Giraffe Feeding Station is currently open on Saturdays and Sundays only from 11 am – 2pm.
Giraffe Feeding Station is currently open on Saturdays and Sundays only from 11 am – 2pm.
The Addra gazelle, also known as the Dama gazelle, is the largest and tallest of all gazelles. “Gazelle” is a name shared by a number of small, swift antelopes.
Sahara desert, from Sudan to Mauritania
Critically Endangered
Herbivore - Herbs, shrubs, coarse desert grasses
Diurnal
Captive: 13 yrs
Wild: 10‑12 yrs
Single young per birth
55‑66 in (140‑168 cm)
88‑187 lbs (40‑85 kg)
How does an 8-pound ball of fluff survive the frigid harshness of an Arctic winter? It’s all in the fluff! Arctic foxes have the warmest fur in the world.
Circumpolar Arctic and subarctic regions
Least Concern
Carnivore - Human food, carrion, invertebrates, birds, fish, eggs
Diurnal
Captive: 14 yrs
Wild: 14 yrs
6-12 per litter
18‑27 in (45‑68 cm)
5‑9 lb (2.5‑4 kg)
The bald eagle is bold, fierce, and iconic, but it is not really bald. It has a conspicuous white head that is fully feathered!
United States, Canada, Northern Mexico
Least Concern
Carnivore - Fish, mammals, birds, crustaceans, reptiles, amphibians, carrion
Diurnal
Captive: Up to 36 yrs
Wild: Up to 28 yrs
1-3 eggs per clutch
28‑38 in (71‑96 cm)
Wingspan: 168‑244 cm
2.5‑6.3 kg
About twice the size of a domestic housecat, the bobcat is a fearsome predator capable of taking down prey ten times its size.
North America
Least Concern
Carnivore - Rabbits, squirrels, and other small-to-medium prey
Nocturnal
Male: 16.8 years
Female: 18.8 years
2-4 kittens/litter average
26‑41 in
20‑30lbs on average
The cheetah is the fastest mammal on earth. Everything about it is built for speed. During a twenty-second chase, its feet barely touch the ground as it reaches a top speed of 70 mph.
Isolated populations in sub-Saharan Africa, mainly Eastern and Southern
Vulnerable
Carnivore - Small to medium sized ungulates, birds, hares, small mammals
Diurnal
Captive: Up to 19 yrs
Wild: 10‑16 yrs
1-8 per litter
44‑59 in (112‑150 cm)
77‑158 lbs (35‑72 kg)
The blue duiker is a tiny antelope about the size of a house cat.
Central and Southern Africa
Least Concern
Omnivore - Fruit, leaves, flowers, fungi, seeds, some insects and small animals
Crepuscular
Up to 10 yrs
Single offspring
1.8‑3 ft (55‑90 cm)
8‑20 lbs (3.5‑9 kg)
African elephants are the largest land animals in the world. They have the largest brains in the animal kingdom, they live about as long as humans, and the largest among them can top 15,000 pounds – more than four times the weight of the average car!
Central and East Africa, south of the Sahara Desert
Vulnerable
Herbivore - Grasses, leaves, branches, roots, fruits, treebark
Diurnal
Captive: Up to 70 yrs
Wild: Up to 70 yrs
Single young per birth (twins possible)
Male: Up to 12 ft (3‑75 m)
Female: Up to 9 ft (3 m)
Male: Up to 14,000 lbs (6,350 kg)
Female: 9,000 lbs (4,082 kg)
Also known as the American flamingo, the tall, slender, scarlet Caribbean flamingo is the most brightly colored and among the largest of the world’s six flamingo species.
Islands and mainland coasts of the Caribbean Sea
Least Concern
Omnivore - Small shellfish, fish, worms, insects, algae, aquatic seeds and plants
Diurnal - Nocturnal
1-2 eggs per clutch
Body: 47‑57 in (120‑145 cm)
Wingspan: 55 in (140 cm)
4.8‑6.1 lbs (2.2‑2.8 kg)
The giraffe is the tallest animal on earth. A male giraffe towers up to nineteen feet above the ground.
Eastern, Central and Southern Africa
Vulnerable
Herbivore - Leaves
Diurnal
Captive: Up to 25 yrs
Wild: 10‑16 yrs
Single young per birth (twins are extremely rare)
Male: 18 ft (5.5m) tall
Female: 14‑15 ft (4‑4.5 m) tall
Male: 2,425 lbs (1,100 kg)
Female: 1,540 lbs (700 kg)
A leopard’s next meal probably isn’t going to know it until it’s too late. This big cat is known for stealth.
Africa and Asia
Near Threatened
Carnivore - Large and small mammals, birds, reptiles, arthropods
Nocturnal
Captive: 21‑23 yrs
Wild: 7‑9 yrs
1-3 cubs per litter
3.5 - 6.5 ft (1.0‑1.9 m)
66‑155 lbs (30‑70 kg)
The King (and Queen) of Beasts are justly named. Lions are dominant predators lording over the food chain wherever they roam. What they have over every other big cat, and over every other African predator, is strength in numbers. They know that when it comes to catching dinner, it pays to cooperate.
sub-Saharan Africa, mostly Eastern and Southern
Vulnerable
Carnivore
Nocturnal
Captive: Up to 30 yrs
Wild: 15‑16 yrs
1-6 young per litter
Male: 5.5‑8 ft (1.5‑2.5 m)
Female: 4.5‑6 ft (1.4‑2m )
Male: 330‑550 lb (150‑250 kg)
Female: 264‑400 lb (120‑181 kg)
The box turtle gets its name from its unique ability to clamp its upper and lower shells shut like a box.
Eastern-Central United States from Southern Maine to Florida and into Central U.S. in Michigan, Illinois, Eastern Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas
Vulnerable
Omnivore - Snails, insects, berries, carrion, fungi, slugs, worms, roots, flowers, fish, frogs, snakes, salamanders, birds, and eggs; young are primarily carnivorous, adults are primarily herbivorous
Diurnal
Up to or exceeding 100 yrs
3-8 eggs per clutch
4‑9 in (10‑22 cm)
1‑2 lbs (311‑523 g)
At first glance, you would think that okapi are related to zebra. The reddish-brown and cream stripes on the okapi’s hindquarters seem like a sure giveaway. In reality, the okapi’s closest relative is the giraffe!
Congolese Rainforest in Central Africa
Endangered
Herbivore - Leaves, fruits, and seeds
Diurnal
Captive: 33 yrs
Wild: Unknown
Single young per birth
5‑5.6 ft (150‑170 cm)
462‑550 lbs (210‑250 kg)
Contrary to popular belief, an ostrich never buries its head in the sand. It doesn’t need to. It is the largest living species of bird on the planet and the fastest animal on two legs. It can’t fly, but it can sprint up to 40 mph and land a very powerful kick!
Africa, North and South of equatorial forest belt
Least Concern - Common
Herbivore - Green grass, browse on shrubs, succulents, seeds, few insects
Diurnal
Captive: Up to 40 yrs
Wild: 20‑30 yrs
Clutch averages 13
Multiple females lay in the same nest for incubation
Male: 6.5‑8 ft (2‑2.5 m)
Female: 5‑6.5 ft (1.5‑2 m)
Male: 242‑330 lbs (110‑150 kg)
Female: 198‑242 lbs (90‑110 kg)
Beautiful, mysterious, and rare, Panamanian golden frogs have been revered as good-luck tokens in their native country of Panama since pre-Columbian times.
Cordilleran mountains of Western-Central Panama
Critically Endangered - Quite possibly extinct in the wild
Carnivore - Insects and other small invertebrates
Diurnal
Captivity: Up to 9 yrs
Wild: Unknown
200-600 eggs per clutch
1‑2 in (2.5 - 5.1 cm)
Under 1 lb
Prairie dogs take their common name from where they live and what they sound like when alarmed. They go by many other nicknames as well, including wishtonwish, mound yapper, yaprat, yek-yek, tousa, pispiza, ping-sping-sa, and sod poodle.
Narrow bands of short-grass prairie from Central Texas north to the U.S.-Canada border
Least Concern
Herbivore - Wheatgrass, grama, buffalo grass, scarlet globemallow, rabbitbrush, prickly pear cactus, thistle
Diurnal
Captive: 5‑8 years
3-4 per litter
14‑17 in (350‑425 mm)
1‑3 lbs
The common raven is the largest species of songbird and the largest all-black bird in the world.
Throughout Northern Hemisphere
Least Concern
Carnivore - Animal carcasses, rodents, grains, seeds
Diurnal
Captive: 24 yrs
Wild: Unknown
4-6 eggs per clutch
22‑27 in (56‑59 cm)
24‑58 oz (689‑1,625 g)
Prairie dogs take their common name from where they live and what they sound like when alarmed. They go by many other nicknames as well, including wishtonwish, mound yapper, yaprat, yek-yek, tousa, pispiza, ping-sping-sa, and sod poodle.
Narrow bands of short-grass prairie from Central Texas north to the U.S.-Canada border
Least Concern
Herbivore - Wheatgrass, grama, buffalo grass, scarlet globemallow, rabbitbrush, prickly pear cactus, thistle
Diurnal
Captive: 5‑8 years
3-4 per litter
14‑17 in (350‑425 mm)
1‑3 lbs
River otters are the only truly amphibious members of the weasel family.
Throughout North America
Least Concern
Carnivore - Fish, frogs, crayfish, crabs, rodents, rabbits, insects
Diurnal - Diurnal and nocturnal
Captive: 21 yrs
Wild: 8‑9 yrs
1-6 per litter
18‑32 in (460‑830 mm)
6‑31 lbs (3‑14 kg)
When warthogs run, their tails stick straight up in the air!
sub-Saharan Africa
Least Concern
Herbivore - Grass, roots, berries, bark of young trees, occasionally carrion
Diurnal
Captive: Up to 18 yrs
Wild: 12‑15 yrs
1-8 per litter
35‑59 in (900‑1500 mm)
110‑331 lbs (50‑150 kg)
The white rhino is the third largest land mammal in the world, dwarfed only by the Asian elephant and the African elephant. White rhinos weigh between 4,000 and 6,000 pounds and stand 5 to 6 feet tall at the shoulder. Their heads alone can weigh up to 2,000 pounds.
South Africa
Near Threatened
Herbivore - grasses
Diurnal
Captive: 40 yrs
Wild: 35 yrs
Single young per birth
118‑150 in (300‑380 cm)
Male: up to 6,000 lb (2,721 kg)
Female: up to 4,500 lb (2,041 kg)
To think of a zebra as a striped horse is not quite right, but not quite wrong either. Zebras are members of the horse family Equidae. Zebras are also unmistakably striped! Each zebra has a distinct pattern of stripes, as unique as a person’s fingerprints.
Eastern and Southeastern Africa
Near Threatened
Herbivore - Grasses
Diurnal
Captive: 35‑40 yrs
Wild: 15‑20 yrs
Single young per birth
Up to 59 in (1.5 m) at shoulders
500‑800 lbs (227‑363 kg)
Measuring more than half a foot, the Emperor Scorpion is one of the largest scorpions in the world, but its sting is no worse than that of a bee.
West Africa, Tropical forests
Least Concern
Carnivore - Termites, other invertebrates, small mammals and reptiles
Nocturnal
5‑8 years on average
10-12 live young on average
8 in
Up to 1 oz
Tarantulas may appear scary at first glance, but never fear! The venom from these large arachnids won’t harm people.
Central Pacific coast of Mexico - Arid habitats such as desert, scrubland, and dry forests
Near Threatened
Carnivore - Insects, frogs, small lizards, and mice
Nocturnal
Males: 5‑10 yrs; Females: 25‑30 yrs
200-400 eggs/clutch
5 inches
0.5 oz
Marine toads are usually referred to as “cane toads.”
Central and South America - wide variety of tropical and sub-tropical habitats
Least Concern
Carnivore - Insects and other invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds, small mammals, carrion, garbage
Nocturnal
5‑15 yrs
8,000-30,000 eggs/clutch on average
4‑6 in on average
Up to 3 lbs
To attract females, male red-footed tortoises make a clucking sound that sounds remarkably like a hen.
Central and South America; several Caribbean islands
Vulnerable
Omnivore - Primarily fruit; grasses, fungi, carrion, invertebrates
Diurnal
50+ yrs
2-15 eggs/clutch
12‑16 in
Up to 11 lbs
Geckos possess more complex vocal structures than other lizards, allowing them to chirp and click as well as hiss, bark, and growl.
Iran, Iraq, northern Syria, southeastern Turkey
Data Deficient
Carnivore - Insects, spiders, other arthropods, possibly eggs and small reptiles
Nocturnal
Unknown
Unknown
8‑9.5 in
55‑70 g
Egyptian tortoises are no bigger than baked potatoes.
Libya, desert and semi-desert
Critically Endangered
Herbivore - Leaves and flowers of desert plants
Diurnal
Wild: unknown; captivity: 20+ yrs
1-5 eggs/clutch
Up to 5 in (12.7 cm)
5.5‑12.5 oz (156‑354 g)
This large, beautiful parrot has no military affiliation but its look – olive green with a bright red bar above the beak – is suggestive of military uniform.
Fragmented range from Mexico to Argentina
Vulnerable
Herbivore - Seeds, nuts, fruits, berries
Diurnal
Wild: Unknown. Captivity: 50‑60 years
2-3 eggs per clutch
27‑30 in.
2‑2.5 lbs.
The magnificent peacock, known far and wide, is actually a male Indian peafowl. The female is a peahen.
Native to India and neighboring countries
Least Concern
Omnivore - Seeds, fruit, insects, occasional reptile or small rodent
Diurnal
20 years
4-6 eggs per clutch
6‑7.5 feet
6‑13 pounds
The Chinese name for this alligator is yowlung, which means “dragon.”
Lower Yangtze River basin, China
Critically Endangered
Carnivore - Fish, snails, clams, occasional duck or rodent
Nocturnal
50‑70 yrs
10-40 eggs/clutch
Up to 5 ft.
Up to 90 lbs
Tawny frogmouths are odd birds whose looks are owl-like and whose mouths are frog-like (hence the name).
Australia and Tasmania
Least Concern
Carnivore - Primarily insects; also invertebrates, small mammals, reptiles, frogs, and birds
Nocturnal
15‑20 years on average
1-3 eggs per clutch
13‑20 inches; Wingspan: 25‑38 inches
Up to 1.5 pounds
Kunekune means “fat and round” in Maori, a language spoken by indigenous New Zealanders.
Worldwide
Domesticated - Rare but rebounding
Herbivore - Grass, hay, grain
Diurnal
8‑16 years
6-12 piglets per litter
Up to 4 ft.
130‑220 lbs.
American badgers are super-fast diggers that can burrow underground and out of sight in a matter of seconds.
Central and western North America, from southern Canada to Mexico
Least Concern
Carnivore - Rodents, birds, bird eggs, reptiles, amphibians, insects
Nocturnal
4‑10 yrs
1-5 cubs per litter
16‑28 in.
8‑26 lbs
Spur-winged lapwings are known as “foot tremblers” – they stomp their feet to flush prey from hiding.
Central, sub-Saharan Africa; eastern Mediterranean
Least Concern
Carnivore - Primarily insects, insect larvae, and small invertebrates
Diurnal - Variably diurnal or nocturnal
17 yrs on average
2-4 eggs per clutch
10‑11 in
Wingspan: 27‑32 in
4.5‑6 oz
What’s a skink, you ask? Generally speaking, a skink is a large, short-limbed, practically no-necked lizard. The prehensile-tailed skink is the largest of all skinks.
Solomon Islands, tropical rain forest
No Listing
Herbivore - Leaves and fruit
Crepuscular
Up to 15 years
1-2 offspring
2.5 ft
Approximately 2 lbs
Like most snakes, blood pythons are ambush predators.
Southeast Asia
Least Concern
Carnivore - Rodents and birds
Nocturnal
15‑20 yrs on average
10-15 eggs/clutch
Less than 1 ft
10‑15 lbs
Ruddy ducks are small-winged ducks that have to get a running start across water in order to take flight.
Summer: Mid-Western U.S. and Canada, and much of Central America; Winter: along Atlantic, Pacific
Least Concern
Carnivore - Aquatic insects and invertebrates; pondweed, algae, wild celery, seeds of other aquatic plants
Diurnal
5‑10 yrs
8 eggs/clutch on average
13–17 in
10–30 oz
The face of a prehensile tailed porcupine is irresistible – two dark round eyes and a curiously large, bulbous, whiskered nose set in a soft ball of speckled spines. Resist the urge to cuddle, though.
North/Northwest South America
Least Concern - Stable
Herbivore - Bark, leaves, fruit, buds, root vegetables
Nocturnal
About 15 yrs
Usually single offspring
30 to 40 in, including tail
4‑11 lbs
Save your loathing because Madagascar hissing cockroaches are not pests. Like the vast majority of all cockroach species, they will not take up residence in your house.
Madagascar
Least Concern
Omnivore
Nocturnal
2‑5 yrs
20-60 per brood
2‑3 in
0.8 oz
The marbled teal, also known as the marbled duck, is an elegant, medium-sized duck with a speckled brown body and dusky eye patch.
Scattered across Northwest Africa, the Mediterranean basin, the Middle East, and Central Asia
Vulnerable
Omnivore - Mall seeds, aquatic invertebrates
Crepuscular
Unknown
4-12 eggs per clutch
15‑19 in (38‑48 cm)
8.5‑21.5 oz (240‑600 g)
The milksnake got its name from the widespread and persistent – yet utterly ridiculous – belief that it milks cows. (Who knows how that rumor got started?) This snake may frequent barns in search of rodents, but will never be caught milking a cow.
Northeastern U.S., west to Minnesota and south to Northern Alabama
Least Concern
Carnivore - Mainly mice, snakes, and lizards
Nocturnal
Up to 20 yrs
6-20 eggs per clutch
24‑36 in on average (61‑90 cm)
.5‑1.0 lb
Wood turtles are skilled earthworm hunters. They stamp the ground alternately with their front feet to bring earthworms to the surface, and then grab them quickly.
Southeastern Canada, Northeastern U.S., Great Lakes region
Endangered
Omnivore - Insect larvae, fish, invertebrates, crayfish, plant matter
Diurnal
40+ yrs
6-8 eggs per clutch on average
Carapace (top shell): 6‑9 in
1‑3 lbs
Timber rattlesnakes are one of 27 species of snake native to Maryland, but they have become exceedingly rare here and in many other parts of their historic range.
Eastern U.S., historically
Vulnerable
Carnivore
Nocturnal
10‑20 yrs
6-12 eggs per clutch
3‑4 ft
1‑3 lbs
The African spur thigh tortoise, also known as the African spurred tortoise, is the third largest species of tortoise in the world, after the Galapagos tortoise and the Aldabra giant tortoise. It is the largest of all mainland tortoises.
Central Africa, from Southern Sahara, Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, Chad to Ethiopia
Vulnerable
Herbivore - Grasses, weeds, cactus
Crepuscular
Captive: 60‑80 yrs
Wild: 50 yrs
15-30 per clutch
24‑30 in (61‑76 cm)
Up to 240 lbs (105 kg)
Spotted turtles are one of 19 species of turtle native to Maryland.
Great Lakes region and Atlantic seaboard, from Southern Canada to Florida
Endangered - Per IUCN listing
Omnivore - Invertebrates, fish, frogs, algae, aquatic plants
Diurnal
30+ yrs
3-4 eggs per clutch on average
Carapace (top shell): 3‑5 in (7.5‑12.5 cm)
Under 1 lb
Northern water snakes are known to herd schools of small fish or tadpoles to a shoreline in order to prey on many at once.
Mid-Eastern and Northeastern U.S.; Southeastern Canada
Least Concern - Stable
Carnivore - Fish, frogs, tadpoles, toads, salamanders
Diurnal - Diurnal and nocturnal
10 years on average
8-30 live young per birth, on average
24‑42 in
Approximately 1 pound
The Northern pine snake is a large, non-venomous snake that is harmless to people.
Northern and East-Central United States from New Jersey to Alabama
Least Concern - but threatened in New Jersey
Carnivore - Mainly small rodents, birds, bird eggs
Diurnal
5‑10 yrs
Several dozen eggs per clutch
48‑66 in (122‑168 cm)
4‑9 lbs
Due to their coloration, many mole kingsnakes are mistakenly identified as venomous copperheads.
Eastern and Gulf Coast states of the U.S.
Least Concern - Stable
Carnivore - Mainly mice, snakes, and lizards
Nocturnal
About 20 yrs
10-12 eggs per clutch
30‑40 in (76‑102 cm)
.5‑1.0 lb
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder perhaps, but few could behold the wood duck and not consider it the most beautiful of all North American ducks.
Southern Canada and most of the United States, Mexico, and Cuba
Least Concern
Omnivore
Diurnal
Captive: 10+ yrs
Wild: 4 yrs
10-15 eggs/clutch on average
18.5‑21 in
1‑2 lbs
The Waldrapp ibis, also known as the northern bald ibis, is one of the most critically endangered birds in the world.
A small area in Morocco
Critically Endangered
Omnivore - Reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, birds, and insects; some fruits and seeds
Diurnal
20‑30 yrs
1-2 eggs/clutch
70‑80 cm
8‑10 lbs
To cool off, a white-breasted cormorant will flutter its gular pouch, located just below the beak.
sub-Saharan Africa
Least Concern
Carnivore - Fish with the occasional crustacean or amphibian
Diurnal
Captive: Unknown
Wild: Unknown
2-6 eggs per clutch
35 in (90 cm)
Wingspan: 35 in (90 cm)
7.2 lbs (3.3 kg)
This small member of the hornbill family is named after the German explorer Baron Karl Klaus von der Decken, who first described it in his journals.
Eastern Africa
Least Concern
Omnivore - Snails, mice, nestling birds, lizards, tree frogs, seeds, fruit, berries, insects
Diurnal
Captive: Up to 20 yrs
Wild: Unknown
Usually 2 eggs per clutch, sometimes 3 or 4
1‑2 ft
4‑6 oz (120‑212 g)
When threatened, turkey vultures protect themselves by hissing and vomiting powerful stomach acids.
North, Central, and South America
Least Concern
Carnivore
Diurnal
Captive: Up to 30+ yrs
Wild: Up to 16 yrs
1-3 eggs/clutch
2‑3.5 ft
Wingspan: About 6 ft
4‑4.5 lbs
The trumpeter swan is the largest swan in the world and the largest waterfowl in North America.
United States, Canada, Mexico
Least Concern
Omnivore - Submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation, grasses, grain, occasional invertebrates
Diurnal
15‑25 yrs on average
4-6 eggs/clutch on average
Approximately 4 ft
Wingspan: 6‑8 ft
20‑30 lbs
Saddle-billed storks are quintessential storks: tall, graceful wading birds with long legs, long bills, and a striding gait. They are, in fact, the tallest stork in Africa.
sub-Saharan Africa
Least Concern
Carnivore - Fish, crustaceans, small reptiles
Diurnal
Captive: 19 yrs
Wild: 12 yrs
1-5 eggs per clutch
55‑59 in (139‑150 cm)
11‑16 lbs (5‑7.5 kg)
Red-crested pochards are the only ducks known to engage in a feeding ritual whereby the male dives and brings food offerings to his mate while she swims on the surface.
Scattered across North Africa, Europe, and Asia
Least Concern
Omnivore - Aquatic vegetation supplemented by aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, small fish
Diurnal
5‑10 yrs
8-10 eggs per clutch on average
22 in (57 cm)
1‑1.1 kg
To cool off, pink-backed pelicans – like other pelicans – open their beaks and vibrate their throat pouches. It’s their version of panting.
sub-Saharan Africa
Least Concern
Carnivore - Primarily fish
Diurnal
5‑10 yrs
1 to 3 eggs per clutch
3‑4 ft
10‑17 lbs
Contrary to popular belief, an ostrich never buries its head in the sand. It doesn’t need to. It is the largest living species of bird on the planet and the fastest animal on two legs. It can’t fly, but it can sprint up to 40 mph and land a very powerful kick!
Africa, North and South of equatorial forest belt
Least Concern - Common
Herbivore - Green grass, browse on shrubs, succulents, seeds, few insects
Diurnal
Captive: Up to 40 yrs
Wild: 20‑30 yrs
Clutch averages 13
Multiple females lay in the same nest for incubation
Male: 6.5‑8 ft (2‑2.5 m)
Female: 5‑6.5 ft (1.5‑2 m)
Male: 242‑330 lbs (110‑150 kg)
Female: 198‑242 lbs (90‑110 kg)
Northern pintail start to nest earlier than almost any other duck species in North America. They are among the first ducks to migrate south in the fall and north in the spring.
North and South America
Least Concern
Herbivore - Grain, seeds, weeds, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and snails
Diurnal
5‑10 yrs
3-12 eggs/clutch
20–30 in (51–76 cm)
17.5–51 oz (500–1450 g)
Northern ground hornbills are large black birds, about the size of wild turkeys, with bold facial markings and long eyelashes.
Central Africa, North of the equator and South of the Sahara Desert
Least Concern
Carnivore - Reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, birds, and insects; carrion; some fruits and seeds
Diurnal
Captive: 50+ yrs
Wild: Unknown
1-2 eggs/clutch
Up to 3 ft
8‑10 lbs
The leopard tortoise is Africa’s most widely distributed tortoise.
sub-Saharan Africa, from Sudan south to the Cape Province of South Africa
Least Concern - Stable
Herbivore - Grasses and succulents
Crepuscular
Wild: 80‑100 yrs
5-30 eggs/clutch
5-7 clutches/nesting season
16‑18 in (40‑50 cm)
Average 40 lbs (18 kg)