Grasslands
Wide open areas covered with grass where animals like zebras, elephants, and antelopes graze.
African Bush Elephant
African Bush Elephant
Scientific Name
Loxodonta africana
Weight LB
6,000–13,000 lb
Average Life Span
60-75 years
Fact
An African Bush Elephant's trunk has around 40,000 muscles (more than your whole body!), allowing incredible dexterity to smell, drink, grasp, and trumpet, while their spongy foot pads let them walk quietly and even "hear" vibrations through the ground, making them surprisingly stealthy giants. They're also 'ecosystem engineers' and use mud baths as sunscreen to protect their sensitive skin from the sun and bugs, showing immense intelligence.
Weight KG
2,700–6,000 kg
Country
South Africa
Continent
Africa
Type
Mammals
Diet
Herbivore
Conservation Status
Endangered
Region
Africa
American Bison
American Bison
Scientific Name
Bison bison
Weight LB
699.6-2200 lbs
Average Life Span
15-40 years
Fact
American bison are surprisingly agile, capable of running up to 35 mph, jumping over 6 feet high, and swimming well, despite their massive size (up to 2,000 lbs). Their large shoulder hump, made of muscle, acts like a snowplow to clear snow for grazing in winter, and baby bison are born reddish-orange, earning them the nickname "red dogs".
Weight KG
318-1000 kg
Country
United States
Continent
North America
Type
Mammals
Diet
Herbivore
Conservation Status
Near Threatened
Region
North America
Barn Owl
Barn Owl
Scientific Name
Tyto alba
Weight LB
0.9–1.3 lbs
Average Life Span
2–4 years (Wild) / Up to 20 years (Captivity)
Fact
Barn Owls have the best hearing of any animal ever tested. Their ears are placed asymmetrically on their head, allowing them to pinpoint the exact location of a mouse rustling in total darkness.
Weight KG
0.4–0.6 kg
Type
Birds
Diet
Carnivore
Region
Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America
Capybara
Capybara
Scientific Name
Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris
Weight LB
77-145.2
Average Life Span
6-12 years
Fact
Capybaras are the world's largest rodents, known for being extremely social and "chill," often seen relaxing with many other animal species like birds, monkeys, and even crocodiles, because their calm demeanor and semi-aquatic lifestyle make them peaceful companions in their native South American wetlands. They are excellent swimmers, can hold their breath for up to five minutes, and have their eyes and nostrils on top of their heads for stealthy observation.
Weight KG
35-66 kg
Country
Brazil
Continent
South America
Type
Mammals
Diet
Herbivore
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Region
South America
Monarch Butterfly
Monarch Butterfly
Scientific Name
Danaus plexippus
Weight LB
0.001 lb
Average Life Span
2–6 weeks (up to 8–9 months for migratory generation)
Fact
A fun fact about monarch butterflies is their incredible, multi-generational migration, where the butterflies flying south in the fall are a special "super generation" that lives up to eight months (much longer than other monarchs) to fly thousands of miles to Mexico or California, a journey none of them have ever made before, relying on the sun and Earth's magnetic field to navigate.
Weight KG
0.0005 kg
Country
United States
Continent
North America
Type
Invertebrates
Diet
Herbivore
Conservation Status
Endangered
Region
North America, Oceania, South America
Red Fox
Red Fox
Scientific Name
Vulpes vulpes
Weight LB
6–31 lb
Average Life Span
3–5 years (up to 14 years in captivity)
Fact
A fun fact about Vulpes vulpes (the red fox) is that they have vertical, slit-like pupils, similar to cats, which help them see incredibly well in low light, and they use their bushy tails for balance, warmth, and communication, often with a white tip. They are also highly vocal, using over 40 different calls, and can leap great distances to pounce on prey, a hunting technique called "mousing".
Weight KG
3–14 kg
Country
United States
Continent
North America
Type
Mammals
Diet
Omnivore
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Region
North America