Mammals

Pairie Dog

Black-Tailed Prairie Dog

They may live on the prairie, but they aren’t dogs. These tunnel-digging rodents are closely related to squirrels but got their name from their bark-like calls during territorial disputes.

California Sea Lion

California Sea Lion

The loudest voices in the ocean may be the gregarious sea lion. Though clumsy on land, this marine mammal is a strong swimmer and diver, aided by its oar-like flippers and torpedo-shaped body. Sea lions are considered “pinnipeds,” which means “fin-footed” and refers to their long, flat hands and feet.

Baboon

Hamadryas Baboon

Hamadryas baboons hang out in harems of one male with several females and their young. You can tell the males apart by their bigger size and the heavy mane around their neck and shoulders. These social animals spend hours grooming each other and communicate through calls, scents, and gestures.

Australian Dingoes

Dingo

These legendary dogs of Down Under are a wild subspecies of our four-legged friends. Lean, agile, and fast on their feet, they also have pricked ears for good hearing—all qualities that make them skilled hunters.
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Otter

North American River Otter

River otters are a member of the weasel family, equally at home in water and on land. These playful, boisterous creatures are known for their swimming, diving, and even tobogganing skills! The North American river otter is one of 13 otter species that live around the globe.

Pallas Cat

Pallas’s Cat

The Pallas’s cat sports a coat much longer and thicker than its wild cat cousins have. It helps the small cat, also called manul (Mongolian for small wild cat), stay warm in its blustery habitat in central China and Mongolia. The Pallas’s cat was named after Peter Pallas, a German naturalist who studied Russian animals.

Red Panda

Red Panda

Red pandas have gone by many names over the years, including firefox, red cat-bear, and bright panda. In fact, these bushy-tailed mammals are most closely related to raccoons and skunks. Red pandas live throughout the foothills of the Himalayas.

Kangaroo

Western Gray Kangaroo

Australia’s most famous animal resident is part of the family group with a scientific name that translates to “big-foot.” That describes these champion jumpers to a T. Western gray kangaroos can bound up to 30 feet, and can reach speed up to 30 miles per hour! Their long, thick tails help them balance as they go.