Animals A to Z List The jungles on this planet are full of wild animals which vary in terms of appearance, habitat, food habits, etc. Compiling a jungle animals list is a tough task, considering that each animal belongs to a species or sub-species. Given below is an alphabetical list of animals that live in a jungle in which we have tried to compile as many species as possible. Aardvark Aardvarks are nocturnal animals native to the African continent. Measuring around 43 to 53 inches in length, aardvarks weigh somewhere around 110 to 180 lbs. They spend most of the day lazing in their burrows and set out in search of food after sunset. They are known to feed on termites most often, with their 12 inch specially designed tongue helping them extract termites from the mounds.
Antelope Antelopes are ruminant mammals belonging to the Bovidae family, typically characterized by unbranched horns which never shed. Antelopes are categorized into different species, based on varying habitat and appearance. Around 90 of these species are native to Africa alone. Some of the commonly found species of antelopes are Arabian Oryx and Dorcas gazelle native to Arabian peninsula, Chinkara and Blackbuck native to India, Tibetan antelope and Saiga antelope native to Russia and Southeast Asia, etc. Armadillo Armadillos are placental mammals, typically characterized by a leathery armor shell on the back. Armadillo is a Spanish word, literally meaning the 'little armored one'. This mammal has various sub-species with lengths varying between 5 to 59 inches, and weight between 3 oz to 120 lbs. Armadillos are lazy animals, and spend about 16 hours a day sleeping in their burrows. Rest of the time is spent hunting and feeding on beetles, ants, termites and other insects. Baboon Our planet is home to 5 species of baboons, namely, the Hamadryas baboon, Guinea baboon, Olive baboon, Yellow baboon and the Chacma baboon. Their size varies according to species, with the largest species being 47 inches in length and weighing 90 lbs. Omnivorous in nature, they feed on fruits, grasses, seeds, bark, roots, as well as meat. Some species are observed to eat birds, rodents, as well as young ones of larger mammals, like antelopes.
Bears Bears are mammals belonging to the Ursidae family, found all over the northern hemisphere, as well as some parts of the southern hemisphere. There are eight living species of bears on the planet, with the prominent ones being the Black bears, Brown bears, Grizzly bear and the Giant Panda. Except for the Polar bear, which is completely carnivorous, and the Giant Panda, which is completely herbivorous, all other species of bears are omnivorous in nature. Bison Bison are members of Bovinae sub-family, native to the continents of America and Europe. There are two living species of bison, namely the American bison and the European bison, on the planet. The American bison measures around 7 to 11.5 ft in length and weighs between 930 to 2200 lbs, while the European bison is approximately 10 ft long and weighs 660 to 2000 lbs.
They are herbivorous in nature, and thus are most often seen feeding on grass in plains. Cheetah Cheetah is regarded as the fastest animal on the land, with the ability to clock a speed of 0-60 miles per hour in just three seconds. It can grow on to attain a length of 3.5 to 4.5 ft, and weigh 77 to 143 lbs. Although it is believed that there are around six sub-species of the cheetah, the taxonomy of these species is yet to be ascertained. The two most prominent sub-species of Cheetah are the Asiatic cheetah, found in Asia as well as northern areas of Africa, and Northwest African Cheetah native to the western regions of Africa. This carnivorous animal hunts in broad daylight and mostly feeds on herbivores in the surroundings. Chimpanzee Chimpanzees are intelligent animals, who share 98 percent of the genetic blueprint of humans. These species can adapt themselves to various habitats, ranging from dense forests to open grasslands. They can grow up to a height of 4 to 5.5 ft. and weigh between 70 to 130 lbs. Most often they feed on plants, but at times they have also been seen feeding on insects as well as carrion. Though they walk on all fours most of the time, chimpanzees can also stand upright and walk in that position. Cougar The cougar, also referred to as the puma, mountain lion or panther, is one of the most powerful predators in the Americas.
Cougars are found in many parts of the continent, ranging from forests in Canada to swamps in Florida. Cougars can grow to a length of about 3.25 to 5.25 ft and weigh about 136 lbs. These ambush predators feed on large preys such as elk, wild horses, White-tailed deer, armadillos etc. It is a non-scavenging animal, meaning that it doesn't feed on carrion but only eats the prey it has killed. Coyote Coyote, or prairie wolf, are omnivorous mammals native to the continent of North America. They can grow up to 37 inches and weigh between 20 to 50 lbs. Coyotes mostly hunt in packs, which gives them the ability to bring down animals which are bigger than them. Most often they are seen feeding on insects, snakes, fruit, grass and carrion. At times however, they also attack considerably large mammals and their young ones.
Coyotes are very good swimmers as well. Deer A deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the Cervidae family of animals. Almost all male deer species grow and shed horns ever year. This distinguishes them from animals with permanent horns such as antelopes. The Elk, native to North America and Europe, is the largest species of deer, while the Pudu, native to South America, is the smallest species. Other prominent species of deer include Reindeer, native to North America and White-tailed deer, native to continents of North and South America. Elephant Elephants are the largest land mammals on the planet Earth.
Elephants are broadly divided into 2 sub-types, the African elephant, native to Africa and the Asian elephant, native to Asia. African elephants, with a height of 8.2 to 13 ft and weight of 5,000 to 14,000 lbs, are the largest land animals on the planet. Asian elephants are relatively smaller, with a height of 7 to 12 feet and a weight between 6,500 to 11,000 pounds. Fox A fox is a small or medium-sized canid, sporting a long narrow snout and a bushy tail. There are 37 identified species of this animal, spread all over the world. Native to almost all the continents, the Red fox is the most common species of fox. Fennec fox, the smallest of the fox species, grows to a length of about 9.5 to 16 inches, and weighs between 2.2 to 3.3 lbs. These omnivorous creatures feed on berries, fruits, fish, birds, rodents, rabbits, reptiles etc. Giraffe Giraffe, a ruminant mammal, native to Africa. It is the tallest of all living animals on the planet, with an average height of 14 to 17 feet. An adult male giraffe weighs about 2630 lbs, while its female counterpart weighs 1830 lbs. The range of this animal spreads from Chad to South Africa. Most often found in grasslands, giraffes venture into areas with dense vegetation in case of food scarcity. Gorilla Gorillas, native to Central Africa, are the largest living primates on the planet.
These ground dwelling species of the Hominidae family are herbivorous in nature. The exact number of gorilla species is debatable but the most commonly found gorilla species include Western lowland gorillas found in Cameroon, Congo, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, and Mountain Gorilla found in Rwanda, Uganda and Congo. Hedgehog A hedgehog is a carnivorous mammal sporting a coat of stiff, sharp spines, native to Asia, Europe and Africa. Hedgehogs most often feed on worms, insects, snails, centipedes, mice, frogs and snakes. Though their eyesight is weak, they have a strong sense of smell and hearing.
The coat of stiff, sharp spines helps them for defense against predators. If attacked they roll into a ball, deceiving the predator. Hippopotamus Hippopotamus is a herbivorous maAardvarkAntelopeArmadilloBaboonBearsBisonCheetahChimpanzeeCougarCoyoteDeerElephantFoxGiraffeGorillaHedgehogHippopotamus Hippopotamus is a herbivorous mmmal native to the African continent. It is characterized by its tremendous size, enormous mouth with large teeth and stubby legs. Hippos are ranked third in the list of jungle animals according to their weight. These aggressive creatures are regarded as the most ferocious of the African wildlife. Found in abundance at one time, today they are battling for their basic survival, owing to excessive poaching and loss of habitat. Hyena The hyena is a carnivorous mammal native to the continents of Asia and Africa. At present there are four living species of the hyena, the Striped hyena, Brown hyena, the Spotted hyena and the Aardwolf.
These animals have a strong jaw and equally strong digestive system which helps them to eat and digest even the teeth and the bones of their prey. Jaguar The jaguar is the only species of the panthera genus found in the American continents. It is the third largest feline in the world and one of the most prominent predators among the tropical rain forest animals. The animal largely resembles a leopard, but a close look differentiates it from leopards on the basis of its bulky built. The range of this solitary hunting stalk-and-ambush predator spans across areas ranging from dense forests to open terrain.
The jaguar has one of the most powerful bites among the felines. It can pierce its sharp teeth right through the skull of the prey. Koala Bear Although it is referred to as Koala bear, this pouched mammal is actually not a bear. This marsupial carries its young one in the pouch for 6 months after its birth. Koalas are native to eastern Australia. Koalas can weigh approximately 20 lbs. They feed on eucalyptus leaves and hardly come out from these trees. They can stay without water for several days, deriving the necessary amount of moisture from the eucalyptus leaves. They spend eighteen hours of the day sleeping. Lemur Lemurs, native to the Madagascar Islands, belong to a group of primates known as the Strepsirrhines. They are mostly characterized by large, reflective eyes and wailing cries. The four families of lemurs include 99 species and their sub-species. One such species is the Aye-aye, which sports rodent-like teeth and a long middle finger. Growing to a length of 12 to 15 inches and weighing 5.5 lbs, Aye-aye is the world largest nocturnal primate. Leopard The leopard, the smallest among the big cats, is native to southern Asia and Africa. The Snow leopard, found in mountain ranges of central Asia, weighs between 60-120 lbs and grows to approximately 4 to 5 ft in length. The Clouded leopard, found in southeast Asia, weighs between 33 to 50 lbs and grows to approximate length of 2 to 3 ft.
A leopard is most often characterized by its speed and ability to climb, which proves to be helpful traits when it comes to hunting in grasslands or mountainous regions. Lion Lions are predatory cats, once found all over the world but today restricted to Savanna grasslands in Africa and Gir forests in Gujarat, India. These animals are mostly characterized by a mane in the male species. An African lion grows to about 4.5 to 6.5 ft in length and weighs 265 to 420 lbs, while the Asian lion weighs about 300 to 500 lbs. Being carnivorous in nature, lions mostly feed on other herbivores. Lynx Cats The lynx is a solitary cat native to the continents of North America, Europe and Asia. There are four sub-species of lynx cats, Eurasian lynx found in Northern Europe and Asia, Canadian lynx found in Canada and Alaska, Iberian lynx native to Iberian peninsula in southern Europe and the Bobcat found in Canada, Mexico and the continental United States. Their size varies according to the sub-species, with weights ranging from 30 to 70 lbs. Mongoose Mongoose are carnivorous mammals native to most parts of Africa, southern Asia and Iberian peninsula.
Though most of the mongoose species are terrestrial, some are aquatic while some prefer treetops. Their size and weight also varies according to the species, with length ranging from 7 to 25 inches and weight ranging from 12 oz to 11 lbs. They mostly feed on worms, insects, rodents, birds, frogs and reptiles. Monkey Monkeys are Cercopithecoid or Platyrrhine primates found all over the world.
At present there are around 264 living species of monkeys on the planet. Monkeys are normally differentiated from the apes on the basis of their tails. The size and the weight of monkey species varies. The Pygmy Marmoset is approximately 5 to 6 inches tall and weighs between 4 to 5 oz, while the Mandrill is 3.3 ft tall and weighs around 77 lbs. Even the diet differs according to the species, with some species feeding on fruit, leaves, seeds, nuts, flowers, eggs and small insects. Red Panda The Red panda is a herbivorous mammal native to the Himalayas, Nepal, Central China and Burma to be precise. These creatures are crepuscular in nature, which means they are mostly active at dusk and dawn. A red panda grows to a length of 20 to 26 in and weighs between 12 to 20 lbs.
Most often seen to be feeding on bamboos, Red Pandas also feast on fruit, acorns, roots and eggs. Red Panda has been declared as an endangered species, with only a few thousand individuals left. Rhinoceros Rhinoceros, mostly referred to as Rhino/Rhinos, are members of Rhinocerotidae family native to Asia and Africa. The three species of rhinoceros native to Asia are the Javan, Sumatran and Indian Rhinoceros, while the two species native to Africa are Black Rhinoceros and White Rhinoceros. Of the five Rhino species three species, namely the Black, the Javan and the Sumatran Rhino, are critically endangered. Rhinos weigh between 1500 to 4500 lbs. International poaching mafia is the biggest threat to their existence. Skunk Skunks are omnivorous mammals, mostly found in the Americas, particularly characterized by their defense mechanism, wherein they spray horrible smelling oily liquid produced by glands under the tail.
It is very difficult to get rid of this smell. Skunks are around 8 to 19 inches long and weigh between 7 oz to 14 lbs. Though almost all the skunks are found in American continents, the recent addition to the family, the Asian stink badgers, is native to Asia.
Tiger The tiger is an obligate carnivore, native to most parts of the Asian continent. Though the size differs according to the species, an average tiger can grow up to 13 ft and weigh up to 660 lbs. There are six living sub-species of the tiger, namely the Bengal tiger found in India and Bangladesh, Indochinese tiger found in China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, Malayan tiger found to the south of Malay Peninsula, Sumatran tiger found on Sumatra Island in Indonesia, Siberian tiger found in eastern Siberia and South China tiger found in southern China. It is the apex predator in the food chain and feeds on a variety of herbivores ranging from a deer to a water buffalo. Wild Dogs Wild dogs are mammals belonging to the Canidae family, who resemble dogs, but at the same time are distinguished from jackals and wolves. African wild dogs are native to the open plains of the African continent. These canines are 29.5 to 43 in. in length and weigh between 39.5 to 79 lbs. Australian wild dogs, also referred to as Dingo, native to Australia, are 19 to 23 inches tall and weigh about 50 to 55 lbs. Wild dogs most often hunt in packs, which allows them to bring down animals bigger than themselves in size, such as wildebeests. Wolverine A wolverine is a powerful jungle animal, resembling a bear.
Growing to about 26 to 34 inches in length and weighing between 24 to 40 lbs, it is the largest member of the weasel family. Its range is spread over most parts of the northern hemisphere, in North America, Europe and Russia. Being omnivorous in nature, wolverines feed on plants, berries, rodents, rabbits as well as carrion. Wolves Wolves are the largest members of the dog family, native to Eurasia and North America. Wolf is considered as one of the most dangerous species of the animal kingdom. They attain a length of about 36 to 63 inches and weigh between 40 and 175 pounds. They most often hunt in packs and have a tendency to bring down prey double their size. Zebras Zebras are mammals characterized by distinctive black and white stripes, native to Africa. The animal stands 3.5 to 5 ft tall and weighs 440 to 990 lbs. These herbivores are most often seen in herds and their primary diet is grass.
There are three sub-species of zebras, Plains zebras found in Southwest Africa, Grevy's zebras found in Kenya and Ethiopia and Mountain zebras found in Angola, Namibia and South Africa. Other than these, the list of mammals found in the jungles include squirrels, bats, rabbits, etc. The 1100 known species of bats form around 20 percent of all living mammal species. Though mammals, bats use their modified forelimbs as wings to fly. Squirrels are found all over Asia, Africa, Americas and Europe, with some species endemic to a particular region, for instance Indian Giant squirrel found in South Asia. There are many fascinating facts about mammals which are still unknown to man.
