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

## One-line answer
Giraffes are the tallest animals on Earth and are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List; the group was split into four species in 2025, and while overall numbers are now near 117,000, some subspecies such as the Kordofan and Nubian giraffe are Critically Endangered.

## Introduction
The giraffe (genus Giraffa) is the tallest land animal alive, with adult bulls standing up to roughly 5.7 metres. Once treated as a single species, giraffes were officially reclassified by the IUCN in 2025 into four distinct species. The group is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, but that single label hides a starker truth: several populations have collapsed, and a few subspecies are now Critically Endangered. Because the decline has been gradual and largely unnoticed by the public, conservationists describe it as a "silent extinction." Across Africa, habitat loss, land-use change, poaching, and civil unrest have driven numbers down sharply over the past three decades, even as some populations have recently begun to recover.

## Takeaway
Giraffes are the tallest living land animals, with tall males reaching about 5.7 metres; their heart, neck, and blood vessels are among the most specialised in the animal kingdom.

## Takeaway
In 2025 the IUCN formally recognised four giraffe species — northern (Giraffa camelopardalis), reticulated (G. reticulata), Masai (G. tippelskirchi), and southern (G. giraffa) — replacing the long-standing single-species view.

## Takeaway
The group is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List (2016 assessment), reflecting an estimated decline of around 30–40% over three generations.

## Takeaway
Conservationists call the giraffe's gradual, under-noticed loss a 'silent extinction,' because it happened with far less public attention than declines in elephants or rhinos.

## Takeaway
Several populations are far worse off than the overall label suggests: the Kordofan and Nubian giraffe are Critically Endangered, while the reticulated and Masai giraffe have been assessed as Endangered.

## Takeaway
After decades of decline, focused protection has helped some populations rebound, with the Africa-wide total now estimated near 117,000 — proof that recovery is possible where habitat and anti-poaching work are sustained.

## Are Giraffes Endangered?
As a group, giraffes are classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, a step below Endangered. That single category, however, masks a wide spread of outcomes across the four species recognised since 2025. The reticulated giraffe of northern Kenya and the Masai giraffe of Tanzania and southern Kenya have both been assessed as Endangered, while two northern subspecies — the Kordofan and the Nubian giraffe — are Critically Endangered, with only a few thousand individuals each. Some southern populations, by contrast, are stable or growing. The Africa-wide total is now estimated at around 117,000 animals, down from far higher historical levels but recovering in several strongholds. The honest summary is that the giraffe is not on the brink of global extinction, yet specific species and regional populations very much are.


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

## Why Are Giraffe Numbers Falling? The 'Silent Extinction'
The phrase 'silent extinction' captures how quietly giraffe numbers slipped away while public concern focused on more famous endangered species. The main pressures are habitat loss and fragmentation as savanna and woodland are converted to farmland and settlements; poaching for meat, hides, and tails; and the instability that comes with armed conflict and drought across parts of the giraffe's range. Because giraffes breed slowly — a cow produces a single calf after a gestation of roughly 15 months and gives birth only every year or two at best — populations recover far more slowly than they decline. Where ranges are carved into isolated fragments, small groups become genetically cut off and vulnerable to local extinction.

## How Tall Is a Giraffe, and How Does It Survive Being So Tall?
A tall adult male giraffe stands around 5.5 to 5.7 metres, with the neck alone reaching about two metres — yet, like nearly all mammals, that neck contains only seven vertebrae. Standing this tall demands extraordinary biology. A giraffe's heart is large and powerful to pump blood up to the brain, and a network of pressure-regulating blood vessels prevents it from blacking out when it raises or lowers its head to drink. Long legs let giraffes reach a top speed of around 60 km/h over short distances. Their height also lets them browse acacia and other foliage above the reach of most other herbivores, a feeding niche that shaped the species over millions of years.

## Where Do Giraffes Live?
Giraffes are found only in Africa, scattered across savanna, open woodland, and dry-land habitats south of the Sahara. Kenya and Tanzania are among the most important strongholds: Kenya holds reticulated, Masai, and Nubian giraffes, while Tanzania is a core range for the Masai giraffe and is the country whose national animal is the giraffe. Across the wider continent, populations are increasingly confined to national parks, conservancies, and protected reserves, because unprotected land is being lost to agriculture and development. The fragmentation of these ranges is one of the central challenges for giraffe conservation today.

## WARN work
The giraffe lives in East Africa, outside the countries where the World Animal Rescue Network currently funds frontline rescue and habitat work at this launch stage. We do not run or fund giraffe projects, and we will not claim otherwise. This guide is educational and search-focused content: its purpose is to raise global awareness of a species in quiet decline and to support WARN's broader mission of protecting wildlife and the habitats they depend on. The habitat-loss and wildlife-trade pressures that threaten giraffes are the same forces driving the species WARN does work to protect, which is why we believe telling this story well matters.

## Donation hook
Giraffes fall outside the countries WARN currently funds, so we cannot honestly say a gift here protects them directly. What your support does fund is WARN's frontline work to defend wildlife habitats and fight the illegal wildlife trade — the very pressures pushing giraffes and countless other species into decline. Backing habitat protection helps build the kind of safe, connected wild spaces that animals everywhere depend on.


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

## Are giraffes endangered?
As a group, giraffes are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, not Endangered. But this overall label hides serious variation: the reticulated and Masai giraffe have been assessed as Endangered, and the Kordofan and Nubian giraffe are Critically Endangered, with only a few thousand individuals each.

## How many giraffes are left in the world?
The Giraffe Conservation Foundation estimates around 117,000 giraffes remain across Africa. This is down sharply from historical levels — roughly a 30% decline over three decades — though several populations have recently begun to recover thanks to focused conservation work.

## How tall is a giraffe?
Giraffes are the tallest land animals on Earth. Tall adult males reach about 5.5 to 5.7 metres, while females are somewhat shorter. The neck alone can be around two metres long but still contains only seven vertebrae, the same number as in most other mammals.

## How many species of giraffe are there?
Since 2025, the IUCN officially recognises four giraffe species: the northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), reticulated giraffe (G. reticulata), Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchi), and southern giraffe (G. giraffa). Giraffes were previously treated as a single species with multiple subspecies.

## Why are giraffes called a 'silent extinction'?
Conservationists use the term 'silent extinction' because giraffe numbers fell substantially over decades while attracting far less public attention than declines in elephants, rhinos, or big cats. The losses were gradual and went largely unnoticed by the wider world.

## What do giraffes eat and how fast can they run?
Giraffes are browsers that feed mainly on the leaves, shoots, and flowers of trees such as acacia, using their long necks and tongues to reach foliage other herbivores cannot. Despite their size, they can reach top speeds of around 60 km/h over short distances.

## Where do giraffes live?
Giraffes live in Kenya, Tanzania. Giraffes are the tallest animals on Earth and are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List; the group was split into four species in 2025, and while overall numbers are now near 117,000, some subspecies such as the Kordofan and Nubian giraffe are Critically Endangered.

## Are giraffes dangerous?
Giraffes are not generally dangerous to people. Giraffes are the tallest animals on Earth and are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List; the group was split into four species in 2025, and while overall numbers are now near 117,000, some subspecies such as the Kordofan and Nubian giraffe are Critically Endangered. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How long do giraffes live?
Giraffes typically live Up to about 38 years in the wild. Giraffes are the tallest animals on Earth and are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List; the group was split into four species in 2025, and while overall numbers are now near 117,000, some subspecies such as the Kordofan and Nubian giraffe are Critically Endangered. 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/penguin): Penguin — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Penguins are flightless seabirds of the family Spheniscidae with 18 living species, found almost entirely in the Southern Hemisphere; their conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, with the African penguin now Critically Endangered and the emperor penguin uplisted to Endangered in 2026.

## Introduction
Penguins are flightless seabirds in the family Spheniscidae, built for life in cold, productive seas rather than the air. The IUCN recognises 18 species, ranging from the towering emperor penguin of Antarctica to the tiny little penguin of Australia and New Zealand and the heat-tolerant Galápagos penguin near the equator. Streamlined bodies, dense waterproof feathers and flipper-like wings let them "fly" underwater, diving to chase fish, krill and squid. Most species live and breed in the Southern Hemisphere, gathering in colonies that can number in the hundreds of thousands. Conservation status varies widely across the family: some populations remain stable, while others are collapsing. The African penguin is now Critically Endangered, and in 2026 the emperor penguin was uplisted to Endangered as Antarctic sea ice retreats. Climate change, overfishing, oil pollution and disturbance of breeding sites are the dominant pressures shaping the future of these iconic birds.

## Takeaway
The IUCN recognises 18 penguin species, and their conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered.

## Takeaway
Penguins are flightless: their wings have evolved into stiff flippers for swimming, letting them dive and pursue prey underwater.

## Takeaway
Almost all penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere; the Galápagos penguin is the only species that ventures north of the equator.

## Takeaway
The African penguin was reassessed as Critically Endangered in 2024, with fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs remaining.

## Takeaway
In April 2026 the emperor penguin was uplisted from Near Threatened to Endangered as Antarctic sea ice declines.

## Takeaway
Climate change, overfishing, oil pollution and disturbance at breeding colonies are the leading threats across the family.

## What is a penguin?
A penguin is a flightless seabird in the family Spheniscidae, the only family in the order Sphenisciformes. Penguins are unmistakable: upright posture, a tuxedo-like pattern of dark backs and pale fronts, and wings modified into rigid flippers. That body plan is a trade-off. Penguins gave up flight in the air for extraordinary control in water, where dense bones, a streamlined shape and powerful flippers make them among the most accomplished avian divers. Species range enormously in size, from the emperor penguin, which can stand over a metre tall and weigh more than 20 kg, to the little penguin, which weighs barely a kilogram. A waterproof coat of tightly packed feathers and a layer of fat insulate them against frigid seas, while a gland helps them shed excess salt from seawater.


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

## Where penguins live
Penguins are creatures of the Southern Hemisphere. They are found around Antarctica and its surrounding islands, across the Southern Ocean, and along the coasts of South America, southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The popular image of penguins on Antarctic ice fits species such as the emperor and Adélie, but many penguins live in far milder places, from temperate beaches to rocky islands. The Galápagos penguin is the exception that proves the rule: living on the equator, it is the only penguin whose range crosses into the Northern Hemisphere, kept cool by nutrient-rich ocean currents. Most species breed in dense colonies on land or ice, returning to the same sites year after year, which makes the condition of those breeding grounds critical to their survival.

## Threats and conservation
Penguins are among the most threatened groups of seabirds. Climate change is the overarching pressure: warming seas shift the fish and krill they depend on, and the loss of Antarctic sea ice removes the stable platform that ice-breeding species such as the emperor penguin need to raise chicks. In 2026 the emperor penguin was reassessed as Endangered after projections that its population could halve by the 2080s. Overfishing competes directly with penguins for prey, while oil spills, plastic pollution, introduced predators and human disturbance hit colonies hard. The African penguin shows how fast a decline can become a crisis: reassessed as Critically Endangered in 2024, its breeding population has fallen below 10,000 pairs. Protecting feeding grounds and breeding habitat, managing fisheries sustainably, and curbing pollution are central to keeping penguins from sliding further toward extinction.

## Penguin breeding and life cycle
Most penguins are seasonal breeders that gather in large colonies. Pairs typically lay one or two eggs, and in many species both parents share incubation and chick-rearing, taking turns to fast on the nest while the other forages at sea. The emperor penguin is famous for its extreme strategy: the male incubates a single egg through the Antarctic winter, balancing it on his feet beneath a fold of skin while temperatures plunge and the female returns to the ocean to feed. Chicks are often raised in groups called crèches once they are large enough, gaining some protection from cold and predators. Penguins are long-lived for their size, with many species reaching 15 to 20 years in the wild, and they can return faithfully to the same colony and even the same nest site for much of their lives.

## WARN work
This guide is educational content created by the World Animal Rescue Network to support global awareness of threatened wildlife. Penguins fall outside the countries where WARN currently funds hands-on rescue and protection work at this launch stage, so WARN does not fund penguin field programmes and we will not claim otherwise. What we can offer now is rigorously fact-checked, search-friendly information that helps people understand why penguins are declining and what threatens the world's most at-risk animals. By drawing readers in, this content supports WARN's broader mission of building public understanding of habitat loss, climate pressure and the wildlife trade, the same forces that drive the regional rescue work we do fund.

## Donation hook
Penguins fall outside the countries where WARN currently funds field work, so we cannot honestly claim your gift pays for penguin rescue. What your donation does fund is WARN's frontline habitat protection and anti-wildlife-trade efforts in the regions we operate, tackling the same forces of habitat loss and human pressure that threaten wildlife everywhere. Support habitat protection to help us safeguard the wild places animals depend on.


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

## How many species of penguin are there?
The IUCN recognises 18 living species of penguin. Older sources sometimes cite 17, because the rockhopper penguin was later split into the northern and southern rockhopper, and a small amount of taxonomic debate remains.

## Are penguins endangered?
It depends on the species. Across the 18 species, conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered. The African penguin is Critically Endangered, and in 2026 the emperor penguin was uplisted to Endangered, while some other species remain relatively stable.

## Can penguins fly?
No. Penguins are flightless. Their wings have evolved into stiff, paddle-like flippers that make them powerful swimmers, effectively allowing them to 'fly' underwater as they dive and chase prey.

## Where do penguins live?
Almost all penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere, including Antarctica, the Southern Ocean islands, and the coasts of South America, southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The Galápagos penguin is the only species found near the equator and the only one whose range reaches into the Northern Hemisphere.

## What do penguins eat?
Penguins are carnivorous marine hunters. They feed mainly on fish, krill and squid, which they catch underwater on dives. Diet varies by species and location, with some specialising more on krill and others on fish.

## Why are emperor penguins now endangered?
In April 2026 the emperor penguin was reassessed from Near Threatened to Endangered. The main driver is the loss and early break-up of Antarctic sea ice, which the species relies on as a stable platform to raise its chicks. Projections suggest the population could fall by about half by the 2080s.

## Are penguins dangerous?
Penguins are not generally dangerous to people. Penguins are flightless seabirds of the family Spheniscidae with 18 living species, found almost entirely in the Southern Hemisphere; their conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, with the African penguin now Critically Endangered and the emperor penguin uplisted to Endangered in 2026. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How long do penguins live?
Penguins typically live Around 15-20 years in the wild (varies by species). Penguins are flightless seabirds of the family Spheniscidae with 18 living species, found almost entirely in the Southern Hemisphere; their conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, with the African penguin now Critically Endangered and the emperor penguin uplisted to Endangered in 2026. Wild and captive figures can differ; use the sources listed on the guide for the underlying studies.

## How big is a penguin?
A Penguin is about Around 15-20 years in the wild (varies by species). Penguins are flightless seabirds of the family Spheniscidae with 18 living species, found almost entirely in the Southern Hemisphere; their conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, with the African penguin now Critically Endangered and the emperor penguin uplisted to Endangered in 2026.


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

## One-line answer
The koala is a Vulnerable eucalyptus-eating marsupial native only to Australia, where habitat loss, disease and bushfire have made its eastern populations Endangered under national law as of 2022.

## Introduction
The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is an iconic tree-dwelling marsupial found only in the eucalyptus forests and woodlands of eastern and southern Australia. Often mistaken for a bear, it is in fact a pouched mammal more closely related to wombats. Koalas are extreme dietary specialists, feeding almost entirely on the leaves of a few dozen eucalyptus species, and they spend most of their lives high in the canopy. Habitat clearing, drought, disease, vehicle strikes and catastrophic bushfires have driven steep declines across much of the species' northern range, and in 2022 koala populations in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory were listed as Endangered under Australian federal law. Globally the species is assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

## Takeaway
Koalas are marsupials, not bears, and carry their young in a pouch like kangaroos and wombats.

## Takeaway
They are eucalyptus specialists, eating the leaves of roughly 30 preferred species from more than 600 eucalypts.

## Takeaway
The species lives only in Australia, in forests and woodlands across the eastern and southern states.

## Takeaway
The IUCN lists the koala as Vulnerable, with a decreasing global population trend.

## Takeaway
In 2022, koala populations in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT were listed as Endangered under Australian federal law.

## Takeaway
Major threats include habitat clearing, drought, disease (especially chlamydia), vehicle strikes and severe bushfires.

## What is a koala and where does it live?
The koala is a marsupial endemic to Australia, meaning it is found in the wild nowhere else on Earth. Despite the common nickname 'koala bear,' it is not a bear at all; its closest living relatives are wombats, and like all marsupials it raises its young in a pouch. Koalas inhabit eucalyptus forests and woodlands stretching from northern Queensland down through New South Wales and into Victoria and South Australia. They are highly arboreal, spending almost the entire day and night in trees, where they rest, feed and sleep for up to 18–20 hours a day to conserve the limited energy their leaf diet provides. Individuals occupy overlapping home ranges centred on favoured food trees, and densities vary enormously between regions, from healthy southern populations to severely depleted northern ones.

## Diet and adaptations to a eucalyptus life
Few animals are as specialised as the koala. It feeds almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves, which are tough, low in nutrients and laced with toxins that would sicken most mammals. Koalas cope through a long digestive tract and a large caecum full of microbes that ferment and detoxify the foliage, plus a slow metabolism and long rest periods. They select around 30 preferred eucalyptus species out of more than 600, and local populations often specialise on whichever species grow nearby. Their cheek teeth are adapted to shear and grind fibrous leaves, and they obtain most of their water from foliage, though they will drink during heatwaves and drought. This deep reliance on specific trees is also their greatest vulnerability: when those trees are cleared or burned, koalas have little ability to switch foods or move elsewhere.


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

## Why koala numbers are falling
Koala declines are driven by a stack of overlapping pressures. The clearing and fragmentation of eucalyptus woodland for agriculture, forestry and urban growth removes the trees koalas depend on and forces them to cross roads and open ground, where vehicle strikes and dog attacks take a heavy toll. Disease is a major factor in many populations, particularly chlamydia, which can cause blindness, infertility and death, and koala retrovirus, which weakens the immune system. Drought and extreme heat add further stress, and catastrophic bushfires, such as those of the 2019–2020 fire season, killed or displaced large numbers of koalas and destroyed vast areas of habitat. Northern populations in Queensland and New South Wales have fallen sharply, which is why those populations were uplisted to Endangered under Australian federal law in 2022, even though the species globally remains classified as Vulnerable.

## Conservation and what helps koalas recover
Protecting and reconnecting eucalyptus habitat is the single most important action for koala survival. Conservation efforts focus on safeguarding remaining forest, restoring corridors between fragmented patches, planting preferred food trees, reducing land clearing, and managing threats such as roads, dogs and disease. Wildlife hospitals and carers rehabilitate sick, burned and injured koalas, while research into chlamydia vaccines and population monitoring aims to slow disease spread and track recovery. Because the koala depends so completely on intact, connected woodland, habitat protection delivers the broadest long-term benefit, sheltering not only koalas but the many other species that share Australia's eucalyptus ecosystems.

## WARN work
The koala lives only in Australia, which is outside the countries where the World Animal Rescue Network currently funds field projects. WARN does not fund koala rescue or habitat work, and we will not claim otherwise. We publish this guide as free educational and search content that supports our broader mission of building global awareness for threatened wildlife. The conservation lessons here, especially how habitat loss and fragmentation push specialist species toward extinction, mirror the challenges we do work on in our funded regions. As WARN is still at an early launch stage, we are transparent about exactly where donations go and where they do not.

## Donation hook
Koalas live outside the regions WARN currently funds, so your gift will not be spent on koala projects. If this guide inspired you, you can support the nearest relevant WARN work, protecting wildlife habitat in the countries where we operate, through our Support Habitat Protection appeal, where habitat safeguards help threatened species much as they would for koalas.


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

## Is a koala a bear?
No. The koala is a marsupial, a pouched mammal, and is not related to bears. The nickname 'koala bear' comes from its bear-like face and ears, but its closest living relatives are wombats.

## What do koalas eat?
Koalas eat almost nothing but eucalyptus leaves. They favour around 30 species out of more than 600 eucalypts and have a specialised gut that detoxifies and ferments the tough, low-energy foliage.

## Where do koalas live?
Koalas are found only in Australia, in eucalyptus forests and woodlands across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.

## Are koalas endangered?
Globally the IUCN lists the koala as Vulnerable. In 2022, the populations in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory were listed as Endangered under Australian federal law due to steep declines in the species' northern range.

## Why are koala populations declining?
The main causes are habitat clearing and fragmentation, drought and extreme heat, disease such as chlamydia and koala retrovirus, vehicle strikes, dog attacks, and severe bushfires that destroy eucalyptus habitat.

## What is a baby koala called?
A baby koala is called a joey. It is born tiny and undeveloped after a gestation of about 33 to 35 days, then continues developing in its mother's pouch for roughly six to seven months.

## Are koalas dangerous?
Koalas are not generally dangerous to people. The koala is a Vulnerable eucalyptus-eating marsupial native only to Australia, where habitat loss, disease and bushfire have made its eastern populations Endangered under national law as of 2022. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How long do koalas live?
Koalas typically live About 13–18 years in the wild. The koala is a Vulnerable eucalyptus-eating marsupial native only to Australia, where habitat loss, disease and bushfire have made its eastern populations Endangered under national law as of 2022. Wild and captive figures can differ; use the sources listed on the guide for the underlying studies.

## How big is a koala?
A Koala is about About 13–18 years in the wild. The koala is a Vulnerable eucalyptus-eating marsupial native only to Australia, where habitat loss, disease and bushfire have made its eastern populations Endangered under national law as of 2022.


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

## One-line answer
A kangaroo is a large hopping marsupial native to Australia and the world's biggest marsupial, carrying its young, called a joey, in a pouch; the main kangaroo species are widespread and assessed as Least Concern.

## Introduction
Kangaroos are large, hopping marsupials found only in Australia and are the biggest marsupials alive today. The name is usually applied to the four largest species in the family Macropodidae: the red kangaroo, eastern grey kangaroo, western grey kangaroo, and antilopine kangaroo. These plant-eaters travel by powerful two-footed hops, balance on a thick muscular tail, and raise tiny, jellybean-sized young called joeys inside a forward-opening pouch. Most kangaroo species are abundant and listed as Least Concern, but they sit at the centre of ongoing debates about welfare, commercial harvesting, and government-managed culling.

## Takeaway
Kangaroos are marsupials found only in Australia and are the largest living marsupials.

## Takeaway
The term usually refers to four big species: red, eastern grey, western grey, and antilopine kangaroos.

## Takeaway
They move by hopping on two hind legs, using a muscular tail for balance, and can briefly exceed 70 km/h.

## Takeaway
Females raise a tiny joey in a pouch; after birth the joey nurses and grows in the pouch for around eight to nine months.

## Takeaway
Most kangaroo species are common and listed as Least Concern, though the black wallaroo is Near Threatened, so status varies across the wider group.

## Takeaway
Kangaroos are not threatened with extinction, but commercial harvesting and government culling raise ongoing animal-welfare questions.

## What is a kangaroo?
A kangaroo is a hopping marsupial mammal in the family Macropodidae, a name meaning "big foot." In everyday use the word kangaroo describes the four largest members of the family: the red kangaroo (Osphranter rufus), the eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), the western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus), and the antilopine kangaroo (Osphranter antilopinus). Around fifty smaller relatives, including wallabies, wallaroos, and tree-kangaroos, belong to the same family. The red kangaroo is the largest of all, with big males standing up to about two metres tall and weighing roughly ninety kilograms. As marsupials, kangaroos give birth to extremely undeveloped young that complete their early growth attached to a teat inside the mother's pouch.

## How kangaroos hop, eat, and live
Kangaroos are built for energy-efficient hopping. Long elastic tendons in their hind legs store and release energy like springs, letting them cover ground cheaply at cruising speeds of about 20 to 25 km/h and reach more than 70 km/h in short sprints. The thick tail acts as a fifth limb for balance and, when moving slowly, as a prop. They are grazers, feeding mainly on grasses and other low plants, and can survive long dry spells by being active in the cooler parts of the day. Kangaroos are social and gather in groups known as mobs, which can number ten or more animals and offer extra eyes to watch for danger.


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

## The pouch, the joey, and reproduction
A newborn kangaroo is blind, hairless, and smaller than a grape after a gestation of only about a month. Guided by instinct, it climbs through the mother's fur into the pouch, latches onto a teat, and continues developing there for roughly eight to nine months before making its first short trips outside. Many female kangaroos can also pause the development of a tiny embryo until conditions improve or the current joey leaves the pouch, an adaptation called embryonic diapause that helps them breed efficiently in a harsh, unpredictable climate. A young kangaroo is called a joey, and even after it leaves the pouch it may keep returning to nurse for some time.

## Conservation, welfare, and the culling debate
Unlike many smaller macropods, the large kangaroo species have generally thrived alongside farming and remain widespread and abundant; the red and grey kangaroos are all assessed as Least Concern. Because their numbers can be very high, several Australian states run regulated commercial harvests and government-approved population-control programs, and kangaroos are sometimes culled to protect crops, pasture, and habitat. These practices are legal and managed, but they are also the subject of serious animal-welfare discussion, particularly around humane killing methods and the fate of dependent joeys. Drought, bushfire, vehicle collisions, and habitat change also affect local populations, so management aims to balance healthy ecosystems with humane treatment.

## WARN work
The World Animal Rescue Network does not fund hands-on kangaroo projects. Kangaroos live only in Australia, which is outside WARN's current funded countries. At this launch stage we are honest about that scope: this guide is educational and search-focused content that supports WARN's broader mission of global wildlife awareness and accurate, welfare-minded information. It is not a claim that WARN runs or funds kangaroo conservation or rescue work in Australia.

## Donation hook
Kangaroos are not part of WARN's funded work, but the habitats and wildlife they depend on face pressure worldwide. If this guide helped you, please consider supporting WARN's habitat protection efforts, which fund real on-the-ground work in the countries where the network currently operates.


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

## Are kangaroos endangered?
No. The four large kangaroo species are widespread and abundant and are all assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Across the wider family of around fifty macropods the picture varies, and a few relatives such as the black wallaroo are Near Threatened, but the familiar kangaroos are not at risk of extinction.

## Where do kangaroos live?
Kangaroos are native only to Australia, where they are found across grasslands, open woodlands, savanna, and arid inland country. Different species favour different habitats, from the dry interior preferred by red kangaroos to the wetter forests and woodlands used by grey kangaroos.

## What is a baby kangaroo called?
A baby kangaroo is called a joey. It is born tiny, blind, and undeveloped, then crawls into the mother's pouch and grows there for about eight to nine months before venturing out and eventually leaving the pouch for good.

## How fast can a kangaroo hop?
Red kangaroos cruise comfortably at around 20 to 25 km/h and can hit short bursts faster than 70 km/h. Their long hind tendons store and release energy like springs, making hopping a remarkably efficient way to travel.

## What is the largest kangaroo?
The red kangaroo is the largest kangaroo and the biggest marsupial alive today. Large males can stand up to about two metres tall and weigh roughly ninety kilograms (around 200 pounds).

## What do kangaroos eat?
Kangaroos eat Herbivore, mainly grasses and other low plants. A kangaroo is a large hopping marsupial native to Australia and the world's biggest marsupial, carrying its young, called a joey, in a pouch; the main kangaroo species are widespread and assessed as Least Concern.

## Are kangaroos dangerous?
Most kangaroo species are abundant and listed as Least Concern, but they sit at the centre of ongoing debates about welfare, commercial harvesting, and government-managed culling. Give wild kangaroos space; do not corner or handle them.

## How long do kangaroos live?
Kangaroos typically live About 6 years in the wild; 20+ years possible in captivity. A kangaroo is a large hopping marsupial native to Australia and the world's biggest marsupial, carrying its young, called a joey, in a pouch; the main kangaroo species are widespread and assessed as Least Concern. Wild and captive figures can differ; use the sources listed on the guide for the underlying studies.

## How big is a kangaroo?
A Kangaroo is about About 6 years in the wild; 20+ years possible in captivity. A kangaroo is a large hopping marsupial native to Australia and the world's biggest marsupial, carrying its young, called a joey, in a pouch; the main kangaroo species are widespread and assessed as Least Concern.


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

## One-line answer
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is the fastest land animal, reaching roughly 100-120 km/h (about 60-75 mph) in short bursts, and is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with the Asiatic cheetah in Iran listed as Critically Endangered.

## Introduction
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is the world's fastest land animal, built for explosive bursts of speed across open grassland. With a lean frame, a long muscular tail for balance, and a flexible spine, it can accelerate faster than most sports cars to chase down gazelles and other small ungulates. Once widespread across Africa and southwest Asia, the cheetah has lost most of its historic range and is now classified as Vulnerable, with only a few thousand mature individuals remaining in the wild. The Asiatic cheetah, surviving only in Iran, is among the rarest cats on the planet and is Critically Endangered. This guide covers the cheetah's speed, biology, diet, conservation status, and the threats it faces.

## Takeaway
The cheetah is the fastest land animal, sprinting at roughly 100-120 km/h (about 60-75 mph) in short bursts of a few hundred metres.

## Takeaway
It is built for speed: a lightweight body, long legs, a flexible spine, semi-retractable claws for grip, and a long tail that acts as a rudder.

## Takeaway
Globally the cheetah is listed as Vulnerable, with around 6,500 mature individuals estimated in the wild.

## Takeaway
The Asiatic cheetah survives only in Iran, where fewer than 50 are thought to remain, making it Critically Endangered.

## Takeaway
Main threats include habitat loss, conflict with farmers, loss of prey, illegal cub trafficking, and high cub mortality.

## Takeaway
Cheetahs are listed on CITES Appendix I, the highest level of international trade protection.

## How fast is a cheetah and how does it hunt?
The cheetah is the fastest land animal, capable of roughly 100-120 km/h (about 60-75 mph) in short bursts, with the highest reliably recorded speed around 104 km/h (65 mph). It can accelerate from a standstill to top speed in just a few seconds, but sustains a full sprint only for a few hundred metres before overheating. Everything about its anatomy serves the chase: a small head, deep chest, long thin legs, an extremely flexible spine that lengthens each stride, blunt semi-retractable claws that grip like running spikes, and a long tail used as a counterbalance for sharp turns. Cheetahs hunt by day, relying on eyesight to spot prey, then stalk close before unleashing a high-speed dash and tripping the animal with a swipe of the paw.


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

## What does a cheetah eat and how does it live?
Cheetahs are carnivores that target small to medium ungulates, typically prey weighing 20-60 kg such as gazelles, impala, and springbok, along with hares and the young of larger species. Because they are lighter than lions and leopards, cheetahs often lose their kills to these stronger competitors and to hyenas, so they eat quickly after a hunt. Females are largely solitary and raise cubs alone, while males sometimes form small bonded groups called coalitions, often brothers, that defend a territory together. Cubs are born blind and helpless after a gestation of about three months, with litters commonly of three to four, though cub mortality in the wild is very high.

## Why is the cheetah endangered?
The cheetah has disappeared from the great majority of its historic range and now occupies only a fraction of it. The IUCN lists the species as Vulnerable, with the global population estimated at around 6,500 mature individuals and declining. Key pressures include the loss and fragmentation of open habitat, declining wild prey, conflict with livestock farmers, vehicle collisions, and the illegal trafficking of cubs for the exotic pet trade. Because cheetahs range widely and live at low densities, much of the remaining population exists outside protected areas, which makes them especially exposed. The Asiatic cheetah subspecies (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), now confined to Iran's central drylands with fewer than 50 individuals, is Critically Endangered and at serious risk of extinction.

## WARN work
The cheetah lives outside the countries where the World Animal Rescue Network currently funds on-the-ground projects. WARN does not fund cheetah field work, and at our current launch stage we are honest about that scope. This guide is educational and search-focused content: it exists to build global awareness of an iconic, threatened species and to support WARN's broader mission of protecting wildlife and the habitats they depend on. The conservation challenges cheetahs face, including habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade, are the same forces WARN tackles in the regions where it does operate.

## Donation hook
The cheetah falls outside the regions WARN currently funds, but the threats it faces, habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade, are exactly what your support helps us fight where we do work. Backing WARN's habitat protection efforts strengthens a global mission to keep wild places intact for vulnerable species everywhere.


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

## How fast can a cheetah run?
A cheetah can reach roughly 100-120 km/h (about 60-75 mph) in short bursts, making it the fastest land animal. The highest reliably recorded speed is around 104 km/h (65 mph). It can only sustain a full sprint for a few hundred metres before it has to stop and cool down.

## Is the cheetah endangered?
The cheetah is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with about 6,500 mature individuals estimated worldwide and the population declining. The Asiatic cheetah, found only in Iran, is Critically Endangered, with fewer than 50 thought to remain.

## Where do cheetahs live?
Most wild cheetahs live in eastern and southern Africa, including countries such as Kenya and Tanzania, where they favour open grasslands and savannas. A tiny, separate population of Asiatic cheetahs survives in the arid landscapes of central Iran.

## What do cheetahs eat?
Cheetahs are carnivores that mainly hunt small to medium ungulates weighing about 20-60 kg, such as gazelles, impala, and springbok, plus hares and the young of larger animals. They hunt by day and rely on speed rather than strength to catch prey.

## What is a baby cheetah called?
A baby cheetah is called a cub. Litters usually contain three to four cubs, which are born blind and depend entirely on their mother. Cub mortality is high in the wild because of predators such as lions and hyenas.

## What is the difference between a cheetah and a leopard?
Cheetahs are slim and built for speed, with solid round spots and black tear-mark lines running from the eyes to the mouth. Leopards are more powerfully built, climb trees, and have rose-shaped markings called rosettes rather than solid spots. Cheetahs cannot fully retract their claws, while leopards can.

## Are cheetahs dangerous?
Cheetahs are not usually dangerous to humans. They weigh 21–65 kg and are built for short sprints at roughly 100–120 km/h, not for fighting larger animals. Wild cheetahs typically flee from people. They pose far less risk than lions or leopards, though any wild predator should be treated with caution and distance.

## How long do cheetahs live?
Cheetahs live about 10–12 years in the wild. High cub mortality from predators such as lions and hyenas limits how many reach adulthood. Their lean frame and dependence on open grassland prey mean that surviving a full decade already represents a successful life in the wild.

## How big is a cheetah?
An adult cheetah's head and body measure about 1.1–1.5 m (3.7–4.9 ft), with a weight range of 21–65 kg (46–143 lb). Males are typically larger than females. This slim build helps them reach roughly 100–120 km/h in short bursts — lighter and more lightly built than leopards or lions.


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

## One-line answer
The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is a large semi-aquatic African mammal listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with roughly 115,000-130,000 individuals remaining and a declining population driven by habitat loss and demand for its tooth ivory.

## Introduction
The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is a massive, barrel-shaped mammal that spends its days submerged in African rivers and lakes and emerges at night to graze on grass. Despite a placid appearance, it is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous large animals to people in Africa, fiercely defending its water and young. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, the hippo is squeezed by shrinking and drying wetlands, conflict with farmers, and demand for its large canine teeth, which are traded as a form of ivory. This guide explains where hippos live, how they behave, why they matter, and what threatens their future.

## Takeaway
Hippos are semi-aquatic: they rest in water by day to stay cool and protect their skin, then graze grass on land at night.

## Takeaway
The IUCN lists the species as Vulnerable, with an estimated 115,000-130,000 individuals and an overall declining trend.

## Takeaway
Hippos are highly territorial in water and account for many human deaths in Africa each year, making them genuinely dangerous to approach.

## Takeaway
Major threats are habitat loss from wetland drainage and drought, conflict with farmers, and trade in their large canine teeth as a substitute ivory.

## Takeaway
They are listed on CITES Appendix II, which regulates international trade in hippos and their parts.

## Takeaway
A single calf is born after about an eight-month gestation, often nursed and even born in the water.

## What is a hippopotamus and where does it live?
The common hippopotamus is a large, mostly hairless mammal in the family Hippopotamidae, distantly related to whales and dolphins. Adults can weigh well over a tonne, with bulls sometimes exceeding 1,500 kg. Hippos inhabit rivers, lakes, swamps and seasonal wetlands across sub-Saharan Africa, including protected areas in Kenya and Tanzania. They need permanent water deep enough to submerge in and open grassland nearby for grazing. During the day they cluster in pods that can number from a handful to more than a hundred animals, surfacing to breathe roughly every few minutes.

## Behaviour: semi-aquatic life and why hippos are dangerous
Hippos spend up to sixteen hours a day in or near water, which keeps their sensitive skin from drying out and protects them from the heat. At dusk they leave the water and may walk several kilometres to graze, eating mainly grass. Bulls defend stretches of water and will charge boats, people or other animals that intrude, while cows are intensely protective of calves. Their enormous canine teeth, powerful jaws and surprising speed on land make encounters dangerous, and hippos are responsible for a significant number of human fatalities in Africa each year. They are best observed from a safe distance and never between a hippo and the water.


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

## Conservation status and threats
The IUCN classifies the hippopotamus as Vulnerable, citing an overall population decline. The clearest pressures are loss and degradation of wetland habitat through drainage, agriculture and drought, which can leave hippos stranded or in conflict with people. Hippos are also killed for their meat and for their large canine teeth, which are carved and traded as a form of ivory; this trade is regulated under CITES Appendix II. Because populations vary widely between countries, conservation depends on protecting water catchments, maintaining wildlife corridors, and curbing illegal hunting and trade.

## WARN work
This guide is educational reference content created to improve global public understanding of the hippopotamus and the wetland habitats it depends on. The hippopotamus lives in Africa and falls outside the countries where the World Animal Rescue Network currently funds hands-on rescue and care work, so WARN does not run or fund hippo projects at this launch stage. We publish accurate, searchable species guides like this one to support WARN's broader mission of raising awareness for threatened wildlife worldwide and to help readers connect to the conservation themes - habitat protection and the fight against wildlife trade - that WARN does support directly in its funded regions.

## Donation hook
Hippos depend on healthy rivers and wetlands - the same kind of habitats WARN works to protect in its funded regions. While WARN does not yet fund projects in Africa, your gift to Support Habitat Protection strengthens the wider effort to safeguard wild places and the species that rely on them.


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

## Is the hippopotamus endangered?
Not endangered, but threatened. The IUCN classifies the common hippopotamus as Vulnerable, one step below Endangered, with an estimated 115,000-130,000 individuals and a declining overall trend driven by habitat loss and hunting for meat and teeth.

## How many hippos are left in the world?
The IUCN estimates roughly 115,000 to 130,000 common hippos remain in the wild across sub-Saharan Africa. Numbers vary considerably between countries, with some populations stable and others falling.

## Are hippos dangerous to humans?
Yes. Hippos are highly territorial and aggressive in defending water and young, and they are considered among the most dangerous large animals to people in Africa, causing many human deaths each year. They can also move quickly on land despite their size.

## What do hippos eat?
Hippos are herbivores that feed almost entirely on grass. They leave the water at night and graze on land, consuming only small amounts of aquatic plants. An adult eats tens of kilograms of vegetation in a single night.

## Can hippos swim?
Hippos are semi-aquatic but do not truly swim. In deep water they move by pushing off the bottom and gliding, and they can stay submerged for several minutes, surfacing to breathe. Calves can even be born and nurse in the water.

## Why are hippos hunted?
Hippos are killed for their meat, in conflict with farmers, and for their large canine teeth, which are carved and traded as a substitute for elephant ivory. International trade in hippos and their parts is regulated under CITES Appendix II.

## Where do common hippopotamus live?
Common Hippopotamus live in Kenya, Tanzania. The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is a large semi-aquatic African mammal listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with roughly 115,000-130,000 individuals remaining and a declining population driven by habitat loss and demand for its tooth ivory.

## How long do common hippopotamus live?
Common Hippopotamus typically live 40-50 years in the wild. The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is a large semi-aquatic African mammal listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with roughly 115,000-130,000 individuals remaining and a declining population driven by habitat loss and demand for its tooth ivory. Wild and captive figures can differ; use the sources listed on the guide for the underlying studies.

## How big is a common hippopotamus?
A Common Hippopotamus is about 40-50 years in the wild. The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is a large semi-aquatic African mammal listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with roughly 115,000-130,000 individuals remaining and a declining population driven by habitat loss and demand for its tooth ivory.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/sea-turtle): Sea Turtle — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Sea turtles are a group of seven species of large, long-lived marine reptiles whose conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, with most species threatened by fishing bycatch, egg poaching, plastic pollution and coastal development.

## Introduction
Sea turtles are air-breathing marine reptiles that have crossed the world's oceans for more than 100 million years. The seven living species fall into two families: the hard-shelled Cheloniidae (green, loggerhead, hawksbill, flatback, Kemp's ridley and olive ridley) and the leathery-shelled Dermochelyidae, represented only by the giant leatherback. They migrate thousands of kilometres between feeding grounds and the very beaches where they hatched, returning decades later to nest. Today their survival is shaped almost entirely by human pressure: accidental capture in fishing gear, egg poaching, plastic pollution and coastal light that disorients hatchlings. Several species nest on beaches inside WARN partner countries, where protecting eggs and reducing bycatch can change a population's future.

## Takeaway
There are seven living sea turtle species, split between the hard-shelled Cheloniidae and the single leathery-shelled leatherback in Dermochelyidae.

## Takeaway
Conservation status varies sharply: the hawksbill and Kemp's ridley are Critically Endangered, the loggerhead is Endangered, the leatherback and olive ridley are Vulnerable, the green turtle was reassessed to Least Concern in 2025, and the flatback is Data Deficient.

## Takeaway
Accidental capture in fishing gear (bycatch) is the single largest threat to sea turtles globally.

## Takeaway
Egg poaching, plastic pollution, hunting and artificial beach lighting that disorients hatchlings add further pressure.

## Takeaway
All seven species are listed on CITES Appendix I, banning commercial international trade.

## Takeaway
Major nesting beaches lie in WARN partner countries including Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil, where protection efforts directly affect survival.

## The seven species and how they differ
Six sea turtle species belong to the hard-shelled family Cheloniidae: the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), flatback (Natator depressus), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) and olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea). The seventh, the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), is the sole member of Dermochelyidae and the largest of all, reaching well over 1.8 metres and 600 kilograms with a flexible, ridged carapace rather than a bony shell. Diets and habitats differ by species: greens graze seagrass and algae as adults, hawksbills feed on sponges among coral reefs, leatherbacks specialise in jellyfish, and ridleys and loggerheads take crabs, molluscs and other invertebrates. The Kemp's ridley is the rarest and most range-restricted, nesting mainly in the western Gulf of Mexico, while the flatback is confined to the Australian continental shelf.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/sea-turtle): Sea Turtle — wildlife guide.

## Why most sea turtles are threatened
The greatest single danger is bycatch: turtles drown or are injured when caught in trawls, gillnets and longlines set for other catch. On nesting beaches, eggs are dug up for food or sale, and females and juveniles are still hunted for meat and for hawksbill shell. Plastic pollution is lethal because floating bags and film resemble jellyfish, and ingested debris blocks the gut. Coastal development brings artificial light that draws hatchlings away from the sea toward roads and predators, while rising sand temperatures from a warming climate skew hatchling sex ratios toward females. Because turtles take decades to mature and return to specific beaches to nest, populations recover slowly and a single damaged nesting site can set a population back for years.

## Signs of recovery where protection works
Sea turtles show that sustained protection pays off. In October 2025 the IUCN reassessed the green turtle from Endangered to Least Concern after global nesting numbers rose by more than a quarter since the 1970s, driven by decades of beach protection, egg-collection bans and bycatch-reduction measures in countries including Mexico and Brazil. The downlisting applies to the species as a whole; several regional subpopulations, such as those in the Indian Ocean, remain threatened and still need active management. The lesson is consistent across species: guarding nesting beaches, removing turtles from fishing gear and keeping hatchling corridors dark can move a population from decline toward growth.

## WARN work
Several sea turtle species nest and forage along the coasts of WARN partner countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil and Pakistan. As a launch-stage network, WARN channels supporter funding to vetted local partners on these coasts to protect nesting beaches, relocate or guard vulnerable clutches from poaching, free turtles caught in fishing gear, and reduce hatchling-disorienting light near key beaches. This work is modest and partner-led at this early scale, and we report honestly on what each contribution makes possible rather than overstating reach.

## Donation hook
Your gift helps WARN partners on nesting coasts in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil and beyond guard turtle eggs from poachers, free turtles tangled in fishing gear, and keep hatchling beaches dark so the next generation reaches the sea.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/sea-turtle): Sea Turtle — wildlife guide.

## How many species of sea turtle are there?
There are seven living species: the green, loggerhead, hawksbill, flatback, Kemp's ridley and olive ridley (family Cheloniidae) plus the leatherback (family Dermochelyidae).

## Are sea turtles endangered?
It depends on the species. The hawksbill and Kemp's ridley are Critically Endangered and the loggerhead is Endangered, while the leatherback and olive ridley are Vulnerable. The green turtle was reassessed to Least Concern in 2025, and the flatback is listed as Data Deficient.

## What is the biggest threat to sea turtles?
Accidental capture in fishing gear, known as bycatch, is the largest global threat. Egg poaching, hunting, plastic pollution and artificial coastal lighting that disorients hatchlings are also major dangers.

## What is the largest sea turtle?
The leatherback is the largest, reaching more than 1.8 metres in length and weighing up to about 640 kilograms. It is the only sea turtle without a hard bony shell.

## How long do sea turtles live?
Sea turtles are long-lived and many are thought to live well beyond 70 years in the wild, though exact lifespans are hard to measure and most species take decades to reach breeding age.

## What do sea turtles eat?
Sea Turtles eat Varies: seagrass, algae, sponges, jellyfish, crabs and molluscs. Sea turtles are a group of seven species of large, long-lived marine reptiles whose conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, with most species threatened by fishing bycatch, egg poaching, plastic pollution and coastal development.

## Where do sea turtles live?
Sea Turtles live in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil. Sea turtles are a group of seven species of large, long-lived marine reptiles whose conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, with most species threatened by fishing bycatch, egg poaching, plastic pollution and coastal development.

## Are sea turtles dangerous?
Sea Turtles are not generally dangerous to people. Sea turtles are a group of seven species of large, long-lived marine reptiles whose conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, with most species threatened by fishing bycatch, egg poaching, plastic pollution and coastal development. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How big is a sea turtle?
A Sea Turtle is about Often 70+ years in the wild. Sea turtles are a group of seven species of large, long-lived marine reptiles whose conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, with most species threatened by fishing bycatch, egg poaching, plastic pollution and coastal development.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/saltwater-crocodile): Saltwater Crocodile — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the world's largest living reptile, found in the estuaries and mangroves of Southeast Asia and Australasia; it is listed as Least Concern globally by the IUCN, though some local populations remain depleted.

## Introduction
The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the biggest reptile alive today and one of the planet's most formidable apex predators. Equally at home in brackish estuaries, mangrove channels and the open sea, it ranges from the coasts of eastern India through Southeast Asia to northern Australia and the western Pacific. While the species is listed globally as Least Concern thanks to large, well-managed populations in places like Australia, many local populations across Southeast Asia have been thinned by decades of hunting, egg collection, and the loss of nesting habitat. In WARN partner countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia, the saltwater crocodile sits at the heart of a delicate balance between healthy wetlands, human safety, and coastal livelihoods.

## Takeaway
Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles, with big males reaching over 6 metres and roughly a tonne in weight.

## Takeaway
They thrive in salty and brackish water, using mangroves, estuaries and open coastlines, and can travel long distances by sea.

## Takeaway
Globally the species is Least Concern (IUCN, assessed 2020), but local populations in parts of Southeast Asia are reduced and need protection.

## Takeaway
As ambush apex predators they regulate prey populations and keep estuary and wetland ecosystems in balance.

## Takeaway
Females build mound nests of vegetation and guard their eggs and hatchlings, with nest temperature determining the sex of the young.

## Takeaway
Human–crocodile conflict is a major challenge, making safety education and habitat management essential for both people and crocodiles.

## Where saltwater crocodiles live
Saltwater crocodiles occupy a vast range stretching from the eastern coast of India, through the rivers, estuaries and mangrove forests of Southeast Asia, across the islands of Indonesia and Malaysia, and on to northern Australia and the western Pacific. Despite their name, they are not confined to the sea: they move freely between freshwater rivers, brackish tidal channels and saltwater coasts, and individuals have been recorded crossing open ocean between islands. This flexibility once made them one of the most widespread crocodilians on Earth, but it also means they frequently share waterways with fishing communities and coastal villages.

## The largest reptile on Earth
No living reptile grows larger than a mature male saltwater crocodile. The biggest verified individuals exceed 6 metres in length and can approach 1,000 kilograms, with females considerably smaller. Their power comes from a heavily muscled tail, an armored hide, and one of the strongest bite forces measured in any animal. As ambush hunters, they lie motionless near the water's edge and explode forward to seize prey ranging from fish, crabs and birds to deer, wild boar and other large animals. This raw capability is exactly why coexistence with people requires careful management rather than fear alone.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/saltwater-crocodile): Saltwater Crocodile — wildlife guide.

## Conservation status and local pressures
On the global IUCN Red List the saltwater crocodile is classified as Least Concern, reflecting large and recovering populations in well-managed regions such as northern Australia. That single label, however, hides a more uneven reality. Across much of Southeast Asia, including parts of Indonesia and Malaysia, populations were heavily reduced by historic skin hunting, egg and hatchling collection, and the steady loss of mangrove and wetland nesting habitat. Trade is regulated under CITES, with most wild populations on Appendix I and managed populations in Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea on Appendix II. Protecting nesting beaches and intact estuaries is the key to keeping local populations healthy.

## Living alongside a giant predator
In the WARN partner countries where saltwater crocodiles occur, the central conservation question is coexistence. Fishers, farmers and families often use the same rivers and shorelines that crocodiles rely on, and attacks, though rare relative to the number of encounters, can be severe. Effective solutions combine community safety education, well-placed warning signage and barriers, the safe relocation of dangerous individuals, and the protection of breeding habitat so crocodiles have wild space away from people. When this balance works, both communities and crocodiles benefit, and healthy wetlands continue to support fisheries, storm protection and biodiversity.

## WARN work
In WARN network partner countries including Indonesia and Malaysia, the World Animal Rescue Network is building early-stage support for saltwater crocodile coexistence: backing local partners working on nesting-beach and mangrove protection, safe response and relocation of crocodiles caught in conflict situations, and community safety education along high-risk waterways. This work is at launch-stage scale, focused on strengthening on-the-ground partners rather than running large field programs directly, so that both coastal communities and the wetlands these crocodiles depend on can thrive.

## Donation hook
Healthy estuaries and mangroves keep saltwater crocodiles, coastal wildlife and local communities safe. Support habitat protection in WARN partner countries to help our partners safeguard nesting grounds and reduce human–crocodile conflict.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/saltwater-crocodile): Saltwater Crocodile — wildlife guide.

## How big is a saltwater crocodile?
Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles. Large males commonly reach 4 to 5 metres and the biggest verified individuals exceed 6 metres, weighing close to 1,000 kilograms. Females are much smaller, usually around 2.5 to 3 metres.

## Are saltwater crocodiles endangered?
Globally the saltwater crocodile is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, because some populations, especially in northern Australia, are large and well managed. However, certain local populations across Southeast Asia remain depleted and still need active protection.

## Where do saltwater crocodiles live?
They live in estuaries, mangroves, tidal rivers and coastal waters from eastern India through Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and Malaysia, and on to northern Australia and the western Pacific. They move easily between fresh, brackish and salt water.

## What do saltwater crocodiles eat?
They are apex predators that ambush almost any animal entering their territory. Their diet includes fish, crabs and other crustaceans, birds, reptiles, and mammals such as wild pigs and deer, with larger crocodiles able to tackle larger prey.

## How long do saltwater crocodiles live?
Saltwater crocodiles are long-lived, typically reaching about 70 years in the wild, and some individuals are thought to live even longer.

## What is the difference between a saltwater crocodile and a Nile crocodile?
The saltwater crocodile is larger and more tolerant of salt water, ranging across Southeast Asia and Australasia, while the Nile crocodile lives in Africa's freshwater rivers and lakes. The saltwater species also has a broader snout and is generally the larger of the two.


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

## One-line answer
An owl is a nocturnal bird of prey in the order Strigiformes, made up of about 250 species across two families, distinguished by forward-facing eyes, near-silent flight and the ability to rotate its head up to 270 degrees.

## Introduction
Owls are an order of roughly 250 nocturnal birds of prey known for their forward-facing eyes, swivelling heads and near-silent flight. Split into two families, the typical owls (Strigidae) and the barn and bay owls (Tytonidae), they range from the sparrow-sized elf owl to the powerful Eurasian eagle-owl. They live on every continent except Antarctica, hunting rodents and other small animals across forests, grasslands, deserts and farmland. Most owl species are stable, but habitat loss, rodenticide poisoning and forest clearance have pushed more than a dozen toward extinction, making owls an important indicator of ecosystem health worldwide.

## Takeaway
Owls form the order Strigiformes, with around 250 species split between the typical owls (Strigidae) and the barn and bay owls (Tytonidae).

## Takeaway
They are found on every continent except Antarctica, occupying forests, deserts, grasslands and farmland.

## Takeaway
Specialised feathers with serrated and velvety edges let owls fly almost silently while hunting.

## Takeaway
Owls can rotate their heads up to 270 degrees, compensating for eyes that are fixed in their sockets.

## Takeaway
Most owls are nocturnal carnivores, eating rodents, insects, birds and other small animals, often swallowing prey whole and coughing up pellets.

## Takeaway
While many owl species are stable, rodenticides, habitat loss and deforestation threaten several, with around 13 species classed as endangered or critically endangered.

## What is an owl?
Owls are birds of prey that make up the order Strigiformes, comprising roughly 250 living species. They are divided into two families: the typical or true owls (Strigidae), which includes most species such as the great horned, snowy and scops owls, and the barn and bay owls (Tytonidae), recognised by their heart-shaped facial discs. Owls are characterised by large, forward-facing eyes set in a flat facial disc that channels sound to their ears, a hooked beak, sharp talons and feathers that camouflage them against bark and foliage. They range enormously in size, from the elf owl at about 13.5 cm and 31 grams to large eagle-owls reaching 71 cm in length with wingspans near 1.9 metres and weights of more than 4 kg.

## Silent flight and night vision
Owls are built for hunting in low light and near silence. The leading edge of the wing carries a comb-like serration that breaks up turbulent air, while velvety feather surfaces and a soft trailing fringe muffle the sound of flapping, allowing many species to approach prey unheard. Because their tubular eyes cannot move within the skull, owls turn their heads instead, rotating up to 270 degrees thanks to extra neck vertebrae and a blood-vessel system that keeps the brain supplied during the twist. Asymmetrically placed ear openings in some species let them pinpoint prey by sound alone, even under snow or leaf litter.


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

## Diet, breeding and life cycle
Owls are carnivores that feed mainly on small rodents, but their diet also includes insects, other birds, fish, reptiles and occasionally larger mammals. They typically swallow small prey whole and later regurgitate the indigestible fur and bones as compact pellets, which researchers study to learn what owls eat. Most species lay three to four rounded white eggs, which the female incubates for roughly a month using a bare brood patch. Chicks, called owlets, hatch blind and helpless and depend entirely on their parents before fledging. In the wild many owls live around 10 years, though larger species can survive much longer.

## Conservation: a varied picture
As a group, owls range from very common to critically endangered. Widespread species such as the barn owl are listed as Least Concern, while forest specialists like the spotted owl are Near Threatened due to logging of old-growth habitat. Several island and tropical species are in serious trouble, with roughly six classed as Critically Endangered and seven as Endangered by global assessors. The biggest pressures are habitat loss and deforestation, secondary poisoning from rodenticides eaten by their prey, road collisions and persecution. Because owls sit near the top of local food chains, declines often signal wider problems in the ecosystems they depend on.

## WARN work
The World Animal Rescue Network does not currently fund field projects specifically for owls. Owls are a globally distributed group, and at this launch stage WARN's hands-on rescue and rehabilitation work is concentrated in partner-network countries (its partner-network countries). We publish this guide as free educational and search content to raise awareness of owls, the threats they face from habitat loss and rodenticides, and the value of protecting the wild places they share with the species WARN does support. Supporting WARN helps fund habitat protection and wildlife welfare work that benefits many species; we are clear that this does not include dedicated owl programmes today.

## Donation hook
Owls remind us how fragile wild habitats can be. WARN does not yet run owl-specific projects, but your gift helps fund habitat protection and wildlife welfare in our focus countries, supporting the broader mission to keep wild places safe for the animals that depend on them.


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

## How many species of owl are there?
There are about 250 living owl species in the order Strigiformes, divided into two families: the typical owls (Strigidae) and the barn and bay owls (Tytonidae). Different authorities count between roughly 220 and 250 species.

## How far can an owl turn its head?
Owls can rotate their heads up to 270 degrees in either direction. They do this because their eyes are fixed in their sockets; extra neck vertebrae and a specialised blood supply let them twist without cutting off circulation to the brain.

## Why can owls fly silently?
Owls fly almost silently because of specialised wing feathers. A comb-like serration on the leading edge breaks up turbulent air, while velvety surfaces and a soft fringe on the trailing edge dampen the noise of flapping, letting them approach prey unheard.

## What do owls eat?
Owls are carnivores that mainly eat small rodents such as mice and voles, along with insects, other birds, fish and reptiles. They often swallow small prey whole and later cough up pellets of fur and bone.

## What is a baby owl called?
A baby owl is called an owlet, or sometimes a nestling. Owlets hatch blind and helpless and rely entirely on their parents for warmth and food before they fledge.

## Where do owls live?
Owls live in Worldwide. An owl is a nocturnal bird of prey in the order Strigiformes, made up of about 250 species across two families, distinguished by forward-facing eyes, near-silent flight and the ability to rotate its head up to 270 degrees.

## Are owls dangerous?
An owl is a nocturnal bird of prey in the order Strigiformes, made up of about 250 species across two families, distinguished by forward-facing eyes, near-silent flight and the ability to rotate its head up to 270 degrees. Give wild owls space; do not corner or handle them.

## How long do owls live?
Owls typically live Around 10 years in the wild; longer in larger species and captivity. An owl is a nocturnal bird of prey in the order Strigiformes, made up of about 250 species across two families, distinguished by forward-facing eyes, near-silent flight and the ability to rotate its head up to 270 degrees. Wild and captive figures can differ; use the sources listed on the guide for the underlying studies.

## How big is an owl?
An Owl is about Around 10 years in the wild; longer in larger species and captivity. An owl is a nocturnal bird of prey in the order Strigiformes, made up of about 250 species across two families, distinguished by forward-facing eyes, near-silent flight and the ability to rotate its head up to 270 degrees.


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

## One-line answer
Deer are antlered, hoofed ruminant mammals of the family Cervidae, comprising about 50 species worldwide; most are Least Concern, but several, including Père David's deer (Extinct in the Wild) and the hog deer, are threatened.

## Introduction
Deer are hoofed, plant-eating mammals that make up the family Cervidae, with roughly 50 living species spread across nearly every continent except Antarctica and Australia (where some have been introduced). Their defining feature is antlers: bony structures that grow on the heads of males in almost every species, are shed each year, and regrow from scratch the following season. Deer range from the tiny Southern pudu, barely the size of a small dog, to the towering moose. While many familiar deer such as the white-tailed deer and red deer are abundant, the family also includes some of the world's most threatened mammals, making "deer" a single name covering very different conservation stories.

## Takeaway
Deer form the family Cervidae, with roughly 50 living species found across the Americas, Europe, Asia and North Africa, plus introduced populations elsewhere.

## Takeaway
Antlers are the family's signature trait: grown by males of almost all species (and by female reindeer), shed every year, then regrown, unlike the permanent horns of cattle or antelope.

## Takeaway
The Chinese water deer is the notable exception, growing tusk-like canine teeth instead of antlers.

## Takeaway
Deer are ruminants with a four-chambered stomach, browsing and grazing on leaves, shoots, grasses, fruit and bark.

## Takeaway
Conservation status varies widely: many deer are Least Concern, but Père David's deer is Extinct in the Wild and species such as the hog deer are Endangered.

## Takeaway
Sizes span an enormous range, from the cat-sized pudu to the moose, the largest living deer.

## What makes a deer a deer?
All deer belong to the family Cervidae within the order of even-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla), the same broad group as cattle, antelope and giraffes. The trait that sets cervids apart is the antler: a fast-growing bony structure that develops on the heads of males in nearly all species, is covered in a living skin called velvet while it grows, and is then shed and regrown on an annual cycle. This contrasts with the permanent, unbranched horns of bovids. Female reindeer (caribou) are unusual in growing antlers too, while the Chinese water deer grows none at all and instead bears protruding canine tusks. Deer are ruminants, digesting fibrous plant matter in a four-chambered stomach, and most have long legs built for running and leaping to escape predators.

## Diversity and where deer live
With about 50 species, deer are remarkably varied. The family is usually divided into two main groups: the Old World deer (such as red deer, sika, fallow and the muntjacs) and the New World deer (such as white-tailed deer, mule deer, brocket deer and the tiny pudus), along with reindeer and moose. Naturally they occur across North and South America, Europe, Asia and parts of North Africa, occupying forests, grasslands, wetlands, mountains and tundra. Humans have introduced several species, including red deer and fallow deer, to regions such as Australia and New Zealand where deer are not native. This wide distribution and adaptability is one reason deer are among the most recognised wild mammals on Earth.


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

## Conservation: a family of contrasts
Because the deer family is so large, no single conservation label fits it. Many species are assessed by the IUCN as Least Concern and are widespread or even locally overabundant, with the white-tailed deer being a prime example. At the other end, Père David's deer is classified as Extinct in the Wild and survives only because captive herds, later reintroduced in China, prevented its total loss. The hog deer is listed as Endangered, and other cervids fall into Vulnerable or Near Threatened categories, while several remain Data Deficient. The main pressures are habitat loss, hunting and competition with livestock. Reading any claim about 'deer' therefore requires knowing which species is meant.

## WARN work
This guide is educational reference content created by the World Animal Rescue Network to support our broader mission of wildlife awareness and habitat protection. Deer are a globally distributed group, and at our current launch stage WARN does not fund dedicated deer programmes in any country; our funded field work is concentrated in partner-network countries (its partner-network countries). We share this page to answer common questions accurately and to connect readers with the conservation themes, especially habitat protection, that underpin the survival of deer and the wildlife that depends on the same landscapes.

## Donation hook
Healthy forests, wetlands and grasslands are what keep deer and countless other animals alive. By supporting WARN's habitat protection work, you help safeguard the wild landscapes that wildlife depends on. Note that at our current launch stage WARN funds field projects across its partner network rather than dedicated deer programmes.


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

## How many species of deer are there?
There are roughly 50 living species in the deer family, Cervidae. Exact counts vary between about 47 and 55 depending on the taxonomic source and ongoing genetic research, but around 50 is the figure most commonly cited.

## Do deer really shed their antlers every year?
Yes. In almost all deer species the males grow a fresh set of antlers each year, carry them through the breeding season, then shed them and grow a new set the following year. Female reindeer also grow antlers, while the Chinese water deer grows none.

## What is a baby deer called?
A baby deer is usually called a fawn, especially in smaller species such as white-tailed and red deer. In larger species like moose, elk and reindeer, the young are often called calves.

## What is a group of deer called?
A group of deer is most commonly called a herd. Other collective nouns used historically include a 'mob' or, for some species, a 'bevy' or 'drove'.

## What do deer eat?
Deer are herbivores and ruminants. They browse and graze on leaves, twigs, shoots, grasses, herbs, fruit, nuts and bark, digesting this fibrous material in a four-chambered stomach. The exact diet depends on the species and season.

## Where do deer live?
Deer live in Worldwide. Deer are antlered, hoofed ruminant mammals of the family Cervidae, comprising about 50 species worldwide; most are Least Concern, but several, including Père David's deer (Extinct in the Wild) and the hog deer, are threatened.

## Are deer dangerous?
Deer are not generally dangerous to people. Deer are antlered, hoofed ruminant mammals of the family Cervidae, comprising about 50 species worldwide; most are Least Concern, but several, including Père David's deer (Extinct in the Wild) and the hog deer, are threatened. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How long do deer live?
Deer typically live Commonly 6–14 years in the wild; up to about 20 years in captivity (varies by species). Deer are antlered, hoofed ruminant mammals of the family Cervidae, comprising about 50 species worldwide; most are Least Concern, but several, including Père David's deer (Extinct in the Wild) and the hog deer, are threatened. Wild and captive figures can differ; use the sources listed on the guide for the underlying studies.

## How big is a deer?
A Deer is about Commonly 6–14 years in the wild; up to about 20 years in captivity (varies by species). Deer are antlered, hoofed ruminant mammals of the family Cervidae, comprising about 50 species worldwide; most are Least Concern, but several, including Père David's deer (Extinct in the Wild) and the hog deer, are threatened.


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

## One-line answer
Rabbits are small herbivorous mammals of the family Leporidae (over 70 species); most are common, but a few wild species such as the riverine and volcano rabbits are Critically Endangered or Endangered, and pet and farmed rabbits raise real welfare concerns.

## Introduction
Rabbits are small, long-eared herbivorous mammals in the family Leporidae, part of the order Lagomorpha. The group spans more than 70 species across about 11 genera, ranging from the abundant European rabbit, the ancestor of every domestic and farmed breed, to rare wild specialists found on a single mountainside. Famous for rapid breeding, near-360-degree vision, and a social burrow life, rabbits live on every continent except Antarctica, mostly through human introduction. Yet "rabbit" is not one conservation story: while many cottontails and the European rabbit remain common, a handful of wild species such as the riverine rabbit and the volcano rabbit are sliding toward extinction. This guide separates the everyday pet from the imperilled wild, and explains the welfare and habitat issues behind both.

## Takeaway
"Rabbit" covers 70+ species in the family Leporidae, not a single animal, and conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered.

## Takeaway
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is the wild ancestor of all domestic and farmed breeds.

## Takeaway
Rabbits are prolific breeders: a gestation of roughly 28-31 days and litters of 1-12 kits mean populations rebound fast.

## Takeaway
Young are called kits (or kittens), females are does, and males are bucks; a group is a colony, nest or warren.

## Takeaway
Some wild species are in serious trouble; the riverine rabbit is Critically Endangered with only around 150-200 mature adults left.

## Takeaway
Pet and farmed rabbits face welfare risks from poor housing, isolation and unsuitable diet, and are widely abandoned after impulse adoption.

## One name, many species
The family Leporidae contains more than 70 living species grouped into roughly 11 genera. The most widespread are Oryctolagus (the single European rabbit species) and Sylvilagus (the 17 or so North and South American cottontails). Others are far more restricted: the pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus), the red rock-hares (Pronolagus) of Africa, the Amami rabbit of Japan, the hispid hare of South Asia, and the striped rabbits of Southeast Asia. Rabbits are distinguished from rodents by having a second, small pair of upper incisors tucked behind the front teeth, a hallmark of the order Lagomorpha. Their eyes sit high and wide on the head, giving close to 360-degree vision to watch for predators while grazing.

## Built to breed and to flee
Rabbits are classic prey animals, and their biology reflects it. Gestation lasts only about 28 to 31 days, litters run from 1 to 12 kits, and females can conceive again almost immediately, so a single pair can found a large colony in a season. Kits are born blind and hairless in a fur-lined nest. To escape predators, the European rabbit can sprint in bursts of up to roughly 35 mph (about 56 km/h), zig-zagging toward the safety of its warren, a network of connected burrows shared by a social group. Rabbits are strict herbivores, eating grass and leafy vegetation, and they re-ingest soft night droppings to extract more nutrients, a process called caecotrophy.


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

## The wild species at risk
While pet shops overflow with rabbits, several wild species are vanishing. The riverine rabbit of South Africa's Karoo is Critically Endangered, with recent estimates of only about 157 to 207 mature individuals, threatened by the loss of the riverside scrub it depends on. Mexico's volcano rabbit, one of the world's smallest, is Endangered, clinging to grassy pine slopes around volcanoes near Mexico City. Across the family, the IUCN lists roughly one species as Critically Endangered, nine as Endangered and eight as Vulnerable, driven mainly by habitat loss, agriculture and hunting. Even the European rabbit, abundant where introduced, has declined in its native Iberia, where it is a keystone prey for the Iberian lynx.

## Pets, farms and welfare
Domestic rabbits descend entirely from the European rabbit and are among the most popular companion animals, yet they are also among the most misunderstood. They are social, intelligent and long-lived, reaching 8 to 12 years or more with good care, but are frequently confined to small hutches, kept alone, fed unsuitable pellet-only diets, or surrendered when novelty fades. Rabbits are also farmed in large numbers for meat and fur, where intensive cage systems raise significant welfare concerns. Responsible care means companionship, space to hop and stand upright, a hay-based diet, and never releasing pet rabbits into the wild, where they cannot survive or may disrupt local ecosystems.

## WARN work
This is an educational guide, and it is important to be clear about scope. The World Animal Rescue Network's funded rescue and welfare programmes are at launch stage and currently concentrated in a network of partner countries. Rabbits are a globally distributed group, and WARN does not fund dedicated rabbit-specific projects. We publish this guide to support our broader mission of global animal-welfare awareness and accurate, accessible species information, and to point readers toward the closest relevant work we do support: protecting wild habitats that threatened species, including imperilled wild rabbits, depend on.

## Donation hook
Rabbits remind us that protecting wildlife starts with protecting the places they live. WARN's rescue work is still at launch stage across its partner network and does not yet fund rabbit-specific projects, but you can support the habitat protection that gives threatened species a future. Back our Habitat Protection appeal to help safeguard the wild spaces that vulnerable animals depend on.


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

## How many species of rabbit are there?
There are more than 70 living species in the rabbit family, Leporidae, divided into about 11 genera. This count includes well-known groups such as cottontails and the European rabbit, but excludes hares, which belong to the separate genus Lepus.

## What is a baby rabbit called?
A baby rabbit is called a kit, short for kitten. An adult female is a doe and an adult male is a buck. A group of rabbits is usually called a colony, a nest, or a warren.

## How fast can a rabbit run?
A wild European rabbit can reach short-burst speeds of around 35 mph (about 56 km/h), using sharp zig-zag turns to escape predators. Most pet rabbits are far slower, typically managing only single-digit speeds in mph.

## How long do rabbits live?
Wild rabbits often live only 1 to 5 years because of predation, but well-cared-for domestic rabbits commonly live 8 to 12 years, and some reach into their teens.

## Are any rabbits endangered?
Yes. While many rabbit species are common, several wild ones are threatened. The riverine rabbit of South Africa is Critically Endangered with only around 150 to 200 mature adults left, and Mexico's volcano rabbit is Endangered.

## What do rabbits eat?
Rabbits are strict herbivores. In the wild they graze on grass and leafy plants, and pet rabbits should eat mostly hay supplemented with leafy greens. They also re-ingest soft night droppings to absorb more nutrients from their food.

## Where do rabbits live?
Rabbits live in Worldwide. Rabbits are small herbivorous mammals of the family Leporidae (over 70 species); most are common, but a few wild species such as the riverine and volcano rabbits are Critically Endangered or Endangered, and pet and farmed rabbits raise real welfare concerns.

## Are rabbits dangerous?
Rabbits are not generally dangerous to people. Rabbits are small herbivorous mammals of the family Leporidae (over 70 species); most are common, but a few wild species such as the riverine and volcano rabbits are Critically Endangered or Endangered, and pet and farmed rabbits raise real welfare concerns. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How big is a rabbit?
A Rabbit is about 1-5 years wild; 8-12+ years domestic. Rabbits are small herbivorous mammals of the family Leporidae (over 70 species); most are common, but a few wild species such as the riverine and volcano rabbits are Critically Endangered or Endangered, and pet and farmed rabbits raise real welfare concerns.


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

## One-line answer
A squirrel is a small-to-medium rodent in the family Sciuridae, a group of more than 280 species worldwide that includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels and gliding flying squirrels; most are common and Least Concern, though some island species are endangered.

## Introduction
Squirrels make up the family Sciuridae, one of the most widespread mammal families on Earth, with roughly 280 to 285 species spread across about 58 genera. The family is usually split into three broad lifestyles: tree squirrels, ground squirrels (which include chipmunks, marmots and prairie dogs), and flying squirrels that glide between trees on a flap of skin. They are found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia, in habitats ranging from tropical rainforest to arctic tundra and city parks. Most squirrels are common and listed as Least Concern, but a number of island, high-elevation and forest-restricted species are threatened, and a few, such as the Hon Khoai squirrel of Vietnam and the Namdapha flying squirrel of India, are Critically Endangered.

## Takeaway
Squirrels are rodents in the family Sciuridae, with roughly 280–285 species across about 58 genera found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.

## Takeaway
The family covers three broad groups: tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks, marmots and prairie dogs), and flying squirrels that glide rather than truly fly.

## Takeaway
Sizes span from the tiny African pygmy squirrel at about 10 cm to giant flying squirrels over a metre long including the tail.

## Takeaway
Diet is mainly seeds and nuts, but squirrels also eat fruit, fungi, buds, insects and occasionally small vertebrates; they cannot digest cellulose.

## Takeaway
Most squirrel species are listed as Least Concern, but island, high-elevation and forest-restricted species can be Endangered or Critically Endangered.

## Takeaway
Habitat loss, deforestation and competition from introduced species are the main pressures on the threatened members of the family.

## What is a squirrel?
A squirrel is a rodent in the family Sciuridae. The family is large and varied, with about 280 to 285 living species grouped into roughly 58 genera and five subfamilies. Despite the differences in size and lifestyle, squirrels share a recognisable body plan: a slender frame, large eyes, strong hind legs for leaping, sharp curved claws for gripping bark, and in most species a long bushy tail used for balance, signalling and warmth. The family is traditionally divided into tree squirrels, ground squirrels and flying squirrels, though all three are close relatives within the same family rather than separate groups.

## Where squirrels live and how they behave
Squirrels are found almost everywhere there are trees or open ground, on every continent except Antarctica and Australia, from tropical forests and deserts to mountains, farmland and urban parks. Tree squirrels nest in leafy dreys or tree cavities and are active by day. Ground squirrels dig burrow systems and many enter deep hibernation through cold winters. Flying squirrels are mostly nocturnal and glide between trees on a membrane stretched between their limbs. Many species are famous for caching food, burying or hoarding nuts and seeds to survive lean seasons, a habit that helps disperse tree seeds and shape forests.