Mammals
Mammals are warm-blooded vertebrates (animals with backbones) that nourish their young with milk. All mammals have hair at some stage of their life. Mammals have larger, more highly developed brains than other animals.
There are more than 5,400 mammal species on earth. Below is the list of mammals on regular view at the Zoo or shown through Animals & You presentations.
Nomads of the Sahara Desert, addax live in one of the most inhospitable climates on earth.
When threatened, hedgehogs contract their stomach muscles and roll into spiky, compact balls, protecting their vulnerable faces and bellies
Although their scientific name means “painted wolf” they are neither wolves nor dogs but a unique species that has existed for over three million years.
Solitary animals, badgers will aggressively defend themselves against much larger predators including coyotes, bears, mountain lions, and golden eagles.
American black bears are the smallest and most prevalent of the bear species native to North America.
Known for their intelligence and social behavior, these pachyderms can communicate with each other using infrasound over a distance of more than two miles.
Male babirusa are known for their bizarre tusks, which, if they’re not worn down or broken in combat, will eventually grow long enough to pierce the animal’s skull.
This African native is best known for its conspicuously large ears and unique dental makeup.
Pronghorn are fast from birth; at just four days old, fawns can outrun humans, and in one week, they can outrun dogs and horseback-riders over short distances.
The binturong is also known as a “bearcat” though it is neither a bear nor a cat.
hey live singly or in pairs, and when necessary they will fight with blunt strokes of the forehead to instill injury with their short horns.
The blue-eyed black lemur is one of the most endangered primates in the world.
Bongos are fast runners and with their heads tilted up so that the horns lay along the back, are able to force their way through the forest rapidly.
In the Malay language, the word orang means person and utan means forest, so their name means “person of the forest.”
Gibbons use their loud voices to defend their territories, and singing is essential in forming and maintaining pair-bonds.
The Calamian deer is sometimes known as the hog deer because when fleeing from danger it dashes through underbrush with its head down like a hog
These agile swimmers use their long front flippers propel them through the water at speeds of 25 to 35 mph.
Cape porcupines have quills that can grow up to 12 inches long—making for an impressive means of defense.
Chacoan peccaries are social animals that live in small herds of up to ten individuals.
The Los Angeles Zoo is home to one of the largest chimpanzee troops of any zoo in the country.
Gorals do not have other competitors from their family because they can navigate and survive in such harsh, rocky environments at high altitude.
All capuchins are adept at manipulating objects, using their nimble fingers to manipulate tools such as rocks to crack open nuts and small branches to fish for termites.
The majestic spiral horns of the male bighorn sheep are one of the most easily identifiable in the animal world.
Colobus monkeys live high in the trees, coming to the ground only occasionally.
Fennec foxes, sometimes also referred to as simply fennecs, are among the smallest and most social fox species.
François’s langurs live in family groups of three to 12 individuals comprising one male, several females, and their offspring.
The giant anteaters has a long, sticky tongue that can extend up to 24 inches, and allows this insectivore to slurp up ants and termites.
The stripe pattern of a Grevy’s zebra is as distinctive as human fingerprints.
The guinea pig, commonly called the cavy after its scientific name, Cavia porcellus, is not a pig and it is not exclusive to Guinea.
Harbor seals are part of the true seal family, characterized by their lack of external ears as well as limited locomotion on land due to small forelimbs.
The hippo is the “King of the River,” spending most of its time in the water, coming out to graze at night on the grass.
Lesser kudus are secretive African antelope that hide in dense thickets and are seldom seen in the wild.
Two-toed sloths spend nearly their entire lives upside-down in trees, even giving birth upside down.
In addition to being the smallest wild cattle, lowland anoas are also believed to be the most primitive cattle in general.
Lowland pacas are quite adaptable and have a large geographic range from northeastern Mexico to Paraguay, Northern Argentina to southeastern Brazil.
There are several species of chevrotains, including the larger Malay chevrotain, and all are commonly referred to as mouse-deer.
Mandrills travel in multi-male and multi-female groups called troops, which range from 20 animals to, on occasion, more than 200.
The maned wolf’s hind legs are slightly longer than its front legs, making it a talented uphill climber.
Giraffes are able to swing their great necks around and thump their horns into another’s body.
Meerkats live in matriarchal groups of up to 30 individuals called mobs or gangs.
Mountain tapirs, one of four tapir species, live at high elevations and so their fur is longer and thicker than that of other tapir species
Originating in West Africa, Nigerian dwarf goats have also been known as pygmy goats due to their small size.
The North American porcupine is the second largest rodent in North America, only slightly smaller than the beaver.
Ocelots rest in trees during the day and are nocturnal, hunting most of the night.
The okapi is shy, secretive, and diurnal (active during the day). It is usually solitary and it follows a well-trodden network of trails.
Mangabey fingers and toes are partially webbed, making them excellent swimmers.
What creature has fangs, lives in dense forests, and barks to intimidate potential adversaries? If you’re thinking of an animal in the canine family, think again!
One of fifty different lemur species, ring-tailed lemurs use their tails to send signals (such as “follow me”) to each other.
Miners and settlers would invite ringtails into their cabins and camps as companions to keep the areas rodent-free.
Humans brought sheep to the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland more than 1,000 years ago.
Echidnas and platypuses are the only surviving monotremes, an ancient order of egg-laying mammals.
Siamangs are arboreal, spending most of their time relaxing in the trees or swinging between branches.
The takin belongs to a family of animals known as antilocaprids (goat-antelopes) and shares some features with goats, antelopes, and sheep.
Snow leopards can jump 30 to 50 feet between mountain ledges, using their tails to balance
When threatened or preyed upon, a gerenuk may stand very still behind a bush or a tree and slowly creep away with its head lowered, or gallop toward a place of safety.
Predators looking to make a meal of a wombat will find themselves up for a challenge.
In addition to being the world’s smallest deer species, the pudu is also generally solitary with individuals only joining during mating season.
This South American anteater uses strong claws to dig small holes in ant or termite nests and lick up the insects as they exit.
This small, delicate antelope was named after the British explorer John Hanning Speke.
When you see a spider monkey hanging out in the tree tops, supported by its long, slim limbs and prehensile tail, you can understand where it got the name “spider” monkey.
Squirrel monkeys are one of the few New World monkey species that do not have prehensile tails.
Like most wild cats, Sumatran tigers are solitary animals that live within marked, carefully guarded territories.
The markhor’s name comes from the ancient Persian words “mar” and “khor,” which translates as “the snake eater.”
Tammar wallabies are the smallest species of wallaby and are often preyed upon by dingoes.
Pot-bellied pigs have ranged across Eurasia for more than 40,000 years.
One of the most endangered species of wild pig, the Visayan warty pig occupies only 5% of its original range.
Kangaroos can reach speeds of more than 30 mph for short periods and can jump as high as five feet.
Gorillas are tool users and wild gorillas have been observed using rocks and sticks as rudimentary tools.
Unlike other New World monkeys, whitye-faced sakis’ tails are not prehensile and cannot be used to grip branches.
Duikers have a hesitant high-stepping gait and, when alarmed, the yellow-backed duiker whistles a sharp alert before fleeing quickly into the thick underbrush.
These medium-sized, nocturnal wallabies rest in caves and rock crevices during the day, occasionally emerging to sunbathe