Closer in size to a ferret than a true badger

One of the few with webbing between its toes, helping it walk through water and grab slippery prey

Literally barks like a dog—hence the nickname “barking deer”

It runs like a pig — not a deer

Has a distinctly ancient look and is often described as a bird that “looks like it walked out of the Pleistocene”

One of the few ibis species that prefers dry forests over wetlands, making its ecology quite unusual

One of the largest living ducks, often heavier than many geese

Its decline was so rapid and poorly tracked that conservationists only realized how critical the situation was in the early 2000s

Its boom has been compared to blowing across the top of a giant bottle — a sound low enough to feel in your chest on still mornings

More active on overcast or slightly rainy days, when amphibians are abundant and easier to catch

Rather than hovering constantly, they often glide and make short flutters to conserve energy in open landscapes

A heavyweight champ — elegant, yes, but you don’t want to mess with that beak

Can stay completely motionless for hours or even days, waiting for an unsuspecting rodent to wander by

No need to double check, it is not a snake!

It’s not a snake! Can blink and hear—two things snakes can’t do

How to express emotion? Turn brighter during excitement or darker when stressed

Can rotate its ankles backward—just like a raccoon—allowing it to climb down trees headfirst

Its fangs can rotate forward like switchblades, allowing deep, efficient strikes before folding neatly back into its mouth

Called a “mock viper” because it mimics the look and behavior of true vipers

Believed to guard hidden treasures or sacred sites due to its rare and majestic appearance

Known for its calm and shy behavior, it’s one of the most docile snakes in Asia

Has one of the most complex venoms among Asian cobras

Often mistaken for an earthworm because of its size and shiny, cylindrical body

One of the smallest turtles in Asia, with adults easily fitting in the palm of a hand

Its thin, translucent skin gives it a ghostly appearance under bright light

With quills that are lighter and more flexible than those of other porcupines

Can spray a strong secretion from its anal glands when threatened—somewhat analogous to a skunk, though not as potent

Can tolerate humid heat extremely well, thanks to its habit of seeking shade and damp soil

Its flight is nearly soundless, thanks to specially fringed wing feathers that disrupt air turbulence

Defies the usual “creature of the night” stereotype by thriving in open landscapes and often hunting boldly in daylight

Known as the “temple turtle” because it is often kept in temple ponds

A leathery, flat-bodied turtle that looks part alien and part ancient relic

While they look soft and harmless, their strong jaws can deliver a surprisingly sharp bite

No two civets look exactly alike—like a fingerprint in fur

A beak built for everything—one of the most versatile tools in the kingfisher family!

Both predator and scavenger, shy yet bold, wild yet living close to human world

Sometimes called a “scaly anteater,” though it is not related to anteaters at all

Can perform sharp turns and even upward swoops while gliding, almost like birds

Has a charming quirk—it’s a tent-making bat

A bird that carries the rhythms of the seasons on its wings

A giant among Asia’s harmless snakes

Despite its small frame, this eagle can take prey almost as large as itself

Its name comes from its habit of preying on free-ranging domestic hens in medieval Europe—though such encounters are rare today

Quietly appreciated by farmers because it helps control pest populations, especially rats and locusts, in agricultural areas

Have been recorded catching fish nearly half their body length

Their shells can show a golden or amber sheen in sunlight, which likely contributed to their reputation as “golden turtles”

Sometimes called “Taiwanese rattlesnake” by locals—not because it rattles (it doesn’t), but because of its power and frequency of encounters

Proudly holds the title of the largest woodpecker in Asia—and one of the largest in the world

Its call is considered a sign of hot afternoons, since it often calls persistently during the warmest parts of the day

Often seen in pairs, roosting together snugly in tree hollows

Often mistaken for an earthworm

Its golden, catlike eyes are not just for show—they give it superb depth perception in the dark

Sometimes mistaken for a rock or a log when it’s resting

A bird that adds both music and style to any landscape it inhabits

Looks ordinary—but transforms into one of the most extravagant birds during breeding season

One of the few tortoises that regularly eats mushrooms and fungi, including species toxic to humans!

One of the rarest and least-known otters in the world

One of the most beautiful of the wild cattle species

One of the rarest storks in the world

Nicknamed the “undertaker bird” because of its bald head and hunched stance, as if dressed in dark mourning clothe

Rare “fine-beaked cleaner” of Asia’s plains and forests

Can squeeze through shockingly small gaps if their head fits

The third most widespread rat on Earth, after the brown rat and black rat

Bristly mane from head to back and backward-curving horns give it a tough, distinctive appearance

Has a piercing yellow eyes with a default “surprised” look

This owl sometimes makes a dog-like “wow-wow” bark when alarmed

The only sawfish known to spend long stretches of its life in freshwater lakes, not just rivers or coasts

One of the few venomous mammals in the world

Can go months without touching the ground

Yes, they really do eat fish!

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

Their tail posture, always curled upward like a pig’s, is a key way to identify them in the wild

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

Love to perch upright on stones, gazing around like calm little forest monks lost in meditation

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

One of the most intelligent cobra species, capable of learning from repeated experiences

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

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

When eating fruit, they often toss it into the air and catch it with the tip of their bill

One of the most widespread and adaptable herons in the world

The only mammal known to intentionally eat spicy food

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

On the back of their head, just behind the eyes, there’s a raised bony bump – like a miniature helmet!

An accomplished climber with the ability to glide!

The last confirmed sighting was in the 1980s, leaving it teetering on the brink of extinction

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

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

Doesn’t actually have four eyes — the two pale spots behind its real eyes are what inspired the name

Has a hinged shell that allows it to completely shut itself inside

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