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. Here is an alphabetical list of animals that live in a jungle.
Aardvark
Aardvarks are nocturnal animals native to the African continent. Around 43 to 53 inches in length, aardvarks weigh between 110 to 180 lbs. They spend most of the day lazing in their burrows and set out in search of food after sunset. Most often they feed on termites, with their 12 inch specially designed tongue assisting them to extract termites from the mounds.
Antelope
Antelopes are ruminant mammals belonging to the Bovidae family. Antelopes sport unbranched horns which never shed. Antelopes are divided into around a hundred species, based on varying habitat and appearance. Around 90 of these species are native to Africa. 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.
Armadillo
Armadillos are placental mammals, typically characterized by a leathery armor shell on the back. Armadillo is a Spanish word, literally meaning 'little armored one'. This mammal has various species with lengths varying between 5 to 59 inches, and weight between 3 oz to 120 lbs. These lazy animals sleep in their burrows for about 16 hours a day and spend rest of the time hunting and feeding on beetles, ants, termites and other insects.
Baboon
There are 5 species of baboons, namely, Hamadryas baboon, Guinea baboon, Olive baboon, Yellow baboon and 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 southern hemisphere. There are eight living species of bears, with the prominent species being the Black bears, Brown bears, Grizzly bear, Giant Panda etc. 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
Bisons are members of Bovinae sub-family, native to the American and European continents. There are two living species of bisons, namely the American bison and the European bison. The American bison is 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. Bisons are herbivorous in nature, mostly feeding on grass in plains.
Cheetah
Cheetah is regarded as the fastest animal on land, due to its ability to clock a speed of 0 - 60 miles per hour, in just three seconds. It can grow up to a length of 3.5 to 4.5 ft, and weighs 77 to 143 lbs. Although it is believed that there are around six sub-species of a cheetah, the taxonomy of these species is yet to be resolved. 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% of 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 observed to feed on insects as well as carrion. Though they walk on all fours most of the time, they can also stand upright and walk in that position.
Cougar
The cougar, also referred to as 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. This animal which can grow to a length of about 3.25 to 5.25 ft, 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 most of the North America. They can grow up to 37 inches and weigh between 20 to 50 lbs. Coyotes mostly hunt in packs and bring down animals which are bigger than themselves. Most often they feed on insects, snakes, fruit, grass and carrion, but at times even attack the young ones of other mammals. They 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. These animals 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, they 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 mammal 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 then 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.
List of Jungle Birds
There are around 10,000 living species of birds found all over the world, ranging from the 2 inch Hummingbird to the 8 ft Ostrich. Owing to the diverse nature of the jungle, many birds choose it as their habitat. Different types of birds are categorized into different orders, namely, Falconiformes, Galliformes Strigiformes, Coraciiformes and Piciformes.
Coraciiformes
The birds of Coraciiformes order are mostly characterized by three forward pointing toes. Though around 90 percent of this group comprises of various species of Kingfishers, it also consists of birds such as the bee eaters and the hornbills. The Puerto Rican Tody is the smallest bird in this group, weighing between 5 to 6 gm, while the Southern ground-hornbill is the largest bird, weighing 4.8 to 13.6 lbs.
Falconiformes
Falconiformes are characterized by sharply hooked beaks, strong legs, raptorial claws and long and fairly broad wings, which help these birds in soaring high in the sky. The group comprises of about 290 species of diurnal birds of prey, such as falcons, eagles and vultures. The smallest bird in this group is black-thighed falconet, found in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, which measures 5.5 in, weighs 1 oz and has a wingspan of 10.3 inches, while the largest species in this group is the Cinereous vulture, native to Europe and Asia, which measures 46 in, weighs 31 lbs and has a wingspan of 10 ft. Vultures are scavenging birds feeding mostly on dead carcasses. Some species such as Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle are found in United States.
Galliformes
Galliformes are characterized by their stout built and their short thick bills. Most of these birds are herbivores with the exception of a few who are omnivores. Their specially designed bills help them to forage on the ground to feed on roots, other plant materials and insects. There are around 250 living species of these birds which include turkeys, quails, pheasants and grouse. The ruffed grouse, one of the species of grouse is the state bird of Pennsylvania. The smallest bird among the galliformes is the Asian Blue Quail, which measures 5 in and weighs between 1 to 1.5 oz, whereas the largest is the North American Wild Turkey which measures 47 in and weighs 30 lbs.
Piciformes
The piciformes order of birds comprises of six families of arboreal birds such as woodpeckers and toucans. This group has about 400 different species of birds, half of which comprise different sub-species of the woodpecker. Most of these birds are insectivores, though some birds, such as barbets and toucans, do feed on fruits. Rufous Piculet, is the smallest bird, whereas Black-mandibled Toucan, one of the tropical rainforest birds, is the largest bird in this group.
Strigiformes
Strigiformes comprises of about 200 living species of nocturnal birds of prey, found all over the world, except for Antarctica and Greenland. The group mostly comprises of various species of owls. These nocturnal birds most often feed on small mammals, insects and other smaller birds. Having a wingspan of about 6.6 ft, the Eurasian Eagle Owl is the largest species in this order. These birds have adapted themselves to various environments including the tundra forests of arctic, which is home to the snowy owl or the Great White Owl or Arctic Owl.
Insects and Other Terrestrial Arthropods found in Jungle
Insects are the arthropods which have two antennae, compound eyes, three part body and three pairs of legs. Like all other arthropods, they have a hard exoskeleton, but other characteristics such as three pairs of legs differentiate them from other arthropods.
Ants
Ants are social insects characterized by elbowed antennae and a node like structure. There are approximately 12,000 known species of ants spread all over the world except for the continent of Antarctica and some remote islands. The most prominent species are Carpenter ants, Weaver ants etc.
Bees
Bees are flying insects, known for the production of honey and beeswax. They form an important part of the ecosystem by facilitating pollination. There are around 9 families of bees, amounting to around 20,000 known species spread all over the world, except for Antarctica. Out of nine bee families, bees belonging to four families are nocturnal in nature.
Beetles
Beetles are insects with the largest number of known species in the animal kingdom. Though there are 350,000 known species of beetles, experts estimate a figure of 5 to 8 million species. They form about 40 percent of all described species of insects. These insects can survive in almost all the habitats, except for the polar regions. Cockchafer, Tiger beetle, Bombardier beetle, Colorado potato beetle are some prominent species of beetles.
Butterflies
Butterflies are insects belonging to the Lepidoptera order, mostly characterized by the diverse pattern of colored wings and their unusual life cycle. The larva form of these insects belonging to Lepidoptera order are known as caterpillars. Butterflies are broadly characterized into three groups, i.e. true butterflies, skippers and moth-butterflies. Swallowtails, Whites, Metalmark butterflies, Brush-footed butterflies are some notable butterfly species.
Dragonflies
Dragon flies are predatory insects with elongated bodies, featuring large multifaceted eyes and two pairs of transparent wings. If you want to know what do dragonflies eat, the answer is that they feed on other insects such as mosquitoes, ants and butterflies. Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Hawker, Common Threadtail, Navy Dropwing are some notable species of dragonflies.
Moths
A moth is an insect belonging to the Lepidoptera order of insects, which closely resembles a butterfly. There are around 150,000 to 250,000 identified species of moth, with thousands of species yet to be described. Though most of these species are nocturnal, there are some crepuscular and diurnal species of moths.
Termites
Termites are social insects which feed on dead plant material such as wood and leaf litter. There are 2600 identified and 4000 estimated species of termites. Like ants, even termites live in groups known as colonies. Sometimes the termite mounds, also known as ant hills, created by these insects can be as tall as 30 ft.
Wasps
A wasp is a predatory insect which can fly as well as sting. These insects sport a stinger, and membranous fore-wings and hind-wings. Wasps are broadly categorized into two groups, solitary wasps and social wasps. When larvae, these insects are parasitic but when they grow to adult stage they only feed on nectar.
Other terrestrial arthropods found in jungle include Centipedes, Millipedes, Scorpions, Spiders etc. These arthropods are often confused as insects owing to their exoskeleton but technically they are not insects as they do not fulfill the three pair or six legs characteristic of insects.
Centipedes
Centipedes are one of the largest invertebrate predators on the land. Their body is divided into several segments, with each segment having a pair of legs. They also have a pair of venom claws, which is most often used to paralyze prey. Centipedes, ranging from a few millimeters to around 30 cm are found in a variety of habitats including arctic region. Though only 3000 species of centipedes are described, it is estimated that there are around 8000 species throughout the world.
Millipedes
Millipedes are arthropods resembling centipedes, but they have two pairs of legs on each segment. There are around 115 families of millipedes, which amount to about 10,000 species spread all over the world. Unlike centipedes which are predators, millipedes feed on decaying leaves and other dead plant material. Giant African Millipede is the largest species of millipede in the world.
Scorpions
Scorpions are predatory arthropods belonging to the Arachnida class, found all over the world, except for Antarctica and New Zealand. There are approximately 2000 species of scorpions in the world. They most often inhibit areas with temperature ranging from 68°F to 99°F, but in some cases can survive much more extreme temperatures. These nocturnal creatures mostly feed on smaller arthropods and insects.
Spiders
Spiders are arthropods featuring eight legs and a modified Chelicerae which acts like a fang, to inject venom. These creatures are found all over the world except in Antarctica. There are around 109 families of spiders in the world, amounting to approximately 40,000 species of spiders. The largest spider is the Goliath Bird-eating Spider, native to South American rainforests, with a leg span of 10 inches and weight of approximately 4 ounces.
Reptiles in the Jungle
The jungle animals list in incomplete without the inclusion of reptiles, which form an important part of the jungle ecosystem. These reptiles range from snakes to crocodiles. These air breathing animals are characterized by a skin full of scales.
Alligator
Alligators are aquatic reptiles native only to United States and China. There are two species of alligators, the American Alligator, found in the United States and the Chinese alligator, found in China. An American alligator can grow up to 13 ft in length and weigh approximately 800 lbs. The Chinese alligator is much smaller than its American counterpart, attaining a length of 7 to 8 ft. These reptiles feed on deer, smaller alligators, panthers and black bears.
Crocodile
Crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles found throughout the continents of Asia, Africa, Australia and both the Americas. Though most often they are found in fresh water bodies such as rivers, lakes, wetlands, etc. crocodiles are also known to inhibit brackish water bodies. Some species of crocodiles such as the Saltwater crocodile can grow up to a length of 20 ft. These powerful reptiles feed on fish, other reptiles and mammals.
Lizards
Lizards are Squamate reptiles found across all the continents except Antarctica. They are differentiated from other members of Squamate family by their eyelids and externals ears. There are over 5000 species of lizards ranging from a few cm long Leopard Gecko to the 9 ft long Komodo Dragon. The Komodo Dragon, native to Indonesia, is the largest of the lizard species and is also venomous in nature.
Snakes
Snakes are legless reptiles, characterized by lack of eyelids and external ears, found all over the world except Antarctica. There are 15 recognized families of snakes, comprising of about 2,900 species, ranging from the 10 cm long thread snake to the 20 ft anaconda. Though most of the snake species are non-venomous, species like King Cobra, native to Southeast Asia and parts of India and Diamondback Rattlesnake, native to North America, are highly venomous species which can kill a human being with a single bite. There are various types of snakes in the animal kingdom. Snakes most often swallow their entire prey. Big snakes like pythons are known to swallow animals such as deer.
Turtles
Turtles are the reptiles of Testudines order, characterized by a hard shell covering, which acts as a protective shield. There are about 300 living species of turtles found across the world. Land turtles, most often known as tortoise, are herbivores, having clawed elephant-like limbs. The y are found all over the world except in Australia and Antarctica. The smallest turtle is the Speckled Padloper Tortoise, native to South Africa, which measures around 3 inches in length and weighs approximately 4.9 oz, while the largest turtle is the Galápagos tortoise, which can grow up to 4 ft and weigh 600 lbs.