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The scientific name for killer whales is Orcinus orca. “Orcas” and “killer whales” both refer to the same species of marine mammals. “Orcas” is a more commonly used term, while “killer whales” is another common name for the same species. Orcas were given the name ‘killer whale” by ancient sailors’ observations of groups of orcas hunting and feeding on other animals, such as whales and seals. The Latin name of

Baboons are primates and are native to Africa. They belong to the genus Papio and are known for their distinctive appearance and complex social structures. They are also known as Chacma baboons, a name derived from the Khoikhoi word for baboon, “chao kamma”. There are five species of baboons in South Africa: Chacma baboon, Olive baboon, Guinea baboon, Kinda baboon, and Yellow baboon. Baboons are some of the most identifiable

A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura. You will find frogs on every continent, except Antarctica. Frogs have protruding eyes, no tail and strong, webbed hind feet that are adapted for leaping and swimming. A Frog’s eyes allow it to see in front, sideways and even partially behind it. Frogs and toads are both amphibians, but belong

The word pangolin comes from penggulung, the Malay word for roller. If in danger, a pangolin will roll into a tight ball, hence the name. The main reason for the pangolin’s ability to roll itself into a ball is because it has a soft, slightly furry underside without scales. They can squirt an obnoxious smelling fluid from the base of their tails to send predators away. The Cantonese name for

The bush baby, (the family Galagidae), also goes by the name galago. The Africans have named the galagos “nagapies”, meaning ‘night monkeys’ Bush baby can also be spelled as bushbaby. They are named bushbabies due to the noises they sometimes make that sound like loud, crying, shrieking babies. There are about 20 species of galagos discovered to date, but scientists think there may be more of these diminutive primates that

An albatross is a large, magnificent seabird capable of soaring incredible distances without rest. They spend most of their time gliding over the open ocean. Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds related to the procellariids, storm petrels, and diving petrels in the order Procellariiformes (the tubenoses). Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, has 22 species. Other members of the Procellariiformes family of seabirds also include petrels, shearwaters,

The The African striped weasel is a type of weasel that belongs to class Mammalia, family Mustelidae, and genus Poecilogale. There are approximately seventeen extant species of the weasel family, which include species of ferrets and polecats, as well as the mink and the ermine. The African striped weasel is also known as “Muishond”. African striped weasels inhabit much of Africa south of the equator, and can be found in

The koi fish’s popularity is increasing daily due to its gorgeous colour patterns, and that they are easy to care for. A koi is a freshwater fish of the cyprinidae family and belongs to the actinopterygii class of animals. Koi fish are descendants of the hardy carp and can be found all around the world. Goldfish and koi fish are distant cousins, as they are both descended from the carp.

The scientific name for a giraffe is Giraffa camelopardalis, and it comes from the ancient Greeks’ belief that it looked like a camel wearing a leopard’s coat. There are four distinct species of giraffe – the Masai Giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi), the Southern Giraffe (Giraffa giraffa), the Northern Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) and the Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa reticulata). Giraffes are found in the dry savannahs of Africa, where they roam among the

There are over 1,000 species of geckos and they all possess some similarities, including a short stout body, a large head and, typically, well-developed limbs. Geckos are found on every continent except Antarctica. They are mostly found in warm climates and have adapted to habitat ranges from rain forests and jungles, mountains, grasslands and even deserts. Geckos can vary greatly in length, with some of the smallest species that are