as a separate...

Llama

Lama glama

The llama(Lama glama) is a domesticated South American camelid. It is widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since the Pre-Columbian era. The ancestors of llamas are thought to have originated from the Great Plains of North America...

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...

Beluga Whale

Delphinapterus leucas

The Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) is a cetacean adapted to life in the Arctic, with anatomical and physiological characteristics that differentiate it from other cetaceans. Amongst these are its all-white color and the absence of a dorsal...

Walrus

Odobenus rosmarus

The walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is a large flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in the family...

Sugar Glider

Petaurus breviceps

The Sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps) is a small arboreal gliding possum that belongs to the marsupial infraclass. It is so called due to loving sweet food such as sugar and honey, while the word 'glider' refers to their gliding habit when moving...

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...

Dhole

Cuon alpinus

The dhole (Cuon alpinus) is a canid native Asia. During the Pleistocene, the dhole ranged throughout Asia, Europe, and North America but became restricted to its historical range 12,000-18,000 years ago. The dhole is listed as Endangered on the IUCN...

False Killer Whale

Pseudorca crassidens

The False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) is a species of oceanic dolphin that is the only extant representative of the genus Pseudorca. It is found in oceans worldwide but mainly frequents tropical regions. The name "false killer whale" comes...

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

The American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) is a large passerine bird species of the family Corvidae. American crows are the New World counterparts to the Carrion crow and the hooded crow. Although the American crow and the hooded crow are very...

Saiga Antelope

Saiga tatarica

The Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) is a critically endangered antelope that during antiquity inhabited a vast area of the Eurasian steppe. During the Pleistocene, they also occurred in Beringian North America and the British Isles. It is extirpated...

Mountain gorilla

Gorilla beringei beringei

The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei ) is one of the two subspecies of the eastern gorilla. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN as of 2018.There are two populations: One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa,...

Indian Elephant

Elephas maximus indicus

The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is one of three extant recognised subspecies of the Asian elephant. Since 1986, it has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List as the wild population has declined by at least 50% since the 1930s...

Adélie Penguin

Pygoscelis adeliae

The Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) is a species of penguin common along the entire coast of the Antarctic continent. This is the only place where it is found. It is the most widespread penguin species, and, along with the Emperor penguin, is...

Giant Otter

Pteronura brasiliensis

The Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is a South American carnivorous mammal. It is the longest member of the weasel family, Mustelidae, a globally successful group of predators. The Giant otter has no serious natural predators other than humans,...

Ring-Tailed Lemur

Lemur catta

The Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families, and is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of...

Common Swift

Apus apus

Common swifts (Apus apus) are medium-sized aerial birds known for their superb flying ability. These birds never settle voluntarily on the ground, where they would be vulnerable to accidents and predation, and non-breeding individuals may spend up...

Greater Flamingo

Phoenicopterus roseus

The Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family. It was described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1811. The Greater flamingo was previously thought to be the same species as the American...

Monk Parakeet

Myiopsitta monachus

The Monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) is a small species of true parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is native to the temperate to subtropical areas of Argentina and the surrounding countries in South America. Self-sustaining feral populations...

Galah

Eolophus roseicapilla

The galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) is a member of the cockatoo family. It is found throughout Australia and is among the most common cockatoos. With its distinctive pink and grey plumage and its bold and loud behavior, it is a familiar sight in the...

Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey

Rhinopithecus roxellana

The Golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is an Old World monkey endemic to a small area in temperate, mountainous forests of central and Southwest China. Snow occurs frequently within its range, and it can withstand colder average...

Gentoo Penguin

Pygoscelis papua

The Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) is a penguin species (or possibly a species complex) in the genus Pygoscelis. It is most closely related to the Adélie penguin and the Chinstrap penguin. Gentoo penguins are the fastest underwater swimmers of...

Marine Iguana

Amblyrhynchus cristatus

The Marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is a species of iguana found only on the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador). Unique among modern lizards, it is a marine reptile that has the ability to forage in the sea for algae, which makes up almost all of...

American Flamingo

Phoenicopterus ruber

The American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is a large species of flamingo native to the Neotropics. It is the only flamingo that naturally inhabits North America.

Blue Wildebeest

Connochaetes taurinus

The Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) is a large antelope and one of the two species of wildebeest. Blue wildebeest are found in short-grass plains, thriving in areas that are neither too wet nor too arid. Three African populations of this...

California Sea Lion

Zalophus californianus

The California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) is one of six species of sea lions. They mainly haul-out on sandy or rocky beaches, but they also frequent manmade environments such as marinas and wharves. California sea lions are particularly...

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

The Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) has been described as a comically elegant bird. Groups of these seabirds glide above surf along western and southern coasts, gracefully echoing the waves with their rise and fall. They plunge-dive from high...

Common Vampire Bat

Desmodus rotundus

The Common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) is a small, leaf-nosed bat native to Latin America. It is one of three extant species of vampire bat. The common vampire bat mainly feeds on the blood of livestock and usually approaches its prey at night...

American White Pelican

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

The American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) is one of the largest North American birds and is a majestic sight when soaring with remarkable steadiness on wide wings. The large head and huge, heavy bill give this bird a prehistoric look. On...

Mexican Gray Wolf

Canis lupus baileyi

The Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is a subspecies of the Gray wolf, commonly known as "El lobo". Once there were thousands of these wolves but in the U.S. many had been killed by the mid-1970s, and just a handful existed in zoos. In 1998,...

Gray Seal

Halichoerus grypus

The Gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. In Latin Halichoerus grypus means "hook-nosed sea pig". It is a large seal of the family Phocidae, which are commonly referred to as "true seals" or "earless...

Degu

Octodon degus

The degu (Octodon degus) is a small rodent found only in Chile. The closest relatives of these highly social and curious animals are chinchilla and guinea pig.

Galápagos Penguin

Spheniscus mendiculus

The Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) is the only penguin found north of the equator. The cool waters of the Humboldt and Cromwell Currents allow it to survive despite the tropical latitude. The Galápagos penguin is one of the banded...

Hamadryas Baboon

Papio hamadryas

The strong and robust Hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) belong to Old World monkeys. They are highly intelligent animals. Mature males of this species are identified by their silver manes and pink faces. In Ancient Egypt, they were considered...

Common Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

The Common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is a wide-ranging marine mammal of the family Delphinidae. The common bottlenose dolphin is a very familiar dolphin species due to the wide exposure it receives in captivity in marine parks and...

Rüppell's Vulture

Gyps rueppelli

Rüppell's vulture (Gyps rueppelli) is a large bird and its name comes from the 19th-century German zoologist and explorer Eduard Rüppell. It is native to the Sahel region and East Africa and its current population is decreasing due to loss of...