Scaly anteaters

Scaly anteaters are mammals found in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. They have large, protective keratin scales, similar in material to fingernails and toenails, covering their skin; they are the only known mammals with this feature.

Sumatran rhinoceros

The Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), also known as the hairy or Asian two-horned rhinoceros, is the smallest of the five extant rhinoceros species. Once found in rainforests, swamps, and cloud forests across South and Southeast Asia, it is now confined to Indonesia.

Bornean orangutan

The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is native to Borneo, the largest of three orangutan species. With a reddish coat and long arms, it lives in rainforests, feeding on fruits and seeds. Critically endangered due to deforestation and hunting, it is known for its intelligence and tool use.

Royal Bengal Tiger

The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is one of the largest wild cats, native to the Indian subcontinent. Threatened by poaching and habitat loss, its population in 2022 was estimated at 3,167–3,682 in India, 316–355 in Nepal, 131 in Bhutan, and 114 in Bangladesh.

Elusive snow leopard

The elusive snow leopard, with its spotted coat, roams rugged mountains in Asia. Threatened by habitat loss, poaching, and climate change, it is a solitary predator capable of hunting prey three times its size.

Proboscis monkey

The proboscis monkey or long-nosed monkey is an arboreal Old World monkey with an unusually large nose, a reddish-brown skin color and a long tail. It is endemic to the southeast Asian island of Borneo and is found mostly in mangrove forests and on the coastal areas of the island.

Lion-tailed macaque

The striking-looking Lion-tailed macaque is a rare monkey found in the mountains of the Western Ghats, India. It’s one of the most endangered species in the world and cannot live in captivity, being so well-adapted to its home in the forest.

Dugong

Known as ‘the angel of the sea’, the Dugong is a gentle marine giant closely related to a manatee. They are herbivores who feed on underwater grasses and can be in the warm Indian Ocean. Intrepid travellers can scuba dive alongside the peaceful creatures in the Andamans or the Gulf of Kutch.

Red panda

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens), native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, has reddish-brown fur, a black belly, white-lined ears, and a ringed tail. It is 51–63.5 cm long, with a 28–48.5 cm tail and weighs 3.2–15 kg. Adapted for climbing, it has flexible joints and curved claws.