Known for their vibrant colors, which can change rapidly in response to their environment, mood, or social interactions

Yes, they really do eat fish!

Tiny but terrifying (if you’re a bug)

These owls have specialized feathers that make their flight nearly silent

One of the largest owls in South Asia

Has the body of a duck, neck of a goose, and voice of a goose having a bad day

Despite their name,most of their diet makes up of fruits and seeds

Has a distinctive mane around their heads, which resembles a lion’s

Rocks a natural bowl-cut — with fur that parts neatly across the top of their head like they just walked out of a 90s sitcom

Have an awkwardly stiff gait, kind of like they’re walking in slow motion with exaggerated leg lifts

Males sport a big, bumpy black “knob” on top of their bill — like a bird-sized bike helmet

They’re the biggest otters in Asia

You might’ve already seen one in your backyard

They flip the script — literally!

Timid by nature, often flying off at the slightest sign of danger

Have you ever seen one gliding through a stream or sunning itself by a quiet pond?

Famously linked to the production of a luxury coffee called kopi luwak

Believed to have naturally spread across much of Asia

Need to escape? No problem! They can dive into water and swim powerfully using their tail like a paddle

Often called “the farmers of the forest”, because of their role in planting so many trees through seed dispersal

Sometimes seen snatching food in mid-air or stealing prey from other birds — a behavior known as kleptoparasitism

A cavity nester — it uses its powerful beak to chisel out holes in tree trunks or dead wood

One of the most widespread and adaptable herons in the world

Famous snake-fighter — with strategy

The only mammal known to intentionally eat spicy food

Once so common in parts of Kerala that it was hunted for its musk and meat

Was once so rare that it was believed extinct in the wild

The treasured bird of Saladin, the first Sultan of Egypt

Can make clicking sounds up to 200 times per second to locate prey in cloudy waters where vision is limited

An accomplished climber with the ability to glide!

They help carry the babies to the water in their mouths — gently, without harming them

Their calm behavior and massive size have earned them nicknames like the “gentle giants” of the jungle

One of the most iconic animals of the high Himalayas

One of the largest and most powerful wild bovines in the world

Its wool, shahtoosh, is so fine that a shawl made from it can pass through a wedding ring

Despite being called “blue sheep,” bharals are more closely related to goats than true sheep

The largest of all goats and Pakistan’s national animal

An incredible climber — it can scale almost vertical cliffs and jump across wide gaps with ease

Known as the “Marco Polo sheep,” it was first described by the explorer during his Central Asia travels

Its brown and tan patterns help it stay hidden among the forest floor’s leaf litter, rocks, and soil

Has an extraordinary ability to mimic human speech — better than almost any other bird on the planet

Surprisingly shy and spends most of its life high up in the treetops, where it’s hard to spot

Even from day one, they’re already scrambling up slopes alongside their mothers!

One of the most visually stunning kingfisher, often described as a “flying jewel”

This bird taps its feet to imitate rain to make the prey reach the surface

This shy, nocturnal predator spends its life in open areas of grassland and cane fields but is rarely seen

One of the rarest and most critically endangered crane species in the world

Their keen vision enables them to scan vast landscapes, identifying small movements or potential prey items even from high altitudes

Renowned for their spectacular aerial displays during courtship, including steep dives and intricate flight patterns

Native to Asia where they were first domesticated, the ancestors to all our chickens

The flocks of this social and gregarious bird are fond of migration, flying over the horizon and creating a V-shaped formation

Its long, serrated beak, often called a “sawbill,” is perfectly adapted for catching slippery prey like fish

While they may look graceful in flight, they are relatively slow flyers compared to many other birds

Loves trees! Only member of its family breeding in Europe

People who live near forests might hear this owl before they ever see it

The masters of catching oysters, clams, and cockles

A powerful constrictor that can grow longer than a school bus!

Nonvenomous but it’s hug can be as deadly as a venom!

A common sight in coastal regions throughout the Northern Hemisphere

When disturbed, they may freeze and appear like a dead tree stump

An owl that meows like a cat

You think squirrels are agile? These lizards leap and scramble across rocks like little desert ninjas!

Often mistaken for a small dragon in the local folklore of the regions where it lives

A mysterious amphibian with a strange appearance

Also known as “barking deer” because of their loud, barking alarm calls

Its appearance is what really sets it apart—it looks like something straight out of a science fiction movie

Sometimes mistaken for a crow because of its size and dark coloration

A delightful bird with a calm and peaceful nature

A snake that can fly? Well, not exactly fly, but glide through the air like a superhero

Their long noses help them climb trees by giving them extra grip on the branches

Amazing flyers — they can even drink water while they’re flying!

Can dive down to the bottom of a lake and rest there, safe from predators!

They might not look like much, but they have an incredible talent: singing!

They don’t have eyelids, instead, they have a clear covering over their eyes that they lick to keep clean

One of the rarest birds in the world with feathers that change color depending on the season

Underneath this colorful beak, there’s a hidden surprise – a built-in net for scooping up a delicious lunch!

Its colorful pattern makes it stand out, earning it the name “Beauty”

Its imperial imagery and fierce demeanor have made it a symbol of power and nobility throughout history

Most common and widely distributed swallow globally

The smallest of all the crane species and is known for its elegance and grace

Very active and noisy, with a loud, piercing call that sounds like “pee-wit”

Often called the “singer of the night,” it produces a complex and beautiful melody that has captivated people for centuries

Their faces start out pink and red when they’re young, but as they get older, they turn darker, almost brown or black

So elusive that it was once thought to be a myth or legend among local populations until its official discovery and documentation

Once hunted extensively for their meat and beautiful horns that pushed their numbers to dangerously low levels

Considered one of the closest living relatives to the extinct dodo bird

Its scales are mistakenly believed to have medicinal properties, leading to a dangerous black market trade

A majestic scavenger with a wingspan wider than a car

The true eye-catcher is its head – completely bare with a shade of red, orange, or even yellow, depending on its age

The biggest of all the hammerhead sharks, with a massive head that looks like a giant, flat hammer

Popular food fish, prized for its mild flavor and firm texture

Often called “goat-antelopes” because they share traits with both animals

A champion swimmer and a social butterfly of the warm seas

They bob their heads up and down as they fly, which is actually how they earned the nickname “Noddy”

Known for their acrobatic leaps, twisting and turning gracefully as they jump completely out of the water

Often seen riding the bow waves of boats or performing acrobatic leaps out of the water