Species

A collection of animal species from around the world.

*Sources for information and photos (unless they are by me) can be found at the bottom of each species profile.

Amphibian, South America Alexander Julius Jensen Amphibian, South America Alexander Julius Jensen

Titicaca Water Frog

The Titicaca water frog lives solely in the depths of Lake Titicaca in the Andes mountains at elevations of 3,810 metres (12,500 feet). Its copious skin folds allow it to breathe — through cutaneous respiration (skin breathing) — at such high altitudes, its lungs are only 1/3 the size they should be.

Read More
Mammal, Africa Alexander Julius Jensen Mammal, Africa Alexander Julius Jensen

Common Dwarf Mongoose

The dwarf mongoose — Africa's smallest carnivore — uses old termite mounds as shelter, living with a family of up to 30 individuals. When foraging for insects, these mongooses work together with hornbills; the mongooses flush out insects and the hornbills watch for aerial dangers.

Read More
Invertebrate, Europe Alexander Julius Jensen Invertebrate, Europe Alexander Julius Jensen

Common Cockchafer

The common cockchafer spends its first 3 to 5 years below ground, growing as a larva. Then, all at once, these beetles emerge as adults in great numbers during spring. They clumsily buzz about, using their frilly antennae to find mates and reproduce — they live for only 6 weeks in this form.

Read More
Amphibian, South America Alexander Julius Jensen Amphibian, South America Alexander Julius Jensen

Amazon Milk Frog

The Amazon milk frog isn't named for its milky white appearance, instead, its name refers to a poisonous milky substance that it secretes when threatened. It also uses the fluid as "sunscreen" — lathering it over its body to prevent itself from drying out in the sun.

Read More
Reptile, Australia Alexander Julius Jensen Reptile, Australia Alexander Julius Jensen

Common Snake-necked Turtle

The common snake-necked turtle has a serpentine neck that can grow to more than half the length of its 28 cm (11 inch) long shell. It uses this neck to snatch prey underwater. When it strikes, it quickly lowers a bottom jawbone, creating a vacuum that sucks the prey into its mouth.

Read More
Bird, Antarctica Alexander Julius Jensen Bird, Antarctica Alexander Julius Jensen

Snowy Sheathbill

The snowy sheathbill is an Antarctic scavenger. It eats anything it can find or pilfer; from faeces to regurgitated penguin chick food and even elephant seal milk straight from the teat. It often stands on one foot to reduce heat loss — a technique that also makes it quite clumsy.

Read More
Reptile, East Africa Alexander Julius Jensen Reptile, East Africa Alexander Julius Jensen

Pancake Tortoise

The pancake tortoise's shell is uniquely flat and flexible. While this lightweight armouring doesn't offer much defence, it does make it the fastest of all tortoise species. When in danger, it will swiftly wedge itself in between rocks.

Read More
Fish, United States Alexander Julius Jensen Fish, United States Alexander Julius Jensen

Devils Hole Pupfish

The Devils Hole pupfish is perhaps the rarest fish in the world. It lives in the desert; its entire population is found in one 33.8°C (93°F) pool — mostly on a 3.5 by 5 m (11 by 16 ft) rock shelf — inside a cave in Death Valley, Nevada.

Read More
Bird, Migratory Alexander Julius Jensen Bird, Migratory Alexander Julius Jensen

White-tailed Tropicbird

The white-tailed tropicbird performs noisy, aerial displays — swaying its tail streamer from side to side while gliding through the sky. A male courts a mate by flying above her and touching his tail to hers, they then glide away together in synchronized zigzag flight to find a nesting spot.

Read More
Mammal, Australia Alexander Julius Jensen Mammal, Australia Alexander Julius Jensen

Brush-tailed Phascogale

The brush-tailed phascogale is a carnivorous, tree-climbing marsupial from Australia. It is able to erect the long, black hairs on the end portion of its tail — this 'bottle-brush' tail is used to draw a predator's attention away from its body.

Read More
Mammal, SE Asia Alexander Julius Jensen Mammal, SE Asia Alexander Julius Jensen

Finlayson's Squirrel

This arboreal squirrel is exceedingly energetic, spending upwards of 75% to 96% of its time being active. Most of this time is devoted to foraging; for bark and buds in winter, flowers in spring, fruits, seeds, and insects in summer and autumn. Males will also fervently chase females as part of courtship.

Read More
Bird, Australia Alexander Julius Jensen Bird, Australia Alexander Julius Jensen

Australian Raven

Australian ravens are opportunistic feeders, eating anything from carrion to biscuits and bread — they have been seen dipping pieces of these into water to soften them. They will bash snails against rocks to get at their insides. Sometimes they even steal golf balls, mistaking them for eggs.

Read More
Bird, Australia Alexander Julius Jensen Bird, Australia Alexander Julius Jensen

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

The sulphur-crested cockatoo communicates with extremely loud screeching calls. The cacophonous noise from a rowdy flock can be near-deafening. As these birds forage on the ground with their flock, there is usually a lookout who sits in the trees and gives an alarm cry if danger approaches.

Read More
Reptile, Caribbean Alexander Julius Jensen Reptile, Caribbean Alexander Julius Jensen

Brown Anole

A brown anole male can sometimes be spotted doing "push-ups", often with his orange-red dewlap — or "throat fan" — on full display. This performance can either be threatening or seductive, depending on the context, as he will do this to both scare away rivals and attract females.

Read More
Mammal, Australia Alexander Julius Jensen Mammal, Australia Alexander Julius Jensen

Tasmanian Devil

The jaws of a Tasmanian devil can open to an 80-degree angle, able to deliver the strongest bite of any carnivorous mammal relative to body size. Nicknamed the "Australian hyena", the devil is a bone-crunching scavenger, gorging on dead bodies before they can fester and spread disease.

Read More