Chilean rose tarantulas are calm, docile spiders native to desert scrub habitats in South America. They have dark bodies with rose-hued hair. These active predators use their body size to subdue prey.
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The emerald tree monitor, or green tree monitor, is a dark jade to lime green lizard found on New Guinea and adjacent islands. This arboreal reptile uses its long claws and prehensile tail (which is twice as long as its body) to grip tree branches while climbing.
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Eastern red-backed salamanders do not have lungs and must live in damp or moist habitats to breathe. They are native to the eastern United States and Canada.
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Barred owls are one of North America’s most common and most vocal owls. These large predators are willing to eat anything they can hunt and kill. They have brownish-gray feathers and brown eyes, unlike most owls which have yellow eyes.
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The Brazilian rainbow boa is a medium-sized terrestrial boa native to the Amazon River basin. It is named for its iridescent skin which refracts light and creates a rainbow-colored effect.
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Not monsters at all, Gila monsters are one of the few species of venomous lizards on the planet. These carnivores are classified as near threatened, and they are native to Arizona, California and Mexico.
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The mangrove snake is a slender black snake with narrow, yellow bands along its body and around its face. This nocturnal species spends its days coiled among mangrove branches in riverine forests or overhanging coastal waters.
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The African pancake tortoise — also known as the crevice tortoise, softshell tortoise and Tonier’s tortoise — has a thin, flat shell. It is native to East Africa and found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
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The eyelash palm pitviper, named for the bristly scales above its eyes, is one of the smallest snakes in Central America. It has a triangular head and can be bright yellow, green or pink in color.
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The lance head rattlesnake is native to Mexico. This snake’s colors range from tan or brown to gray and sometimes white, with an orange-brown stripe down its back. The dark spots along its body are unique to this species of rattlesnake.
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