World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/himalayan-brown-bear): Himalayan Brown Bear — wildlife guide.

## Threats: poaching, pet cubs and 'dancing bears'
The pressures on this bear are overwhelmingly human. Bears are killed for their fur, claws and internal organs, which feed an illegal trade in body parts, including bile prized in some traditional remedies. Cubs are especially valuable alive: orphaned or stolen young are trafficked as exotic pets and, in parts of South Asia, exploited as 'dancing bears' or baiting animals, a cruel use that condemns the animal to a short, painful life. On top of this, herders sometimes kill bears in retaliation for attacks on sheep and goats, and expanding grazing, infrastructure and disturbance steadily shrink the quiet high ground the bears need.

## What rescue and protection involve
Protecting this subspecies means work on several fronts at once. Maintaining safe, undisturbed core habitat such as Deosai is essential, alongside anti-poaching patrols and tighter enforcement against the trade in cubs and body parts. Where bears are confiscated from the pet or performance trade, they need lifelong sanctuary care, because animals raised in captivity usually cannot return to the wild. Just as important is defusing conflict with herders through guarding, compensation and education, so that a bear seen near livestock is reported rather than shot. Each of these depends on trained local teams operating in remote, hard-to-reach mountains.

## WARN work
The World Animal Rescue Network (WARN CIC) is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation that funds local partner shelters, sanctuaries and rescue teams in its partner-network countries, including Pakistan, the heart of this bear's surviving range. Pakistan is where WARN can act most directly: backing the frontline partners who can respond to confiscated cubs, support anti-poaching and human-bear conflict work, and care for animals that can never go back to the wild. Because the subspecies also ranges into India and Nepal, beyond WARN's funded countries, WARN frames its role honestly as a funded focus inside Pakistan combined with wider public education and awareness about the trade that drives the species' decline.

## Donation hook
By funding rescue and anti-trafficking partners on the ground in Pakistan, you help give confiscated cubs lifelong sanctuary and protect the last Himalayan brown bears of the Deosai high country.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/himalayan-brown-bear): Himalayan Brown Bear — wildlife guide.

## Are Himalayan brown bears dangerous?
They are powerful wild animals and can be dangerous if surprised, cornered or defending cubs, but they generally avoid people and most conflict happens around livestock rather than direct attacks.

## How many Himalayan brown bears are left?
Numbers are low and uncertain; Pakistan is thought to hold roughly 150 to 200, with a 2022 survey counting 66 in and around Deosai National Park, its main stronghold.

## Why is the Himalayan brown bear endangered?
In Pakistan it is considered Critically Endangered because of poaching for body parts, capture of cubs for the pet and 'dancing bear' trade, retaliatory killing over livestock, and the loss and fragmentation of its high-altitude habitat.

## What is a baby Himalayan brown bear called?
A young bear is called a cub, and cubs typically stay with their mother for two years or more.

## Where do himalayan brown bears live?
Himalayan Brown Bears live in ~3,000–5,500 m alpine meadow and cold high desert. A Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus) is a high-altitude subspecies of brown bear native to the western Himalayas of Pakistan, India and Nepal, recognisable by its sandy to reddish-brown coat and considered Critically Endangered within Pakistan even though the wider brown bear species is listed as Least Concern globally.

## What do Himalayan brown bears eat?
They are omnivores, feeding on grasses, roots and other plants, insects, marmots and small mammals, carrion, and sometimes livestock such as sheep and goats.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/maned-wolf): Maned Wolf — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
A maned wolf is the tallest wild canid in the world, a long-legged, reddish-coated omnivore native to the grasslands of central South America — especially Brazil's Cerrado — that despite its name is neither a true wolf nor a fox but the only species in the genus Chrysocyon.

## Introduction
The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the tallest wild canid in the world and the largest in South America, instantly recognisable by the long black legs that earned it the nickname "fox on stilts." Despite the name, it is neither a true wolf nor a fox but the sole living member of its genus, roaming the open savannas of the Cerrado. The IUCN lists it as Near Threatened, with Brazil holding more than 90% of the global population.

## Takeaway
It is the tallest wild canid on the planet, standing up to about 110 cm at the shoulder, yet weighs only 20–30 kg.

## Takeaway
Despite the name it is neither a wolf nor a fox — it is the only living species in the genus Chrysocyon.

## Takeaway
Its disproportionately long legs are an adaptation for seeing over and moving through tall Cerrado grasses, earning it the nickname 'fox on stilts.'

## Takeaway
It is an omnivore: roughly half its diet is fruit, especially the tomato-like lobeira, alongside small mammals, birds and insects.

## Takeaway
The IUCN classifies it as Near Threatened (2015), with an estimated 17,000 mature individuals and Brazil as its stronghold.

## Takeaway
Main threats are Cerrado habitat loss to agriculture, road collisions, persecution and diseases caught from domestic dogs.

## Why it matters and why it's threatened
The maned wolf is the flagship mammal of the Cerrado, the vast tropical savanna that covers much of central Brazil. The Cerrado is one of the world's most biodiverse savannas, yet it has been reduced to a fraction of its original extent as land is converted to soy, sugarcane and cattle pasture. As habitat is fragmented, wolves are forced across roads — where vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death — and into closer contact with farms, where they are sometimes killed in retaliation for taking poultry and where they catch diseases such as parvovirus and distemper from domestic dogs. The IUCN assessed the species as Near Threatened in 2015, estimating roughly 17,000 mature individuals with an uncertain, likely declining trend driven by this ongoing habitat loss.

## Behaviour and ecology
Maned wolves are largely solitary and crepuscular, most active at dusk and through the night. A breeding pair shares and defends a territory of around 30 square kilometres but the two animals typically forage alone rather than as a pack. They are true omnivores: fruit makes up about half the diet, with the lobeira ('wolf's fruit') a favourite, supplemented by rodents, rabbits, armadillos, birds, reptiles and insects. To hunt, a wolf rotates its tall ears to pinpoint prey in the grass, then taps the ground with a forefoot to flush it before pouncing. Their long-distance 'roar-bark' calls and pungent, skunk-like scent marks let widely spaced individuals communicate across the open landscape.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/maned-wolf): Maned Wolf — wildlife guide.

## Reproduction and life cycle
Maned wolves are monogamous. After a gestation of about 65 days, the female gives birth to a litter averaging two to three pups (range one to five), usually during the dry season. Pups are born dark-coated and helpless; they nurse for around four weeks before being weaned onto regurgitated and brought food, with the male known to provision the litter in both wild and captive settings. Young typically disperse at about one year old. In captivity the median life expectancy is roughly 6 to 7 years, with some individuals reaching 12 to 15 years; lifespan in the wild is shorter and poorly documented because of roadkill and disease.

## What rescue and conservation involve
Protecting maned wolves is less about removing animals from the wild and more about keeping the Cerrado intact and survivable. Effective work combines safeguarding and connecting blocks of savanna habitat, reducing road mortality with wildlife crossings and signage, vaccinating and managing domestic dogs near wolf range to cut disease spillover, and easing conflict with farmers so wolves are not killed. Rescue in the literal sense usually means treating animals injured on roads or orphaned pups, then rehabilitating and releasing them where possible. Because the species ranges across several countries, the most durable gains come from supporting local teams who monitor populations and work directly with the communities sharing the landscape.

## WARN work
WARN CIC is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation that funds local partner shelters, sanctuaries and rescue teams across its partner network. Brazil holds more than 90% of the world's maned wolves, so it sits squarely within WARN's funded focus: the model is to channel donor support to Brazilian partners who can respond to road-injured or orphaned wolves, reduce conflict with farmers and protect Cerrado habitat. The maned wolf's wider range also reaches Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru, which fall outside WARN's current funded countries; there our role is education and awareness rather than direct funding. We are careful not to overstate this work — it is early-stage and partner-led.

## Donation hook
More than 90% of the world's maned wolves live in Brazil — one of the countries in WARN's partner network where WARN funds local partner rescue teams. Your gift helps those partners treat road-injured wolves, ease conflict with farmers, and protect the Cerrado grasslands this fox-on-stilts depends on.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/maned-wolf): Maned Wolf — wildlife guide.

## How long do maned wolves live?
In captivity the median life expectancy is about 6 to 7 years, with some individuals reaching 12 to 15 years. Wild lifespan is shorter and poorly documented, largely because of roadkill and disease.

## What do maned wolves eat?
They are omnivores. Roughly half their diet is fruit — especially the tomato-like lobeira or 'wolf's fruit' — with the rest made up of small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.

## How big is a maned wolf?
It is the tallest wild canid in the world, standing up to about 110 cm (around 3.5 feet) at the shoulder, with a head-and-body length near 100 cm. Despite its height it weighs only 20–30 kg (44–66 lb).

## Are maned wolves dangerous to humans?
No. Maned wolves are shy, solitary and not considered a threat to people; they avoid humans and there are no records of them being dangerous. They can occasionally take poultry, which sometimes brings them into conflict with farmers.

## How many maned wolves are left?
The IUCN's 2015 assessment estimated about 17,000 mature individuals, with more than 90% of them in Brazil. The species is classified as Near Threatened.

## Why is the maned wolf endangered or threatened?
Its main threats are loss of Cerrado habitat to agriculture, deaths on roads, persecution by people, and diseases such as distemper and parvovirus caught from domestic dogs. It is currently listed as Near Threatened rather than Endangered.

## What is a baby maned wolf called?
A baby maned wolf is called a pup. Litters average two to three pups, born dark-coated after a gestation of about 65 days.

## Where do maned wolfs live?
Maned Wolfs live in Brazil. A maned wolf is the tallest wild canid in the world, a long-legged, reddish-coated omnivore native to the grasslands of central South America — especially Brazil's Cerrado — that despite its name is neither a true wolf nor a fox but the only species in the genus Chrysocyon.


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

## One-line answer
A dugong is a large, plant-eating marine mammal of the order Sirenia (the "sea cows"), reaching about 3 metres long, that lives entirely in warm coastal seas and feeds almost exclusively on seagrass.

## Introduction
The dugong (Dugong dugon) is a large, slow-moving marine mammal that spends its whole life at sea, grazing seagrass in the warm shallows of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the only strictly herbivorous marine mammal and the sole surviving member of the family Dugongidae. Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List with a declining global population, it faces mounting pressure from fishing bycatch and the loss of the seagrass meadows it depends on.

## Takeaway
The dugong is the only living member of the family Dugongidae and the only marine mammal that feeds almost entirely on plants — seagrass.

## Takeaway
It is globally Vulnerable, but several subpopulations are far worse off: Critically Endangered in East Africa and Japan's Nansei Islands and Endangered in New Caledonia.

## Takeaway
Unlike its manatee cousins, the dugong has a dolphin-like fluked tail and a sharply downturned snout built for grazing the seabed.

## Takeaway
Bycatch in gillnets and the loss of seagrass meadows to coastal development and pollution are the leading threats across Indonesia and Malaysia.

## Takeaway
Dugongs breed slowly — one calf every few years after 13–15 months' gestation — so populations recover very slowly from losses.

## Takeaway
Long associated with mermaid and 'lady of the sea' legends, the dugong belongs to the order Sirenia, named for the Sirens of myth.

## Why the dugong is threatened
The IUCN lists the dugong as Vulnerable globally, with a decreasing population trend (assessed by Marsh and Sobtzick in 2019). That single global label hides a harsher reality: regional assessments rate the species Critically Endangered in East Africa and Japan's Nansei Islands and Endangered in New Caledonia, while only a few strongholds — notably northern Australia and the Persian Gulf — remain relatively secure. Across much of Southeast Asia, including Indonesian and Malaysian waters, populations are small, scattered and poorly counted, with only a couple of Asian sites confirmed to hold more than 100 animals. Because dugongs are long-lived and breed slowly, even modest losses each year can push a local population into decline that takes decades to reverse.

## Life in the seagrass meadows
Dugongs are entirely marine and rarely stray from the shallow, sheltered coastal waters where seagrass grows. An adult eats tens of kilograms of seagrass a day, uprooting whole plants with its muscular, bristled snout and leaving distinctive feeding trails across the meadow. They are generally slow swimmers, cruising at around 10 km/h, and surface every few minutes to breathe. Mostly solitary or seen in pairs, they sometimes gather in larger herds where seagrass is abundant. Reproduction is unhurried: females give birth to a single calf after a 13–15 month gestation, nurse it for well over a year, and may wait several years between calves.


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

## Threats: bycatch and vanishing seagrass
The two threats that matter most across the dugong's Southeast Asian range are entanglement and habitat loss. Gillnets set in shallow coastal waters drown dugongs as accidental bycatch — in Malaysia's Mersing area alone, numerous deaths, many of them calves and juveniles, were recorded over recent years. At the same time, the seagrass meadows dugongs cannot live without are being degraded by destructive fishing, coastal development, sedimentation from land clearing, and pollution. Seagrass covers only a fraction of the seafloor yet stores a disproportionate share of ocean carbon, so protecting it serves both dugongs and the climate. Vessel strikes, hunting and pollution add further pressure.

## What dugong rescue and protection involve
Saving dugongs is less about rescuing individuals and more about protecting the meadows they graze and keeping nets out of their path. Effective work combines community-based patrols that deter destructive fishing and reduce gillnet entanglement, seagrass mapping and restoration, response to stranded or orphaned calves, and education so coastal fishers and tourists understand the animal's fragility. Because dugongs range across some 40 countries, lasting protection depends on local teams working meadow by meadow, bay by bay, supported by national protections and international agreements such as the CITES trade ban.

## WARN work
The World Animal Rescue Network (WARN CIC) is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation that funds local partner shelters, sanctuaries and rescue teams across its partner network. Two of those countries — Indonesia and Malaysia — sit squarely within the dugong's range, where the species clings on in small, scattered groups threatened by gillnet bycatch and seagrass loss. WARN's role is honest and focused: channel donations to vetted local partners working on coastal-marine protection, community-based patrols and education in its funded countries, while using its wider platform to raise awareness of the dugong's plight across the rest of its Indo-Pacific range. WARN does not run dugong programmes itself; it backs the local people already doing the work.

## Donation hook
In Indonesia and Malaysia, dugongs survive in small, fragile groups where one gillnet can undo years of recovery. A gift to WARN helps fund the local partner teams patrolling these coasts and protecting the seagrass meadows dugongs depend on.


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

## What is a dugong?
A dugong is a large, plant-eating marine mammal of the order Sirenia, the group known as sea cows. It lives entirely in warm coastal seas of the Indian and Pacific Oceans and feeds almost exclusively on seagrass.

## How long do dugongs live?
Dugongs are long-lived, commonly reaching around 70 years; one female was aged at 73. Their slow breeding means each long-lived adult matters for the population.

## What do dugongs eat?
Dugongs feed almost entirely on seagrass, uprooting whole plants from shallow meadows with their bristled, downturned snouts. They occasionally take invertebrates such as sea squirts, but they are essentially the only herbivorous marine mammals.

## How big do dugongs get?
Adult dugongs are typically about 3 metres long and weigh roughly 250–400 kg, though exceptionally large individuals have exceeded 1,000 kg. Females tend to be slightly larger than males.

## Are dugongs dangerous to humans?
No. Dugongs are gentle, slow-moving herbivores with no interest in or threat to people. The danger runs the other way — humans harm dugongs through fishing nets, boat strikes and habitat destruction.

## How many dugongs are left?
There is no reliable global population total. The IUCN lists the species as Vulnerable with a decreasing trend; northern Australia holds the largest numbers, while across much of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and Malaysia, populations are small and poorly counted, with only a few Asian sites confirmed to exceed 100 animals.

## What is a baby dugong called?
A baby dugong is called a calf. A female usually gives birth to one calf after a 13–15 month pregnancy and nurses it for well over a year.


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

## One-line answer
A dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated mammal descended from the grey wolf, kept worldwide as a companion, working, and assistance animal; it is the same species across every breed, from the Chihuahua to the Great Dane.

## Introduction
The domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated descendant of the grey wolf and was almost certainly the first species humans ever tamed, tens of thousands of years ago. Today there are roughly 900 million dogs worldwide, ranging from the toy-sized Chihuahua to the towering Great Dane, all belonging to a single biological species. Because the dog is a domesticated animal, the IUCN Red List does not assess it for extinction risk. This guide covers the dog as a species — its origins, biology, and the most-searched breeds — and is a companion to WARN's separate guide on street-dog welfare, rabies control, and humane spay-neuter (CNVR) programmes.

## Takeaway
Every dog breed — from the 1.5 kg teacup Chihuahua to the 80 kg Mastiff — belongs to one species, Canis lupus familiaris, descended from the grey wolf.

## Takeaway
Dogs were the first domesticated animal, with genetic and fossil evidence pointing to domestication somewhere between roughly 15,000 and 40,000 years ago in Eurasia.

## Takeaway
The average dog lives about 10–13 years; smaller breeds tend to outlive giant breeds, which often reach only 8–10 years.

## Takeaway
Canine gestation lasts about 63 days (typically 58–68), and litter size varies from 1–3 puppies in toy breeds to 10 or more in large breeds.

## Takeaway
Major registries such as the FCI recognise well over 300 breeds, though there are more than 400 breeds and landraces worldwide; all interbreed freely.

## Takeaway
Of the world's ~900 million dogs, a large share are free-roaming or street dogs, especially across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America — the focus of WARN's welfare work.

## History & Domestication
The dog is the oldest of all domesticated animals. Genetic studies show that dogs descend from an extinct population of grey wolves, and the split from the wolf lineage is estimated to have occurred somewhere between about 15,000 and 40,000 years ago, somewhere across Eurasia and possibly in more than one place. The leading hypothesis is that less-fearful wolves began scavenging around human camps and effectively domesticated themselves over generations, with tameness gradually favoured. Once that bond formed, people selectively bred dogs for jobs — hunting, herding, guarding, hauling, and companionship — which over millennia produced the extraordinary range of body shapes, coat types, and temperaments seen in modern breeds. Almost all of today's distinct breeds, however, are only a few centuries old, products of intensive 18th- and 19th-century breeding.


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

## Biology & Behaviour
Dogs are highly social carnivores that have evolved alongside humans, giving them an unusual ability to read human gestures, faces, and tone of voice. Their sense of smell is their dominant sense — many times more sensitive than a human's — and they hear far higher frequencies than we do. Reproduction is consistent across the species: females come into season roughly twice a year, gestation lasts about 63 days, and puppies are born blind and deaf, opening their eyes at around two weeks. Diet is omnivorous-leaning-carnivore; unlike cats, dogs can digest starches well, an adaptation to living alongside farming humans. Body size drives much of the variation in health and longevity, with the smallest breeds typically living several years longer than the largest.

## Choosing a Breed
Breed is best understood as a rough guide to size, coat, energy level, and temperament rather than a guarantee. High-energy working and herding breeds such as the Border Collie or German Shepherd need substantial daily exercise and mental work, while many companion breeds are content with less. Flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds like the French Bulldog and Pug are popular but are prone to breathing, eye, and heat-tolerance problems, and tend to have shorter lifespans. Mixed-breed dogs often enjoy good general health and are widely available through rescue. Whatever the type, responsible ownership means matching a dog's needs to your lifestyle, and adopting rather than fuelling demand for poorly bred or trafficked puppies.

## Welfare & Rescue
Across much of the world, most dogs are not pedigree pets but free-roaming community or street dogs. In the countries where WARN's partners work — its partner-network countries — large free-ranging dog populations face road injuries, disease, culling, and the risk of spreading rabies. The humane, evidence-based response is CNVR (catch, neuter, vaccinate, return) combined with mass rabies vaccination, which stabilises populations and protects both dogs and people far more effectively than culling. WARN's dedicated street-dog welfare guide covers these programmes in detail; this species guide is its companion, explaining the animal itself.

## WARN work
WARN channels donor funding to vetted local partners running companion-animal rescue and humane population management in its partner-network countries. That includes CNVR (catch, neuter, vaccinate, return) and mass anti-rabies vaccination for street dogs — most visibly through our Karachi street-dog programme — alongside emergency veterinary treatment, adoption support, and care for community cats. As an early-stage network we are honest that capacity is still building: every partner clinic we can fund means more dogs vaccinated, sterilised, and spared from culling.

## Donation hook
For most of the world's 900 million dogs, the difference between suffering and a healthy life is a single vaccination and a sterilisation surgery. Your gift funds humane CNVR and rabies vaccination through WARN's partner clinics in Pakistan and beyond — protecting street dogs and the communities that live alongside them.


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

## How long do dogs live?
Most dogs live about 10–13 years on average. Smaller breeds often reach 14–16 years or more, while giant breeds such as Great Danes typically live only 8–10 years.

## How many dog breeds are there?
There are more than 400 recognised dog breeds and landraces worldwide. The largest international body, the FCI, formally recognises over 340 breeds, while national registries list somewhat different numbers.

## How long are dogs pregnant?
Canine gestation lasts about 63 days from conception, typically ranging from 58 to 68 days. Litters range from 1–3 puppies in toy breeds to 10 or more in large breeds.

## What is a baby dog called?
A baby dog is called a puppy. Puppies are born blind and deaf, open their eyes at around two weeks, and are usually weaned by six to eight weeks.

## What is a group of dogs called?
A group of dogs is most commonly called a pack. A group of puppies from the same birth is called a litter.

## What do domestic dogs eat?
Domestic dogs eat Omnivorous (carnivore-leaning). A dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated mammal descended from the grey wolf, kept worldwide as a companion, working, and assistance animal; it is the same species across every breed, from the Chihuahua to the Great Dane.

## Where do domestic dogs live?
Domestic dogs live in ~1.5 kg (Chihuahua) to 80+ kg (Mastiff). A dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated mammal descended from the grey wolf, kept worldwide as a companion, working, and assistance animal; it is the same species across every breed, from the Chihuahua to the Great Dane.

## Are domestic dogs dangerous?
Domestic dogs are domesticated animals and are not dangerous to people in the wild-predator sense. A dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated mammal descended from the grey wolf, kept worldwide as a companion, working, and assistance animal; it is the same species across every breed, from the Chihuahua to the Great Dane. Usual risks are husbandry and handling, not unprovoked attacks.

## How big is a domestic dog?
A Domestic dog is about ~10–13 years (small breeds longer). A dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated mammal descended from the grey wolf, kept worldwide as a companion, working, and assistance animal; it is the same species across every breed, from the Chihuahua to the Great Dane.


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

## One-line answer
A cat (Felis catus) is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal descended from the African wildcat; kept worldwide as a companion animal, it is an obligate carnivore that typically lives about 12–18 years and exists in dozens of recognised breeds, though most pet cats are non-pedigreed domestic shorthairs.

## Introduction
The domestic cat (Felis catus) is a small, carnivorous mammal that has shared human homes for roughly 10,000 years, ever since wildcats began drawn to the rodents around early farming settlements in the Near East. Today it is among the most widely kept companion animals on Earth, with hundreds of millions living as pets and many millions more as free-roaming community cats. As a domesticated animal, the cat is not assessed for extinction risk by the IUCN — its closest wild relative, the African wildcat (Felis lybica), is the ancestor from which it descends. Selective breeding over the last century and a half has produced dozens of recognised breeds, from the long-haired Maine Coon to the hairless Sphynx, yet the great majority of pet cats worldwide are not pedigreed at all but mixed-ancestry domestic shorthairs and longhairs. Whether pedigreed or not, every domestic cat shares the same obligate-carnivore biology, keen senses and fast breeding cycle.

## Takeaway
The domestic cat (Felis catus) descends from the African wildcat (Felis lybica) and self-domesticated around early farming communities in the Near East roughly 10,000 years ago.

## Takeaway
Cats are obligate carnivores: they must eat meat to obtain nutrients such as taurine, arginine and preformed vitamin A that their bodies cannot make in sufficient amounts.

## Takeaway
A well-cared-for indoor pet cat commonly lives about 12–18 years, with many reaching their late teens or beyond; free-roaming and feral cats usually live far shorter lives.

## Takeaway
Cats are formidable hunters of rodents, which is exactly why they first associated with humans — but they hunt by instinct whether hungry or not, and that same instinct threatens wildlife when cats roam freely.

## Takeaway
Most pet cats worldwide are non-pedigreed domestic shorthairs or longhairs; recognised breeds such as the Maine Coon, Ragdoll and Persian make up a small fraction of the global cat population.

## Takeaway
Cats breed quickly — females can have several litters a year of around four kittens each — so neutering free-roaming community cats is the humane way to prevent suffering from overpopulation.

## History & Domestication
The cat's relationship with people began not through deliberate taming but through opportunity. As humans shifted to settled farming in the Fertile Crescent around 10,000 years ago, stored grain attracted rodents, and rodents attracted the local African wildcat (Felis lybica). The tamer, bolder cats that tolerated humans found a reliable food supply, and a mutually useful partnership formed — a process often described as self-domestication. Genetic studies trace nearly all domestic cats to this Near Eastern wildcat lineage. Cats spread along trade and shipping routes, prized as rodent control aboard ships and in granaries, and were revered in ancient Egypt. Unlike dogs, cats were barely altered in body shape for most of their history; deliberate breeding into distinct pedigreed breeds is largely a development of the last 150 years, beginning with the Victorian cat fancy.


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

## Biology & Behaviour
Cats are small obligate carnivores, meaning their physiology is built entirely around eating animal tissue: they require dietary taurine, arginine, arachidonic acid and preformed vitamin A, and cannot thrive on plant-based diets. They have excellent low-light vision, acute hearing tuned to the high-frequency squeaks of rodents, and sensitive whiskers for navigating in the dark — adaptations of a crepuscular ambush predator most active at dawn and dusk. Retractable claws, a flexible spine and a righting reflex make them agile climbers and hunters. Socially, cats are more flexible than once thought: they can live solitarily or form loose colonies around shared food. Females reach breeding age by around four to ten months, carry kittens for roughly 63 to 65 days, and typically deliver about four kittens per litter, often several times a year — a high reproductive rate that drives rapid population growth where cats roam unneutered.

## Choosing a Breed
Cat breeds differ mainly in coat, body type and temperament rather than in dramatic size variation, and the most-searched breeds reflect a mix of looks and personality. The Maine Coon and Siberian are large, sociable longhairs; the Ragdoll and Persian are gentle, calm companions bred for affectionate temperaments; the Siamese, Abyssinian and Bengal are active, vocal and highly interactive; and the Sphynx and Devon Rex appeal to people wanting unusual coats and outgoing personalities. Some breeds carry health considerations linked to their distinctive features — for example, flat-faced (brachycephalic) Persians and Exotics can have breathing and tear-duct issues, and the folded ears of the Scottish Fold are caused by a cartilage condition associated with painful joint disease. Crucially, breed is far less important than individual temperament, health and proper care, and a mixed-ancestry domestic cat from a shelter makes just as rewarding a companion as any pedigree.

## Welfare & Rescue
Because cats breed so quickly, unmanaged populations of free-roaming and community cats grow fast, leading to disease, injury, hunger and the suffering of unwanted kittens. The humane, evidence-based response is sterilisation rather than removal: trap-neuter-return (TNR) programmes catch community cats, neuter and vaccinate them, and return them to their territory, gradually stabilising and shrinking colonies without killing. The same Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (CNVR) approach used for street dogs applies to community cats. Responsible cat welfare also means vaccinating and neutering pet cats, providing veterinary care, and reducing the impact of free-roaming cats on local wildlife. In WARN's partner countries, community cats live alongside the far more visible street-dog populations, and both need the same patient, humane management.

## WARN work
WARN supports partner-funded companion-animal rescue and humane population management across its network countries — funding the neutering and vaccination of community cats alongside the large-scale Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (CNVR) work on Pakistan's street dogs. Partner clinics treat sick and injured cats, run TNR for free-roaming colonies, and promote responsible pet ownership so fewer kittens are born into hardship.

## Donation hook
Most cats WARN's partners help are not pampered pedigrees but community cats and rescued strays in our network countries. Your gift funds the neutering, vaccination and veterinary care that stops kittens being born into hardship and gives free-roaming cats a healthier life — the same humane Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return approach that works for street dogs.


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

## How long do cats live?
A well-cared-for indoor pet cat typically lives about 12 to 18 years, and many reach their late teens or even early twenties with good veterinary care, nutrition and a safe environment. Free-roaming and feral cats usually live much shorter lives — often only a few years — because of traffic, disease, parasites and predation.

## How many cat breeds are there?
It depends on the registry. The Cat Fanciers' Association recognises more than 45 pedigreed breeds, while The International Cat Association recognises around 70, and counts vary because registries differ on which breeds and varieties they accept. Despite this, the overwhelming majority of pet cats worldwide are not pedigreed at all — they are mixed-ancestry domestic shorthairs and longhairs.

## How long are cats pregnant?
A cat's gestation period is roughly 63 to 65 days — about nine weeks — with most sources citing a range of around 60 to 67 days. A typical litter is about four kittens, though litters of two to five are common and much larger litters occur occasionally.

## What is a baby cat called?
A baby cat is called a kitten. Kittens are born blind and deaf, open their eyes at around one to two weeks, and are usually weaned by about eight weeks of age.

## What is a group of cats called?
A group of cats is called a clowder; the word 'clutter' is also sometimes used. A group of kittens born together is a litter, and an unneutered group of free-roaming cats sharing territory is usually called a colony.

## What do domestic cats eat?
Domestic Cats eat Obligate carnivore — requires meat-derived nutrients such as taurine and preformed vitamin A. A cat (Felis catus) is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal descended from the African wildcat; kept worldwide as a companion animal, it is an obligate carnivore that typically lives about 12–18 years and exists in dozens of recognised breeds, though most pet cats are non-pedigreed domestic shorthairs.

## Where do domestic cats live?
Domestic Cats live in ~3–5 kg typical; large breeds such as the Maine Coon can reach 8 kg or more. A cat (Felis catus) is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal descended from the African wildcat; kept worldwide as a companion animal, it is an obligate carnivore that typically lives about 12–18 years and exists in dozens of recognised breeds, though most pet cats are non-pedigreed domestic shorthairs.

## Are domestic cats dangerous?
Domestic Cats are domesticated animals and are not dangerous to people in the wild-predator sense. A cat (Felis catus) is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal descended from the African wildcat; kept worldwide as a companion animal, it is an obligate carnivore that typically lives about 12–18 years and exists in dozens of recognised breeds, though most pet cats are non-pedigreed domestic shorthairs. Usual risks are husbandry and handling, not unprovoked attacks.

## How big is a domestic cat?
A Domestic Cat is about ~12–18 years for pet cats; many reach late teens or older. A cat (Felis catus) is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal descended from the African wildcat; kept worldwide as a companion animal, it is an obligate carnivore that typically lives about 12–18 years and exists in dozens of recognised breeds, though most pet cats are non-pedigreed domestic shorthairs. Conservation status: Domesticated — Not Evaluated by IUCN (ancestor African wildcat, Felis lybica: Least Concern).


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

## One-line answer
The lion (Panthera leo) is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 23,000 mature and subadult lions remaining in Africa plus around 670 in India, and the overall population is decreasing.

## Introduction
The lion is the most-searched animal on the planet and one of the most recognizable creatures alive, yet far fewer remain than most people assume. Once spread across Africa, the Middle East, and into India, wild lions now cling to a fraction of their former range, concentrated in the savannas and grasslands of eastern and southern Africa, with a single small population surviving in India's Gir Forest. They are the only truly social member of the cat family, living in cooperative family groups called prides. The IUCN lists the lion as Vulnerable, with roughly 23,000 mature and subadult lions estimated across Africa and about 670 in India. Habitat loss, conflict with people protecting livestock, and the collapse of their wild prey continue to push numbers downward.

## Takeaway
Lions are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with about 23,000 left in Africa and roughly 670 in India.

## Takeaway
They are the only big cat that lives in social groups, called prides, which can include several related females, their cubs, and a coalition of males.

## Takeaway
Lionesses do most of the cooperative hunting, while males primarily defend the pride's territory and cubs.

## Takeaway
The species has lost a large share of its historic range, with an estimated 34% decline over roughly the past two decades.

## Takeaway
Main threats are habitat loss, conflict with herders protecting livestock, and the depletion of the wild prey lions depend on.

## Takeaway
Lions are protected under CITES, with African populations on Appendix II and the Indian population on Appendix I.

## Where lions live and how their range has shrunk
Lions today are overwhelmingly an African species, found mainly in the savanna grasslands, open woodlands, and scrub of eastern and southern Africa. Strongholds include the grasslands and conservation areas of Kenya and Tanzania, such as the wider Serengeti and Maasai Mara ecosystems, where lions remain a centerpiece of the landscape. A single isolated population of Asiatic lions survives in and around the Gir Forest of Gujarat, India. This is a dramatic contraction: lions once ranged across most of Africa, much of the Middle East, and into southern Asia. The IUCN estimates the species has disappeared from a large majority of its historic range, with most remaining lions now confined to protected areas and the lands immediately around them.

## Why prides make lions unique
No other cat lives the way lions do. A pride is a cooperative family unit, typically built around a group of related lionesses and their cubs, defended by one or more adult males that have formed a coalition. Females usually remain in the pride they were born into, while young males leave to seek territories of their own. This social structure shapes almost everything about lion life: females hunt together to bring down large prey such as zebra, wildebeest, and buffalo, cubs are often raised communally, and males invest heavily in defending territory and offspring. A male's mane signals maturity and condition, and darker, fuller manes are generally associated with stronger, healthier individuals.


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

## The threats driving the decline
Lion numbers are falling for interlocking reasons. As farms, settlements, and livestock expand into former wildlife areas, lion habitat is fragmented and lost. When lions prey on cattle and other livestock, they are often killed in retaliation by communities protecting their livelihoods. At the same time, the wild herbivores lions depend on are being depleted by unsustainable bushmeat hunting and poaching, leaving prides with less to eat. Poorly regulated hunting and illegal trade in lion parts add further pressure. Because lions need large territories and abundant prey, even small declines in habitat quality can have outsized effects on whether a pride survives.

## What is being done to protect lions
Conservation for lions centers on keeping large landscapes intact and connected, reducing conflict between people and predators, and protecting the prey base. Practical measures include reinforced livestock enclosures, community-led programs that compensate or support herders who lose animals, and anti-poaching work that protects both lions and the herbivores they hunt. Cross-border cooperation matters too, because lion populations often span national boundaries and rely on corridors between protected areas. Long-term recovery depends on local communities seeing living lions as more valuable than dead ones, and on safeguarding the wild spaces that prides need to roam.

## WARN work
The lion lives across eastern and southern Africa, which is outside the countries where the World Animal Rescue Network currently funds frontline projects. We are honest about that: WARN does not fund lion-specific fieldwork, and this guide is educational and search-focused content created to support our broader mission of building global awareness for threatened wildlife. The conservation challenges lions face — habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and the illegal wildlife trade — are the same forces WARN works against in the regions we do fund. As our network grows, sharing accurate, well-sourced information about flagship species like the lion helps connect a global audience to the wider fight for wildlife.

## Donation hook
Lions live outside the countries WARN currently funds, but the threats they face — vanishing habitat and the illegal wildlife trade — are exactly what your support helps us fight where we work today. Donating to WARN backs frontline habitat and anti-trafficking efforts in its partner-network countries, and helps build the global network that wildlife everywhere needs.


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

## Are lions endangered?
Lions are not classified as Endangered overall; the IUCN lists the species as Vulnerable, one category below Endangered. However, the trend is downward, and some populations — including lions in West and Central Africa and the small Asiatic population — face much higher local risk.

## How many lions are left in the world?
The 2023 IUCN assessment estimates roughly 23,000 mature and subadult lions across Africa, plus about 670 in India. The total is decreasing, and lions have vanished from most of their historic range.

## Where do lions live?
Wild lions live mainly in the savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands of eastern and southern Africa, including strongholds in Kenya and Tanzania. A separate, small population of Asiatic lions survives in the Gir Forest region of India.

## Why are lions the only social big cat?
Lions live in family groups called prides, unlike tigers, leopards, and other big cats, which are largely solitary. Living socially lets lionesses hunt cooperatively for large prey and raise cubs together, while males defend shared territory.

## Do male or female lions do the hunting?
Lionesses do most of the hunting, often working together to bring down large prey such as zebra and wildebeest. Males rely on their size and manes mainly to defend the pride's territory and cubs, though they will hunt when needed.

## What do lions eat?
Lions eat Carnivore — mainly large herbivores such as zebra, wildebeest, and buffalo. The lion (Panthera leo) is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 23,000 mature and subadult lions remaining in Africa plus around 670 in India, and the overall population is decreasing.

## Are lions dangerous?
Lions are domesticated animals and are not dangerous to people in the wild-predator sense. The lion (Panthera leo) is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 23,000 mature and subadult lions remaining in Africa plus around 670 in India, and the overall population is decreasing. Usual risks are husbandry and handling, not unprovoked attacks.

## How long do lions live?
Lions typically live Around 10-14 years in the wild; longer in captivity. The lion (Panthera leo) is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 23,000 mature and subadult lions remaining in Africa plus around 670 in India, and the overall population is decreasing. Wild and captive figures can differ; use the sources listed on the guide for the underlying studies.

## How big is a lion?
A Lion is about Around 10-14 years in the wild; longer in captivity. The lion (Panthera leo) is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 23,000 mature and subadult lions remaining in Africa plus around 670 in India, and the overall population is decreasing.


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

## One-line answer
Sharks are a group of more than 500 species of cartilaginous fish found in every ocean; conservation status varies by species, but about one-third of all sharks, rays and chimaeras are threatened with extinction, mainly because of overfishing, the fin trade and bycatch.

## Introduction
Sharks are a diverse group of cartilaginous fish (superorder Selachimorpha) with more than 500 described species, from the 6-metre great white to the metre-long dwarf lanternshark. As apex and meso-predators they shape the health of marine ecosystems worldwide. Status varies dramatically by species: some are of Least Concern, but roughly a third of all sharks, rays and chimaeras assessed by the IUCN are threatened with extinction, driven mainly by overfishing, the fin trade and accidental bycatch. The great white shark, the group's most recognised species, is listed as Vulnerable globally.

## Takeaway
Sharks are not a single species but a group of more than 500 described species in the superorder Selachimorpha, ranging from giant filter-feeders to species smaller than a human hand.

## Takeaway
Conservation status varies enormously: some sharks are Least Concern, while roughly a third of all sharks, rays and chimaeras assessed by the IUCN are threatened with extinction.

## Takeaway
The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List with a decreasing global population trend, and is protected under CITES Appendix II.

## Takeaway
Overfishing is the dominant threat: many sharks are killed for their fins, while large numbers die as unintended bycatch in fisheries targeting other species.

## Takeaway
Sharks reproduce slowly — many species mature late and produce few young, so populations recover very slowly once depleted.

## Takeaway
As apex and meso-predators, sharks help keep marine food webs in balance; their decline can ripple through entire ocean ecosystems.

## Why Are So Many Sharks Endangered?
The single biggest driver of shark decline is overfishing. Some species are targeted directly — most notoriously for their fins, used in shark-fin soup — while many more die as bycatch, hauled up accidentally in nets and on longlines set for tuna, swordfish and other commercial fish. Sharks are biologically ill-suited to withstand this pressure: most mature late, reproduce slowly and produce only a handful of young at a time, so depleted populations can take decades to recover, if they recover at all. Habitat degradation, coastal development and climate-driven shifts in prey add further strain. The result is one of the most concerning extinction-risk profiles of any animal group: assessments by the IUCN Shark Specialist Group find that around a third of sharks, rays and chimaeras are threatened with extinction.

## How Many Kinds of Shark Are There?
More than 500 shark species have been formally described, and new ones are still being identified as taxonomy advances. They span an extraordinary range of size and lifestyle. The whale shark, the largest fish in the sea, filter-feeds on plankton and can exceed 12 metres. The great white is the archetypal large predator, hunting seals and other marine mammals. Bottom-dwelling species such as wobbegongs and angel sharks lie camouflaged on the seabed, while tiny lanternsharks glow in the deep ocean. Because the group is so varied, no single conservation label fits them all — which is why responsible guides report status species by species rather than for sharks as a whole.


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

## What Role Do Sharks Play in the Ocean?
Sharks sit at or near the top of marine food webs, and that position matters. As predators they remove the sick, weak and dying, and they influence the behaviour and distribution of the species they hunt. When shark numbers collapse, the effects can cascade downward — mid-level predators may increase, prey species can be over-grazed, and habitats such as seagrass beds and reefs can degrade. Healthy shark populations are therefore widely treated as an indicator of a healthy ocean. Protecting them is not only about saving individual species; it is about safeguarding the structure and resilience of marine ecosystems that billions of people depend on.

## Are Sharks Dangerous to People?
Despite their fearsome reputation, the risk sharks pose to humans is very small. Unprovoked bites are rare, and only a handful of the 500-plus species have been involved in serious incidents with people. By contrast, humans kill very large numbers of sharks every year through fishing and the fin trade. The popular image of the shark as a mindless threat has, if anything, made conservation harder by obscuring how vulnerable these animals actually are. Understanding sharks as slow-reproducing, ecologically vital predators — rather than monsters — is an important step toward protecting them.

## WARN work
Sharks live in the global oceans and fall outside the countries where the World Animal Rescue Network currently funds frontline rescue work. We want to be transparent: at this launch stage WARN does not fund shark-specific projects, and this guide makes no such claim. Instead, it is part of our educational and search-visibility work, written to give accurate, well-sourced answers about one of the world's most-searched animals and to support broader global awareness of marine conservation. Where readers want to help, we point them toward the closest relevant WARN work — habitat protection and efforts against the illegal wildlife trade — without overstating the connection.

## Donation hook
Sharks fall outside the regions WARN currently funds, but the ocean and the wildlife trade do not respect borders. A gift to our habitat-protection work helps safeguard the wild places and address the illegal trade that threaten animals across the planet — and supports the global awareness that conservation depends on.


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

## How many species of shark are there?
Scientists have formally described more than 500 shark species, and the figure continues to rise as new species are identified and others are reclassified. They range from giant filter-feeders like the whale shark to species smaller than a human hand.

## Are sharks endangered?
It depends on the species. Some sharks are listed as Least Concern, but roughly a third of all sharks, rays and chimaeras assessed by the IUCN are threatened with extinction. The great white shark is classified as Vulnerable globally.

## What is the conservation status of the great white shark?
The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with a decreasing global population trend. It is also protected under Appendix II of CITES, which regulates international trade.

## Why are sharks dying out?
The main cause is overfishing. Some sharks are targeted for their fins, while many more die as accidental bycatch in fisheries aimed at other fish. Because sharks mature late and reproduce slowly, populations recover very slowly once they are depleted.

## How long do sharks live?
Lifespan varies widely by species. Great white sharks are estimated to live more than 70 years, and the Greenland shark may live for centuries, making it one of the longest-lived vertebrates known.

## Are sharks dangerous to humans?
Serious shark incidents are very rare, and only a few of the 500-plus species have been involved in attacks on people. Humans pose a far greater threat to sharks than sharks do to humans, killing very large numbers each year through fishing and the fin trade.

## What do sharks eat?
Sharks eat Mostly carnivorous — fish, marine mammals, squid and turtles; whale and basking sharks filter-feed on plankton. Sharks are a group of more than 500 species of cartilaginous fish found in every ocean; conservation status varies by species, but about one-third of all sharks, rays and chimaeras are threatened with extinction, mainly because of overfishing, the fin trade and bycatch.

## Where do sharks live?
Sharks live in Global oceans. Sharks are a group of more than 500 species of cartilaginous fish found in every ocean; conservation status varies by species, but about one-third of all sharks, rays and chimaeras are threatened with extinction, mainly because of overfishing, the fin trade and bycatch.

## How big is a shark?
A Shark is about Varies by species; great white ~70+ years, Greenland shark potentially 250+ years. Sharks are a group of more than 500 species of cartilaginous fish found in every ocean; conservation status varies by species, but about one-third of all sharks, rays and chimaeras are threatened with extinction, mainly because of overfishing, the fin trade and bycatch.


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

## One-line answer
The horse (Equus ferus caballus) is a domesticated mammal kept worldwide for transport, work, sport and companionship; it is not a threatened species, but the welfare of the tens of millions of working horses in lower-income countries is a serious global concern.

## Introduction
The horse is a large, hoofed herbivore domesticated from wild ancestors thousands of years ago and now found on every inhabited continent. Far beyond sport and companionship, horses remain essential working animals: tens of millions pull carts, carry loads, plough fields and haul bricks in some of the world's poorest regions. This guide covers horse biology, breeds and behaviour, and pays special attention to the welfare of working equines, whose daily labour underpins the livelihoods of families who depend on them.

## Takeaway
Horses are domesticated animals, not a wild or IUCN-threatened species, and have lived alongside humans for roughly 5,000-6,000 years.

## Takeaway
An estimated 116 million working equines - horses, donkeys and mules - support the livelihoods of families across lower-income regions through transport, farming and haulage.

## Takeaway
Around half a million equines labour in brick kilns, an environment linked to heat stress, overloading, lameness and injury.

## Takeaway
Common welfare problems for working horses include poorly fitting harnesses, untreated wounds, dehydration, lameness and inadequate rest, water and shade.

## Takeaway
Horses are highly social herd animals with strong flight instincts, acute senses and the ability to sleep both standing and lying down.

## Takeaway
Hundreds of breeds exist, from heavy draught horses bred for pulling power to light, fast riding horses, all belonging to the same subspecies.

## Biology and behaviour
Horses are odd-toed ungulates that bear their weight on a single large hoof on each leg. They are grazing herbivores, eating little and often and consuming roughly 7-11 kg of forage a day. Adults typically stand 14-17 hands (about 142-173 cm) at the withers and weigh from around 380 kg in light riding types to 1,000 kg in heavy draught breeds. Horses are prey animals with eyes set wide for near-panoramic vision, mobile ears, and a powerful flight response. They are intensely social, naturally living in herds with clear bonds and hierarchy, and can rest standing thanks to a stay apparatus in their legs, lying down only for deeper sleep.

## Breeds and domestication
Although the world's horses span hundreds of breeds, they all belong to a single subspecies, Equus ferus caballus. Selective breeding over millennia has produced distinct types: heavy draught horses such as the Shire and Belgian, bred for slow, immense pulling power; agile light horses such as the Arabian and Thoroughbred, bred for speed and endurance; and countless regional working and pony breeds adapted to local climates and tasks. Domestication transformed human history, enabling long-distance travel, agriculture, trade and transport long before the machine age - roles that horses still fill in much of the world today.


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

## Working horses and their welfare
In many lower-income countries the horse is first and foremost a working animal. Together with donkeys and mules, working horses haul water, goods and people, plough smallholdings, and carry bricks and building materials. These animals frequently labour long hours in heat and dust, and welfare assessments routinely find high rates of thinness, hoof and limb problems, harness wounds and exhaustion. Brick kilns, which rely on hundreds of thousands of equines, are among the harshest environments. Practical improvements - better-fitting harnesses, adequate water, shade and rest, wound care, hoof trimming and farrier access, and lighter or better-distributed loads - can dramatically improve the lives of these animals and, in turn, the families who depend on them.

## Horses and people
Beyond work, horses serve as companions, sport and competition animals, therapy partners and cultural symbols. This breadth of roles means horse welfare varies enormously - from pampered competition horses to working animals with little access to veterinary care. Because horses are so widespread and economically vital, raising awareness of humane handling, nutrition, hoof care and harnessing has a global reach, supporting both animal welfare and human livelihoods.

## WARN work
The World Animal Rescue Network does not currently fund horse or working-equine programmes. The domestic horse falls outside our funded focus countries (its partner-network countries), and at this launch stage our resources are directed to wildlife habitat protection and tackling the illegal wildlife trade in those regions. This guide is educational, search-focused content created to build global awareness of working-animal welfare as part of WARN's broader mission. We are honest about our scope: we cannot claim to fund horse rescue, and we encourage readers who want to help working horses directly to seek out established equine-welfare organisations.

## Donation hook
Your gift to the World Animal Rescue Network supports our launch-stage work protecting wildlife habitat and fighting the illegal wildlife trade in the countries we fund. We don't currently run horse programmes, but reading and sharing guides like this helps build global awareness of animal welfare - and every donation strengthens our mission to protect animals where the need is greatest.


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

## Is the horse an endangered species?
No. The domestic horse is an abundant, domesticated animal and is not evaluated by the IUCN as a threatened species. (The separate wild Przewalski's horse is a different, threatened lineage.) The main welfare concern for domestic horses is the condition of the tens of millions that work in lower-income regions.

## How many working horses are there in the world?
There are an estimated 116 million working equines - horses, donkeys and mules combined - worldwide, concentrated in lower-income countries where they support farming, transport and trade for millions of families.

## How long do horses live?
Most domestic horses live between 25 and 30 years, and some reach their late 30s or even 40s with good care, nutrition and veterinary attention.

## What is a baby horse called?
A baby horse is called a foal. A young male is a colt and a young female is a filly. A group of horses is usually called a herd.

## How fast can a horse run?
A galloping horse typically reaches about 40-48 km/h (25-30 mph), and the fastest sprinting horses have been recorded above 70 km/h over short distances.

## What do horses eat?
Horses are herbivores that graze on grass, hay and other forage, eating little and often - roughly 7-11 kg of food per day - and need constant access to clean water.

## Where do horses live?
Horses live in Global. The horse (Equus ferus caballus) is a domesticated mammal kept worldwide for transport, work, sport and companionship; it is not a threatened species, but the welfare of the tens of millions of working horses in lower-income countries is a serious global concern.

## Are horses dangerous?
The horse is a large, hoofed herbivore domesticated from wild ancestors thousands of years ago and now found on every inhabited continent. Handle gently and with normal pet or farm care.

## How big is a horse?
A Horse is about 25-30 years (some reach 40+). The horse (Equus ferus caballus) is a domesticated mammal kept worldwide for transport, work, sport and companionship; it is not a threatened species, but the welfare of the tens of millions of working horses in lower-income countries is a serious global concern.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/grey-wolf): Grey Wolf — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is the largest wild dog and the ancestor of the domestic dog; it is listed as Least Concern globally with an estimated 200,000–250,000 in the wild, but remains locally endangered or extinct across much of its former range.

## Introduction
The grey wolf (Canis lupus), also called the timber wolf, is the largest wild member of the dog family and the wild ancestor of the domestic dog. Once the most widely distributed land mammal on Earth, it ranged across most of North America, Europe and Asia before centuries of trapping, poisoning and bounty hunting wiped it out from large parts of its former territory. Today the species survives across a still-vast but fragmented range, living in tight family groups called packs and surviving as a cooperative hunter of deer, elk, moose and smaller prey. Globally the grey wolf is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, yet that headline hides a more complicated truth: in many individual countries and regions it remains endangered, reintroduced, or absent entirely. Its story is one of both relentless persecution and one of conservation's most striking recoveries.

## Takeaway
The grey wolf is the wild ancestor of the domestic dog, and the two remain so closely related they can still interbreed.

## Takeaway
Wolves live in packs that are essentially families: a breeding pair and their offspring of one or more years, not a hierarchy of unrelated rivals.

## Takeaway
Globally the species is Least Concern with an estimated 200,000–250,000 individuals, but many regional populations are endangered, reintroduced, or locally extinct.

## Takeaway
Centuries of bounty hunting, poisoning and habitat loss erased wolves from much of Western Europe and the contiguous United States by the early 20th century.

## Takeaway
Legal protection and reintroductions, such as the 1995 return to Yellowstone, have allowed wolves to recolonise parts of their old range.

## Takeaway
Conflict with livestock farming remains the central challenge, making coexistence tools and habitat protection essential to lasting recovery.

## Pack life and behaviour
A wolf pack is best understood as a family unit. In most cases it centres on a single breeding pair and their pups from the current and previous years, which together can number anywhere from a handful of animals to a dozen or more. The outdated idea of a constantly fighting 'alpha' jostling for dominance came from studies of unrelated captive wolves; in the wild, the breeding adults are simply the parents. Packs hold and defend a territory that can span hundreds of square kilometres, communicating through howls that carry for miles, along with scent marking and body language. Cooperative hunting lets wolves bring down prey far larger than themselves, including elk, moose and bison, though they also take smaller animals and scavenge. Young wolves often disperse at one to two years old to find mates and territory of their own, which is how the species naturally recolonises new ground.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/grey-wolf): Grey Wolf — wildlife guide.

## Persecution and recovery
Few animals have been hunted with the intensity directed at the wolf. For centuries it was treated as vermin, with governments paying bounties for dead wolves and campaigns of trapping, shooting and poisoning steadily eliminating it from country after country. By the early 1900s the grey wolf had been wiped out across most of Western Europe and almost the entire contiguous United States. The turnaround came with changing attitudes and legal protection in the second half of the 20th century. Protected status, public support and deliberate reintroductions, most famously the release of wolves into Yellowstone National Park in 1995, allowed populations to rebound and disperse. Wolves have since returned naturally to countries such as France, Germany and Denmark, expanding from surviving strongholds in eastern and southern Europe.

## Conservation status and ongoing threats
On a global scale the grey wolf is classified as Least Concern, reflecting its wide distribution and a worldwide population estimated at roughly 200,000 to 250,000 animals with a broadly stable trend. That status, however, applies to the species as a whole, not to every population. In many individual countries and regions wolves remain rare, endangered, or entirely absent, and recovering populations are often small and isolated. The dominant threat is conflict with livestock farmers, which drives both legal culling and illegal killing. Habitat fragmentation, road mortality, reduced wild prey and shifting legal protections all add pressure. Sustaining the wolf's recovery depends on protecting connected wild habitat and on practical coexistence measures, from livestock guarding to compensation schemes, that lower the cost of living alongside a large predator.

## WARN work
This guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational and awareness work, written to give clear, accurate, science-based answers about one of the world's most-searched animals. We want to be straightforward about scope: the grey wolf lives across North America, Europe and Asia, outside the countries where WARN currently funds frontline projects at this launch stage. WARN does not run or fund wolf recovery programmes, and we will not claim otherwise. What we do here is help people understand wolves, the persecution they have faced, and what genuine recovery requires, as part of our broader mission to reduce human-wildlife conflict and protect wild habitat everywhere. If and when our funded work expands, we will say so plainly.

## Donation hook
Wolves need wild, connected land to roam, hunt and raise their pups, and so do countless other species. While WARN does not yet fund wolf programmes directly, your gift to our habitat protection work defends the kind of wild spaces large predators depend on and supports our wider mission to reduce human-wildlife conflict.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/grey-wolf): Grey Wolf — wildlife guide.

## Are grey wolves endangered?
Globally, no. The grey wolf is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with an estimated 200,000–250,000 in the wild and a stable overall trend. But this is a global picture: in many individual countries and regions wolves are endangered, recently reintroduced, or locally extinct, so 'endangered' can be accurate at a local level even though the species as a whole is not.

## Is a grey wolf the same as a dog?
Not the same, but extremely close. The domestic dog descends from the grey wolf and shares almost all of its DNA. Dogs are usually classified as a subspecies or variety of Canis lupus, and the two can still interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Thousands of years of domestication have made dogs behaviourally and physically distinct, but the wolf is genuinely the ancestor of every dog breed.

## How big is a grey wolf?
Grey wolves typically weigh around 30–50 kg (66–110 lb), with large northern males occasionally exceeding that. They stand roughly 60–90 cm (24–35 in) at the shoulder and measure about 1.0–1.6 m (3.3–5.2 ft) in body length, plus a bushy tail. Size varies widely across the range, with the largest wolves living in the far north.

## Do wolves really have an 'alpha' leader?
Not in the way the popular myth suggests. The 'alpha' concept came from captive wolves forced together as strangers. In the wild, a pack is a family, and the so-called alphas are simply the breeding parents leading their own offspring. There is no constant fighting for dominance among unrelated rivals.

## What do grey wolves eat?
Wolves are carnivores that specialise in hunting large hoofed mammals such as deer, elk, moose and bison, working together to bring down prey much bigger than an individual wolf. They also take smaller animals like beavers and hares, and will scavenge carcasses when the chance arises. Their diet shifts with whatever prey is locally available.

## How fast can a grey wolf run?
Grey wolves can sprint at around 50–60 km/h (about 31–37 mph) in short bursts when chasing prey. More important to their success is endurance: wolves can trot for many hours and cover long distances each day across their territory, wearing down prey rather than relying on a single fast dash.

## Where do grey wolfs live?
Grey Wolfs live in North America, Europe, Asia. The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is the largest wild dog and the ancestor of the domestic dog; it is listed as Least Concern globally with an estimated 200,000–250,000 in the wild, but remains locally endangered or extinct across much of its former range.

## Are grey wolfs dangerous?
Once the most widely distributed land mammal on Earth, it ranged across most of North America, Europe and Asia before centuries of trapping, poisoning and bounty hunting wiped it out from large parts of its former territory. Handle gently and with normal pet or farm care.

## How long do grey wolfs live?
Grey Wolfs typically live About 6–8 years in the wild; can reach 13+ in captivity. The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is the largest wild dog and the ancestor of the domestic dog; it is listed as Least Concern globally with an estimated 200,000–250,000 in the wild, but remains locally endangered or extinct across much of its former range. Wild and captive figures can differ; use the sources listed on the guide for the underlying studies.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/fox): Red Fox — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the world's most widely distributed wild carnivore, living across the Northern Hemisphere; the IUCN lists it as Least Concern with a stable population.

## Introduction
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the most widely distributed wild member of the dog family and the most far-ranging carnivore on Earth, found across most of the Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic tundra to North African deserts. Famous for its rust-coloured coat, sharp muzzle and bushy white-tipped tail, the red fox is a supremely adaptable omnivore that has thrived alongside people — colonising suburbs and city centres where other predators cannot. Although the species is abundant and classified as Least Concern, individual foxes still face welfare pressures from the fur trade, culling and snaring. This guide explains where red foxes live, what they eat, how they raise their young, and the conservation and animal-welfare issues that surround them.

## Takeaway
The red fox has the widest natural range of any carnivore, spanning most of the Northern Hemisphere across North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa.

## Takeaway
It is an opportunistic omnivore, eating rodents, rabbits, birds, insects, fruit and human food scraps.

## Takeaway
Highly adaptable, it readily colonises farmland, suburbs and dense urban areas.

## Takeaway
The IUCN classifies the red fox as Least Concern with a stable global population (2016 assessment).

## Takeaway
It is not listed on the CITES appendices, but is heavily exploited for fur and routinely culled in many regions.

## Takeaway
Welfare concerns centre on the fur trade, snaring, poisoning and lethal control rather than extinction risk.

## Range and habitat
The red fox occupies an enormous range across the Northern Hemisphere, from Arctic and boreal zones through temperate Europe and Asia to the fringes of North Africa, and it has also been introduced to Australia, where it is now an invasive predator. No other member of the order Carnivora is so widely distributed. Its success comes from extreme habitat flexibility: red foxes live in forests, grasslands, mountains, wetlands, farmland and increasingly in towns and cities. Urban foxes den under sheds and in parks, adjusting their diet and behaviour to human surroundings while keeping the territorial habits of their rural cousins.

## Diet and behaviour
Red foxes are opportunistic omnivores. Their core diet is small rodents such as voles and mice, supplemented by rabbits, ground-nesting birds, reptiles, earthworms, beetles and seasonal fruit. In built-up areas they readily scavenge discarded food. Foxes hunt mostly at dawn, dusk and night, using sharp hearing to locate prey before the characteristic high pounce. They cache surplus food, burying it to recover later. Largely solitary when foraging, they communicate through a wide range of calls and scent marks, and family groups may share and defend a territory.

## Reproduction and life cycle
Red foxes typically breed once a year, with mating in late winter and a gestation of roughly 49–58 days. A vixen gives birth to an average of three to six cubs (also called kits) in an underground den. The cubs are born blind and rely on the mother, while the male and sometimes other group members help provision food. Young foxes are weaned at around a month and begin to disperse in autumn to establish their own territories. In the wild most foxes live only a few years because of road traffic, disease and human control, though individuals can reach a greater age in safer conditions.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/fox): Red Fox — wildlife guide.

## Welfare, the fur trade and human conflict
Because the red fox is abundant, conservation attention focuses less on extinction risk and more on animal welfare. Millions of foxes are killed each year for fur, both trapped in the wild and raised on fur farms, and many regions carry out lethal control through shooting, snaring and poisoning over concerns about livestock and game. These practices raise significant welfare questions about suffering, indiscriminate trapping and non-target species. Coexistence measures — secure poultry housing, humane deterrents and reduced food waste — can ease conflict in both rural and urban settings without resorting to culling.

## WARN work
The red fox lives across the Northern Hemisphere and falls outside the countries where the World Animal Rescue Network currently funds frontline work. WARN does not fund red fox rescue or field projects, and at this launch stage we are honest about that limited scope. This guide is educational, search-focused content created to build global awareness of wildlife and to support WARN's broader mission: protecting habitats and tackling the wildlife and fur trade that harm animals everywhere. By raising the profile of an adaptable, widely exploited species like the red fox, we hope to deepen public understanding of the welfare issues — fur farming, snaring and culling — that connect to the conservation causes WARN is working to grow.

## Donation hook
The red fox is thriving, but countless wild animals are not. Your gift to the World Animal Rescue Network supports habitat protection and the fight against the wildlife and fur trade — helping the species and places that need it most.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/fox): Red Fox — wildlife guide.

## Is the red fox endangered?
No. The IUCN Red List classifies the red fox as Least Concern, with a stable global population. It is the most widely distributed wild carnivore in the world and is not considered at risk of extinction.

## Where do red foxes live?
Red foxes live across most of the Northern Hemisphere, including North America, Europe, Asia and parts of North Africa. They have also been introduced to Australia. They thrive in forests, farmland, mountains and increasingly in towns and cities.

## What do red foxes eat?
Red foxes are omnivores. They mainly hunt small rodents such as mice and voles, but also eat rabbits, birds, reptiles, insects, earthworms and fruit. Urban foxes often scavenge food scraps left by people.

## How fast can a red fox run?
A red fox can reach a top running speed of around 50 km/h (about 31 mph) in short bursts, which helps it chase prey and escape danger.

## What is a baby fox called?
A baby red fox is called a cub or a kit. A female fox is a vixen, and males are sometimes called tods or dogs. A litter usually contains three to six cubs.

## Are red foxes protected by CITES?
The red fox is not listed on the CITES appendices because it is abundant and widespread. However, it is heavily exploited for fur and is often culled, which raises animal-welfare rather than extinction concerns.


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

## One-line answer
A zebra is a striped African member of the horse genus Equus; there are three species — plains, mountain, and Grevy's — ranging from Near Threatened to the Endangered Grevy's zebra, of which fewer than about 2,000 mature animals survive.

## Introduction
Zebras are striped members of the horse family that live across the grasslands and arid scrub of eastern and southern Africa. There are three living species — the plains zebra, the mountain zebra, and Grevy's zebra — and each carries a different conservation story. The plains zebra is still the most numerous and recognisable, the familiar dazzle of the safari savanna, while the larger, narrow-striped Grevy's zebra has collapsed to a fraction of its former numbers. No two zebras wear the same pattern of stripes, a fingerprint-like coat that has fascinated scientists for more than a century. This guide explains how the three species differ, what stripes are actually for, and why the rarest zebra now ranks among Africa's most endangered large mammals.

## Takeaway
There are three zebra species — plains (Equus quagga), mountain (Equus zebra), and Grevy's (Equus grevyi) — not one.

## Takeaway
Conservation status varies sharply: the plains zebra is Near Threatened, the mountain zebra is Vulnerable, and Grevy's zebra is Endangered.

## Takeaway
Grevy's zebra has declined from roughly 15,000 animals in the 1970s to about 2,250 today, with fewer than 2,000 mature individuals.

## Takeaway
Every zebra has a unique stripe pattern, like a human fingerprint; no two are identical.

## Takeaway
Stripes likely deter biting flies and may help with temperature regulation and social recognition, rather than simple camouflage.

## Takeaway
Main threats are habitat loss, competition with livestock for water and grazing, fencing that blocks migration, and hunting for hides and meat.

## The three species of zebra
Zebras are not a single animal but three distinct species. The plains zebra (Equus quagga) is the most widespread and the one most safari-goers picture: medium-sized, with broad stripes that often carry faint brown 'shadow' lines between the black bands. The mountain zebra (Equus zebra), found in the rocky uplands of southern Africa, has a distinctive dewlap on its throat and a grid-like pattern on its rump. Grevy's zebra (Equus grevyi) is the largest and most horse-like, standing up to about 1.6 m at the shoulder, with narrow, closely spaced stripes, large rounded ears, and a white belly. Grevy's zebra is restricted today mainly to northern Kenya and small pockets of Ethiopia, which makes its decline especially serious.

## What zebra stripes are actually for
The purpose of zebra stripes is one of biology's long-running puzzles, and the evidence now points away from old ideas of camouflage against tall grass. The strongest experimental support is that stripes deter biting flies such as tsetse and horseflies, which struggle to land cleanly on the high-contrast pattern — important because those flies carry disease. Researchers have also proposed that stripes help with cooling, by setting up small air currents over the skin, and that they aid individual and social recognition within a herd, since each animal's pattern is unique. Several of these benefits may work together rather than there being a single 'reason' for stripes.


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

## Why Grevy's zebra is endangered
Grevy's zebra has suffered one of the steepest declines of any large African mammal. In the 1970s the global population was estimated at around 15,000 animals; today only roughly 2,250 remain, with fewer than 2,000 of them mature breeding adults. The causes are habitat loss and fragmentation, competition with domestic livestock for scarce water and grazing in arid rangelands, reduced access to water sources, and historic hunting for their striking skins. Because the species is now concentrated in a small area of Kenya and Ethiopia, local droughts and disease outbreaks can have an outsized impact. Plains and mountain zebras are in a stronger position overall, but plains zebra numbers are falling across much of their range as well.

## Behaviour, herds and life cycle
Plains and mountain zebras live in tight family groups led by a stallion, with mares and their foals, and these harems often gather into larger herds at water or on migration. Grevy's zebra is more loosely social, with males holding territories rather than permanent harems. A zebra foal can stand and run within an hour of birth — a vital defence against lions, hyenas and wild dogs — and is born brown and white before darkening with age. Gestation runs roughly 12 to 13 months depending on species, and a single foal is the norm. Zebras are grazers, feeding mainly on grasses, and can survive on coarser, drier vegetation than many of the antelopes they share the plains with.

## WARN work
The zebra falls outside the countries where the World Animal Rescue Network currently funds frontline projects, so WARN does not run or fund zebra conservation programmes today. We publish this guide as free educational and search content that supports our broader mission: building global awareness of how habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict and the wildlife trade threaten species worldwide. The same pressures that endanger Grevy's zebra — shrinking habitat, fragmented landscapes and demand for wild animal products — are exactly what WARN's funded work tackles in its launch-stage countries. As the network grows, our priority remains being honest about where your donation goes.

## Donation hook
Zebras live beyond the regions WARN currently funds, but the threats they face — vanishing habitat and the wildlife trade — are the same ones your gift fights every day. Support Habitat Protection to help WARN safeguard the wild places that endangered species depend on.


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

## How many species of zebra are there?
There are three living zebra species: the plains zebra (Equus quagga), the mountain zebra (Equus zebra), and Grevy's zebra (Equus grevyi). A fourth, the quagga, was a subspecies of plains zebra that was hunted to extinction in the 1800s.

## Are zebras endangered?
It depends on the species. The plains zebra is listed as Near Threatened and the mountain zebra as Vulnerable, while Grevy's zebra is Endangered, with fewer than about 2,000 mature individuals remaining in the wild.

## Why do zebras have stripes?
The leading evidence suggests stripes mainly deter biting flies that carry disease, because the high-contrast pattern disrupts their landing. Stripes may also help with cooling and with recognising individual animals within a herd; pure camouflage is now considered unlikely.

## Is a zebra black with white stripes or white with black stripes?
Zebras are black with white stripes. Their skin underneath is black, and the white stripes form where pigment is suppressed during development, so black is effectively the base colour.

## Are zebras and horses the same thing?
They are close relatives in the same genus, Equus, but they are different species. Zebras cannot be domesticated like horses; they are more skittish and aggressive, which is one reason they were never widely tamed for riding or work.

## How fast can a zebra run?
Zebras can reach speeds of around 65 km/h (about 40 mph) in short bursts, fast enough to outpace many predators, and they use sharp kicks and zig-zag running to escape lions and hyenas.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/giant-panda): Giant Panda — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a bamboo-eating bear native only to China, listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List with roughly 1,800 to 1,900 mature individuals in the wild as of the 2016 assessment.

## Introduction
The giant panda is a black-and-white bear found only in the temperate bamboo forests of central China. Despite belonging to the order Carnivora, it has evolved into a near-total vegetarian, spending most of its waking hours feeding on bamboo. Decades of habitat protection and reforestation in China helped lift the species from Endangered to Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List in 2016, making it one of the best-known conservation comeback stories. Yet with fewer than 1,900 mature animals in the wild and habitat still fragmented across mountain ranges, the panda's future remains tied to careful, sustained protection of the forests it depends on.

## Takeaway
Giant pandas live in the wild only in China, in mountain bamboo forests across Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces.

## Takeaway
Although classed as a carnivore by ancestry, the panda eats almost entirely bamboo and must consume huge quantities to meet its energy needs.

## Takeaway
The IUCN moved the giant panda from Endangered to Vulnerable in 2016 after China's protected-area network and reforestation expanded suitable habitat.

## Takeaway
China's 2014 national survey counted about 1,864 wild pandas, up from roughly 1,596 a decade earlier.

## Takeaway
Habitat loss and fragmentation remain the central threats, splitting pandas into many small, isolated populations.

## Takeaway
A 'pseudo-thumb' made from an enlarged wrist bone lets pandas grip and strip bamboo stems with surprising dexterity.

## Where giant pandas live
Wild giant pandas are restricted to a narrow band of mountain forest in central China, mainly in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. They favour cool, damp coniferous and broadleaf forests with a thick bamboo understorey, typically between about 1,200 and 3,400 metres in elevation. Historically pandas ranged far more widely across southern and eastern China, but farming, logging and human settlement reduced and fragmented that range over centuries. Today surviving pandas are split across roughly 30 separate populations along six mountain ranges, and many of these groups are small enough that isolation is itself a serious risk.

## A carnivore that lives on bamboo
The giant panda is one of nature's most striking dietary specialists. Around 99% of what it eats is bamboo, even though its digestive system is still that of a bear and extracts energy from plants inefficiently. To compensate, a panda may eat 12 to 15 percent of its body weight in bamboo each day and spend up to half its life feeding. An enlarged wrist bone acts as a flexible 'sixth digit', or pseudo-thumb, letting the panda hold stalks while it strips and eats them. Pandas occasionally take other plants, eggs or small animals, but bamboo defines almost everything about how and where they live.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/giant-panda): Giant Panda — wildlife guide.

## From Endangered to Vulnerable: a conservation comeback
For most of the late 20th century the giant panda was a global emblem of extinction risk. That changed in 2016, when the IUCN reclassified the species from Endangered to Vulnerable. The reason was measurable progress: China expanded its network of panda reserves, curbed logging in key forests and invested in large-scale reforestation, which increased and reconnected habitat. National surveys reflected the gains, with the wild count rising to about 1,864 animals in 2014. Conservationists stress that 'Vulnerable' is not 'safe' — fragmented habitat, a narrow food source and the long-term pressures of climate change on bamboo all mean the recovery has to be maintained, not assumed.

## Reproduction and slow population growth
Pandas reproduce slowly, which makes population recovery gradual. Females are receptive for only a few days each year, and after a gestation of roughly 95 to 160 days they usually give birth to one or two cubs. Newborns are extraordinarily tiny — often around 100 grams, a fraction of the mother's weight — and are blind and helpless. When twins are born in the wild a mother typically raises only one. Cubs depend on their mother for well over a year, so each successful generation represents a meaningful investment, and protecting breeding-age adults and their habitat is central to keeping numbers climbing.

## WARN work
The giant panda lives only in China, which is outside the countries where the World Animal Rescue Network currently funds on-the-ground projects. We are honest about that scope: WARN does not run or fund panda field programmes. This guide exists as educational and search-focused content that supports our broader mission — building global awareness of how habitat loss and the wildlife trade threaten species everywhere. The conservation lessons of the panda's recovery, above all the value of protecting and reconnecting forest habitat, directly inform the kind of work WARN supports in the regions where we are active.

## Donation hook
The panda's recovery shows what protecting and reconnecting forest can achieve. WARN doesn't fund panda work directly, but the same habitat threats endanger wildlife across the regions where we do work — support our Habitat Protection appeal to help safeguard the forests animals depend on.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/giant-panda): Giant Panda — wildlife guide.

## Are giant pandas still endangered?
No. The IUCN reclassified the giant panda from Endangered to Vulnerable in 2016 after wild numbers rose and protected habitat expanded in China. Vulnerable still means the species faces a real risk of extinction in the wild, so it remains a conservation priority.

## How many giant pandas are left in the wild?
China's most recent national survey, completed in 2014, counted about 1,864 wild giant pandas (not including dependent cubs). This is the figure underlying the IUCN's current Vulnerable listing.

## Where do giant pandas live?
Wild giant pandas live only in China, in cool, damp mountain bamboo forests of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, generally between about 1,200 and 3,400 metres elevation.

## What do giant pandas eat?
Roughly 99% of a giant panda's diet is bamboo. They occasionally eat other plants, eggs or small animals, but they rely so heavily on bamboo that they spend most of the day feeding to get enough energy.

## Why are giant pandas threatened despite being a bear?
Their main problem is habitat. Forests have been cleared and fragmented by farming and development, splitting pandas into small, isolated populations. Combined with their slow breeding and dependence on a single food source, that makes them vulnerable even though they have few natural predators.

## How big is a newborn giant panda?
About 100 grams — roughly 1/900th of its mother's weight, and among the smallest newborns relative to parent size of any mammal. Cubs are born blind, pink and almost hairless.

## Do giant pandas really have thumbs?
Not true thumbs. An enlarged wrist bone called the radial sesamoid projects from the paw and works against the fingers as an opposable pad for gripping bamboo. Both front paws have one, and red pandas evolved the same structure independently.

## How long do giant pandas live?
Giant pandas live about 15–20 years in the wild and often longer in human care. They spend 12–14 hours a day feeding on bamboo, which makes up roughly 99% of their diet despite belonging to the order Carnivora. China's 2014 national survey counted about 1,864 wild adults. The IUCN downlisted the species from Endangered to Vulnerable in 2016, but fewer than 1,900 mature animals remain in fragmented mountain bamboo forests.

## Are giant pandas dangerous?
Giant Pandas are not generally dangerous to people. The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a bamboo-eating bear native only to China, listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List with roughly 1,800 to 1,900 mature individuals in the wild as of the 2016 assessment. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.