Aardvark
The aardvark is the only living member of its entire mammal order, Tubulidentata, making it one of the most unique mammals on Earth.
Mammal
African Buffalo
Scientists have found that buffalo herds ‘vote’ on where to go: resting females stand up and gaze in their preferred direction, and the herd follows the majority.
African Elephant
Elephants can communicate using low-frequency rumbles that travel several kilometres through the air and the ground, and they may detect them through their feet.
African Wild Dog
African wild dogs are among the most successful hunters in Africa; packs catch prey in a large majority of chases, far more often than lions.
Alpaca
Alpaca fibre is warmer than sheep’s wool and contains no lanolin, so it is naturally hypoallergenic for many people.
Alpine Ibex
Alpine ibex have been photographed climbing an almost vertical dam wall in Italy to lick minerals from the stone.
Amazon River Dolphin
Amazon river dolphins turn pink as they age, and in the flood season they swim between the trunks of submerged rainforest trees.
American Bison
Around 30 to 60 million bison once roamed North America; by 1889 fewer than 1,000 were left.
American Black Bear
Not all black bears are black: they can be brown, cinnamon, blond, blue-grey or even white, like the rare ‘spirit bears’ of British Columbia.
Arabian Oryx
The Arabian oryx was the first animal to be moved from ‘Extinct in the Wild’ back to ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List, thanks to captive breeding and reintroduction.