Safari Species List

DIET | Herbivore – bark, roots, fallen fruits, and cultivated crops

• The African Crested Porcupine is the largest species of porcupine in the world. They are the second largest rodent in the world, after the capybara. 
• The African porcupine is nocturnal and will do most foraging at night. 
• It is a myth that porcupines can launch their quills. When confronted with predators, this porcupine raises its 18–22 inch quills into a sharp barrier between itself and predators.
• When threatened, porcupines stomp their feet to rattle their hollow tail quills to scare away predators.

DIET | Herbivore – nuts, roots, and  vegetation

• The name “agouti” is derived from either Guarani or Tupi, both South American indigenous languages, in which the name is written variously as agutí, agoutí, or acutí. The Portuguese term for these animals, cutia, is derived from this original naming.
• This animal is notorious for being able to open Brazil nuts, one of the hardest nuts to crack. They are vital to the growth and sustainability of the rainforests because they spread and bury seeds.
• When alarmed, its fur can stand up on end like a porcupine! This reaction is called piloerection when the hair stands on end. Humans have a similar reaction when we get goosebumps. The scientific name Dasyprocta means fuzzy butt!
• The agouti is a quick and agile animal. It can jump nearly 6 feet in the air. It can run only one hour after birth!

DIET | Omnivore – bugs, small vertebrates, and plant material

• The Screaming Hairy Armadillo gets its name from its habit of squealing like a pig when threatened and its hairy underbelly.
• The brown armor that covers their body is called a carapace and is made of keratin, the same material as human hair and fingernails.  
• They cannot roll into a ball like the three-banded armadillo. Instead, they protect themselves from predators by hiding in their underground burrows. 
• This animal is diurnal during the colder desert seasons and nocturnal during the hotter times.

DIET | Omnivore – plants, fruits, bugs, and vegetation

• The six-banded armadillo is a nocturnal, terrestrial, and solitary animal that lives in dry habitats like deserts.
• They have very poor eyesight. They use their excellent sense of smell to find prey and to stay clear of predators.
• Armadillo armor is made of thick plates of bone covered in keratin. Keratin is the same material as human fingernails! 
• They can’t roll into a ball like the three-banded armadillo. Instead, they are excellent diggers, which help provide cover from any predators.

DIET | Carnivore – fish, frogs, crustaceans, insects, and snakes

• The Small-clawed Otter is built for swimming. Their bodies are well adapted to it as well. They have a powerful tail that helps them change direction in the water. They also can close off their ears and nostrils to keep water out.
• Otters are highly social animals. They do well in groups of 3 or more, using several calls and yips for communication. 
• They are monogamous, mating with the same partner their entire lives. 
• Their fur is so dense that they have over 450,000 hairs per square inch!

DIET | Omnivore – fruits, small animals, eggs, and bugs

• This animal is incredibly nimble and can easily hop through thick forest trees. 
• The binturong is the largest animal in the world with a prehensile tail, which they use to hang upside down or securely hang on onto the trees. 
• Do you smell buttered popcorn? That’s the natural musk of the binturong! 
• Binturongs, nicknamed bearcats for obvious reasons, are classified with a small family of carnivorous mammals called Viverrids.

DIET | Omnivore – plants, fruit, tree sap, small prey, and insects

• The bushbaby, also known as the brown greater galago, is a nocturnal animal with huge eyes that catch the light even in the darkest environments. They are often called night monkeys.
• They are found in forests all across Africa. They easily blend into their environment with their dark brown fur. 
• This animal is very territorial, often showing aggression when lesser animals enter its territory. They mark their territory by urinating on their hands and jumping from trees to spread their scent.

DIET | Herbivore – plants and grasses

• This animal is semiaquatic and spends most of its day in or around bodies of water. They are excellent swimmers and can hold their breath for up to five minutes.
• Capys have a wide range of calls. They can make high-pitched squeals to indicate excitement or bark like a dog to warn others of danger. 
• Capybara is the world’s largest rodent. The smallest rodent is the Pygmy Jerboa, which is a tiny mouse.

DIET | Herbivore – grass, greenery, shrubs, and seeds

• This animal has exceptionally keen senses and is always on high alert for predators, often fleeing at the slightest sign of danger. 
• Patagonian Cavies have one to three pups per litter. They communally care for their young while the males watch for predators. 
• Patagonian Cavies are monogamous and mate for life.
• Cavies are in the rodent family.

DIET | Primarily herbivorous – vegetation, grass, seeds, leaves, and bugs

• The Chinchilla lives in mountainous areas. They live in crevices and dens at elevations of up to 16,000 feet. They thrive in cold temperatures.
• Chinchillas have incredibly dense fur, with up to 100 hairs per follicle. Humans have only 1-3 hairs per follicle.
• They have a unique defense mechanism against predators known as the “fur slip” when the chinchilla feels threatened. They create a diversion by releasing large clumps of fur, distracting the predator so the chinchilla can quickly escape.

DIET | Omnivore – grasshoppers, locusts, worms, fruits, vegetation, and small prey

• The Fennec Foxes have excellent hearing. They use it to locate small prey under the ground.
• They are desert animals and have adapted well to this environment. Their pale fur allows them to blend into the sand. They are also nocturnal, allowing them to sleep in their cool burrows during the hottest parts of the day.
• Their ears work like built-in AC units, blood vessels catching any cool breezes and circulating the coolness through their body.

DIET | Carnivore – birds, eggs, small vertebrates, frogs, and bugs

• The genet is a cat-like animal in the vivveridae family, related to civets and the binturong. Their babies are called kittens, even though they aren’t related to cats.
• They are considered arboreal animals because they spend much of their time in trees hunting for food, but they seek shelter on the ground in bushes and dens.
• They are very territorial and can secrete a foul-smelling substance when threatened to scare off enemies.  
• There are about 30 subspecies of genets across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

DIET | Herbivore – grass, hay, corn, and vegetation.

• They are hardy, can withstand most climates, and exist worldwide as one of the most popular farm animals.
• Their coat is naturally waterproof.
• From a young age, they learn the agility to climb high places to avoid predators or reach greenery. Goats have two-toed hooves with padding and a hard shell. These pads can spread apart, applying control and balance to strengthen their grip.

DIET | Carnivore – small prey and fruit

• The grison is in the mustelid family, related to otters, badgers, and minks.
• They produce a foul-smelling fluid to mark their territory and warn off predators when threatened. 
• They are primarily diurnal. However, they will be active during the night as well. 
• They are usually found by themselves as they are very territorial animals, but they pair up during mating.

DIET | Herbivores – leaves, twigs, flowers, grasses, and fruit

• Despite being called guinea pigs, they are not in the pig family nor from Papua New Guinea. They are South American rodents.
• Male guinea pigs are called boars, while females are called sows. Babies are called pups.
• They are highly social animals, often found in groups of 10 or more in the wild.
• When excited, they jump up and down while yipping. This is called “popcorning”!

DIET | Frugivore – fruit and nectar

• The Kinkajou, also known as the “honey bear,” is a relative of raccoons and coatimundis. 
• They have a long, narrow tongue, which they use to lap up flower nectar and honey from beehives.
• Kinkajous are essential pollinators. They catch the pollen of flowers on their face ad spread it as they go from flower to flower, drinking the nectar.
• They can turn their feet in the opposite direction and run backward just as swiftly as running forwards! They also have long prehensile tails that aid them in climbing through trees. 

DIET | Omnivore – bugs, larvae, crabs, snails, small rodents, and fruit

• The Common Kusimanse is part of the Mongoose family.  The Kusianse is also known as the “dwarf mongoose.”
• They are highly social animals that live in groups of 10-20 individuals. They are territorial animals. They use scent glands to mark their territory to ward off predators. It will aggressively defend its home against all kinds of intruders.  
• They are diurnal animals, playing and preying during the day. 
• They are excellent diggers. They will dig out their dens or homes in the ground.

DIET | Herbivore – leaves, twigs, flowers, grasses, and fruit.

• The lowland paca, also known as the “gib nut” or the “royal rat” is a part of the rodent family. 
• Lowland pacas are monogamous and mate for life, producing up to two babies per year. 
• They are mostly nocturnal and are solitary, not socializing with other pacas unless a part of the same family unit. 
• They are highly suspicious animals and will often flee at the slightest sign of danger. If they are near water, they will even swim away to safety.

DIET | Frugivores – primarily fruits or sap and bugs

• The common marmoset is a highly social animal, forming family units of 2-15 individuals.
• They are highly territorial animals, marking their homes with the scents from their scrotal glands all over their home trees. 
• They cling to their mother’s back for the first few weeks of life. 
• The common marmoset is diurnal. This means that they are most active during the day. During the night, they cuddle one another.

DIET | Herbivore – grass and vegetation

• The miniature zebu is a herd animal, meaning they travel in large groups of their species for protection from predators.
• In India, the zebu is considered a sacred animal, and eating them is prohibited. 
• Like a camel, the miniature zebu has a hump on its back that is used for fat storage in times of food scarcity. They also use their humps to help dissipate their body heat.
• The zebu has been domesticated to be productive for farming in hot and humid climates.

DIET | Omnivore – small prey, fruits, berries, and insects

• The Coatimundi is a distant relative of the raccoon. They are in the family Procyonidae.
• A group of coatimundis is called a band. Each band contains anywhere from 15 to 20 individuals. 
• Coatis are inquisitive and resourceful creatures, often found around highly populated human areas, scrounging for leftover foods.
• The Coati is a diurnal animal that is most active during the daytime. During the night, they cuddle up together to sleep in the trees.

DIET | Herbivore – shrubs, herbs, flowers, and vegetation

• The Reeves’s Muntjac is a solitary animal. It dislikes other muntjacs in its territory and will fight but is open to mates during the mating season. 
• The Muntjac is also known as the barking deer. They bark when alarmed, sounding similar to a big dog. 
• They are native to Asia, but they have a thriving European population after being introduced in the 19th century.
• Muntjac has large scent glands under their eyes that they can open up to clean with their long tongue.

DIET | Herbivore – leaves, twigs, flowers, grasses, and fruit

• The Nyala is not a particularly strong or fast animal.
• Their primary defense against predators is their natural ability to camouflage into their environment.
• Male and female Nyala look so different that they can be mistaken as entirely different species. Females will not have horns when fully grown.
• The Nyala live in thick forests and woodlands and are typically found next to a permanent water source.

DIET | Frugivore – fruits, honey, and flower sap

• The Olingo is in the Procyonidae family, so they are related to raccoons, ringtail cats, kinkajous, and coatimundis. Although they highly resemble the kinkajou, its cousin, you can distinguish them from one another by their tails. The olingo’s tail is far bushier than the kinkajous.
• They can turn their feet in the opposite direction and run backward just as swiftly as running forwards! 
• They prefer to live in pairs but are otherwise very solitary animals.

DIET | Omnivore – bugs, fruits, eggs, and vegetation

• The owl monkey (also known as the “night monkey”) is a small nocturnal primate from South America.
• They never stray far from their territories, claiming one or two trees as their territory and only leaving to eat. 
• Baby owl monkeys cling to their mother’s backs until they are about five months old. 
• They are the only nocturnal new world monkey!
• They are monogamous; they will bond and mate with one partner for their lives.

DIET | Herbivore – roots, tubers, bark, carrion, insects, vegetation, and fallen fruits

• The palawan porcupine is considered an “Old World Porcupine,” meaning it only walks on the ground, while “New World Porcupines” also climb trees.
• No porcupines can shoot their quills; that is a myth! Instead, they will fan their quills out, like a peacock, to create a sharp barrier between themselves and the predator.
• To stay safe from scavengers, they will dig deep burrows in the ground and live in their dens. 
• Porcupines are a part of the rodent family. They are related to mice and capybaras.

DIET | Herbivore – grasses, flowers, roots, seeds, and insects

• Prairie dogs are very communicative animals, known for their excited “yahoos,” where they jump up and cheer.
• Prairie dogs greet each other by “kissing.” They will go up to their friend and touch their teeth together.
• This animal is very social, living in an underground burrow called a prairie dog town. 
• Coyotes, badgers, and eagles are their main predators.

DIET | Omnivore –  fleshy fruits, acorns, hickory nuts, grains, invertebrates, crayfish and insects, rodents, young rabbits, birds, turtles, and their eggs, and fish.

• The raccoon is in the procyonidae family. They are related to the olingo, coatimundi, kinkajou, and ringtail cats.
• Raccoons have some of the most dextrous hands found in nature.  
• They are among the few species of animals that have benefited from the rise in the human population. 
• They are intelligent animals that can solve problems, work out complex puzzles, and remember the solution.

DIET | Omnivore – berries, fruit, rabbits, rodents, birds, frogs, and earthworms

• The red fox is a part of the canidae Family. They are related to domestic dogs, wolves, and coyotes!
• They are very vocal animals. They utilize over 20 calls, ranging from yips to sounds like a human woman screaming.
• The red fox is monogamous. They will be with one mate for the entirety of their lives.
• They have excellent hearing. They can hear small rodents digging or a crow take flight a third of a mile away.

DIET | Herbivore – grass, flowers, roots, tubers, and vegetation

• The red kangaroo is a tripedal animal that relies on its large muscular tails to remain upright and walk around. Their tails help them keep their balance when jumping distances of up to 25 feet.
• Only the size of a bumblebee when born, the blind kangaroo joey climbs all the way up into momma’s pouch, where it will live and grow for 6-9 months!
• A full-grown male kangaroo can reach up to 7 feet tall!
•  A group of kangaroos is known as a mob.

DIET | Carnivore – birds, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and carrion.

• The ringtail is a solitary animal except during their mating season.
• They are in the procyonidae family, related to raccoons, olingos, kinkajous, and coatimundis. They are not related to cats!
• They are excellent acrobats and have the ability to turn their ankles 180 degrees and run backward as efficiently as they can run forward!
• Predators of the ringtail cat include bobcats, horned owls, bears, coyotes, and other native predators. They also fall prey to motorized vehicles.

DIET | Omnivore – fruit, greens, bugs, and small invertebrates

• Lemurs are not monkeys. They are lesser primates. 
• While most monkeys, like apes and capuchins, are greater primates.
• Lemurs are capable of over 20 distinct vocal calls. Lemurs are social animals that live in groups of three or more. 
• Lemurs are from “matriarchies,” meaning their group leader is always female. The highest-ranked male will always be ranked lower than even the lowest-ranked female.

DIET | Herbivore – vegetation and grasses

• The rock hyrax is well adapted to mountainous environments and can climb rocks and cliffs swiftly. 
• Their closest living relative is, surprisingly, the elephant!
• When alarmed, the hyrax will make a snarling bark-like sound to scare off predators.
• They are highly social animals that live in groups of 5–20 individuals. They are a very close-knit family grouping that fiercely protects their young.

DIET | Omnivore – bugs, meat, vegetation, fallen fruits, and foraged human trash

• Skunks are nocturnal animals that have a unique and well-known defense mechanism against predators: spraying.
• Skunks have a limited amount of spray in their body that needs time to replenish. To reserve their spray, they will try to scare predators off by stomping their feet or even kicking themselves up into a handstand.
• They are excellent diggers and will live in underground dens that they dig themselves.
• Skunks are immune to snake venom and bee stings.

DIET | Omnivore – bugs, meat, vegetation, fallen fruits, and human trash

• Skunks are nocturnal animals with a unique and well-known defense mechanism against predators: spraying.
• Skunks have a limited amount of spray in their body that needs time to replenish. To reserve their spray, they will try to scare predators off by stomping their feet or even kicking themselves into a handstand.
• They are excellent diggers and will live in underground dens that they dig themselves.
• Skunks are immune to snake venom and bee stings.

DIET | Carnivore – ants and termites

• The lesser tamandua is a slow-moving animal in the myremecophagidae family, which means ant eater in Latin.
• Their body is unique. They have hard leathery skin, exceptionally long claws, a prehensile tail, and a long, skinny tongue.  
• They use their strong claws to break into things like termite mounds and old logs to find food. Their long tongue can scoop up tiny bugs. 
• They are primarily arboreal animals, meaning they spend most of their time in trees.

DIET | Omnivores – small prey, fruits, vegetation, bugs, and fish

• Tayras are a part of the mustelidae family, related to weasels, otters, badgers, and wolverines.
• They are very fast animals. They can run, climb and swim with agility and speed. 
• They are mainly nocturnal animals.
• They are very playful animals, but they do not get along well with other animals.
• Tayras live in hollow trees, burrows, and small nests.

DIET | Omnivore – insects and vegetation

• Despite its name and appearance, the lesser hedgehog tenrec is unrelated to the hedgehog. It is more closely related to the elephant than its prickly doppelganger.
• Tenrecs are nocturnal and very shy. They hide in their nests or underground burrows during the day.
• For protection from predators, they may roll into a ball or dig themselves into the ground to escape from view.
• Tenrecs may have up to 32 offspring in a single litter.

DIET | Herbivore – grasses, shrubs, and seeds

• This animal has exceptionally keen senses and is always on high alert for predators, often fleeing at the slightest sign of danger.
• They travel in small herds that help protect individuals from predators. Predators of the Thomson Gazelle include wild dogs, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, jackals, and lions.
• Thomson Gazelles are found in the grasslands and deserts of eastern Africa.

DIET | Omnivore – small mammals, birds, insects, worms, ticks, vegitation, fruits and seeds

• The Virginia opossum is North America’s only marsupial. They have 10-14 bumblebee-sized babies that crawl into their pouch after birth.
• They are immune to rattlesnake venom! They withstand the venom of up to 70 bites. They can do this because of peptides in their blood.  
• They have more teeth than any North American mammal!
• Opossums are nocturnal. They will sleep during the day and come out at night to feed on any slow-moving prey they can find.

DIET | Herbivore – vegetation, grass, and roots

• The Bennett wallaby, also known as the red-necked wallaby, is in the macropod family, so they are related to kangaroos, tree kangaroos, and quokkas.
• Wallabies and kangaroos are marsupials. So when their bumblebee-sized joeys are born, they crawl into the momma’s pouch, where they do the rest of their development. 
• They are most active at dawn and dusk to avoid the midday heat. 
• They are solitary but not territorial animals, bounding away at the first sign of danger.

DIET | Herbivore – vegetation, fruits, grasses, and flowers

• The groundhog, or the Woodchuck or Whistle-pig, is in the rodent family. They get their alternative name, “Whistle-pig,” from the high pitch call they use to alert their colonies of any danger.
• They spend their springs, summers, and falls gorging on food to prepare for winter. Then they hibernate until the spring or until Groundhog Day. 
• Groundhogs have a holiday named after them; according to tradition, if a groundhog sees its shadow on February 2nd, you can expect six more weeks of winter.

DIET | Herbivore – fruits, berries, greens, nuts, acorns, and crops

• White-tailed Deer have 297 million olfactories (smell) receptors. A dog only has 5 million. They can smell up to 1,320 feet away!
• Male white-tailed deer grow and shed their antlers annually. The largest deers drop their antlers sooner, but generally, they start dropping them in January.
• This deer species can be found from Southern Canada to South America. They live in meadows and coniferous forests where they can find shade.

DIET | Carnivore – They eat anything that falls in the water, whether fruit from trees or unlucky animals.

• The alligator conserves energy by lazing around for days before it eats. It typically will not actively seek out prey. 
• Alligators spend the majority of their days on the floors of river beds. Full-grown alligators can hold their breath for up to eight hours!
• When full-grown, gators have a bite force of 2120+ PSI. They also have the second most substantial bite, second to the crocodile.
• Alligators can go through more than 2000 teeth in their lifetime!

DIET | Carnivore – small mammals, birds, amphibians, and fish

• Ball pythons are non-venomous constrictor snakes.
• These snakes have an average of seven eggs per clutch.
• The mother protects the eggs before hatching. Once the hatchlings emerge, the mother will leave, and they live a solitary life, only meeting to mate.

DIET | Omnivore – crickets, mealworms, lettuce, sweet potato, and leafy greens

• The beard-like scales act as both a mating display and a defense against predators.
• Bearded dragons are great swimmers. They do not often swim as they live in a semi-arid (semi-desert) environment. They can inflate their bodies for a short period to provide buoyancy.

DIET | Carnivore – small to medium-sized mammals, birds, lizards, and amphibians

• Red-tailed boas are non-venomous constrictor snakes.
• These snakes do not lay eggs; they give live birth. Females incubate the eggs inside their bodies.
• After hatching inside the mother, she will give birth to up to 60 hatchlings.

DIET | Carnivore – fish, amphibians, small mammals, birds, crabs, shrimp, mollusks, and other invertebrates

• Dwarf caiman are the smallest crocodilian species.
• Adult caiman are found alone or in pairs.
• They communicate and identify one another through sounds, movements, stances, smells, and touch.

DIET | Omnivore – insects, flowers, sap, and small lizards

• They communicate by growls, squeaks, barks, and yips at night.
• These geckos have prehensile tails and specialized claws to climb trees.
• Like many geckos, gargoyle geckos can lose their tails and grow them back.

DIET | Omnivore – insects, fruit, and nectar

• There are over 40 different discovered species of day geckos.
• They do not have claws; their fingers have small flat, adhesive scales (lamella) that allow them to climb smooth surfaces.

DIET | Carnivore – ants, beetles, flies, worms, smaller frogs, birds, and other small animals

• Leopard frogs can jump up to three feet high.
• These frogs are solitary creatures, and they only come together for mating.
• A female leopard frog can lay 7,000 eggs at one time.

DIET | Omnivore – insects, small animals, fish, and vegetation

• During the winter, painted turtles lower their metabolism and body temperature to go into brumation (hibernation for reptiles).
• These turtles love the sun and come out of the water to bask in sun rays during the day.

DIET | Herbivore – leafy greens, grasses, fungi, fruits, and flowers

• Both male and female red-footed tortoises use head movements to identify and alert one another.
• After mating, females can have five to 15 eggs.
• These tortoises spend over half of each day resting while hidden under leaves.