Mammals of the World

Lions live in social prides and are nicknamed the king of the jungle despite mainly inhabiting grasslands.

The tiger, the largest cat species, carries a stripe pattern as unique as a human fingerprint.

The cheetah, the fastest land animal, can out-accelerate most sports cars over short bursts.

The polar bear, the largest land carnivore, has fur that appears white but is actually translucent.

The grizzly bear takes its name from the grizzled, silver-tipped look of its fur.

The gray wolf, the largest wild canine, lives and hunts cooperatively in family packs.

The red fox, the world's most widely distributed carnivore, is known for cleverness in adapting to many habitats.

Meerkats live in cooperative groups, standing upright to take turns watching for approaching predators.

The wolverine's strength relative to its size lets it sometimes drive off much larger predators.

The snow leopard's long tail helps it balance on the steep rocky terrain of Central Asia's mountains.

The blue whale, the largest animal ever known, has a heart that can weigh as much as a small car.

The bottlenose dolphin's high intelligence and echolocation help it navigate and hunt in the water.

The orca, also known as the killer whale, is the largest member of the dolphin family.

The gorilla, the largest living primate, shares roughly 98 percent of its DNA with humans.

The koala eats almost only eucalyptus leaves and sleeps most of the day to conserve energy.

The kangaroo hops on powerful hind legs and carries its young in a pouch called a marsupium.

The African elephant, the largest land animal, uses its trunk for breathing, drinking, and grasping.

The giraffe, the tallest land animal, has just as many neck vertebrae as a human despite its long neck.

Chimpanzees, among humanity's closest relatives, are known to use tools like sticks and stones.

The giant panda eats almost exclusively bamboo, spending most of the day eating to meet its needs.

The platypus lays eggs despite being a mammal and ranks among the very few venomous mammals.

The sloth moves extraordinarily slowly, and algae growing in its fur can give it a greenish tint.

The armadillo's bony shell lets some species roll into a tight, armored ball for defense.

The sea otter cracks shellfish with tools and relies on the densest fur of any animal to stay warm.

Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight, and many navigate in the dark using echolocation.

The hippopotamus spends much of the day submerged to stay cool and ranks among Africa's most dangerous animals.

The rhinoceros's horn is made of keratin, the same material found in human hair and nails.

The plains zebra's striped coat is unique to each individual, with no two patterns exactly alike.

The dromedary camel's hump stores fat, not water, helping it survive harsh desert conditions.

The red panda shares part of its name with the giant panda but is not closely related to it.