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

## One-line answer
The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is a small Australian parrot — Least Concern in the wild — famous in captivity but naturally a nomadic flocking bird of the Outback, related to macaws and cockatoos within the parrot order.

## Introduction
The budgerigar, or budgie, is a small parrot native to the arid interior of Australia. Wild birds wear green and yellow scalloped plumage and form large nomadic flocks that follow water and seeding grasses. Globally it is one of the most popular cage birds, with countless colour morphs bred in captivity. In the wild the species remains Least Concern with a vast range, though drought and habitat change affect local abundance. Understanding budgerigars as wild parrots — cousins to macaws and cockatoos — reframes how we view the pet trade.

## Takeaway
Wild budgerigars are green and yellow; blue, white and other colours are captive-bred mutations.

## Takeaway
Budgies belong to the parrot order — see WARN guides on parrot, macaw and cockatoo for related context.

## Takeaway
In Australia flocks can number thousands, moving with rainfall and grass seed availability.

## Takeaway
Captive budgies still need flight space, companionship and mental stimulation — not just a small cage.

## Takeaway
Wild population is Least Concern, but drought and land-use change affect regional numbers.

## Takeaway
Illegal capture of wild birds for export still occurs despite legal captive supply.

## Wild budgerigars of the Outback
Melopsittacus undulatus occurs across mainland Australia except the wettest coastal fringes and Tasmania. Wild budgerigars inhabit open woodland, scrub and grassland, nesting in tree hollows — often after rainfall triggers breeding. Flocks are nomadic, tracking seeding native grasses and waterholes across semi-desert landscapes.

Natural colouration is green with a yellow head and black barring on the wings and mantle — excellent camouflage among eucalyptus foliage. Males typically have a blue cere (nostril area); females brown or tan, aiding sexing in the field.

Mass flock movements after heavy rains are among Australia's great wildlife spectacles. Documentary footage of swirling green clouds above the Outback reflects natural behaviour far removed from solitary cage life.

## From wild parrot to global pet
Budgerigars entered European aviculture in the mid-nineteenth century and became the world's most widely kept parrot. Selective breeding produced blue, white, yellow-faced and pied morphs unknown in nature. The pet industry now relies almost entirely on captive propagation in Europe, North America and Asia.

Despite abundant legal supply, wild-trapped budgerigars occasionally enter illegal trade chains, laundered as captive-bred. CITES Appendix II requires documentation for international commercial shipments.

Even small parrots need welfare standards: paired or grouped housing, daily flight exercise, varied diet beyond seed alone and veterinary care. Budgies live 5 to 10 years commonly, with some reaching 15 — longer than many owners expect.


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

## Ecology and conservation
The IUCN lists the budgerigar as Least Concern with a stable, enormous range. Population estimates run to millions of wild birds, though precise counts are impossible given nomadism. Local declines may occur during prolonged drought when water and seed fail simultaneously.

Agricultural expansion and cattle grazing alter grass communities budgerigars depend on, but the species adapts to some modified landscapes. Invasive predators and competition for nest hollows with introduced starlings pose regional risks.

Conservation priority is lower than for Critically Endangered parrots, yet the budgerigar serves as an ambassador species: learning its wild ecology builds respect for all Psittaciformes, including heavily trafficked macaws.

## Budgerigars in the parrot family
Taxonomically budgerigars sit within the cockatoo lineage (superfamily Cacatuoidea) as the only small long-tailed member. They share zygodactyl feet, hooked bills and vocal learning with macaws and cockatoos — see WARN's parrot hub for trade and conservation themes spanning the order.

Brazil and Colombia host very different parrots — macaws and Amazon parrots — but the welfare lesson is shared: parrots are not disposable decorations. Longevity, intelligence and social needs apply at every scale from budgie to hyacinth macaw.

Readers considering a budgie should adopt from shelters, provide aviary space where possible and never support vendors of unclear origin. Wild budgerigars belong under Australian skies in flocks, not in smuggler's boxes.

## Related WARN guides
Wild budgerigars are Australian parrots — read WARN's cockatoo guide for larger crested relatives and the macaw page for long-tailed Neotropical parrots. The parrot species library covers trade, welfare and conservation across the order.

Captive budgies descend from wild flocks but need space, flock contact and mental stimulation — not a seed-only cage life.

Supporting anti-trafficking education helps every parrot species, from budgerigar to hyacinth macaw.

## WARN work
WARN's parrot crisis work focuses on trafficked macaws and Amazon parrots in Brazil and Colombia, but this budgerigar guide connects readers in Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia to honest parrot education — wild birds, legal trade limits and why even common species deserve proper care.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


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

## Are budgerigars wild birds?
Yes. Budgerigars are wild parrots of arid Australia, listed Least Concern. Captive colour varieties are domesticated morphs; wild birds are green and yellow with black wing markings.

## How long do budgerigars live?
Typically 5 to 10 years in captivity, sometimes 12 to 15 with excellent care. Wild lifespan is shorter due to predation and drought.

## Are budgies related to macaws?
Yes. All belong to the parrot order Psittaciformes. Budgerigars are distant relatives within the cockatoo superfamily; macaws are large Neotropical parrots in a different branch.

## Are budgerigars endangered?
No. The IUCN assesses wild budgerigars as Least Concern with a vast Australian range and large population. Threats are local rather than species-wide.

## Can budgerigars talk?
Many budgies learn whistles, phrases and environmental sounds. Males often mimic more readily than females. Clear speech is less distinct than in large parrots but budgies are capable vocal learners.

## What do wild budgerigars eat?
Agricultural expansion and cattle grazing alter grass communities budgerigars depend on, but the species adapts to some modified landscapes. The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is a small Australian parrot — Least Concern in the wild — famous in captivity but naturally a nomadic flocking bird of the Outback, related to macaws and cockatoos within the parrot order.

## Where do budgerigars live?
Budgerigars live in Arid and semi-arid Australia. The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is a small Australian parrot — Least Concern in the wild — famous in captivity but naturally a nomadic flocking bird of the Outback, related to macaws and cockatoos within the parrot order.

## Are budgerigars dangerous?
Budgerigars are domesticated animals and are not dangerous to people in the wild-predator sense. The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is a small Australian parrot — Least Concern in the wild — famous in captivity but naturally a nomadic flocking bird of the Outback, related to macaws and cockatoos within the parrot order. Usual risks are husbandry and handling, not unprovoked attacks.

## How big is a budgerigar?
A Budgerigar is about About 18 cm. The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is a small Australian parrot — Least Concern in the wild — famous in captivity but naturally a nomadic flocking bird of the Outback, related to macaws and cockatoos within the parrot order. Conservation status: Least Concern.


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

## One-line answer
The orca (Orcinus orca) is the world's largest oceanic dolphin — a black-and-white apex predator found in all oceans, with pod-specific diets and cultures; globally assessed as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List.

## Introduction
The orca, or killer whale, is the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family Delphinidae. Instantly recognised by black-and-white patterning and often a towering dorsal fin, orcas occur in all oceans from ice edges to the tropics. They are apex predators hunting fish, seals, squid and even other whales. Populations differ in diet, dialect and genetics — some are fish-specialists, others mammal-hunters. The IUCN lists the species as Data Deficient globally because taxonomic units may warrant separate assessment.

## Takeaway
Orcas are dolphins, not true whales — the largest species in family Delphinidae.

## Takeaway
Resident, transient and offshore ecotypes in the North Pacific differ in diet, vocal dialects and genetics.

## Takeaway
Southern Resident orcas of the US Pacific North-west are Endangered with only about 75 individuals.

## Takeaway
Captive display and live capture historically depleted some populations; many countries now restrict capture.

## Takeaway
Persistent organic pollutants accumulate in blubber and affect reproduction in long-lived pods.

## Takeaway
Ship noise and salmon declines threaten fish-eating resident populations.

## What is an orca?
Orcinus orca is a toothed cetacean — a marine mammal with conical teeth rather than baleen. Males may exceed nine metres and weigh ten tonnes; females are smaller with a curved dorsal fin. The striking counter-shaded colouration may confuse prey when viewed from above or below.

Orcas live in matrilineal pods led by older females. Grandmothers share knowledge of salmon runs and hunting routes. Calves stay with their mothers for life in resident fish-eating communities. Transient orcas roam wider territories hunting marine mammals in silence to avoid alerting prey.

Because populations behave like distinct cultures, some scientists argue for splitting orca into multiple species or subspecies. That uncertainty underpins the global Data Deficient IUCN listing.

## Hunting, communication and intelligence
Orcas employ coordinated hunting: wave-washing seals off ice floes, beaching to catch sea lions, or herding fish into bait balls. Each ecotype passes techniques through social learning — evidence of culture among non-human animals.

Vocal repertoires differ between pods; resident orcas use discrete call types inherited maternally. Echolocation clicks locate prey in murky water. Brain size and social complexity rival those of other cetaceans.

Prey specialisation shapes tooth wear and toxin loads. Mammal-eating transients carry higher PCB concentrations because seals concentrate pollutants.

## Threats and conservation
Globally orcas are not scarce, but local populations face extinction. Southern Resident killer whales depend on Chinook salmon; dammed rivers and overfishing reduce food. Vessel traffic increases stress hormones and masks echolocation.

Historical live capture for aquaria removed entire generations from the Pacific North-west. Oil spills, military sonar and entanglement in fishing gear kill individuals. In the Arctic, climate change opens new shipping routes through critical habitat.

Recovery plans focus on salmon restoration, vessel distance rules, pollutant cleanup and ending wild capture. CITES Appendix II regulates international trade in parts and live animals.


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

## Orcas and people
Indigenous coastal peoples feature orcas in art and oral tradition as kin or guardians. Modern whale-watching generates income when boats follow approach guidelines that prevent harassment.

Debate continues over captive orcas: welfare concerns led several countries to ban breeding and import. Remaining display animals highlight longevity and social needs poorly met in tanks.

Readers can support orca conservation through sustainable fisheries advocacy, reduced ocean noise and respect for wild animals at distance — never feeding or approaching closely.

## Related WARN guides
Orcas are the largest oceanic dolphins — read WARN's dolphin guide for Delphinidae context, the sperm whale and blue whale pages for other deep-diving cetaceans, and the whale hub for the wider group.

Seal and sea lion guides cover mammal-hunting ecotypes' prey; sea turtle pages address shared ocean threats.

Salmon restoration, vessel distance rules and an end to wild capture underpin orca recovery.

## WARN work
WARN publishes free marine wildlife education for readers across its coastal and ocean-facing partner network, where understanding apex predators supports broader habitat protection. We do not run orca programmes, but healthy seas underpin every WARN appeal.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


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

## Is an orca a whale or a dolphin?
An orca is a dolphin — the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family Delphinidae. 'Killer whale' is a traditional name reflecting its size and predatory power.

## Are orcas endangered?
Globally the IUCN lists orcas as Data Deficient. Some populations, such as Southern Resident killer whales, are Endangered with fewer than 80 individuals.

## What do orcas eat?
Diet varies by population: fish — especially salmon for residents — seals, sea lions, squid, sharks and even other whales for mammal-hunting ecotypes.

## How long do orcas live?
Females can exceed 80 years in the wild; males typically live 30 to 60 years. Long generation times slow population recovery.

## Do orcas attack humans?
Wild orcas rarely harm people. Most incidents involve captive animals. Wild pods may approach boats out of curiosity but serious attacks are exceptionally uncommon.

## Where do orcas live?
In all oceans from polar ice to equatorial waters. Different ecotypes occupy specific regions — for example, fish-eating residents in the north-east Pacific.

## How big is a killer whale?
A Killer Whale is about Up to ~9 m (males). The orca (Orcinus orca) is the world's largest oceanic dolphin — a black-and-white apex predator found in all oceans, with pod-specific diets and cultures; globally assessed as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List. Conservation status: Data Deficient.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/blue-whale): Blue Whale — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the Endangered largest animal on Earth — a krill-filtering baleen whale found in all oceans, recovering slowly after twentieth-century whaling.

## Introduction
The blue whale is the largest animal known to have lived, reaching lengths of up to 30 metres and masses exceeding 150 tonnes. This baleen whale filters krill and small crustaceans through fringed plates hanging from the upper jaw. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, the species is now Endangered on the IUCN Red List with populations slowly rebuilding under international protection. Blue whales migrate between high-latitude feeding grounds and lower-latitude calving areas, crossing shipping lanes where vessel strikes remain a leading modern threat.

## Takeaway
Blue whales eat up to four tonnes of krill daily during feeding season.

## Takeaway
Commercial whaling reduced global numbers by roughly 99 percent before the 1966 moratorium.

## Takeaway
Ship strikes and ocean noise are now major threats alongside climate impacts on krill.

## Takeaway
Heart size can exceed 180 kg; arteries are wide enough for a child to crawl through.

## Takeaway
Subspecies include Antarctic, pygmy and northern Indian Ocean forms with distinct ranges.

## Takeaway
Recovery is measurable but slow — females produce one calf every two to three years.

## Anatomy and feeding
Blue whales belong to the rorqual family Balaenopteridae, characterised by pleated throat grooves that expand during feeding. The whale lunges through krill swarms, taking in tonnes of water, then expels it through baleen plates that trap prey.

Despite their size, blue whales feed almost exclusively on tiny euphausiid crustaceans. They accumulate fat reserves in summer feeding grounds — Antarctic, California, Sri Lanka — then migrate to warmer waters to calve, fasting or eating little during migration.

The blow can reach nine metres high. Flukes and mottled blue-grey skin with diatom film aid individual photo-identification in research catalogues.

## Migration and reproduction
Blue whales undertake some of the longest migrations of any mammal, travelling thousands of kilometres between poles and tropics. Timing follows krill blooms and calving advantages in warmer, predator-scarcer seas.

Gestation lasts about ten to twelve months. Calves are born roughly seven metres long, nursing on rich milk and gaining weight rapidly. Mothers invest heavily in single offspring; interbirth intervals of two to three years limit recovery speed.

Vocalisations — low-frequency pulses travelling hundreds of kilometres — may coordinate mating or maintain contact across ocean basins. Anthropogenic noise interferes with these calls.

## Whaling history and recovery
Industrial whaling in the twentieth century killed an estimated 350,000-plus blue whales, collapsing Antarctic populations especially. The International Whaling Commission protected blue whales in 1966; populations began slow increase thereafter.

The IUCN assessed the species as Endangered in 2018, estimating 10,000 to 25,000 mature individuals globally — a fraction of pre-whaling abundance. Antarctic blue whales remain at roughly 1 percent of historic numbers.

Legal protection continues, but illegal whaling is not the main modern risk. Ship strikes, entanglement, plastic ingestion and krill fishery expansion threaten recovery trajectories.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/blue-whale): Blue Whale — wildlife guide.

## Blue whales and people
Whale-watching for blue whales supports coastal economies in Sri Lanka, California and Quebec when conducted with approach limits. Scientific tagging reveals migration routes that inform shipping lane adjustments to reduce strikes.

Climate change may shift krill distribution, forcing whales to alter historic feeding grounds. International cooperation on ocean noise — from shipping, seismic surveys and naval sonar — is essential.

Readers can support blue whales indirectly through marine protected areas advocacy, sustainable seafood choices and organisations funding non-invasive research — not captivity, as blue whales cannot be kept humanely.

## Related WARN guides
Blue whales are baleen giants — read WARN's humpback whale guide for a recovering singer, the sperm whale page for toothed deep divers, and the whale hub for cetacean overview.

Dolphin and orca guides cover toothed relatives; manatee and dugong pages address other marine mammals.

Ship-strike reduction and krill protection are central to blue whale conservation.

## WARN work
WARN's educational mission reaches readers across its partner-network countries — nations with coastlines where shipping, fisheries and pollution affect ocean giants. This blue whale guide is free outreach supporting informed care for marine habitats.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/blue-whale): Blue Whale — wildlife guide.

## How big is a blue whale?
Up to about 30 metres long and 150–180 tonnes — the largest animal known. The tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant.

## Are blue whales endangered?
Yes. The IUCN lists the blue whale as Endangered with roughly 10,000 to 25,000 mature individuals globally, recovering slowly from whaling.

## What do blue whales eat?
Almost exclusively krill — small shrimp-like crustaceans filtered through baleen. An adult may consume four tonnes of krill daily in feeding season.

## Where do blue whales live?
In all oceans. They feed in cold, productive waters such as the Antarctic and migrate to warmer latitudes to breed.

## Why did blue whales decline?
Commercial whaling killed hundreds of thousands before legal protection in 1966. Modern threats include ship strikes, ocean noise and climate effects on krill.

## How long do blue whales live?
Estimated 80 to 90 years, determined from ear-plug layers and photo-identification studies tracking individuals over decades.

## Are blue whales dangerous?
Blue whales are filter-feeding baleen whales that pose no threat to people. Their modern risks run the other way — vessel strikes in shipping lanes are a leading cause of injury and death for an Endangered species recovering slowly from twentieth-century whaling.


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

## One-line answer
Manatees are plant-eating sirenians with three species in the Americas and West Africa — slow-moving mammals threatened by boat collisions, habitat loss and pollution, with IUCN status from Vulnerable to Endangered.

## Introduction
Manatees are large aquatic mammals of the order Sirenia, grazing seagrasses and freshwater vegetation in tropical and subtropical waters. Three species survive: the West Indian, Amazonian and African manatees. Often called sea cows, they lack hind limbs and propel themselves with paddle-shaped tails. Manatees surface to breathe every few minutes and tolerate only narrow temperature ranges. Boat strikes, habitat loss and entanglement cause thousands of injuries annually in Florida alone.

## Takeaway
Manatees are more closely related to elephants than to dolphins or seals.

## Takeaway
They eat up to 10 percent of body weight in vegetation daily.

## Takeaway
Propeller scars identify individual manatees in long-term photo catalogues.

## Takeaway
Cold stress kills manatees when water temperatures drop below about 20 °C.

## Takeaway
Amazonian manatees inhabit freshwater only; West Indian use both fresh and salt water.

## Takeaway
Speed limits and sanctuary zones reduce boat mortality in Florida and Belize.

## What is a manatee?
Manatees belong to Sirenia alongside dugongs — the only herbivorous marine mammals. Their fusiform bodies, whiskered snouts and flippers evolved for grazing in shallow water. West Indian manatees range from the south-eastern United States through the Caribbean to north-eastern Brazil; Amazonian manatees never enter the sea; African manatees occupy rivers and coasts from Senegal to Angola.

Unlike dolphins, manatees lack echolocation and move slowly — typically 5 to 8 km/h, though they can sprint briefly. They replace worn teeth throughout life, molars migrating forward as older teeth fall out — an adaptation to abrasive plant diet.

Manatees aggregate at warm-water refuges in winter — power-plant outfalls in Florida, natural springs — making them predictable but vulnerable to vessel traffic.

## Feeding, behaviour and reproduction
Manatees consume seagrasses, mangrove leaves, water hyacinth and dozens of freshwater plants. Grazing maintains seagrass bed health when populations are balanced, but local overgrazing can occur in confined sanctuaries.

Females typically bear one calf every two to five years after a 12-month gestation. Calves nurse for up to two years, staying close to mothers. Orphaned calves require lengthy rehabilitation before release.

Activity peaks in dawn and dusk. Manatees communicate with chirps, squeaks and touch. They are generally solitary or found in small groups without complex pod structure.

## Threats and conservation
The West Indian manatee was downlisted to Vulnerable in 2017 after Florida population growth, but the Antillean subspecies remains Endangered in parts of the Caribbean. Amazonian and African manatees face hunting, dam construction and habitat degradation.

Watercraft collisions cause blunt trauma and deep propeller cuts — the leading human cause of death in Florida. Red tides, cold snaps, entanglement in crab traps and loss of seagrass from pollution compound mortality.

Protected areas, seasonal speed zones, rescue and rehabilitation networks and seagrass restoration underpin recovery. CITES Appendix I bans international commercial trade.


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

## Manatees and people
Manatees attract ecotourism in Florida, Belize and Crystal River where in-water viewing is regulated. Touching or chasing manatees is illegal in US waters; passive observation reduces stress.

Indigenous and local communities in the Amazon and West Africa historically hunted manatees for meat; legal protection and alternative livelihoods aim to reduce take. Dam projects that block migration require fish passages and habitat offsetting.

Readers can protect manatees by respecting no-wake zones, reducing fertiliser runoff that harms seagrass and supporting sanctuaries that rescue injured animals.

## Related WARN guides
Manatees are sirenians alongside dugongs — read WARN's dugong guide for Indo-Pacific relatives. Sea turtle, dolphin and whale pages cover other coastal marine mammals sharing warm-water habitat.

Alligator and crocodilian guides address freshwater neighbours in Florida and tropical rivers.

Boat-speed limits and seagrass protection underpin manatee survival.

## WARN work
WARN educates readers in Brazil and Colombia — manatee range countries — about aquatic habitat protection and responsible coastal development. Free guides like this connect freshwater and marine conservation to our partner mission in Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


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

## How many manatee species are there?
Three: West Indian (Trichechus manatus), Amazonian (T. inunguis) and African (T. senegalensis). Dugongs are related sirenians in the Indo-Pacific.

## Are manatees endangered?
West Indian manatee is Vulnerable globally; Antillean subspecies Endangered in some regions. Amazonian manatee is Vulnerable; African manatee Vulnerable.

## What do manatees eat?
Aquatic plants — seagrasses, algae, mangrove leaves and freshwater vegetation. They graze for six to eight hours daily.

## Why do manatees get hit by boats?
They surface frequently in shallow channels, move slowly and lack agility to escape fast vessels. Propeller strikes cause severe injury and death.

## Where do manatees live?
Warm coastal and river systems: south-eastern US and Caribbean, Amazon basin and West African rivers and coasts.

## How are manatees related to elephants?
Both belong to the group Paenungulata — manatees share a common ancestor with elephants and hyraxes roughly 50 million years ago.

## Are manatees dangerous?
Manatees are not generally dangerous to people. Manatees are plant-eating sirenians with three species in the Americas and West Africa — slow-moving mammals threatened by boat collisions, habitat loss and pollution, with IUCN status from Vulnerable to Endangered. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How long do manatees live?
A precise wild lifespan for manatees is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. Manatees are plant-eating sirenians with three species in the Americas and West Africa — slow-moving mammals threatened by boat collisions, habitat loss and pollution, with IUCN status from Vulnerable to Endangered. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

## How big is a manatee?
A Manatee is about Up to ~4 m; 500 kg typical adult. Manatees are plant-eating sirenians with three species in the Americas and West Africa — slow-moving mammals threatened by boat collisions, habitat loss and pollution, with IUCN status from Vulnerable to Endangered. Conservation status: Boat strikes and habitat loss.


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

## One-line answer
The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is an Endangered North Pacific keystone predator that maintains kelp forests by controlling sea urchins — insulated by the densest fur of any mammal, not blubber.

## Introduction
The sea otter is a marine mustelid of the North Pacific, famous for floating on its back, using tools to crack shellfish and wrapping pups in kelp. Unlike other marine mammals relying on blubber, sea otters depend on extraordinarily dense fur — up to one million hairs per square inch — for insulation. They are keystone predators: by eating sea urchins they allow kelp forests to flourish, supporting fish and carbon storage. Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, sea otters face oil spills, entanglement, shark predation and range limitations.

## Takeaway
Sea otters lack blubber; air trapped in fur keeps them warm in cold Pacific water.

## Takeaway
They use stones as anvils to break open clams, mussels and sea urchins.

## Takeaway
Kelp forest health depends on otter predation on urchins — a classic keystone relationship.

## Takeaway
Historic fur trade reduced sea otters to fewer than 2,000 individuals before protection.

## Takeaway
Oil coats fur and destroys insulation — a single spill can kill thousands.

## Takeaway
California population remains below recovery targets despite decades of protection.

## Anatomy and the fur that changed history
Sea otters are the heaviest members of the weasel family, with females around 20 kg and males up to 45 kg. Their hind feet are flipper-like; forepaws are dexterous for handling prey. They dive to 50 metres but forage mostly in shallow kelp beds.

Fur quality drove the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Pacific fur trade, extirpating otters from much of their range. International protection from 1911 onward allowed partial recovery along the Aleutians and California coast.

Grooming consumes hours daily. Otters blow air into the underfur, maintaining a waterproof layer. Contaminants that mat fur — especially oil — cause fatal hypothermia within hours.

## Kelp forests and keystone ecology
Where sea otters thrive, sea urchin populations stay low and kelp grows tall, creating habitat for fish, invertebrates and seabirds. Where otters were removed, 'urchin barrens' — bare rock scraped clean — replaced forests.

This trophic cascade influences fisheries and carbon sequestration: kelp absorbs CO₂ as it grows. Restoring otter populations may enhance blue-carbon storage, though quantification remains active research.

Diet includes crabs, abalone, clams and fish. Daily intake equals roughly 25 percent of body mass — high metabolic cost of staying warm without blubber.

## Threats and conservation
The IUCN lists sea otters as Endangered with roughly 100,000 individuals globally and a stable to increasing trend in Alaska but fragile recovery in California. Great white shark bites have increased mortality in central California — possibly linked to shark population shifts.

Entanglement in fishing gear, pollution, disease and limited genetic diversity in southern populations constrain recovery. Range expansion is blocked by gaps without kelp or by high shark risk.

Reintroduction to Oregon and historical range continues as a management tool. Public reporting of stranded otters supports rapid oil-spill response.


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

## Sea otters and people
Sea otters are tourism icons at Monterey and Sitka. Viewing from shore or respectful boat distance minimises disturbance to nursing females.

Conflict with fisheries — especially shellfish divers — persists where otters compete for abalone and urchins. Co-management seeks balance between recovery goals and livelihoods.

Readers can support sea otters through oil-spill preparedness advocacy, kelp conservation and organisations conducting non-invasive research — not by attempting to keep otters as pets, which is illegal and impossible to sustain.

## Related WARN guides
Sea otters are marine mustelids — read WARN's giant otter guide for South America's Endangered river specialist. Seal and sea lion pages cover other Pacific coast mammals; kelp-forest health links to sea turtle and shark guides.

Fur trade history parallels pressures on other pelt-bearing species WARN documents.

Oil-spill response and urchin-barren prevention protect otter populations and kelp forests together.

## WARN work
WARN's free marine education supports readers worldwide — including coastal communities in Indonesia and Malaysia — in understanding keystone species and kelp-forest ecology. Healthy oceans connect to habitat appeals across our partner countries from Brazil to Pakistan.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


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

## Are sea otters endangered?
Yes. The IUCN lists the sea otter as Endangered with roughly 100,000 individuals globally. California and parts of the range remain below historic abundance.

## Why do sea otters hold hands?
They rest in rafts, sometimes holding paws or wrapping in kelp so they do not drift apart while sleeping. Mothers also anchor pups in kelp while foraging.

## Do sea otters use tools?
Yes. They use stones to break open hard-shelled prey — one of few mammals besides primates known to use tools regularly.

## What do sea otters eat?
Sea urchins, abalone, clams, crabs, mussels and fish — roughly a quarter of their body weight daily.

## Where do sea otters live?
Shallow coastal North Pacific from California through Alaska, Russia and Japan, in kelp forest and estuarine habitats.

## How is a sea otter different from a river otter?
Sea otters live exclusively in marine habitats, float on their backs and lack blubber. River otters use freshwater and land, have less dense fur and are more terrestrial.

## Are sea otters dangerous?
Sea Otters are not generally dangerous to people. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is an Endangered North Pacific keystone predator that maintains kelp forests by controlling sea urchins — insulated by the densest fur of any mammal, not blubber. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How long do sea otters live?
A precise wild lifespan for sea otters is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is an Endangered North Pacific keystone predator that maintains kelp forests by controlling sea urchins — insulated by the densest fur of any mammal, not blubber. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

## How big is a sea otter?
The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is an Endangered North Pacific keystone predator that maintains kelp forests by controlling sea urchins — insulated by the densest fur of any mammal, not blubber.


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

## One-line answer
Sea lions are eared seals (family Otariidae) with visible ear flaps and land agility — about 16 species on Pacific and southern coasts whose IUCN status ranges from Least Concern to Endangered.

## Introduction
Sea lions are eared seals of the family Otariidae, distinguished from true seals by external ear flaps and hind flippers that rotate forward for walking on land. Roughly 16 otariid species include California and Steller sea lions, Australian sea lions and the Galápagos sea lion. They are vocal, colonial breeders gathering on beaches and jetties. Fisheries conflict, entanglement, climate-linked prey shifts and historical culling affect regional populations, while some species remain abundant.

## Takeaway
Sea lions can walk on all fours using rotatable hind flippers; true seals cannot.

## Takeaway
California sea lions are common and adaptable; Australian sea lion is Endangered.

## Takeaway
Males are much larger than females and defend breeding territories on land.

## Takeaway
Entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris injures flippers and necks.

## Takeaway
Domoic acid from harmful algal blooms causes mass strandings and seizures.

## Takeaway
Galápagos sea lions are endemic and vulnerable to tourism disturbance and El Niño events.

## What is a sea lion?
Otariids — fur seals and sea lions — share retractable penises, external ears and the ability to bring hind flippers under the body. In water they swim with foreflipper propulsion; on land they appear far more mobile than phocid true seals.

California sea lions range from Alaska to Mexico, famously hauling out on piers in San Francisco. Steller sea lions — the largest otariid — breed from California to Japan. Southern hemisphere species include New Zealand, Australian and South American sea lions.

Fur seals overlap anatomically but retain thicker underfur harvested historically in commercial sealing. Taxonomic boundaries between fur seals and sea lions are not always sharp.

## Breeding colonies and behaviour
Breeding males arrive first at rookeries, establishing territories through vocal displays and fighting. Females birth one pup annually after delayed implantation in some species. Pups nurse for months, forming crèches while mothers forage at sea.

Sea lions are opportunistic feeders on fish, squid and octopus. Some populations follow fishing vessels or exploit salmon runs, creating conflict with aquaculture where nets must exclude raiding animals.

Vocal repertoires include barks, roars and bleats recognisable to human listeners — California sea lions are classic 'circus seal' performers, though training cannot erase wild behavioural needs.

## Threats and conservation
Australian sea lion is Endangered with fewer than 12,000 individuals and declining — bycatch in lobster pots is a major killer. Galápagos sea lion is Endangered, hit by El Niño starvation and disease. Steller sea lions in western Alaska were listed Endangered before partial recovery.

Entanglement in monofilament and packing straps causes slow starvation as animals grow. Shooting by fishermen still occurs illegally where sea lions take catch.

Marine protected areas, bycatch reduction in pot fisheries, disentanglement teams and tourism distance rules support recovery. CITES lists several otariids on Appendix II.


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

## Sea lions and people
Sea lions are ecotourism staples from the Galápagos to Kaikoura. Guidelines require minimum approach distances during breeding season when disturbance causes pup separation and trampling.

Rescue centres treat domoic acid poisoning, gunshot wounds and malnutrition. Rehabilitation success depends on age and duration of human habituation.

Understanding the difference between abundant California sea lions and Endangered Australian sea lions prevents false reassurance — regional context matters in marine conservation.

## Related WARN guides
Sea lions are eared seals — read WARN's seal guide for earless Phocidae comparison. Walrus, dolphin and orca pages cover other marine mammals; penguin and albatross guides address shared polar and temperate coasts.

Fisheries conflict and entanglement threaten sea lions as they do seals and turtles.

Responsible wildlife tourism keeps distance from breeding colonies.

## WARN work
WARN provides free marine mammal education to readers in Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Malaysia — nations where fisheries overlap with coastal wildlife. Sea lion guides explain eared seal biology and why healthy fish stocks and clean oceans matter globally.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


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

## What is the difference between a sea lion and a seal?
Sea lions have external ear flaps and can walk on land using hind flippers. True seals lack visible ears and move on land by wriggling.

## Are sea lions endangered?
It depends on species. California sea lions are Least Concern. Australian and Galápagos sea lions are Endangered.

## Can sea lions be trained?
They learn readily in captivity, which made them historical display animals. Wild sea lions remain dangerous and require ocean habitat, not pools.

## What do sea lions eat?
Fish, squid and octopus. Diet varies by region and season; some raid fishing gear or salmon runs.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/manta-ray): Manta Ray — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Manta rays are Endangered filter-feeding elasmobranchs — giant and reef species with wingspans up to seven metres — threatened globally by bycatch, gill-plate trade and fisheries.

## Introduction
Manta rays are among the largest rays, with giant manta wingspans reaching seven metres or more. Two species are recognised: the oceanic giant manta and the slightly smaller reef manta. They filter plankton and small fish through gill rakers, swimming with graceful pectoral beats. Mantas gather at cleaning stations and feeding sites, making them ecotourism stars. Both species are Endangered on the IUCN Red List, threatened by gill-plate trade, bycatch and entanglement.

## Takeaway
Mantas are rays, not true fish in the usual sense — cartilaginous skeletons like sharks.

## Takeaway
Giant and reef mantas were split as separate species after genetic studies.

## Takeaway
Gill plates are dried and sold in traditional medicine markets despite no proven efficacy.

## Takeaway
Mantas have the largest brain of any fish studied, relative to body size.

## Takeaway
Individual spot patterns on the belly identify animals in photo-ID catalogues.

## Takeaway
Reproduction is slow — one pup every two to five years limits recovery.

## Giant of the rays
Manta rays belong to Mobulidae alongside devil rays. The giant manta Mobula birostris roams oceanic waters; reef manta Mobula alfredi stays closer to coasts and cleaning stations. Both possess cephalic lobes — paddle-like fins channeling food toward the mouth.

Filter feeding resembles whale sharks: swimming open-mouthed through plankton blooms or barrel-rolling in dense krill. Unlike stingrays, mantas lack a functional venomous spine on the tail.

Brain-to-body ratios and reported curiosity toward divers fuel interest in manta cognition, though research remains limited compared with marine mammals.

## Migration, cleaning stations and tourism
Tagged mantas cross ocean basins — giants recorded travelling thousands of kilometres. Aggregations form at seamounts, reef channels and cleaning stations where smaller fish remove parasites.

Ecotourism at sites such as the Maldives, Indonesia and Mexico generates revenue when regulated. Touching mantas, excessive boats and propeller injury harm animals; many operators enforce no-contact codes.

Photo identification using belly spot patterns builds global databases linking individuals across years and sites — citizen science aids population monitoring.

## Fisheries, gill plates and bycatch
Mantas are caught as bycatch in tuna and swordfish fisheries, especially gillnets and purse seines. Direct targeting for gill plates — marketed as peng yu sai — surged in the twenty-first century until CITES listing in 2013.

Slow reproduction magnifies losses: females mature late, bear one pup at a time and gestate about a year. Population declines estimated at 30 to 50 percent over three generations triggered Endangered listing for both species.

Enforcement of trade bans, bycatch reduction technologies and protected aggregation sites are priority conservation tools.

## Manta rays and people
Indonesia and Malaysia — WARN partner regions — host major manta tourism and trade routes. Community benefit from live mantas often exceeds one-time sale value of dead animals, supporting arguments for protection.

Readers can choose operators with certification, avoid gill-plate products and support no-fishing zones at known aggregation sites. Mantas cannot survive captivity display long-term — they need vast water volumes and continuous swimming.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/manta-ray): Manta Ray — wildlife guide.

## Related WARN guides
Manta rays are elasmobranchs — read WARN's shark guide for wider cartilaginous fish context. Dolphin, sea turtle and whale pages cover other megafauna sharing plankton-rich seas.

Jellyfish guide notes cnidarian relatives; coral reef protection benefits ray cleaning stations.

Gill-plate trade bans and bycatch reduction protect manta populations worldwide.

## WARN work
WARN educates readers in Indonesia and Malaysia — global centres for manta tourism and historic gill-plate trade — about sustainable oceans and anti-trafficking principles. This guide is free public education linking marine giants to habitat protection across partner countries.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/manta-ray): Manta Ray — wildlife guide.

## Are manta rays endangered?
Yes. Both giant and reef manta rays are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to bycatch, gill-plate trade and slow reproduction.

## How big is a manta ray?
Giant mantas reach wingspans over seven metres; reef mantas typically four to five metres. Both are among the largest rays.

## Where can you see manta rays?
Tropical and subtropical seas worldwide — cleaning stations in Indonesia, Maldives, Hawaii, Mexico and Mozambique among famous sites.

## Where do manta rays live?
Manta Rays live in Tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide — coasts, reefs and open water. Manta rays are Endangered filter-feeding elasmobranchs — giant and reef species with wingspans up to seven metres — threatened globally by bycatch, gill-plate trade and fisheries.

## Are manta rays dangerous?
Manta Rays are not generally dangerous to people. Manta rays are Endangered filter-feeding elasmobranchs — giant and reef species with wingspans up to seven metres — threatened globally by bycatch, gill-plate trade and fisheries. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How long do manta rays live?
A precise wild lifespan for manta rays is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. Manta rays are Endangered filter-feeding elasmobranchs — giant and reef species with wingspans up to seven metres — threatened globally by bycatch, gill-plate trade and fisheries. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

## What do manta rays eat?
Plankton, krill, small fish and larvae filtered through gill rakers while swimming.


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

## One-line answer
Jellyfish are gelatinous medusozoans found in all oceans — pulsing drifters using stinging cells to capture prey; most species lack individual IUCN assessments though some face habitat and climate pressures.

## Introduction
Jellyfish are gelatinous zooplankton of the subphylum Medusozoa, named for the free-swimming medusa life stage. They occur in every ocean from surface waters to the deep, and include familiar moon jellies, lion's manes, box jellies and Portuguese man o' war (a siphonophore colony). Lacking brains, hearts and bones, they move by rhythmic bell contractions and capture prey with stinging nematocysts. Jellyfish blooms make headlines, but most species are poorly studied and not individually assessed on the IUCN Red List.

## Takeaway
Jellyfish are not fish — they belong to Cnidaria alongside corals and anemones.

## Takeaway
Stinging cells (nematocysts) fire harpoons faster than a bullet on contact.

## Takeaway
Some species have life cycles alternating between polyp on the seabed and drifting medusa.

## Takeaway
Box jellies and Irukandji are among the most venomous animals — medical emergencies.

## Takeaway
Blooms can reflect overfishing, warming seas and nutrient runoff — not always 'jelly apocalypse'.

## Takeaway
Jellyfish play roles as prey for sunfish, turtles and some seabirds.

## What is a jellyfish?
Jellyfish sensu lato include true scyphozoan jellies, hydrozoans, cubozoans (box jellies) and staurozoans. The familiar bell-and-tentacle form is the medusa stage; many species spend part of life as sedentary polyps attached to rocks or shells.

Body structure is deceptively simple: an outer epidermis, middle mesoglea (jelly) and inner gastrodermis lining a stomach with one opening serving as both mouth and anus. Nerves form a net without a central brain; rhopalia in some groups detect light and orientation.

Bioluminescence, transparent camouflage and pulsating locomotion make jellies among the most alien-looking yet successful ocean animals.

## Life cycles, stings and blooms
Complex life histories alternate polyp and medusa. Environmental cues — temperature, salinity — trigger strobilation, where polyps release stacks of tiny medusae. Some species reproduce year-round; others bloom seasonally in huge numbers.

Nematocysts deliver venom for prey capture and defence. Severity ranges from unnoticed to fatal: Chironex fleckeri box jelly kills within minutes; moon jellies sting mildly. Vinegar and hot water are recommended first aid for some cubozoan stings — freshwater rinsing can worsen nematocyst discharge.

'Bloom' or 'swarm' events draw media alarm. Drivers include reduced predators and competitors, eutrophication and warming water. Not all increases signal ecosystem collapse — long-term data are sparse.

## Ecology and fisheries
Jellies consume zooplankton, fish eggs and larvae, competing with fish and affecting food webs. Conversely, leatherback turtles, ocean sunfish and some salmonids eat jellies. Overfishing that removes fish can release jellies from predation and competition.

Human use includes jellyfish fisheries in East Asia where species like Rhopilema are salted and eaten. Jellyfish collagen interests biomedical research. Nuclear power plants occasionally shut intake screens clogged by blooms.

Climate change may expand ranges of warm-water species poleward. Acidification effects remain under study.


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

## Jellyfish and people
Beach closures follow box jelly or Portuguese man o' war sightings. Tourism economies in Australia, South-East Asia and the Mediterranean invest in monitoring and public education.

WARN readers in Indonesia and Malaysia encounter diverse cnidarians on reefs and open coasts. Respect for stinging species, heeding flag warnings and avoiding contact with stranded colonies prevents injury.

Jellyfish aquaria mesmerise visitors, but keeping species requiring complex life cycles is specialist work. Wild jellies belong in ocean food webs, not novelty desktop tanks.

## Related WARN marine guides
Jellyfish sit within the broader ocean story WARN tells. Read the whale hub for cetaceans, sea turtle guide for reptilian jelly predators, manta ray and dolphin pages for plankton-to-predator food webs, and coral reef guides for cnidarian relatives including corals and anemones.

Leatherback turtles consume vast quantities of jellyfish — protecting turtles helps maintain jelly population balance.

Clean oceans with managed fisheries reduce the bloom conditions that make headlines.

## WARN work
WARN provides free ocean literacy for readers across its coastal partner network, where cnidarian diversity and fisheries overlap. Understanding jellyfish ecology supports informed stewardship of marine habitats.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


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

## Are jellyfish fish?
No. Jellyfish belong to the phylum Cnidaria. They lack backbones, gills and fins — 'jelly' or 'sea jelly' is more accurate than fish.

## Do jellyfish have brains?
No central brain. They have nerve nets and, in some groups, sensory structures called rhopalia that detect light and orientation.

## Are jellyfish endangered?
Most species have not been IUCN assessed. Local declines and increases both occur; global extinction risk is poorly documented for most jellies.

## What is the most dangerous jellyfish?
Box jellies such as Chironex fleckeri cause rapid, potentially fatal stings. Irukandji species cause delayed severe pain and medical complications.

## Why do jellyfish bloom?
Multiple factors: warmer water, nutrient runoff, overfishing removing competitors and predators, and natural population cycles. Causes vary by region.

## What do jellyfish eat?
Jellyfish eat 4,000+ — Estimated jellyfish and medusa species. Jellyfish are gelatinous medusozoans found in all oceans — pulsing drifters using stinging cells to capture prey; most species lack individual IUCN assessments though some face habitat and climate pressures.

## Where do jellyfish live?
Jellyfish live in All oceans; some freshwater. Jellyfish are gelatinous medusozoans found in all oceans — pulsing drifters using stinging cells to capture prey; most species lack individual IUCN assessments though some face habitat and climate pressures.

## How long do jellyfish live?
A precise wild lifespan for jellyfish is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. Jellyfish are gelatinous medusozoans found in all oceans — pulsing drifters using stinging cells to capture prey; most species lack individual IUCN assessments though some face habitat and climate pressures. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

## How big is a jellyfish?
A Jellyfish is about ~95% water; no brain or bones. Jellyfish are gelatinous medusozoans found in all oceans — pulsing drifters using stinging cells to capture prey; most species lack individual IUCN assessments though some face habitat and climate pressures. Conservation status: Most species not individually assessed.


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

## One-line answer
Seahorses are upright coastal fish (genus Hippocampus) with ~46 species — males carry eggs in a pouch; many are Vulnerable or Endangered due to habitat loss and huge dried trade for traditional medicine.

## Introduction
Seahorses are fish of the genus Hippocampus, instantly recognised by horse-like heads, upright posture and grasping tails wrapped around seagrass and coral. Roughly 46 species inhabit shallow coastal waters globally. Males carry eggs in a brood pouch until young hatch — rare male pregnancy in vertebrates. Seahorses are slow swimmers, poor dispersers and heavily traded dried for traditional medicine and live for aquaria. More than a third of species are threatened on the IUCN Red List.

## Takeaway
Seahorses are fish — related to pipefish and seadragons in family Syngnathidae.

## Takeaway
Males brood embryos in a pouch; females deposit eggs and males fertilise internally.

## Takeaway
They anchor to seagrass, mangroves and coral — habitats declining worldwide.

## Takeaway
Dried seahorse trade for traditional medicine drives over-exploitation.

## Takeaway
Seahorses mate monogamously for a season and perform daily greeting dances.

## Takeaway
Bycatch in shrimp trawls kills millions as 'unwanted' catch.

## Anatomy of an upright fish
Seahorses lack scales, armoured instead by bony plates. A prehensile tail grips holdfasts in currents they cannot swim against. The tubular snout creates suction feeding on tiny crustaceans and plankton.

Independent eye movement allows scanning for prey and predators simultaneously. Dorsal fin beats rapidly — up to 70 times per second — while pectoral fins on the neck steer.

Camouflage and slow movement hide seahorses from predators including crabs, rays and fish. Some species grow skin flaps mimicking seagrass blades.

## Reproduction and pair bonding
Courtship involves colour changes, synchronised swimming and tail linking. Females transfer eggs to the male brood pouch; males nourish embryos and undergo labour-like contractions at birth.

Broods range from dozens to hundreds of miniature seahorses expelled over hours. Juveniles drift planktonically before settling on habitat — high mortality in open water.

Monogamy within a breeding season may improve coordination of pregnancies. Widowed seahorses take days to weeks before new pairing.

## Trade, bycatch and habitat loss
Project Seahorse estimates tens of millions of seahorses traded yearly, mostly dried for East Asian medicine as tonics — without proven efficacy. Live trade for aquaria adds pressure.

Bottom trawling for shrimp catches seahorses as bycatch, often discarded dead. Seagrass dredging, mangrove clearance and coral damage remove attachment sites.

CITES Appendix II requires export permits demonstrating sustainable source — enforcement gaps allow laundering. Captive breeding supplies some aquarium trade but does not offset wild dried demand.

## Seahorses and people
Indonesia and Malaysia — WARN partner countries — are among the largest historic exporters. Community-managed no-take zones and seagrass protection show local recovery where enforced.

Never buy dried seahorses or souvenirs. Choose shrimp certified for bycatch reduction where available. Report seahorses in trade without permits.

Seahorses need live food and specialist saltwater care in captivity — poor survival for impulse purchases. Wild seahorses belong in seagrass meadows, not medicine markets.


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

## Related WARN guides
Seahorses are unusual fish — read WARN's octopus guide for other marine invertebrate intelligence, and sea turtle and shark pages for shared coastal habitat.

Coral reef and seagrass guides address ecosystems where seahorses hold their tails and hide.

Never buy dried seahorses or wild-caught aquarium stock — trade drives population decline.

## WARN work
WARN supports habitat protection and anti-trafficking education in Indonesia and Malaysia — key seahorse range and trade states. This guide explains why coastal ecosystems and enforcement matter for species traded by the million.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


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

## Are seahorses fish?
Yes. They are teleost fish in family Syngnathidae, related to pipefish. They breathe with gills and have swim bladders.

## Do male seahorses get pregnant?
Males carry fertilised eggs in a brood pouch, providing nutrients and oxygen until tiny seahorses are released — functional male pregnancy.

## Are seahorses endangered?
Many species are Vulnerable or Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss, bycatch and dried trade. Status varies by species.

## Are seahorses dangerous?
Seahorses are not generally dangerous to people. Seahorses are upright coastal fish (genus Hippocampus) with ~46 species — males carry eggs in a pouch; many are Vulnerable or Endangered due to habitat loss and huge dried trade for traditional medicine. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How long do seahorses live?
A precise wild lifespan for seahorses is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. Seahorses are upright coastal fish (genus Hippocampus) with ~46 species — males carry eggs in a pouch; many are Vulnerable or Endangered due to habitat loss and huge dried trade for traditional medicine. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

## How big is a seahorse?
Seahorses range from the pygmy seahorse at around 1.5 cm to the big-belly seahorse at about 35 cm. Most species measure between 5 and 15 cm.

## What do seahorses eat?
Small crustaceans, plankton and larval fish sucked through the tubular snout.


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

## One-line answer
The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is a Near Threatened Arctic whale whose males bear a long spiralled tusk — actually an enlarged tooth — with roughly 80,000 individuals dependent on sea ice and deep-water prey.

## Introduction
The narwhal is a medium-sized toothed whale of the high Arctic, famous for the male's spiralled tusk — an elongated left canine tooth that can exceed three metres. Roughly 80,000 narwhals inhabit icy waters around Canada and Greenland, migrating seasonally with pack ice. They dive deeper than nearly any marine mammal, hunting halibut, cod and squid beneath frozen seas. Listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, narwhals face climate change, noise disturbance and subsistence hunting pressure.

## Takeaway
The tusk is a tooth, not a horn — usually only the left canine grows through the lip.

## Takeaway
Tusks contain millions of nerve endings, likely sensing salinity and prey.

## Takeaway
Narwhals spend months under dense pack ice, breathing through narrow leads.

## Takeaway
Inuit subsistence hunting is regulated; climate change is the emerging major threat.

## Takeaway
Some narwhals lack tusks; females occasionally grow small tusks.

## Takeaway
Oil exploration noise disrupts migration and communication in Arctic waters.

## The tusk and the whale
Narwhals belong to Monodontidae with beluga whales — both Arctic specialists with rounded melons for echolocation. Males develop the iconic tusk; a minority grow two. Females typically remain tuskless. The tusk's spiral grows counter-clockwise and can weigh ten kilograms.

Micro-CT studies show nerve channels suggesting sensory function — detecting temperature, salinity or prey rather than jousting, though males occasionally rub tusks in social contact.

Body colour mottled grey at birth darkens with age; old males appear whitish on the belly. Length reaches five metres excluding tusk.

## Ice life and deep diving
Narwhals follow seasonal ice: summering in coastal bays, wintering in offshore pack ice over deep Baffin Bay troughs. They breathe through cracks in ice too narrow for boats — a habitat other whales rarely use.

Dives to 1,500 metres last 25 minutes, targeting Greenland halibut and squid under pressure that would crush unadapted lungs. Collapsible ribs and oxygen storage in muscle and blood enable survival.

Migration timing is tied to ice formation and breakup — climate-driven changes desynchronise access to prey and expose narwhals to killer whale predation in ice-free waters.

## Threats and conservation
The IUCN lists narwhals as Near Threatened with roughly 80,000 individuals and a decreasing trend in some stocks. Subsistence harvest by Inuit communities in Canada and Greenland is managed through quotas and monitoring; illegal export of tusks is restricted under CITES and national law.

Climate change reduces sea ice cover, increases ship traffic and industrial noise from seismic surveys. Entanglement in fishing gear and offshore development add pressure.

Conservation relies on co-management with Indigenous hunters, ice monitoring and limiting Arctic industrialisation in critical wintering areas.


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

## Narwhals and people
Inuit culture holds narwhals central to nutrition and identity. Tusks historically entered European luxury markets as 'unicorn horn' — a myth that drove centuries of trade. Today legal tusk sales remain controversial; synthetic alternatives exist for collectors.

Tourism to Pond Inlet and similar communities must respect hunting seasons and not disturb breathing holes.

Readers far from the Arctic can support narwhals through climate action and opposition to unregulated Arctic shipping lanes — the ice narwhals need is disappearing faster than populations can adapt.

## Related WARN guides
Narwhals are Arctic toothed whales — read WARN's sperm whale and dolphin guides for Delphinidae and Physeteridae context, the blue whale page for baleen giants, and walrus for shared ice-edge habitat.

Whale hub orients readers across Cetacea; climate change threatens every Arctic marine mammal.

Reducing shipping noise and ice disturbance protects narwhal migration routes.

## WARN work
WARN publishes free Arctic and marine education worldwide, including for readers in partner countries where climate policy and ocean health intersect. Narwhal guides explain why polar ecosystems matter beyond the far north.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


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

## What is a narwhal tusk?
An elongated left canine tooth that grows through the upper lip in most males. It is a tooth, not a horn, and may function as a sensory organ.

## Are narwhals endangered?
The IUCN lists narwhals as Near Threatened with roughly 80,000 individuals. Climate change and industrial disturbance are increasing risks.

## Where do narwhals live?
High Arctic waters around Canada, Greenland, Russia and Svalbard, closely tied to seasonal sea ice.

## What do narwhals eat?
Arctic cod, Greenland halibut, squid and shrimp caught during deep dives beneath ice.

## Do only male narwhals have tusks?
Most tusks are on males. A small percentage of females grow tusks, and some males lack them entirely.

## How deep do narwhals dive?
Regularly beyond 1,000 metres, with recorded dives to about 1,500 metres — among the deepest of all mammals.

## Are narwhals dangerous?
Narwhals are not generally dangerous to people. The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is a Near Threatened Arctic whale whose males bear a long spiralled tusk — actually an enlarged tooth — with roughly 80,000 individuals dependent on sea ice and deep-water prey. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How long do narwhals live?
A precise wild lifespan for narwhals is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is a Near Threatened Arctic whale whose males bear a long spiralled tusk — actually an enlarged tooth — with roughly 80,000 individuals dependent on sea ice and deep-water prey. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

## How big is a narwhal?
A Narwhal is about 3 m (Maximum tusk length (males)). The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is a Near Threatened Arctic whale whose males bear a long spiralled tusk — actually an enlarged tooth — with roughly 80,000 individuals dependent on sea ice and deep-water prey. Conservation status: Near Threatened.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/sperm-whale): Sperm Whale — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is a Vulnerable deep-diving toothed whale — the largest brain of any animal — hunting squid in abyssal depths after centuries of commercial whaling depletion.

## Introduction
The sperm whale is the largest toothed predator on Earth, with males reaching 20 metres and 50 tonnes. Its enormous square head contains spermaceti organ once hunted for oil; wrinkled skin and a single blowhole angled left produce a distinctive blow. Sperm whales dive beyond 2,000 metres hunting giant squid in darkness, using echolocation clicks louder than a jet engine. Listed as Vulnerable globally, populations recover slowly from whaling; ship strikes and entanglement persist.

## Takeaway
Sperm whales have the largest brain of any known animal — up to nine kilograms.

## Takeaway
Moby-Dick immortalised sperm whaling; industrial hunting killed an estimated one million.

## Takeaway
Females live in lifelong social units; mature males roam solo or in bachelor groups.

## Takeaway
Echolocation clicks stun prey and communicate across kilometres.

## Takeaway
Deep-sea plastic and chemical pollution accumulates in long-lived predators.

## Takeaway
Whale-watching and conservation tourism support protection in Azores and Dominica.

## Head, oil and deep diving
The sperm whale's head comprises up to one-third of body length, housing the spermaceti organ — a wax-filled chamber once mistaken for sperm. Whalers hunted sperm whales heavily for oil used in lamps and industry until petroleum replaced it.

Dives typically last 30 to 60 minutes, reaching depths where pressure exceeds 200 atmospheres. Collapsible lungs and rib cages prevent barotrauma. Prey includes giant squid, colossal squid and deep fish — often bearing circular sucker scars on whale skin.

The lower jaw is narrow and studded with conical teeth; suction feeding may supplement biting.

## Social structure and culture
Females and calves form clans of roughly 15 animals in tropical and subtropical waters, babysitting and nursing communally. Mature males migrate toward poles, growing far larger and eventually leaving natal units.

Clans share distinct click dialects — cultural markers passed socially. Some researchers argue sperm whale culture rivals cetacean complexity outside humans.

Stranding events sometimes involve entire family groups, suggesting strong social bonds that complicate rescue.

## Whaling legacy and modern threats
Industrial whaling peaked in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, removing perhaps one million sperm whales globally. The IUCN assessed the species as Vulnerable in 2008 with hundreds of thousands remaining — far below pre-whaling abundance.

Modern threats include ship strikes, entanglement in longline and gillnet gear, ingestion of marine debris and noise from seismic surveys interfering with echolocation.

International Whaling Commission moratoria protect sperm whales; Japan historically took limited numbers under objection provisions. CITES Appendix I bans commercial international trade.

## Sperm whales and people
Literature, film and museum skeletons keep sperm whales in public imagination. Ethical whale-watching in the Azores, Dominica and Sri Lanka generates income when boats maintain respectful distance during nursing groups.

Deep-sea mining proposals threaten abyssal ecosystems sperm whales depend on — a frontier conservation issue.

Readers support sperm whales through marine protected areas, reduction of plastic pollution and advocacy against renewed commercial whaling.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/sperm-whale): Sperm Whale — wildlife guide.

## Related WARN guides
Sperm whales are deep-diving toothed giants — read WARN's blue whale guide for baleen comparison, orca and dolphin pages for other odontocetes, and the whale hub for cetacean overview.

Giant squid prey links sperm whales to octopus guide readers exploring ocean depth.

Whaling legacy informs modern ship-strike and sonar threats every cetacean faces.

## WARN work
WARN's educational reach includes Brazil and Colombia — nations with Atlantic waters where sperm whales migrate. Free guides connect deep-ocean predators to the habitat protection mission shared across our partner countries.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/sperm-whale): Sperm Whale — wildlife guide.

## Are sperm whales endangered?
The IUCN lists sperm whales as Vulnerable globally — depleted by whaling but not facing immediate extinction. Recovery is slow due to long lifespans and low birth rates.

## What do sperm whales eat?
Mainly squid, including giant and colossal squid from deep water, plus deep-sea fish and occasional sharks.

## Why is it called a sperm whale?
Whalers named the spermaceti organ in the head; the waxy oil was thought to resemble semen. The organ likely aids buoyancy and echolocation.

## How deep do sperm whales dive?
Beyond 2,000 metres routinely, with recorded dives approaching 3,000 metres — some of the deepest mammal dives known.

## Where do sperm whales live?
All deep oceans worldwide. Females prefer warmer waters; large males range into polar feeding grounds.

## Is Moby Dick a sperm whale?
Yes. Herman Melville's novel centres on a white sperm whale, reflecting nineteenth-century American whaling that targeted the species heavily.

## Are sperm whales dangerous?
Sperm Whales are not generally dangerous to people. The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is a Vulnerable deep-diving toothed whale — the largest brain of any animal — hunting squid in abyssal depths after centuries of commercial whaling depletion. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How long do sperm whales live?
A precise wild lifespan for sperm whales is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is a Vulnerable deep-diving toothed whale — the largest brain of any animal — hunting squid in abyssal depths after centuries of commercial whaling depletion. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

## How big is a sperm whale?
A Sperm Whale is about 20 m (Maximum male length). The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is a Vulnerable deep-diving toothed whale — the largest brain of any animal — hunting squid in abyssal depths after centuries of commercial whaling depletion. Conservation status: Vulnerable.


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

## One-line answer
Oceanic dolphins (family Delphinidae) include the common bottlenose and common dolphin — social toothed whales of seas worldwide, distinct from river dolphins; IUCN status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered by species.

## Introduction
Dolphins, in everyday use, usually mean oceanic dolphins of the family Delphinidae — toothed whales distinct from river dolphins covered in separate WARN guides. The common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus and short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis are among the most widespread and recognisable species. Dolphins use echolocation, live in fission-fusion societies and appear in coastal and pelagic waters worldwide. Status varies: many species are Least Concern, while Maui's dolphin and others are Critically Endangered.

## Takeaway
This guide covers oceanic dolphins — not river dolphins (see separate WARN river-dolphin pages).

## Takeaway
Bottlenose dolphins are not one global species; coastal and offshore forms differ genetically.

## Takeaway
Dolphins sleep with half the brain awake, maintaining breathing and vigilance.

## Takeaway
Bycatch in gillnets and tuna purse seines kills hundreds of thousands annually worldwide.

## Takeaway
Captive display remains controversial; wild dolphins need kilometres of ocean daily.

## Takeaway
Orcas are the largest dolphins — see the WARN orca guide for that species.

## Oceanic dolphins — not river dolphins
Delphinidae includes bottlenose, common, striped, spinner and Risso's dolphins among others. River dolphins — Amazon pink, Ganges, Indus and others — belong to separate families with distinct anatomy and are covered in dedicated WARN wildlife guides.

The common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus inhabits coastal and offshore waters globally, often associating with estuaries but not living exclusively in rivers. The short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis forms large pelagic schools feeding on small fish.

Confusing oceanic dolphins with river dolphins misdirects conservation — river species face sharper extinction risk from dams and entanglement in freshwater fisheries.

## Echolocation, society and intelligence
Dolphins produce click trains reflected off objects, building acoustic pictures of prey and terrain. Whistles may function as signature calls identifying individuals across years.

Social groups change size dynamically — fission-fusion — with alliances among male bottlenoses lasting decades. Cooperative foraging includes mud-ring feeding and driving fish toward shore.

Cognitive studies show mirror self-recognition, tool use in some populations and cultural transmission of foraging techniques. Intelligence does not justify captivity; it increases welfare requirements wild conditions best meet.

## Fisheries, captivity and conservation
Global bycatch in gillnets, trawls and tuna fisheries remains the leading threat to many oceanic dolphins. IUCN assessments note declining common dolphin numbers in the Mediterranean and eastern tropical Pacific.

Maui's dolphin — a New Zealand subspecies — is Critically Endangered with fewer than 50 adults, threatened by gillnets in shallow habitat. Vaquita is a porpoise, not a dolphin, but illustrates gillnet extinction risk in similar fisheries.

Live capture for aquaria continues in some regions despite growing bans on breeding and import. Marine protected areas, pingers on nets and dolphin-safe tuna certification reduce mortality where enforced.


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

## Dolphins and people
Dolphin-watching tourism thrives from Scotland to New Zealand when boats follow approach guidelines — avoiding crowding, not feeding and reducing speed near calves.

Indonesia and Malaysia — WARN partners — host diverse oceanic dolphins in archipelagic waters where fisheries overlap requires careful management.

Readers should distinguish ethical wild observation from swim-with-dolphin programmes that stress animals and risk disease transmission. Oceanic dolphins belong in the sea, not resort lagoons.

## Related WARN guides
Oceanic dolphins differ from river dolphins — read WARN's pink river dolphin and Indus river dolphin pages for freshwater specialists. Orca, sperm whale and whale hub guides cover other cetaceans.

Seal and sea turtle pages address shared bycatch and habitat pressures.

Never support captive swim-with-dolphin programmes that drive wild capture.

## WARN work
WARN educates readers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil and Colombia about marine mammals and fisheries overlap. This oceanic dolphin hub complements separate river-dolphin guides — free education explaining species differences and habitat needs across partner countries.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


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

## Is a dolphin a whale?
Yes. Dolphins are toothed whales (odontocetes) in family Delphinidae. Orcas are the largest dolphins.

## What is the difference between oceanic and river dolphins?
Oceanic dolphins live in marine and coastal salt water. River dolphins inhabit freshwater systems and belong to different families with distinct anatomy. WARN covers river dolphins separately.

## Are bottlenose dolphins endangered?
The common bottlenose is Least Concern globally, but some regional populations are depleted. Maui's dolphin is Critically Endangered.

## How do dolphins sleep?
They rest one brain hemisphere at a time, keeping one eye open and maintaining breathing — unihemispheric slow-wave sleep.

## What do dolphins eat?
Fish and squid primarily. Bottlenoses hunt individually and cooperatively; common dolphins feed on small schooling fish in groups.

## How long do dolphins live?
Bottlenose dolphins typically live 40 to 60 years in the wild, with females often outliving males. Age is estimated from growth layers in the teeth, in much the same way tree rings are counted.

## Where do dolphins live?
Dolphins live in All oceans, some rivers (separate WARN river-dolphin guides). Oceanic dolphins (family Delphinidae) include the common bottlenose and common dolphin — social toothed whales of seas worldwide, distinct from river dolphins; IUCN status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered by species.

## Are dolphins dangerous?
Dolphins are not generally dangerous to people. Oceanic dolphins (family Delphinidae) include the common bottlenose and common dolphin — social toothed whales of seas worldwide, distinct from river dolphins; IUCN status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered by species. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

## How big is a dolphin?
A Dolphin is about 40–60 years in bottlenose dolphins. Oceanic dolphins (family Delphinidae) include the common bottlenose and common dolphin — social toothed whales of seas worldwide, distinct from river dolphins; IUCN status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered by species. Conservation status: Fisheries bycatch.


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

## One-line answer
Snakes are legless reptiles (suborder Serpentes) with about 3,900 species worldwide — mostly harmless, ecologically important predators whose conservation status varies; this hub is distinct from species guides like the grass snake.

## Introduction
Snakes are legless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes, with roughly 3,900 species on every continent except Antarctica. They range from threadsnakes smaller than a pencil to reticulated pythons exceeding six metres. Most are harmless to humans; a minority possess venom used primarily to subdue prey. Snakes control rodent and amphibian populations, serve as prey for raptors and mammals, and occupy roles from desert burrower to rainforest canopy dweller. This page is a general snake hub — distinct from species-specific guides such as the grass snake.

## Takeaway
Most snakes are non-venomous and avoid humans; only a fraction of species pose serious bite risk.

## Takeaway
This hub covers snakes generally — see WARN's grass snake guide for that European species.

## Takeaway
Snakes shed skin in one piece, expand jaws to swallow prey whole and smell with their tongues.

## Takeaway
Habitat loss, road mortality and persecution are major threats globally.

## Takeaway
Snakes are not suitable pets for most owners — many species have precise temperature and dietary needs.

## Takeaway
Fear-driven killing removes beneficial rodent controllers from farms and ecosystems.

## What is a snake — and how does it differ from other reptiles?
Snakes evolved from legged lizard ancestors, retaining some with tiny vestigial hind limbs in boas and pythons. The elongated body, lack of eyelids and external ears, and single row of ventral scales define serpentine locomotion — lateral undulation, rectilinear crawling in tight spaces and sidewinding on sand.

All snakes are carnivorous, swallowing prey whole thanks to loosely articulated jaws and stretchable skin. They detect vibrations through jaw bones, heat pits in pit vipers and boas, and chemical cues via forked tongues delivering scent to the vomeronasal organ.

This guide is a hub for snakes as a group. WARN publishes separate pages for particular species — for example the grass snake of Europe — when regional search demand warrants dedicated coverage.

## Venom, constriction and feeding
Venom evolved primarily for prey capture, not defence. Elapids — cobras, mambas, coral snakes — deliver neurotoxins; viperids — rattlesnakes, adders — often use haemotoxins. Colubrids include both harmless species and rear-fanged snakes with mild venom.

Constrictors — pythons, boas, some colubrids — coil around prey, stopping blood flow rather than crushing bones. Prey size relative to snake girth determines diet: mice, eggs, fish, frogs or deer depending on species.

Feeding frequency varies from weekly for small active snakes to monthly for large constrictors. Digestion demands warm temperatures; snakes bask to raise metabolic rate after meals.

## Threats and conservation
The IUCN assesses roughly one in five snake species as threatened — often overlooked compared with mammals and birds. Deforestation, wetland drainage, roadkill and deliberate killing during snakebite panic reduce populations silently.

Trade affects pythons for skins, rattlesnakes for rattles and exotic pets, and rare species for collectors. CITES lists numerous snakes on Appendix I or II.

Snakebite envenoming kills tens of thousands yearly, mostly in tropical Asia and Africa. Fear drives persecution, yet medically important species deserve habitat protection alongside improved antivenom access — not indiscriminate extermination.


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

## Snakes and people
Snakes feature in mythology worldwide — symbols of renewal, danger or medicine. Ecologically they reduce crop damage by controlling rodents; removing snakes often increases pest outbreaks.

Responsible coexistence means learning local species, keeping yards clear of debris that attracts rodents, wearing boots in snake habitat and never killing non-venomous snakes out of fear. Relocation by trained handlers beats blunt instruments.

WARN readers in Pakistan, Brazil and Colombia inhabit snake-rich regions where education reduces both bite risk and unnecessary killing. Wild snakes belong in functioning ecosystems, not sealed sacks in the pet trade.

## Explore snake species on WARN
This page is the snake hub — for the suborder as a whole. WARN also publishes species-level guides for python, cobra, rattlesnake and anaconda, plus a dedicated European grass snake page and a twelve-species snake library linked from this guide.

The species library covers ball pythons, king cobras, corn snakes, boas, green tree pythons, Burmese pythons and more — each with venom status, range, ecology and conservation notes. Use it to distinguish harmless colubrids from medically important vipers and elapids.

Remember: most snakes you encounter are beneficial. Protect wetland and forest habitat in WARN partner countries and support antivenom access rather than eradication campaigns.

## WARN work
WARN publishes free reptile education for readers in its partner-network countries — countries with rich snake faunas where misunderstanding drives persecution. This hub complements species-specific guides such as the grass snake page.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


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

## How many snake species are there?
Roughly 3,900 recognised species worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica. New species are described regularly, especially in the tropics.

## Are most snakes venomous?
No. About 600 species are venomous; only roughly 200 cause significant medical harm to humans. Most snakes flee or hide when encountered.

## Is this page about grass snakes?
No. This is a general snake hub. WARN's grass snake guide covers that European species separately.

## What do snakes eat?
Other animals — rodents, birds, eggs, amphibians, fish, invertebrates — depending on species. All snakes are carnivorous and swallow prey whole.

## Why are snakes important?
They control pest populations, serve as prey for other wildlife and indicate healthy ecosystems. Removing snakes often increases rodent damage and disease risk.

## Where do snakes live?
Snakes live in Worldwide except Antarctica, Iceland, Ireland and New Zealand. Snakes are legless reptiles (suborder Serpentes) with about 3,900 species worldwide — mostly harmless, ecologically important predators whose conservation status varies; this hub is distinct from species guides like the grass snake.

## Are snakes dangerous?
Most are harmless to humans; a minority possess venom used primarily to subdue prey. Give wild snakes space; do not corner or handle them.

## How long do snakes live?
A precise wild lifespan for snakes is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. Snakes are legless reptiles (suborder Serpentes) with about 3,900 species worldwide — mostly harmless, ecologically important predators whose conservation status varies; this hub is distinct from species guides like the grass snake. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

## How big is a snake?
Snakes span an extraordinary range. The Barbados threadsnake reaches about 10 cm and is as thin as a spaghetti strand, while the reticulated python is the longest at over 6 m, and the green anaconda the heaviest at up to around 200 kg.


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

## One-line answer
Pythons are egg-laying constrictors (family Pythonidae) with ~40 species in Africa, Asia and Australia — non-venomous snakes threatened by skin trade, exotic pet demand and habitat loss.

## Introduction
Pythons are non-venomous constrictors of the family Pythonidae, found in Africa, Asia and Australia but not the Americas — where boas fill a similar niche. Roughly 40 species range from the tiny anthill python to the reticulated python, among the longest snakes on Earth. Pythons kill by constriction, lay eggs — unlike most boas — and often possess heat-sensing pits along the lips. Skin trade, pet demand and habitat loss threaten species from Burmese pythons in Myanmar to ball pythons in West Africa.

## Takeaway
Pythons are not found wild in the Americas — boa constrictors occupy that ecological role.

## Takeaway
Reticulated and Burmese pythons rank among the world's longest and heaviest snakes.

## Takeaway
Ball pythons dominate the legal pet trade; wild capture still supplies laundered animals.

## Takeaway
Invasive Burmese pythons devastate native mammals in the Florida Everglades.

## Takeaway
Python skins supply the luxury leather industry — ranching and wild harvest both occur.

## Takeaway
Heat pits along jaws detect warm-blooded prey in darkness.

## Python biology and constricting hunt
Pythons ambush or stalk prey, strike with speed and coil around victims. Constriction stops blood flow to the brain and heart — prey loses consciousness within seconds. Jaws unhinge to swallow animals larger than the head.

Females of many species brood eggs, shivering muscles to raise clutch temperature. Hatchlings are independent immediately. Growth rates depend on food availability; captives often exceed wild size.

Heat-sensitive labial pits appear in pythons as in pit vipers — convergent evolution for nocturnal hunting. Reticulated python colour patterns camouflage among forest leaf litter.

## Major species and ranges
The reticulated python Python reticulatus ranges across South-East Asia — Indonesia and Malaysia are WARN partner regions with significant populations. Burmese python Python bivittatus inhabits mainland South-East Asia and was introduced to Florida via the pet trade.

Ball python Python regius from West Africa is the most traded pet snake globally, with millions exported historically — now heavily captive-bred but wild laundering persists. African rock pythons reach southern Africa.

Australian pythons — carpet, scrub, olive — fill diverse niches from desert to rainforest, generally less impacted by international trade than Asian giants.

## Trade, invasion and conservation
Python skin exports supply European fashion houses; CITES permits aim to limit wild offtake. Burmese python leather from Vietnam and Thailand is ranching-dominated; reticulated python harvest remains contentious.

Florida's Everglades invasion demonstrates release risk: Burmese pythons consume deer, raccoons and birds, collapsing native mammal populations. Eradication efforts use detector dogs, radio tracking and public reporting.

IUCN status varies: reticulated python Least Concern but heavily exploited; some subspecies Endangered. Habitat conversion in Indonesia and Malaysia removes primary forest pythons require.


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

## Pythons and people
Pythons rarely kill humans — reticulated and African rock pythons account for occasional fatalities where large snakes encounter children or sleeping adults. Respect and secure housing prevent tragedies.

Pet keepers must research adult size: Burmese and reticulated pythons exceed five metres and are unsuitable for most households. Ball pythons remain manageable but need proper heat gradients and veterinary care.

Readers should reject wild-caught pets, support habitat protection in South-East Asia and never release unwanted snakes into non-native ecosystems.

## Related WARN guides
Pythons are non-venomous constrictors — read WARN's cobra and rattlesnake guides for venomous counterparts, the snake hub for overview, and komodo dragon for another large reptile predator.

Monitor lizard and gecko pages cover other squamates; Burmese python invasion in Florida is a cautionary tale for released pets.

CITES-regulated trade and habitat protection underpin python conservation.

## WARN work
WARN educates readers in Indonesia and Malaysia — major python range countries — about wildlife trade, habitat protection and responsible reptile stewardship. Free guides support informed choices in partner nations from Pakistan to Brazil.

## Donation hook
If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.


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

## How many python species are there?
About 40 species in family Pythonidae, native to Africa, Asia and Australia. They are absent from the Americas.

## What is the largest python?
The reticulated python is the longest, exceeding six metres. The Burmese python rivals it in mass, sometimes exceeding 90 kg.

## Are pythons venomous?
No. Pythons kill by constriction. They have no venom glands.

## Are Burmese pythons invasive?
Yes in the Florida Everglades, where released and escaped pets established a breeding population devastating native wildlife.

## What do pythons eat?
Pythons are egg-laying constrictors (family Pythonidae) with ~40 species in Africa, Asia and Australia — non-venomous snakes threatened by skin trade, exotic pet demand and habitat loss. The guide's ecology sections give the prey or forage detail behind that summary.

## Where do pythons live?
Pythons live in Africa, Asia, Australia. Pythons are egg-laying constrictors (family Pythonidae) with ~40 species in Africa, Asia and Australia — non-venomous snakes threatened by skin trade, exotic pet demand and habitat loss.

## Are pythons dangerous?
Pythons are non-venomous constrictors of the family Pythonidae, found in Africa, Asia and Australia but not the Americas — where boas fill a similar niche. Give wild pythons space; do not corner or handle them.

## How long do pythons live?
A precise wild lifespan for pythons is not firmly established in the sources cited on this guide. Pythons are egg-laying constrictors (family Pythonidae) with ~40 species in Africa, Asia and Australia — non-venomous snakes threatened by skin trade, exotic pet demand and habitat loss. Where longevity figures appear in the literature they vary by region, sex and whether animals are wild or captive.

## How big is a python?
A Python is about 6 m+ (Maximum length (reticulated python)). Pythons are egg-laying constrictors (family Pythonidae) with ~40 species in Africa, Asia and Australia — non-venomous snakes threatened by skin trade, exotic pet demand and habitat loss.