The plains zebra is a Peryssodactlyla mammal and it belongs, as the horse, to the Equidae family. The peculiar feature of the zebras, that distinguishes them from the other members of the Equidae family, is the coat, white with black or reddish-brown streaks, that lie vertical on the trunk and neck and horizontal on the…

The yak is an Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulate) mammal of the Bovidae family. Although currently spread over a vast area of central Asia due to farming practices, the wild yak lives only in the Tibetan plateau. In the wild, the adult individuals reach impressive dimensions: the males can exceed 200 cm in shoulder height, 300 cm…

The tiger is a carnivorous mammal of the Felidae family, of which is largest species in size. The tiger, in addiction to being the biggest living wild felid, it is also one of the most massive land predators. The original distribution area stretched over the entire Asia, from Turkey to the east coast of Russia.…

The scimitar oryx is a mammal of the Bovidae family. This species of oryx was once widespread over most of North Africa. The last wild individuals have been seen in the late 80ies, and the species was declared extinct in the wild in 2000. The decline of the species began in the early twentieth century,…

The term “llama” will often indicate four species of camelids: the vicuna, the guanaco, the alpaca and the llama itself, all native to South America. Only the first two species live in the wild, while the other two exist only as domesticated animals. The llama is the domesticated form of the guanaco, the alpaca is…

The hippopotamus is an Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulate) mammal and it belongs to the Hippopotamidae family, which includes only one other extant member: the pygmy hippopotamus. Originally spread over sub-Saharan Africa, today the hippopotamus has dramatically contracted its scattered area, mainly because of hunting and agricultural practices carried on by man. It is definitely one among…

The Highland cattle is a breed of bovine, native to the Highlands and the Western Islands of Scotland. Thanks to its high resistance to the cold, this breed has been exported all over the world, even to areas where winters are more gelid than in Scotland. Selected in a very rainy and cold climate, the…

The wildebeest is an Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulate) mammal of the Bovidae family, widespread throughout South and East Africa, where it inhabits savannahs with scarce vegetation. The wildebeest can be 145 cm tall at the shoulder, 250 cm long and can weigh 290 kg. Its body colour is generally grey, with blu shades and black stripes…

The giraffe is an Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) mammal and it belongs to the Giraffidae family, that counts only one other extant member: the okapi. The giraffe is an unmistakable animal, thanks to its shape and size. It has an exceptionally long neck, a relatively short body, and very long legs. It is the tallest living…

The dromedary is an Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) mammal, from the Camelidae family. Originally native to Asia and North Africa, it has been introduced by humans in Australia. Today, approximately 13 millions of dromedaries live in different parts of the world, both captive and domesticated. The domestication of the dromedary has its origin in 4,000 AC, in the Arabian…

The fallow deer is an Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulate) mammal, from the Cervidae family. Indigenous inhabitant of Europe and Asia, during the last glacial period it became extinct in the Old World. Since then, Phoenicians, Romans and Normans reintroduced the fallow deers, spreading them across most of Europe, islands included. Aside from the Asian, all other…

The red deer is an Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulate) mammal of the Cervidae family. It is spread over a wide distribution area, which stretches from Europe and North Africa to Central Asia, Siberia, the Far East and North America. Only the males have antlers, pronged and deciduous horns, that are renewed every spring, increasing in size,…