World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/gecko): Gecko — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Geckos are gekkotan lizards with ~1,500 species worldwide — nocturnal climbers often with adhesive toe pads and vocal calls — ecologically valuable insect predators threatened locally by habitat loss and trade.

## Introduction
Geckos are lizards of the infraorder Gekkota, numbering roughly 1,500 species on every continent except Antarctica. They range from house geckos on tropical walls to giant New Caledonian geckos exceeding 35 centimetres. Many possess toe pads using van der Waals forces for climbing smooth surfaces; others have claws alone. Geckos vocalise — unusual among lizards — with chirps and barks. They control insects in homes and ecosystems but face habitat loss, pet trade demand and invasive species competition.

## Takeaway
Gecko toe pads stick via microscopic setae and intermolecular forces — no glue.

## Takeaway
Tokay and leopard geckos dominate the pet trade; verify captive-bred origin.

## Takeaway
House geckos Hemidactylus benefit humans by eating mosquitoes and moths.

## Takeaway
Day geckos Phelsuma are diurnal and brightly coloured — popular but specialist pets.

## Takeaway
Indonesia and Malaysia — WARN partners — harbour exceptional gekkotan diversity.

## Takeaway
Invasive geckos outcompete natives on islands and in new regions.

## Gecko diversity and adhesion
Gekkota splits into families including Gekkonidae, Phyllodactylidae and Diplodactylidae. Eyelids are absent in many species — transparent spectacle scales protect eyes. Nocturnal species have vertical pupils; day geckos have round pupils and bright green or blue colouration.

Adhesive toe pads contain millions of microscopic setae branching into spatulae. Temporary molecular attraction lets geckos run up glass and hang from ceilings. Some species regenerate lost tails; others lack this ability.

Vocal cords enable mating calls and territorial chirps — a gekkotan signature absent from most lizards.

## Ecology and household allies
Wild geckos eat insects, spiders, small invertebrates and nectar in some day geckos. Common house gecko Hemidactylus frenatus follows human habitation globally — sometimes invasive, sometimes welcomed pest control.

In tropical forests, geckos occupy leaf litter, tree bark and cave walls. Giant geckos Rhacodactylus of New Caledonia are fruit-insect omnivores threatened by deforestation and chytrid-like pathogens in captivity.

Population declines affect range-restricted island species from Mauritius to the Caribbean. Habitat fragmentation removes microhabitats geckos need.

## Pet trade and conservation
Leopard gecko Eublepharis macularius from Pakistan and Afghanistan — a WARN partner region — is heavily captive-bred for pets, with eyelids unlike many geckos. Tokay gecko Gekko gecko faces poaching for traditional medicine markets in Asia despite questionable efficacy.

CITES lists several rare species on Appendix I or II. Smuggling of New Caledonian and Madagascan species supplies collectors.

Captive care requires temperature gradients, calcium supplementation and appropriate humidity — species-specific, not one-size-fits-all.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/gecko): Gecko — wildlife guide.

## Geckos and people
Southeast Asian folklore treats house geckos as omens; their calls punctuate tropical nights. In Pakistan and India, geckos share walls with humans harmlessly, consuming insects attracted to lights.

Never release pet geckos outdoors — invasive house geckos disrupt native lizard communities in Florida, Hawaii and elsewhere.

Readers can welcome wild geckos as allies, reject medicine products using tokay parts and support forest protection in Indonesia and Malaysia where gekkotan diversity peaks.

## Related WARN guides
Geckos are diverse squamates — read WARN's chameleon guide for other specialised lizards, monitor lizard page for larger varanids, and snake hub for shared reptile trade issues.

Iguana and komodo dragon guides cover other lizard groups.

Never release pet geckos into non-native ranges.

## WARN work
WARN educates readers in Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia — centres of gecko diversity and trade routes — about reptile stewardship, habitat protection and rejecting wildlife products without proven benefit.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/gecko): Gecko — wildlife guide.

## How many gecko species are there?
Roughly 1,500 species in infraorder Gekkota, on every continent except Antarctica. The count grows as taxonomists describe new species.

## How do geckos stick to walls?
Microscopic hair-like setae on toe pads create van der Waals forces — molecular attraction without glue or suction cups.

## Do geckos make noise?
Yes. Many geckos chirp, bark or click — especially tokay and house geckos. Vocalisation is unusual among lizards.

## Are geckos good pets?
Leopard and crested geckos are common captive-bred pets with specific heat and diet needs. Wild-caught rare species should never be purchased.

## Why are tokay geckos traded?
Dried tokay geckos sell in some Asian traditional medicine markets despite lack of proven medical benefit, driving poaching.

## Are house geckos invasive?
Common house gecko has spread globally with human transport, sometimes outcompeting native geckos — notably in parts of the Pacific and Americas.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/monitor-lizard): Monitor Lizard — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Monitor lizards (genus Varanus) comprise ~80 species including the Komodo dragon — intelligent predatory reptiles of Africa, Asia and Australasia threatened by trade, hunting and habitat loss.

## Introduction
Monitor lizards of genus Varanus are large, active predatory reptiles found across Africa, Asia and Australasia. Roughly 80 species range from the 20-centimetre pygmy monitor to the Komodo dragon — the world's largest lizard at three metres. Monitors possess forked tongues for chemoreception, high metabolism for reptiles and notable intelligence. They control pest populations and scavenge carrion but face skin trade, bushmeat hunting and habitat loss — especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, WARN partner countries hosting Komodo dragons and clouded monitors.

## Takeaway
Komodo dragons are monitors — venomous bite and bacterial saliva both contribute to prey incapacitation.

## Takeaway
Indonesia hosts more monitor species than any country, including the Endangered Komodo dragon.

## Takeaway
Clouded monitor and Bengal monitor skins enter illegal leather trade in South-East Asia.

## Takeaway
Monitors are among the most intelligent reptiles — capable learners in captivity.

## Takeaway
Bengal monitor occurs in Pakistan — a WARN partner — often persecuted despite legal protection.

## Takeaway
Invasive black-throated monitors threaten native wildlife where released outside range.

## Varanid biology and the Komodo dragon
Monitor lizards belong to family Varanidae, the sole living genus Varanus. Long necks, powerful limbs and muscular tails suit active hunting over ambush. Forked tongues sample air and ground, delivering scent to Jacobson's organ.

Komodo dragon Varanus komodoensis inhabits Indonesian islands Komodo, Rinca and Flores — Endangered with roughly 1,380 mature individuals. They hunt deer, pigs and water buffalo, using serrated teeth, venom glands and septic bite components.

Smaller monitors — savannah, ackie, Nile — fill niches from desert to mangrove. High aerobic capacity supports sustained pursuit unusual among reptiles.

## Intelligence, behaviour and ecology
Studies show monitors can count, solve puzzles and recognise keepers — cognitive capacity exceeding most lizards. They forage widely, climbing trees when juvenile and digging burrows for refuge.

Diet includes insects, crabs, eggs, birds, mammals and carrion. Large monitors raid nests and enter human settlements seeking food waste — creating conflict when poultry is taken.

Reproduction is oviparous; Komodo dragons exhibit parthenogenesis in rare cases. Females guard nests in some species.

## Trade, persecution and conservation
Monitor skins supply leather for bags and shoes — clouded monitor and Nile monitor harvested legally and illegally across Asia and Africa. CITES lists Komodo dragon and many species on Appendix I or II.

Bushmeat consumption and traditional medicine demand affect Asian monitors. Bengal monitor Varanus bengalensis is protected in India and Pakistan yet still killed from fear or trade.

Komodo National Park tourism generates revenue supporting dragon protection; proposed development and climate impacts on prey remain concerns. Habitat loss from mining and palm expansion threatens Indonesian monitors broadly.

## Monitor lizards and people
Komodo dragon tourism is strictly guided — attacks on humans are rare but serious when dragons lose fear. Smaller monitors bite when cornered; wounds need antiseptic care.

Never buy monitor leather of unknown origin or keep protected species without permits. Pakistan's Bengal monitor benefits ecosystems by consuming rodents and carrion — persecution reduces this service.

WARN readers in Indonesia and Malaysia encounter monitors in forests and markets; reporting illegal trade supports enforcement alongside habitat appeals.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/monitor-lizard): Monitor Lizard — wildlife guide.

## Related WARN guides
Monitor lizards include the komodo dragon — read WARN's komodo dragon guide for the largest lizard on Earth. Python, gecko and snake pages cover other reptile groups; cobra guide addresses venomous neighbours in Asia.

Trade and persecution threaten varanids from mangrove monitors to savanna species.

Protected areas in Indonesia and Malaysia benefit monitors alongside orangutans and tigers.

## WARN work
WARN supports habitat protection and anti-trafficking education in Indonesia and Malaysia — global centres of monitor diversity including the Komodo dragon. Free guides explain why apex reptiles need forests, not leather supply chains.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/monitor-lizard): Monitor Lizard — wildlife guide.

## How many monitor lizard species are there?
About 80 species in genus Varanus across Africa, Asia and Australasia. New species are still described, especially in Indonesia and New Guinea.

## Is the Komodo dragon a monitor lizard?
Yes. It is the largest living monitor lizard and the world's heaviest lizard, endemic to Indonesian islands.

## Are Komodo dragons endangered?
Yes. The IUCN lists the Komodo dragon as Endangered with roughly 1,380 mature individuals and a decreasing trend.

## Are monitor lizards venomous?
Komodo dragons and several other monitors possess venom glands producing anticoagulant toxins. Bites require medical cleaning and monitoring.

## Why are monitors traded?
Skins for leather, meat, traditional medicine and live animals for the pet trade. Komodo dragons are protected; smaller species face heavy exploitation.

## Are monitor lizards intelligent?
Among the most intelligent reptiles — studies document problem-solving, learning and long-term memory in several Varanus species.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cougar): Cougar — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The cougar (Puma concolor) — also known as puma or mountain lion — is a large solitary cat native to the Americas, listed as Least Concern by the IUCN; it is the most widespread wild cat in the Western Hemisphere but faces habitat loss and human conflict in many regions.

## Introduction
The cougar — also called puma, mountain lion, panther and catamount — is a large, solitary felid native to the Americas from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes. It is the most widely distributed wild cat in the Western Hemisphere and among the largest predators on the continent. Cougars occupy an extraordinary range of habitats, from coastal rainforest and desert scrub to alpine meadows and suburban woodland edges. Although listed as Least Concern globally, many populations face habitat fragmentation, road mortality and conflict with livestock owners. In parts of North America, cougars are recolonising former range as deer populations recover, bringing them into renewed contact with people.

## Takeaway
Cougar, puma, mountain lion and panther all refer to the same species — Puma concolor.

## Takeaway
It is the most widespread wild cat in the Americas, ranging from Canada to Patagonia.

## Takeaway
Cougars are solitary ambush hunters, feeding mainly on deer and other ungulates.

## Takeaway
They are capable long-distance travellers; radio-tracked individuals have crossed hundreds of kilometres.

## Takeaway
Human conflict and road kills are the main threats in developed parts of their range.

## Takeaway
Cougars rarely attack people; incidents are extremely rare compared with domestic dog bites.

## Names, taxonomy and range
Puma concolor belongs to the genus Puma, separate from the Panthera big cats. Its many common names reflect regional history: 'cougar' from a Tupi word via French, 'puma' from Quechua, 'mountain lion' from early North American settlers, and 'panther' in the south-eastern United States. Eight subspecies are generally recognised, from the North American cougar to the smaller southern Andean forms.

The species once ranged across nearly all of North America but was eradicated from the eastern United States by the early twentieth century. Today, confirmed breeding populations exist again in parts of the Midwest and are occasionally documented east of the Mississippi.

## Ecology and hunting behaviour
Cougars are obligate carnivores and keystone predators. A single adult may require a deer-sized prey item every one to two weeks. They hunt by stealth, using cover to approach within striking distance before a short burst of speed. Kills are often cached under leaf litter or snow and revisited over several days.

Home ranges vary enormously: males may patrol 150–1,000 km² depending on prey density, while females occupy smaller territories, often overlapping with several males. Females raise kittens alone, teaching them to hunt over roughly 18 months before independence.

## Cougars and people
As cougars recolonise areas near towns and suburbs, encounters with people increase — though attacks remain statistically rare. Most incidents involve young, dispersing males or habituated animals near feeding sites. Wildlife agencies recommend securing livestock at night, removing deer-attracting food sources near homes, and never running if a cougar is encountered. Road mortality is a significant source of death in fragmented landscapes; wildlife crossings and reduced speed limits in known corridors reduce fatalities. Trophy hunting is permitted in some western US states and Canadian provinces under regulated quotas.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cougar): Cougar — wildlife guide.

## Conservation status and threats
The IUCN lists the cougar as Least Concern globally because of its vast range and overall stable population. However, the eastern cougar subspecies (P. c. couguar) was declared extinct in 2018, and the Florida panther (P. c. coryi) remains Critically Endangered with fewer than 200 adults. Habitat fragmentation isolates populations, reducing genetic diversity and increasing inbreeding in small remnants such as the Florida panther. CITES lists most cougar populations on Appendix II, allowing regulated trade. Protecting connected habitat and reducing road mortality are the most effective conservation tools for regional populations.

## Related WARN guides
Cougars are American pumas — read WARN's jaguar guide for Neotropical forest cats, ocelot page for smaller spotted felids, and bobcat and lynx guides for North American relatives.

Lion, tiger and leopard hub pages cover other big cats; Florida panther recovery needs wildlife corridors.

Connected habitat and reduced road mortality protect regional cougar populations.

## WARN work
WARN publishes this cougar guide as free public education. Our field work focuses on threatened species in partner countries; cougars illustrate how large predators persist alongside people when habitat remains connected and conflict is managed responsibly.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cougar): Cougar — wildlife guide.

## What is the difference between a cougar and a mountain lion?
There is no difference — cougar, mountain lion, puma and panther (in much of the Americas) all refer to Puma concolor, the same species. Names vary by region and history.

## Are cougars dangerous to humans?
Cougar attacks on people are extremely rare. In North America, fewer than two dozen fatal attacks have been recorded in over a century. Most encounters end without injury if people stand firm, make themselves look large and back away slowly.

## Where do cougars live?
Cougars live across the Americas from southern Canada and the western United States through Central America to the southern Andes of Chile and Argentina. They occupy forests, mountains, deserts and scrubland wherever prey is available.

## What do cougars eat?
Cougars feed mainly on deer, elk, moose and other ungulates. They also take smaller prey such as rabbits, raccoons and livestock where wild prey is scarce. A single kill may feed an adult for several days.

## How big is a cougar?
Adult males typically weigh 53–100 kg and measure 1.5–2.75 m from nose to tail tip. Females are smaller, usually 29–64 kg. Tail length alone can exceed 90 cm.

## Are cougars endangered?
The species is Least Concern globally, but the Florida panther subspecies is Critically Endangered, and the eastern cougar was declared extinct in 2018. Local populations face habitat loss and road mortality.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/bobcat): Bobcat — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a medium-sized North American wild cat listed as Least Concern by the IUCN; it is the continent's most widespread and adaptable felid, recognised by its tufted ears, spotted coat and short tail.

## Introduction
The bobcat is a medium-sized wild cat native to North America, named for its short 'bobbed' tail. It is the most common wild cat on the continent, ranging from southern Canada through the contiguous United States to northern Mexico. Bobcats occupy diverse habitats — boreal forest, desert, swampland and suburban edges — wherever rabbits, rodents and small deer are available. Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, bobcat populations are generally stable or increasing, though they are trapped for fur in some states and occasionally killed when mistaken for threats to poultry or pets.

## Takeaway
Bobcats are named for their short, bobbed tail — typically 9–20 cm long.

## Takeaway
They are the most common wild cat in North America, from Canada to Mexico.

## Takeaway
Tufted ears and spotted fur distinguish them from the larger Canada lynx.

## Takeaway
Bobcats are generalist hunters, taking rabbits, rodents, birds and deer fawns.

## Takeaway
They adapt well to fragmented habitat and are occasionally seen near suburbs.

## Takeaway
Fur trapping and vehicle collisions are the main human-related causes of mortality.

## Identification and relatives
Bobcats resemble the Canada lynx but are smaller, with a more variable coat — grey-brown to reddish, marked with dark spots and bars. The tail is short but always visible, unlike the longer tail of a cougar. Ear tufts are present but shorter than in lynx species.

Bobcats and Canada lynx overlap in the northern United States and southern Canada; bobcats favour more varied habitat including mixed forest and farmland, while Canada lynx depend heavily on snowshoe hare cycles in boreal forest. Hybridisation between the two species has been documented where ranges meet.

## Behaviour and ecology
Bobcats are solitary and territorial. Males patrol ranges of roughly 10–60 km²; females occupy smaller areas and may overlap with several males. They hunt mainly at dawn and dusk, using cover to ambush prey.

Rabbits and hares form the bulk of the diet in many regions, supplemented by rodents, birds, reptiles and occasionally white-tailed deer fawns. Bobcats cache uneaten prey under vegetation or snow. Dens are made in hollow logs, rock crevices or dense thickets; females raise litters of one to six kittens, weaning them at about two months.

## Bobcats near people
Bobcats are increasingly reported in suburban and exurban areas where woods meet gardens. They rarely threaten people and attacks are virtually unknown. They may take free-ranging poultry or small pets left outdoors unattended, which leads to occasional lethal control. Wildlife agencies generally advise securing livestock, keeping cats indoors at night and appreciating bobcats as natural rodent controllers. Road mortality is a significant source of death, particularly where highways fragment forest corridors.

## Conservation and trade
The IUCN lists the bobcat as Least Concern with a stable or increasing population trend across most of its range. Regulated fur trapping occurs in many US states and Canadian provinces; annual harvests are monitored and generally considered sustainable. CITES lists the bobcat on Appendix II, requiring export permits for international trade in skins. Habitat loss and rodenticide exposure through poisoned prey remain local concerns. Overall, the bobcat is a conservation success story among North American carnivores.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/bobcat): Bobcat — wildlife guide.

## Related WARN guides
Bobcats are mid-sized North American felids — read WARN's cougar guide for the larger puma, lynx page for tufted relatives, and ocelot guide for spotted tropical cats.

Fox and wolf pages cover other carnivores sharing suburban edges.

Legal protection and fur-trade bans underpin bobcat recovery.

## WARN work
WARN publishes this bobcat guide to help readers understand North America's most common wild cat. Our mission focuses on threatened wildlife in partner countries; bobcats illustrate how adaptable mesopredators can persist when habitat and prey remain available.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/bobcat): Bobcat — wildlife guide.

## How can you tell a bobcat from a domestic cat?
Bobcats are substantially larger — typically 6–13 kg versus 3–5 kg for most house cats — with longer legs, a short bobbed tail, tufted ears and a spotted or barred coat. They move with a distinctive hunched, stealthy gait.

## Are bobcats dangerous to pets?
Bobcats may prey on small pets left outdoors, especially at dawn and dusk. Keeping cats indoors and supervising small dogs in bobcat country reduces risk. Attacks on people are exceptionally rare.

## What is the difference between a bobcat and a lynx?
Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are smaller and more variable in coat colour, with shorter ear tufts and smaller paws. Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) have longer legs, huge snowshoe-like paws and depend heavily on snowshoe hares in boreal forest.

## Where do bobcats live?
Bobcats range across most of the contiguous United States, southern Canada and northern Mexico. They occupy forests, deserts, swamps and scrubland, including areas near human settlement.

## What do bobcats eat?
Bobcats are carnivorous generalists. Rabbits and hares are primary prey in many areas, along with rodents, birds, reptiles and occasionally deer fawns. Diet shifts with local prey availability.

## Are bobcats protected?
Bobcats are Least Concern globally. In the United States, protection varies by state — some allow regulated hunting and trapping, others restrict take. CITES Appendix II regulates international trade in bobcat parts.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/lynx): Lynx — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is Europe's largest wild cat, listed as Least Concern by the IUCN; it inhabits boreal and temperate forests across Eurasia and has recovered in several western European countries after decades of persecution.

## Introduction
The Eurasian lynx is the largest of the four living lynx species and the biggest wild cat native to Europe. It ranges across boreal and temperate forests from Scandinavia and the Carpathians through Russia and Central Asia to the Himalayas. Secretive and mainly nocturnal, lynx are rarely seen despite a substantial population in some regions. Listed as Least Concern globally, the species has recolonised parts of western Europe thanks to legal protection and reintroduction programmes. The Iberian lynx and Canada lynx are separate, more threatened species covered by their own conservation programmes.

## Takeaway
The Eurasian lynx is the largest lynx species and Europe's biggest native cat.

## Takeaway
Tufted ears, short tail and large snowshoe-like paws are characteristic lynx features.

## Takeaway
Lynx hunt mainly roe deer, hares and other medium-sized prey by ambush.

## Takeaway
The species has recolonised Switzerland, Slovenia and parts of France and Germany.

## Takeaway
The Iberian lynx is Critically Endangered — a separate, much rarer species.

## Takeaway
Human persecution and road mortality remain threats despite legal protection in the EU.

## The four lynx species
Four lynx species survive today.

The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is the largest and most widespread, ranging across Europe and Asia. The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is confined to Spain and Portugal and was Critically Endangered before intensive recovery efforts. The Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) depends on snowshoe hare cycles in North American boreal forest. The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is the smallest and most adaptable, ranging across much of North America. All share tufted ear tips, a short tail, a ruff of fur beneath the chin and large paws — adaptations for silent hunting in forest and snow.

## Habitat and hunting
Eurasian lynx favour forested landscapes with sufficient cover and prey. Roe deer are the primary prey in much of Europe; in northern latitudes, lynx also take reindeer calves, hares and grouse.

They hunt by stealth, relying on short bursts of speed rather than long chases. Home ranges vary from roughly 100 km² for females to over 400 km² for males in prey-rich areas. Lynx are solitary except during breeding and when females raise kittens. Dens are often in rocky crevices or dense undergrowth; litters typically contain one to four kittens.

## Recovery in western Europe
Lynx were eradicated from most of western Europe by the nineteenth century through hunting and habitat loss. Legal protection, forest regrowth and reintroduction programmes have reversed the decline in several countries. Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia and the Carpathians now support breeding populations. France and Germany host small, expanding groups. Conflict with sheep farmers remains a political challenge; compensation schemes and livestock guarding dogs reduce retaliatory killing. Cross-border cooperation is essential because lynx ranges often span national frontiers.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/lynx): Lynx — wildlife guide.

## Conservation outlook
The IUCN lists the Eurasian lynx as Least Concern with an estimated 50,000 individuals and a stable or increasing trend in much of its range. Road mortality, habitat fragmentation and illegal killing still suppress populations in some regions. CITES Appendix II regulates international trade. The Iberian lynx recovery — from fewer than 100 individuals in 2002 to over 1,000 by the 2020s — demonstrates what targeted conservation can achieve for lynx. Maintaining connected forest habitat and reducing human conflict remain priorities across the genus.

## Related WARN guides
Lynx are cold-climate cats — read WARN's snow leopard guide for mountain specialists, bobcat and cougar pages for American relatives, and wolf guide for shared boreal habitat.

Deer and ibex guides cover prey species in lynx range.

Reintroduction success in Europe shows lynx can recover with connected forest.

## WARN work
WARN publishes this lynx guide as free public education. Our field work focuses on threatened species in partner countries; the Eurasian lynx illustrates how large carnivores can recover when persecution ends and forests are protected.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/lynx): Lynx — wildlife guide.

## How many lynx species are there?
Four: Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and bobcat (Lynx rufus). The Eurasian lynx is the largest and most widespread.

## Are lynx dangerous to humans?
Lynx avoid people and attacks are extremely rare. They are secretive forest cats that retreat when encountered. Livestock depredation — mainly sheep — is the main human conflict issue.

## What do lynx eat?
Eurasian lynx feed mainly on roe deer, along with hares, grouse, reindeer calves and other medium-sized prey. They are obligate carnivores and hunt by ambush.

## Where do lynx live in Europe?
Breeding populations exist in Scandinavia, the Baltic states, the Carpathians, the Balkans, the Alps and parts of France and Germany. Lynx were reintroduced to several areas from which they had been extirpated.

## What is the difference between a lynx and a bobcat?
Eurasian lynx are larger (18–30 kg versus 6–13 kg for bobcats), with longer legs, bigger paws and a plainer coat. Bobcats are North American; Eurasian lynx inhabit Europe and Asia.

## Is the Iberian lynx the same species?
No. The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is a separate, much rarer species confined to Spain and Portugal. It was Critically Endangered but has recovered through captive breeding and habitat restoration.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/ocelot): Ocelot — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a spotted wild cat of the Americas, listed as Least Concern by the IUCN but declining locally due to habitat loss and historical over-trapping; a small population persists in southern Texas.

## Introduction
The ocelot is a medium-sized spotted cat of Central and South America, and the only wild cat with a breeding population in the United States — a remnant group in southern Texas. Its striking rosetted coat made it one of the most heavily traded cats in the twentieth-century fur industry; millions of pelts were exported before international protection. Today the ocelot is Least Concern globally, but populations are declining in many areas due to deforestation, road mortality and illegal trade. Ocelots are solitary, mainly nocturnal forest hunters, feeding on rodents, birds, reptiles and small deer.

## Takeaway
Ocelots are medium-sized spotted cats native to the Neotropics and southern Texas.

## Takeaway
Their coat was once the most traded cat fur in the world — CITES now bans commercial trade.

## Takeaway
Ocelots are mainly nocturnal forest hunters, feeding on small to medium prey.

## Takeaway
Habitat loss from agriculture and roads is the main current threat.

## Takeaway
Texas ocelots number fewer than 100 — among the rarest mammals in the United States.

## Takeaway
Ocelots were once kept as pets by Salvador Dalí — they are poor domestic companions.

## Appearance and identification
Ocelots have a golden to grey coat marked with black rosettes, spots and stripes — each pattern unique, like a fingerprint. They are twice the size of a domestic cat, with a long tail, rounded ears and large front paws.

The margay and oncilla are smaller spotted relatives; jaguars and jaguarundis share their range but differ in size and build. In Texas, ocelots are associated with thornscrub and coastal brush — habitat that has shrunk dramatically. Camera-trap studies show ocelots using dense cover corridors to move between remnant patches.

## Ecology and behaviour
Ocelots are solitary and territorial. Males patrol ranges of roughly 3–30 km² depending on prey density; female ranges are smaller and may overlap. They hunt mainly on the ground but climb well when pursuing monkeys or birds.

Diet includes rodents, rabbits, iguanas, fish, crabs and occasional deer fawns. Ocelots are adaptable — found from sea level to 3,000 m elevation — but depend on dense cover for ambush hunting. Females den in hollow trees or caves, raising one to three kittens.

## History of the fur trade
From the 1960s to the 1980s, ocelot pelts were among the most valuable in the international fur trade. Annual exports from Latin America exceeded 100,000 skins at the peak. CITES listed the ocelot on Appendix I in 1975, banning commercial international trade. Domestic laws in range countries further restricted hunting. Populations partially recovered where forest remained, but the legacy of trapping combined with ongoing habitat loss keeps many regional populations vulnerable. Vintage ocelot coats still appear in illegal trade.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/ocelot): Ocelot — wildlife guide.

## Conservation today
The IUCN lists the ocelot as Least Concern globally, but notes a decreasing trend in parts of its range. The Texas population is Endangered under US law, with fewer than 100 individuals isolated by highways and development. Protected areas and wildlife crossings are critical for its survival. Across Latin America, deforestation for cattle ranching and soy expansion removes the forest cover ocelots require. CITES Appendix I protection remains essential. Connecting forest fragments and enforcing anti-trafficking law are the most effective conservation measures.

## Related WARN guides
Ocelots are Neotropical spotted cats — read WARN's jaguar guide for the apex forest predator, cougar page for American pumas, and clouded leopard guide for Asian forest felids.

WARN works in Brazil and Colombia — core ocelot range countries.

Habitat corridors and anti-fur-trade enforcement protect remaining ocelot populations.

## WARN work
WARN publishes this ocelot guide as free public education. Our work in Brazil and Colombia overlaps ocelot range, where habitat protection and anti-trafficking enforcement benefit spotted cats alongside the flagship species we fund directly.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/ocelot): Ocelot — wildlife guide.

## Where do ocelots live?
Ocelots range from southern Texas and Mexico through Central America to northern Argentina. They inhabit tropical forest, thornscrub, mangroves and savanna woodland wherever dense cover and prey exist.

## Are ocelots endangered?
Globally Least Concern, but declining in many areas. The Texas population is Endangered under US law with fewer than 100 individuals. CITES Appendix I bans commercial international trade.

## Can you keep an ocelot as a pet?
Ocelots are wild animals with specialist needs — large territories, nocturnal hunting behaviour and strong territorial scent marking. Private ownership is restricted in most countries. Salvador Dalí famously kept ocelots, but welfare experts advise against it.

## What is the difference between an ocelot and a leopard?
Ocelots are smaller (11–16 kg), native to the Americas, and belong to the genus Leopardus. Leopards are much larger (30–90 kg), native to Africa and Asia, and belong to Panthera. Both have spotted coats but are unrelated.

## What do ocelots eat?
Ocelots eat rodents, rabbits, birds, reptiles, fish, crabs and occasionally small deer. They hunt mainly at night, using cover to ambush prey on the forest floor.

## Why were ocelots hunted?
Their beautiful spotted coat made ocelot fur highly valued in the mid-twentieth century. Millions of pelts were exported before CITES banned commercial trade in 1975. Populations partially recovered where habitat remained.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/polar-bear): Polar Bear — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with an estimated 22,000–31,000 individuals; climate change and the loss of Arctic sea ice are the primary threats to its survival.

## Introduction
The polar bear is the largest land carnivore on Earth and a marine mammal uniquely adapted to life on Arctic sea ice. It hunts mainly ringed and bearded seals from the ice surface, swimming long distances between floes. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, polar bears face an existential threat from climate change: Arctic sea ice is shrinking in extent and duration, shortening the hunting season and forcing bears ashore for longer periods. An estimated 22,000–31,000 polar bears remain across five range states — Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia and the United States.

## Takeaway
Polar bears are the largest bears and the largest land carnivores alive.

## Takeaway
They depend on sea ice to hunt seals — climate change is their primary threat.

## Takeaway
Polar bears are classified as marine mammals because they live on ocean ice.

## Takeaway
An estimated 22,000–31,000 polar bears remain across the Arctic.

## Takeaway
Longer ice-free seasons force bears ashore, increasing conflict with Arctic communities.

## Takeaway
Canada hosts roughly two-thirds of the world's polar bears.

## Life on the sea ice
Polar bears are superbly adapted to the Arctic. A thick layer of blubber and dense fur provide insulation; large paws act as snowshoes and paddles for swimming. They hunt mainly at breathing holes and ice edges, where ringed seals surface. A successful seal hunt can provide enough energy for several days.

Females den in snow drifts on land, giving birth during the Arctic winter and fasting for months while nursing cubs. As sea ice forms later and melts earlier, the window for hunting shrinks, and bears must either swim farther or spend longer on land with limited food.

## Climate change and sea ice loss
Arctic sea ice has declined by roughly 13% per decade since satellite records began in 1979. For polar bears, this means shorter hunting seasons, longer swims between floes and reduced body condition in some populations. Studies of western Hudson Bay bears show earlier ice break-up correlates with lower survival and reproduction.

Some populations — such as those in the southern Beaufort Sea — have declined markedly. Others, in areas where ice persists longer, remain stable for now. The IUCN projects a greater than 30% population decline over three generations if sea ice loss continues.

## Polar bears and Arctic communities
Indigenous peoples in the Arctic have hunted polar bears for subsistence and cultural purposes for thousands of years. Today, regulated harvest continues in Canada, Greenland and Alaska under quotas agreed by range states. As bears spend more time on land during ice-free periods, encounters with northern communities increase — sometimes with tragic outcomes for both bears and people. Waste management and attractant control in Arctic towns reduce conflict. Tourism to view polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba and Svalbard generates significant revenue but requires strict distance rules to protect bears and visitors.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/polar-bear): Polar Bear — wildlife guide.

## Conservation and international cooperation
All five polar bear range states — Canada, Greenland (Denmark), Norway, Russia and the United States — are parties to the 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears, which prohibits unregulated hunting and commits signatories to protect bear habitat. The IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group coordinates population monitoring. CITES lists polar bears on Appendix II. Debate continues over whether international trade in polar bear skins from legal Canadian hunts affects poaching elsewhere. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit Arctic warming is the fundamental conservation action for the species.

## Related WARN guides
Polar bears are marine mammals of the ice — read WARN's grizzly bear and black bear guides for other Ursids, walrus page for shared Arctic habitat, and seal guide for prey species.

Climate change links polar bears to broader habitat protection appeals.

Reducing greenhouse emissions and protecting denning sites underpin polar bear survival.

## WARN work
WARN publishes this polar bear guide as free public education. Climate change and Arctic habitat loss are global challenges; this guide helps readers understand why sea ice matters and how polar bears serve as indicators of Arctic ecosystem health.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/polar-bear): Polar Bear — wildlife guide.

## Are polar bears endangered?
Polar bears are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN — one category below Endangered — with a decreasing population trend. Climate change and sea ice loss are the primary threats.

## How many polar bears are left?
The IUCN estimates 22,000–31,000 polar bears across the Arctic. Canada hosts roughly two-thirds. Population trends vary by region — some declining, others stable.

## What do polar bears eat?
Polar bears feed mainly on ringed seals and bearded seals, hunted from the sea ice. They also scavenge whale carcasses and occasionally take walrus calves, birds and vegetation when on land.

## Do polar bears hibernate?
Polar bears do not hibernate in the traditional sense, though pregnant females enter a denning period in snow drifts, fasting for months while nursing newborn cubs.

## How does climate change affect polar bears?
Rising temperatures shrink Arctic sea ice, shortening the hunting season. Bears must swim longer distances, spend more time fasting on land and show reduced body condition and reproduction in affected populations.

## Where can you see polar bears in the wild?
Polar bears can be viewed from Churchill, Manitoba (Canada), Svalbard (Norway) and parts of Alaska and Greenland. Responsible tourism keeps distance and follows strict guidelines to avoid disturbing bears.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/grizzly-bear): Grizzly Bear — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) is a North American brown bear subspecies; the brown bear is Least Concern globally, but grizzlies in the contiguous United States are protected under the Endangered Species Act with roughly 1,900 individuals south of Canada.

## Introduction
The grizzly bear is a North American subspecies of the brown bear, named for the silver-tipped 'grizzled' appearance of its fur. Grizzlies once ranged across western North America from Alaska to Mexico; today they occupy roughly 2% of their historic range in the contiguous United States, centred on the Northern Rocky Mountains, Greater Yellowstone and parts of Montana, Idaho and Washington. In Alaska and Canada, populations remain robust. Grizzlies are omnivorous generalists — eating berries, roots, fish, rodents and ungulates — and are a keystone species shaping forest and river ecosystems. The brown bear is Least Concern globally; grizzlies in the lower 48 US states are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

## Takeaway
Grizzlies are a subspecies of brown bear — Ursus arctos horribilis.

## Takeaway
The shoulder hump of muscle distinguishes grizzlies from black bears.

## Takeaway
Grizzlies are omnivores, eating plants, fish, rodents and ungulates.

## Takeaway
They once ranged across western North America but now occupy ~2% of historic US range.

## Takeaway
Alaska and Canada hold the largest remaining grizzly populations.

## Takeaway
Human conflict and habitat fragmentation are the main threats in the lower 48 states.

## Grizzly or brown bear?
Taxonomists classify the grizzly as Ursus arctos horribilis — a subspecies of the brown bear (Ursus arctos), which also includes the Eurasian brown bear, Kodiak bear and Alaskan coastal brown bear. Coastal brown bears in Alaska grow larger than interior grizzlies because of abundant salmon. The name 'grizzly' refers to the grey-tipped guard hairs that give the coat a frosted appearance, though fur colour ranges from nearly blonde to dark brown.

The prominent shoulder hump — a mass of muscle for digging — and a dished facial profile distinguish grizzlies from American black bears, which lack the hump and have a straighter nose profile.

## Ecology and diet
Grizzlies are among the most omnivorous of bears. Spring diet includes emerging plants, roots and carrion from winter-killed ungulates. Summer brings berries, ants and grubs.

Where salmon run, coastal grizzlies gather at rivers to catch fish — a caloric bonanza that supports large body size. Grizzlies also prey on moose calves, elk calves and ground squirrels. They disperse seeds through scat and enrich soil by digging for roots. Home ranges vary from roughly 70 km² for females to over 1,000 km² for males in interior habitats. Dens are dug into slopes; pregnant females enter torpor over winter, giving birth in the den.

## Grizzlies and people
Grizzly encounters capture public attention because of the potential for injury, yet attacks are rare and usually involve surprise encounters, food-conditioned bears or mothers defending cubs. Bear spray is more effective than firearms in deterring charges. In Yellowstone and Glacier national parks, millions of visitors coexist with grizzlies through food-storage rules, trail closures and education. Outside parks, livestock depredation and game-hunting competition create conflict with ranchers and hunters. Relocation and aversive conditioning reduce problem behaviour. In Alaska and Canada, regulated hunting is permitted under management plans.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/grizzly-bear): Grizzly Bear — wildlife guide.

## Conservation status
The brown bear is Least Concern globally with an estimated 200,000 individuals, mostly in Russia, Alaska and Canada. Grizzlies in the contiguous United States were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1975; the population has recovered from roughly 700–800 to about 1,900, leading to repeated delisting debates. Connectivity between the Yellowstone, Northern Continental Divide and Cabinet-Yaak ecosystems remains a conservation priority. CITES Appendix II regulates international trade. Protecting large connected landscapes and reducing attractants near human settlement are essential for long-term grizzly persistence south of Canada.

## Related WARN guides
Grizzly bears are brown bears — read WARN's polar bear guide for Arctic Ursids, black bear page for American cousins, and wolf guide for shared wilderness habitat.

Cougar and lynx pages cover other large carnivores in bear range.

Conflict reduction and corridor protection keep grizzlies on recovery paths.

## WARN work
WARN publishes this grizzly bear guide as free public education. Large carnivore recovery in North America shows what is possible when hunting is regulated and habitat is protected — lessons relevant to bear conservation worldwide.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/grizzly-bear): Grizzly Bear — wildlife guide.

## What is the difference between a grizzly bear and a brown bear?
The grizzly is a subspecies of brown bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) found in interior North America. Coastal Alaskan brown bears are the same species but grow larger due to salmon-rich diets. 'Grizzly' refers to the silver-tipped fur.

## How can you tell a grizzly from a black bear?
Grizzlies have a prominent shoulder hump, a dished facial profile and longer, curved claws. Black bears lack the hump, have a straighter nose profile and shorter claws. Fur colour alone is unreliable — both species vary from blonde to black.

## Are grizzly bears endangered?
Brown bears are Least Concern globally. Grizzlies in the contiguous United States are protected as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, with roughly 1,900 individuals. Alaska and Canada hold much larger populations.

## What do grizzly bears eat?
Grizzlies are omnivores eating berries, roots, grasses, ants, fish (especially salmon), rodents, carrion and ungulate calves. Diet varies seasonally and by region.

## How many grizzly bears are left?
Roughly 1,900 grizzlies survive in the lower 48 United States. Alaska may hold 30,000 or more brown bears, and Canada hosts large populations in British Columbia and the territories.

## Are grizzly bear attacks common?
No. Grizzly attacks are rare relative to visitor numbers in bear country. Most involve surprise encounters, food-conditioned bears or mothers with cubs. Bear spray, making noise on trails and storing food properly greatly reduce risk.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/black-bear): Black Bear — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The American black bear (Ursus americanus) is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with an estimated 800,000+ individuals across North America — the continent's most common and widespread bear species.

## Introduction
The American black bear is the most widespread and numerous bear species on the continent, ranging from Alaska and Canada through the United States to northern Mexico. Despite the name, coat colour varies from black to cinnamon, blonde and even white (the Kermode or 'spirit bear' of British Columbia). Black bears are smaller and less aggressive than grizzlies, yet they frequently appear in suburban news stories when attracted to rubbish, bird feeders and unsecured food. Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, the population is estimated at 800,000 or more and increasing in many areas. Human conflict, road mortality and habitat loss remain local concerns.

## Takeaway
Black bears are the most common bear in North America, numbering 800,000 or more.

## Takeaway
Coat colour varies — black, cinnamon, blonde and white (spirit bear) — despite the name.

## Takeaway
Black bears lack the shoulder hump of grizzlies and are generally smaller and less aggressive.

## Takeaway
They are skilled climbers and often escape danger by ascending trees.

## Takeaway
Human food attractants — bins, bird feeders, pet food — are the main cause of conflict.

## Takeaway
Populations are increasing in many eastern US states as forests recover.

## Identification and colour morphs
American black bears are smaller than grizzlies, with no shoulder hump, a straight facial profile, shorter claws and prominent ears. Fur colour is highly variable: most bears in the eastern United States are black, while western populations include cinnamon, blonde and brown morphs. The Kermode bear of coastal British Columbia carries a recessive gene producing white or cream fur — the 'spirit bear' revered by First Nations.

Colour alone does not distinguish black bears from grizzlies; body shape, hump presence and claw length are more reliable. Black bears are adept climbers, particularly juveniles, which retreat up trees when threatened.

## Ecology and behaviour
Black bears are omnivorous generalists. Spring diet includes emerging vegetation and carrion; summer brings berries, nuts and insects; autumn is dominated by calorie-rich foods such as acorns and beechnuts to build fat reserves for winter. They enter dens — hollow trees, rock cavities or excavated burrows — and enter a state of torpor, though not true hibernation.

Females give birth in the den to one to four cubs. Home ranges vary from roughly 5 km² for females in rich habitat to over 500 km² for males in sparse country. Black bears are mainly crepuscular and avoid open areas during daylight where hunting pressure is high.

## Living alongside black bears
As black bear populations recover in the eastern United States, encounters with suburban and exurban residents increase. Bears are attracted to rubbish bins, bird feeders, barbecue grease and pet food left outdoors. Once habituated, they lose fear of people and may damage property. Wildlife agencies recommend bear-proof bins, removing feeders in spring, and never feeding bears intentionally. Relocation rarely works for food-conditioned animals. Regulated hunting in many states helps manage population density and fund conservation. Education programmes — such as 'BearWise' — reduce conflict by teaching communities coexistence practices.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/black-bear): Black Bear — wildlife guide.

## Conservation status
The IUCN lists the American black bear as Least Concern with an increasing population trend in much of its range. Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) was delisted from the US Endangered Species Act in 2016 after recovery. CITES lists most populations on Appendix II. Habitat fragmentation and road mortality suppress local populations, but overall numbers are robust. The species serves as a model for how large carnivores can recover when hunting is regulated and forest habitat returns. Continued public education on attractant management remains essential as bears and people share more landscape.

## Related WARN guides
Black bears are widespread American Ursids — read WARN's grizzly bear and polar bear guides for larger relatives, wolf and cougar pages for shared forest carnivores.

Deer and squirrel guides cover common neighbours in suburban-edge habitat.

Securing rubbish and never feeding bears prevents habituation and culling.

## WARN work
WARN publishes this black bear guide as free public education. Coexistence with black bears in North America offers lessons for bear conservation worldwide, including the sun bears and moon bears our partners protect in Asia.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/black-bear): Black Bear — wildlife guide.

## How can you tell a black bear from a grizzly?
Black bears lack the shoulder hump, have a straighter nose profile, shorter claws and more prominent ears. Grizzlies have a dished face and prominent hump. Fur colour is unreliable — both species vary.

## Are black bears dangerous?
Black bear attacks are rare. Most bears flee when encountered. Problems arise when bears become food-conditioned and lose fear of people. Securing rubbish and removing bird feeders prevents most conflict.

## What is a spirit bear?
The Kermode or spirit bear is a white colour morph of the American black bear found in coastal British Columbia. A recessive gene produces cream-coloured fur. Roughly 10% of bears on some islands are white.

## How many black bears are in North America?
The IUCN estimates more than 800,000 American black bears across Canada, the United States and Mexico, with populations increasing in many eastern US states.

## Do black bears hibernate?
Black bears enter dens and enter torpor over winter, slowing metabolism but remaining capable of waking. Pregnant females give birth in the den. Duration varies by latitude — shorter in the south, longer in the north.

## What do black bears eat?
Black bears are omnivores eating berries, nuts, insects, carrion, fish and occasionally deer fawns. Diet shifts seasonally; autumn feeding builds fat reserves for winter denning.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/gibbon): Gibbon — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Gibbons are tailless lesser apes of South-east Asian rainforest, brachiating through the canopy in monogamous family groups; most species are Endangered or Critically Endangered due to habitat loss and the illegal pet trade.

## Introduction
Gibbons are small apes of the family Hylobatidae, native to the tropical and subtropical forests of South-east Asia. Unlike monkeys, gibbons are tailless apes — placing them closer to orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees than to tailed primates. They are celebrated for brachiation: swinging hand-over-hand through the canopy at speeds exceeding 50 km/h. Roughly 20 gibbon species are recognised, grouped into four genera. Most are Endangered or Critically Endangered due to deforestation, the illegal pet trade and hunting. Gibbons live in monogamous family groups and defend territories with spectacular dawn duets that carry for kilometres through the forest.

## Takeaway
Gibbons are lesser apes — tailless, like orangutans and chimpanzees, unlike monkeys.

## Takeaway
They brachiate hand-over-hand through the canopy, covering up to 10 m per swing.

## Takeaway
Monogamous pairs defend territories with loud dawn duets that identify the species.

## Takeaway
Most gibbon species are Endangered or Critically Endangered due to deforestation.

## Takeaway
Infants are taken from the wild for the illegal pet trade after mothers are killed.

## Takeaway
Gibbons need intact primary forest — they cannot survive in oil palm or logged woodland.

## Lesser apes of the canopy
Gibbons belong to the superfamily Hominoidea alongside great apes and humans, but form their own family, Hylobatidae. They are the smallest apes — typically 5–10 kg — with extraordinarily long arms, hook-shaped hands and reduced thumbs adapted for swinging. Unlike great apes, gibbons do not build nests; they sleep sitting upright in trees.

Four genera are recognised: Hylobates (white-handed and agile gibbons), Hoolock (western and eastern hoolock gibbons of India and Myanmar), Nomascus (crested gibbons of Vietnam, Laos and China) and Symphalangus (siamang, the largest gibbon). Each species has a distinctive song, allowing identification by ear alone.

## Social life and song
Gibbons live in monogamous family groups of two to six individuals — an adult pair and their offspring. Pairs defend territories of roughly 20–50 hectares through loud vocal duets performed at dawn. The male and female sing coordinated phrases that can carry over two kilometres. These songs advertise pair bonds, deter rivals and help biologists census wild populations.

Young gibbons remain with their parents for six to ten years, learning territory boundaries and song structure. This slow life history makes populations vulnerable to hunting and habitat loss — removing one breeding pair can eliminate a territory for a generation.

## Threats and the pet trade
Deforestation is the primary threat. South-east Asia has lost vast areas of lowland rainforest to oil palm, rubber, logging and dam construction. Gibbons cannot cross open ground between forest fragments; isolated groups face inbreeding and local extinction. Hunting for food and traditional medicine persists in some areas. The illegal pet trade is particularly cruel: adult gibbons are shot to capture dependent infants, which are sold as pets or for tourist photo props. Gibbons are poor pets — they need vast enclosures, lifelong pair bonds and specialist diets. Most confiscated gibbons cannot be released and require lifetime sanctuary care.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/gibbon): Gibbon — wildlife guide.

## Conservation and recovery
CITES lists all gibbon species on Appendix I, banning commercial international trade. Protected areas and wildlife corridors are essential for connecting fragmented populations. Captive breeding programmes at zoos and sanctuaries support reintroduction efforts for species such as the Hainan gibbon — the world's rarest ape, with fewer than 40 individuals. Community-based forest patrols and ecotourism that values living gibbons over dead ones have helped stabilise some populations. WARN's orangutan work in Indonesia and Malaysia overlaps gibbon range, where shared habitat protection benefits all arboreal apes.

## Related WARN guides
Gibbons are lesser apes — read WARN's gorilla, chimpanzee and orangutan guides for great ape context, monkey species library for wider primates, and tarsier page for other South-east Asian primates.

Song and pair-bonding make gibbons unique; pet trade and deforestation threaten every species.

WARN's orangutan work in Indonesia and Malaysia overlaps gibbon rainforest habitat.

## WARN work
WARN funds orangutan habitat protection and anti-trafficking work in Indonesia and Malaysia — range countries where gibbons share the same threatened rainforest. This gibbon guide is free public education connecting readers to the wider primate crisis in South-east Asia.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/gibbon): Gibbon — wildlife guide.

## Are gibbons monkeys or apes?
Gibbons are apes — specifically lesser apes. They are tailless, like orangutans and chimpanzees, and belong to the superfamily Hominoidea. Monkeys have tails and belong to separate evolutionary branches.

## How many gibbon species are there?
Roughly 20 species are recognised across four genera: Hylobates, Hoolock, Nomascus and Symphalangus (siamang). Taxonomy continues to be refined as genetic studies reveal new species.

## Why do gibbons sing?
Gibbon pairs perform loud dawn duets to defend their territory, strengthen pair bonds and advertise their presence to neighbours. Each species has a distinctive song, allowing identification without visual contact.

## Are gibbons endangered?
Most gibbon species are Endangered or Critically Endangered. The Hainan gibbon is the rarest ape on Earth, with fewer than 40 individuals. Habitat loss and the pet trade are the main threats.

## Can you keep a gibbon as a pet?
No. Gibbons need large forest enclosures, lifelong pair bonds and decades of specialist care. The pet trade kills mothers to capture infants. Private ownership is illegal in most countries.

## What is brachiation?
Brachiation is arm-over-arm swinging through the canopy. Gibbons are the most specialised brachiators among primates, using their long arms and hook-shaped hands to travel at speeds exceeding 50 km/h.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/tarsier): Tarsier — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Tarsiers are tiny nocturnal primates of South-east Asian islands, with the largest eyes relative to body size of any mammal; most species are Vulnerable to Endangered due to habitat loss and the pet trade.

## Introduction
Tarsiers are tiny nocturnal primates found only on islands of South-east Asia — the Philippines, Sulawesi and surrounding Indonesian islands, and parts of Borneo. They are among the smallest primates on Earth, weighing as little as 57 grams, yet their eyes are the largest relative to body size of any mammal. Tarsiers are the sole living members of the infraorder Tarsiiformes, an ancient primate lineage. All species are forest-dependent and threatened by habitat loss, the pet trade and disturbance from tourism. Unlike slow lorises, tarsiers are not venomous, but they share the same vulnerability to capture for the illegal wildlife trade.

## Takeaway
Tarsiers have the largest eyes relative to body size of any mammal.

## Takeaway
They are the only fully carnivorous primates, eating insects, lizards and small birds.

## Takeaway
Tarsiers cannot survive in captivity on improper diets — many die within months.

## Takeaway
All species are island endemics, making them especially vulnerable to habitat loss.

## Takeaway
The pet trade and tourist handling cause severe stress and mortality.

## Takeaway
Philippine and Sulawesi species face different threats but share forest dependence.

## An ancient primate lineage
Tarsiers belong to the infraorder Tarsiiformes, a branch of primates that diverged from other groups more than 50 million years ago. Once widespread across Asia, Europe and North America, tarsiers now survive only on South-east Asian islands. Roughly 11 species are recognised, grouped into three genera: Carlito and Tarsius (Philippines and Sulawesi region) and Cephalopachus (Bornean and Sumatran islands).

Each island population is often genetically distinct, making local extinctions irreversible. Tarsiers cannot rotate their eyes in their sockets; instead, they rotate their head almost 180 degrees, like an owl.

## Nocturnal hunters
Tarsiers are strictly nocturnal and carnivorous — unique among primates. They hunt insects, spiders, lizards, small birds and bats, leaping up to two metres to catch prey. Enormous eyes gather light for night vision; large ears detect the faintest rustle.

Long hind limbs and a elongated ankle bone (the tarsus, which gives the animal its name) power explosive vertical leaps. Tarsiers cling vertically to branches, never moving on all fours. They are solitary or live in monogamous pairs with offspring, communicating through ultrasonic calls beyond human hearing.

## Tarsiers and the pet trade
Tarsiers are frequently captured for the illegal pet trade and tourist attractions in the Philippines and Indonesia. Unlike slow lorises, they are not venomous, but they are equally unsuited to captivity. Tarsiers have extremely high metabolic rates and need live insect prey; many die within weeks of capture from stress and improper feeding. Tourist facilities that allow handling of tarsiers for photographs cause chronic stress, leading to self-mutilation and early death. Ethical sanctuaries keep tarsiers in dark, quiet enclosures with no public contact. CITES lists tarsiers on Appendix II, requiring permits for international trade.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/tarsier): Tarsier — wildlife guide.

## Conservation across islands
Habitat loss from logging, agriculture and mining threatens every tarsier species. Philippine tarsiers have lost lowland forest across Bohol, Samar and Mindanao. Sulawesi species face similar pressures as plantations expand. Because tarsiers are island endemics with small ranges, even modest habitat loss can eliminate a population. Protected areas, ecotourism that prohibits handling, and enforcement against the pet trade are the main conservation tools. WARN's slow loris and orangutan work in Indonesia and Malaysia overlaps tarsier range, where shared anti-trafficking and habitat protection efforts benefit all nocturnal primates.

## Related WARN guides
Tarsiers are ancient primates — read WARN's slow loris guide for other nocturnal strepsirrhines, gibbon page for South-east Asian apes, and monkey species library for wider context.

Never handle tarsiers for tourism photos — stress kills them within days.

Forest protection in the Philippines, Sulawesi and Borneo benefits every tarsier species.

## WARN work
WARN funds slow loris rescue and anti-trafficking work in Indonesia and Malaysia — countries where tarsiers face the same pet trade and habitat pressures. This tarsier guide is free public education about one of South-east Asia's most fragile primates.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/tarsier): Tarsier — wildlife guide.

## How big is a tarsier?
Tarsiers are among the smallest primates, weighing 57–150 grams depending on species — roughly the size of a tennis ball. Their bodies are 8–15 cm long, with tails of similar length.

## Why do tarsiers have such big eyes?
Tarsiers are nocturnal hunters and their enormous eyes gather maximum light. Each eye is larger than their brain. They cannot move their eyes in their sockets, so they rotate their head up to 180 degrees instead.

## Are tarsiers related to lemurs?
Tarsiers are more closely related to monkeys and apes (simians) than to lemurs, though they look superficially lemur-like. They belong to their own ancient infraorder, Tarsiiformes.

## Can you keep a tarsier as a pet?
No. Tarsiers are fully carnivorous, need live insect prey and suffer extreme stress in captivity. Most captured tarsiers die within weeks. The pet trade is a major threat to wild populations.

## Where do tarsiers live?
Tarsiers live only on islands of South-east Asia — the Philippines, Sulawesi and surrounding Indonesian islands, and parts of Borneo. Each island often hosts distinct species.

## Are tarsiers endangered?
Most tarsier species are Vulnerable to Endangered due to habitat loss and the pet trade. Island endemism makes local extinctions particularly irreversible.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/baboon): Baboon — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Baboons are large Old World monkeys of the genus Papio, living in complex social troops across African savanna and desert; most species are Least Concern but face habitat loss and conflict with agriculture.

## Introduction
Baboons are large Old World monkeys of the genus Papio, found across sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Six species are recognised, ranging from the hamadryas baboon of the Horn of Africa and Arabia to the chacma baboon of southern Africa. Baboons are among the largest monkeys — males of some species exceed 40 kg — with dog-like muzzles, powerful jaws and complex social hierarchies. They live in large troops of up to 200 individuals, foraging on the ground by day and roosting in cliffs or trees at night. Most species are Least Concern, but habitat loss and conflict with farmers who shoot baboons raiding crops remain persistent threats.

## Takeaway
Baboons are the largest monkeys in Africa, with dog-like muzzles and powerful jaws.

## Takeaway
Six species range from Guinea baboons in West Africa to chacma baboons in the south.

## Takeaway
Troops can contain up to 200 individuals with complex dominance hierarchies.

## Takeaway
Baboons are omnivorous, eating fruit, roots, insects, small mammals and occasionally crops.

## Takeaway
Conflict with farmers — crop raiding and retaliatory killing — is a major human-wildlife issue.

## Takeaway
Most species are Least Concern, but local populations are declining where habitat is lost.

## Six species across Africa
The genus Papio contains six species. The hamadryas baboon (P. hamadryas) ranges from the Horn of Africa across the Arabian Peninsula, living in one-male units that merge into larger bands. The olive baboon (P. anubis) is the most widespread, spanning equatorial Africa. The yellow baboon (P. cynocephalus) inhabits eastern and central Africa; the chacma baboon (P. ursinus) dominates southern Africa. The Guinea baboon (P. papio) is restricted to West Africa and is Near Threatened. The Kinda baboon (P. kindae) of central Africa was recognised as a separate species in 2013. All share the characteristic baboon silhouette: large body, long muzzle, short tail and calloused buttocks (ischial callosities) for sitting on rough surfaces.

## Social structure and intelligence
Baboon troops are among the most complex societies in the animal kingdom. Females stay in their natal troop and inherit rank from their mothers, forming matrilines that dominate troop politics. Males leave at maturity and transfer between troops, competing fiercely for access to females. Alliances, grooming and political manoeuvring determine rank. Baboons communicate through facial expressions, vocalisations and gestures — researchers have documented over 30 distinct signals. They use tools in some populations, swim when necessary, and adapt behaviour to urban edges in South Africa and Kenya. This intelligence makes them fascinating to study but also formidable crop raiders.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/baboon): Baboon — wildlife guide.

## Baboons and people
As agriculture expands into savanna and woodland, baboons increasingly raid maize, sugar cane and fruit crops. Farmers often shoot or poison raiding troops. In South Africa, chacma baboons in the Cape Peninsula have become habituated to urban areas, entering homes and cars for food — leading to management programmes involving relocation and aversive conditioning. In Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia, hamadryas baboons are sometimes kept as pets or used in traditional practices. Tourism that feeds baboons creates aggression and disease risk. Sustainable solutions include electric fencing, guard dogs, compensation schemes and waste management that removes attractants.

## Conservation status
Most baboon species are Least Concern with large populations and adaptable behaviour. The Guinea baboon is Near Threatened due to habitat loss and hunting in West Africa. CITES lists all baboon species on Appendix II.

Because baboons are not globally threatened, they receive less conservation funding than endangered primates — yet local extirpation occurs where habitat is destroyed or persecution is intense. Protected areas and wildlife corridors maintain connectivity between troops. Research on baboon social behaviour continues to inform understanding of primate cognition and human evolution.

## Related WARN primate guides
Baboons are among Africa's most visible primates — but readers often confuse them with mandrills, macaques or monkeys more broadly. Read WARN's monkey species library for New and Old World primates, mandrill guide for Central African forest relatives, and gorilla and chimpanzee pages for great ape context.

Human–wildlife conflict with crop-raiding baboons mirrors challenges WARN addresses in partner countries where forests become farms.

Never feed baboons at tourist sites — habituation leads to aggression and culling.

## WARN work
WARN publishes this baboon guide as free public education. Baboons illustrate the complexity of human-wildlife coexistence — adaptable enough to persist, yet vulnerable to persecution where forests become farms.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/baboon): Baboon — wildlife guide.

## How many baboon species are there?
Six species are recognised: hamadryas, olive, yellow, chacma, Guinea and Kinda baboon. The Kinda baboon was described as a separate species in 2013.

## Are baboons dangerous?
Baboons are powerful animals with large canine teeth. They rarely attack unprovoked but will defend themselves if cornered or if they associate humans with food. Feeding baboons increases aggression.

## What do baboons eat?
Baboons are omnivorous, eating fruit, seeds, roots, insects, small mammals, birds and eggs. They also raid crops — maize, sugar cane and fruit — which brings them into conflict with farmers.

## How big are baboon troops?
Troop size varies from 20 to 200 individuals depending on species and habitat. Hamadryas baboons form smaller one-male units that merge into bands of several hundred.

## Are baboons endangered?
Most species are Least Concern. The Guinea baboon is Near Threatened due to habitat loss in West Africa. Local populations decline where persecution and habitat destruction are intense.

## What is the difference between a baboon and a mandrill?
Baboons (Papio) and mandrills (Mandrillus) are related but separate genera. Mandrills are more colourful, with blue and red facial ridges, and live in Central African rainforest. Baboons inhabit more open savanna and woodland.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/hyena): Hyena — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is Africa's most common large carnivore, living in matriarchal clans on the savanna; listed as Least Concern, it is a skilled hunter — not merely a scavenger — facing persecution and habitat loss.

## Introduction
The spotted hyena is Africa's most common large carnivore and one of the most successful hunters on the savanna — yet it suffers from centuries of misrepresentation as a cowardly scavenger. Spotted hyenas live in clans of up to 80 individuals with a strict female-dominated hierarchy; females are larger and more aggressive than males, an rarity among mammals. They hunt in coordinated groups, taking zebra, wildebeest and antelope, and communicate through an extraordinary repertoire of whoops, giggles and groans. Listed as Least Concern, spotted hyenas remain widespread but face persecution from farmers and decline where prey and habitat disappear.

## Takeaway
Spotted hyenas are skilled hunters, not just scavengers — they kill most of their own prey.

## Takeaway
Females are larger and dominant over males — a rare reversal among mammals.

## Takeaway
Hyena clans can contain up to 80 individuals with complex social hierarchies.

## Takeaway
Their 'laugh' is a stress signal, not amusement — each hyena has a unique voice.

## Takeaway
Spotted hyenas have the strongest jaws relative to size of any mammalian carnivore.

## Takeaway
Persecution by farmers and decline of prey are the main threats.

## Three hyena species
Four hyena species exist, in three genera. The spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is the largest and most social, ranging across sub-Saharan Africa.

The striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is smaller, more solitary, and ranges from North Africa through the Middle East to India — listed as Near Threatened. The brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea) is restricted to southern Africa and is Near Threatened. The aardwolf (Proteles cristata) is a hyena relative that eats termites. This guide focuses on the spotted hyena, the species most associated with African savanna and the one most frequently searched.

## Matriarchal society and communication
Spotted hyena clans are led by an alpha female and her allies. Females inherit rank above males and invest heavily in their offspring — hyena mothers produce exceptionally rich milk, and cubs compete fiercely.

Clan members cooperate for nursing position from birth. Clan members cooperate to defend territory, raise cubs communally in a shared den, and hunt together. Communication is sophisticated: whoops carry individual identity over several kilometres; giggles signal submission or stress during feeding competition; groans and grunts coordinate group movement. Research in the Maasai Mara and Ngorongoro Crater has revealed hyena intelligence comparable to some primates.

## Hunting and ecology
Contrary to popular belief, spotted hyenas kill 60–95% of the food they eat, depending on the population. They hunt zebra, wildebeest, Thomson's gazelle and other ungulates, often working in groups to isolate weak or young animals. Their powerful jaws can crush bone, allowing them to extract marrow and nutrients other predators leave. Hyenas compete with lions — sometimes losing kills to larger prides, sometimes stealing lion kills through mobbing behaviour. As both predator and scavenger, hyenas clean carcasses and reduce disease spread, playing an essential ecological role.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/hyena): Hyena — wildlife guide.

## Conservation and persecution
The IUCN lists the spotted hyena as Least Concern with an estimated 47,000–87,000 mature individuals and a stable or slightly decreasing trend. Persecution remains significant: farmers shoot and poison hyenas suspected of killing livestock, though hyenas more often scavenge dead animals than kill healthy cattle. Habitat loss and depletion of wild prey from bushmeat hunting reduce hyena numbers in West and Central Africa. CITES Appendix II regulates international trade. Education correcting the 'cowardly scavenger' stereotype helps build public support for hyena conservation.

## Related WARN guides
Spotted hyenas share African savanna with lions and cheetahs — read WARN's lion and cheetah guides for predator context, wildebeest, impala and gazelle pages for prey species, and antelope guide for the wider ungulate guild.

Meerkat and warthog guides cover other savanna mammals.

Correcting the scavenger stereotype builds support for hyena conservation.

## WARN work
WARN publishes this hyena guide as free public education. African savanna carnivores face the same habitat and prey depletion pressures that drive our work against bushmeat hunting and illegal wildlife trade in partner countries.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/hyena): Hyena — wildlife guide.

## Are hyenas dogs or cats?
Neither. Hyenas belong to the family Hyaenidae, a distinct carnivore lineage more closely related to mongooses and civets than to dogs or cats. Their dog-like appearance is convergent evolution.

## Do hyenas only scavenge?
No. Spotted hyenas kill most of their own food — studies show 60–95% of their diet comes from their own hunts. They are skilled cooperative predators of zebra, wildebeest and antelope.

## Why do hyenas laugh?
The 'giggle' is a stress or submission signal, usually heard during feeding competition when hyenas squabble over a carcass. Each hyena has a unique giggle, allowing identification by voice.

## Are hyenas dangerous to humans?
Hyena attacks on people are rare but documented, particularly around camps and settlements where hyenas scavenge. Healthy wild hyenas generally avoid humans. Rabid hyenas pose a separate risk.

## How many hyena species are there?
Four: spotted hyena, striped hyena, brown hyena and aardwolf. The spotted hyena is the largest and most social, living in clans across sub-Saharan Africa.

## Are spotted hyenas endangered?
Spotted hyenas are Least Concern globally with tens of thousands remaining. Striped and brown hyenas are Near Threatened. Local declines occur where persecution and prey depletion are intense.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/wildebeest): Wildebeest — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) is a gregarious grazing antelope of African savanna, central to the Great Migration of over a million animals between Serengeti and Maasai Mara; listed as Least Concern but declining outside protected areas.

## Introduction
The blue wildebeest — also called the brindled gnu — is one of Africa's most iconic grazing antelopes and the dominant species in the Great Migration of the Serengeti–Mara ecosystem. More than a million wildebeest, together with zebra and gazelle, circulate annually between Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara in the largest terrestrial mammal migration on Earth. Wildebeest are gregarious, forming herds of thousands, and are a keystone prey species for lions, hyenas, crocodiles and wild dogs. Listed as Least Concern globally, wildebeest numbers remain substantial in protected areas but have declined where fencing, agriculture and poaching fragment their range.

## Takeaway
Blue wildebeest drive the Great Migration — the largest terrestrial mammal migration on Earth.

## Takeaway
More than 1.5 million wildebeest circulate between Serengeti and Maasai Mara annually.

## Takeaway
Calving season sees roughly 500,000 calves born in a few weeks on the southern Serengeti plains.

## Takeaway
Wildebeest are keystone prey for lions, hyenas, crocodiles and wild dogs.

## Takeaway
Black wildebeest of southern Africa is a separate, smaller species.

## Takeaway
Fencing, agriculture and poaching threaten populations outside major reserves.

## Two wildebeest species
Two wildebeest species exist in the genus Connochaetes.

The blue wildebeest (C. taurinus) — also called the brindled or common wildebeest — ranges across East and southern Africa and forms the mega-herds of the Great Migration. Five subspecies are recognised, including the western white-bearded wildebeest of Tanzania and Kenya. The black wildebeest (C. gnou) is smaller, darker and confined to southern Africa, where it was hunted nearly to extinction before recovering through conservation. Both species have a heavy front end, slender hindquarters, a shaggy mane and curved horns — the Afrikaans name 'wildebeest' means 'wild cattle'.

## The Great Migration
The Serengeti–Mara wildebeest migration is driven by rainfall and grass quality. Roughly 1.5 million blue wildebeest, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebra and Thomson's gazelle, follow a circular route of about 800 km. Calving occurs on the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti in February, when up to 500,000 calves are born within a few weeks — a strategy that overwhelms predators.

The herds then move northward, crossing the Grumeti and Mara rivers where crocodiles take a toll. This migration is the defining ecological event of East African savanna and supports an entire predator community.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/wildebeest): Wildebeest — wildlife guide.

## Ecology and behaviour
Wildebeest are selective bulk grazers, preferring short green grass. Their large herds offer safety in numbers against predators, though lions and hyenas still take significant numbers — particularly calves and weak adults during river crossings. Wildebeest communicate through grunts, snorts and scent marking. Rutting males defend temporary territories on leks during the breeding season. They require access to water and cannot survive in arid zones without regular drinking. As a keystone prey species, wildebeest abundance directly affects predator populations across the ecosystem.

## Conservation challenges
The IUCN lists the blue wildebeest as Least Concern with an estimated 1.55 million individuals and a stable trend in protected areas. However, populations outside major reserves have declined due to agricultural expansion, fencing that blocks migration routes, poaching for bushmeat and competition with livestock. The black wildebeest recovered from near extinction to Least Concern through reintroduction in South Africa. Maintaining open migration corridors between Serengeti and Maasai Mara is critical — border fencing or land conversion could collapse the migration. CITES Appendix II regulates international trade.

## Related WARN guides
Wildebeest drive the Great Migration — read WARN's impala and gazelle guides for fellow grazers, antelope page for the wider family, and lion, cheetah and hyena pages for predators that depend on herds.

Zebra guide covers migration companions.

Open corridors between Serengeti and Maasai Mara are essential.

## WARN work
WARN publishes this wildebeest guide as free public education. The Great Migration depends on connected savanna habitat — the same landscape-scale protection that benefits all African wildlife.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/wildebeest): Wildebeest — wildlife guide.

## What is the Great Migration?
The Great Migration is the annual circular movement of roughly 1.5 million blue wildebeest, plus zebra and gazelle, between Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara — the largest terrestrial mammal migration on Earth.

## What is the difference between blue and black wildebeest?
Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) are larger, brindled grey-brown and range across East and southern Africa. Black wildebeest (C. gnou) are smaller, dark brown to black and confined to southern Africa.

## Why do wildebeest cross rivers?
Wildebeest follow rainfall and fresh grass. River crossings — notably the Mara River — are dangerous bottlenecks where Nile crocodiles kill many animals, but the herds must cross to reach better grazing.

## Are wildebeest endangered?
Blue wildebeest are Least Concern globally with over 1.5 million in the Serengeti–Mara alone. Populations decline outside protected areas due to habitat loss, fencing and poaching.

## What eats wildebeest?
Lions, spotted hyenas, Nile crocodiles, African wild dogs and leopards prey on wildebeest. Calves are especially vulnerable during the calving season and river crossings.

## How far do wildebeest migrate?
The Serengeti–Mara migration covers roughly 800 km in a circular route, with daily movements of 5–10 km depending on grass quality and rainfall.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/impala): Impala — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The impala (Aepyceros melampus) is Africa's most widespread medium-sized antelope, listed as Least Concern; it inhabits savanna woodland across eastern and southern Africa and is a keystone prey species for major predators.

## Introduction
The impala is one of Africa's most common and widespread antelopes, found in woodlands, savanna and grassland from Kenya to South Africa. Recognisable by its sleek reddish coat, white underparts and the male's lyre-shaped horns, the impala is a medium-sized antelope weighing 40–76 kg. It is extraordinarily athletic — capable of leaps exceeding three metres high and ten metres long — and forms herds of hundreds during the dry season. Impala are a staple prey species for lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs and hyenas. Listed as Least Concern, they remain abundant in protected areas but decline where bushmeat hunting and habitat loss intensify.

## Takeaway
Impala are Africa's most abundant medium-sized antelope, numbering around two million.

## Takeaway
Males carry lyre-shaped horns; females are hornless and slightly smaller.

## Takeaway
Impala leap up to 3 m high and 10 m long — among the most athletic antelopes.

## Takeaway
They are mixed feeders, grazing in the wet season and browsing in the dry season.

## Takeaway
Impala are a primary prey species for lions, leopards, cheetahs and wild dogs.

## Takeaway
Bushmeat hunting and habitat loss threaten populations outside protected areas.

## Two subspecies
Two impala subspecies are recognised. The common impala (A. m. melampus) ranges across eastern and southern Africa — from Kenya and Tanzania through Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to South Africa. The black-faced impala (A. m. petersii) is restricted to north-western Namibia and south-western Angola and is Vulnerable due to its small, isolated population.

Both share the characteristic impala profile: slender body, reddish-brown coat with a black stripe along the flank, white belly and rump, and black tufts above the hooves. Males weigh 53–76 kg and carry S-shaped horns up to 90 cm long.

## Herds, rutting and calving
Impala form three types of social group: territorial males with harems of females, bachelor herds of non-territorial males, and female herds with young. During the rut — triggered by rainfall in some regions — males defend territories through horn clashes and loud snorts.

Calving often occurs in a synchronised burst, flooding predators with more calves than they can eat. Females hide newborn calves in thick cover for the first few weeks. Impala herds can merge into aggregations of hundreds during the dry season, gathering near permanent water.

## Feeding and predator avoidance
Impala are adaptable mixed feeders. In the wet season they graze on fresh grass; in the dry season they browse leaves, shoots and fruit. This flexibility helps them survive in varied habitats from moist woodland to drier acacia savanna. When alarmed, impala perform a distinctive stiff-legged leap — the 'pronking' display — that may confuse predators or signal fitness to pursuers. They are vigilant, with sentinels scanning for lions, leopards and cheetahs. Despite these defences, impala are the most commonly killed prey in many African ecosystems.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/impala): Impala — wildlife guide.

## Conservation status
The IUCN lists the common impala as Least Concern with an estimated two million individuals and a stable population trend. The black-faced impala subspecies is Vulnerable, with fewer than 3,000 individuals in a restricted range in Namibia and Angola. Bushmeat snaring affects impala across Central and East Africa, where wire snares kill indiscriminately. Habitat conversion to agriculture removes woodland edge habitat impala prefer. In well-managed protected areas, impala populations remain robust and serve as indicators of ecosystem health.

## Related WARN guides
Impala are savanna antelope — read WARN's wildebeest and gazelle guides for fellow grazers, antelope page for the family overview, and lion, cheetah and hyena pages for predators.

Warthog and meerkat guides cover other common savanna mammals.

Protected areas and anti-poaching work maintain impala prey bases for apex predators.

## WARN work
WARN publishes this impala guide as free public education. Impala abundance reflects the health of African savanna ecosystems — the same landscapes threatened by bushmeat hunting and habitat loss.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/impala): Impala — wildlife guide.

## What is an impala?
The impala (Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized African antelope weighing 40–76 kg, with a reddish coat, white underparts and lyre-shaped horns in males. It is one of the most common antelopes in eastern and southern Africa.

## Why do impala jump when they run?
Impala perform stiff-legged leaps called pronking when alarmed. This may confuse predators, signal the impala's fitness, or help the herd keep visual contact during flight.

## What eats impala?
Lions, leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs, spotted hyenas and crocodiles all prey on impala. Impala are among the most commonly hunted prey species in African savanna.

## Are impala endangered?
Common impala are Least Concern with around two million individuals. The black-faced impala subspecies of Namibia is Vulnerable with fewer than 3,000 animals.

## What do impala eat?
Impala are mixed feeders — grazing on grass in the wet season and browsing leaves, shoots and fruit in the dry season. This flexibility helps them survive across varied habitats.

## Where do impala live?
Impala inhabit savanna woodland, grassland and acacia scrub across Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.