The world’s tallest and heaviest bird, the common ostrich is native to the grasslands and savannas of Africa. These birds are completely flightless but are incredibly swift runners due to their long, strong legs—in fact, they are the fastest two-legged animals on Earth.
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Black howler monkeys are the loudest terrestrial animals in the Western Hemisphere! Found in South America, they are usually the largest, most abundant primate in their range. These monkeys are born with blond fur, but the male’s fur turns black as they mature.
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African clawed frogs are native to eastern and southern Africa and parts of western Africa. They have been used extensively used for research, and are considered an invasive species on four continents, due to their release into the wild from research laboratories. African clawed frogs prefer to spend all of their time in stagnant water where they live, feed and reproduce.
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Leaf-tailed geckos are nocturnal, forest-dwelling lizards endemic to Madagascar and its oceanic islands. Their bodies are long and flattened, and they are known for their leaf-like tails.
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Linnaeus’s two-toed sloths, also called Linné’s two-toed sloths, have coarse fur, long limbs and big, curved claws. They live in the tropical rainforests of Central America and northern South America, and spend most of their time in the tree canopy.
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One of the most widespread duck species, northern pintails have extensive migratory routes. Habitat loss poses the biggest threat to this duck. As their wetland and prairie habitats are converted and fragmented, northern pintail populations continue to decrease.
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Fire-bellied toads, also called bombina, are warty, aquatic toads with bright orange or red undersides. These gregarious frogs are native to China and Russia.
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Our lemurs celebrated their birthdays April 6 with a gorgeous cherry blossom-themed cake! Get the story behind the celebration from primate keeper Emily Bricker.
species are endemic to Madagascar; they exist nowhere else
Boa constrictors are nonvenomous snakes found in Central and South America. They are named after their mode of predation: constriction.
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Japanese giant salamanders are the second-largest salamander species in the world. These long-lived amphibians lurk in Japan’s rocky, fast-flowing streams.
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