Ecological Biome & Habitat

🏜️ Deserts & Arid Lands Wildlife (Extreme Heat & Drought)

Sand dunes, rocky badlands, and arid scrublands home to nocturnal and drought-adapted specialists. Showing 60 cataloged species thriving in this biome.

🌴Rainforest 🌊Ocean & Reefs 🌾Savannas & Grasslands 🏜️Deserts & Arid Lands ❄️Polar & Tundra 🛶Wetlands & Rivers

MammaliaLC

Aardwolf

Proteles cristata

Diet: Obligate insectivore specialized on termites
Wild lifespan: Wild average is poorly measured; captive individuals have approached 20 years

MammaliaEN

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

Diet: Herbivore; grazes and browses
Wild lifespan: Several decades; some approach 60–70 years

MammaliaVU

African Lion

Panthera leo

Diet: Obligate carnivore
Wild lifespan: Often 10–16 years; males commonly shorter-lived

MammaliaCR

African Wild Ass

Equus africanus

Diet: Herbivore
Wild lifespan: Often 20 years or more under favorable conditions

MammaliaEN

African Wild Dog

Lycaon pictus

Diet: Carnivore
Wild lifespan: Often about 10–11 years in the wild

ReptiliaVU

Aldabra Giant Tortoise

Aldabrachelys gigantea

Diet: Primarily herbivorous grazer and browser
Wild lifespan: Commonly more than 100 years and potentially around 150 years

ReptiliaLC

Arizona Black Rattlesnake

Crotalus cerberus

Diet: Venomous ambush predator
Wild lifespan: Potentially two decades or more in the wild; exact maximum is uncertain

ReptiliaLC

Arizona Coral Snake

Micruroides euryxanthus

Diet: Specialized predator of small reptiles and snakes
Wild lifespan: Wild longevity is poorly documented; likely several years or more

ReptiliaNT

Armadillo Girdled Lizard

Ouroborus cataphractus

Diet: Specialized insectivore
Wild lifespan: Wild longevity is poorly quantified; cordylids can be long-lived for their size

ReptiliaCR

Aruba Island Rattlesnake

Crotalus unicolor

Diet: Ambush predator of small vertebrates
Wild lifespan: Wild longevity is uncertain; managed rattlesnakes may live well over a decade

MammaliaAnimal group

Baboon

Papio

Diet: Omnivore with plant foods forming most of the diet
Wild lifespan: Species-specific; adults may live 20–30 years

MammaliaNE

Bactrian Camel

Camelus bactrianus

Diet: Herbivore
Wild lifespan: Commonly 30–40 years with good care

ReptiliaLC

Baird's Rat Snake

Pantherophis bairdi

Diet: Constricting predator of small vertebrates
Wild lifespan: Wild lifespan is uncertain; managed rat snakes may live 15–20 years or more

AvesLC

Barn Owl

Tyto alba

Diet: Carnivore
Wild lifespan: Often 4–8 years in the wild, with some much older

ReptiliaLC

Bearded Dragon

Pogona vitticeps

Diet: Omnivore
Wild lifespan: Often 5–8 years in the wild and 10–15 years with excellent captive care

MammaliaLC

Bighorn Sheep

Ovis canadensis

Diet: Herbivore
Wild lifespan: Often 10–15 years for females; males commonly live fewer years

ArachnidaAnimal group

Black Widow Spider

Latrodectus

Diet: Carnivore; mostly insects and other arthropods
Wild lifespan: No single genus-wide lifespan; females outlive males in studied species

ReptiliaLC

Bredl’s Python

Morelia bredli

Diet: Ambush constrictor of birds and mammals
Wild lifespan: Often 15–25 years in managed care; wild longevity is poorly quantified

AvesLC

Cactus Wren

Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus

Diet: Omnivore, mainly insectivore
Wild lifespan: Several years; banded individuals have lived more than seven years

ReptiliaLC

California Kingsnake

Lampropeltis californiae

Diet: Generalist constrictor and snake predator
Wild lifespan: Often 10–15 years in the wild; managed individuals may exceed 20 years

MammaliaLC

Caracal

Caracal caracal

Diet: Obligate carnivore
Wild lifespan: About 10–12 years in the wild; up to roughly 17 years in expert care

MammaliaVU

Cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus

Diet: Carnivore
Wild lifespan: Often 6–10 years in the wild; longer in managed care

ReptiliaLC

Common European Adder

Vipera berus

Diet: Venomous predator of small vertebrates
Wild lifespan: Often 10–15 years; some individuals live longer

AvesLC

Common Ostrich

Struthio camelus

Diet: Omnivore, primarily herbivorous
Wild lifespan: Often 30–40 years

ArachnidaNE

Deathstalker Scorpion

Leiurus quinquestriatus

Diet: Invertebrate predator
Wild lifespan: Exact wild lifespan is poorly documented

MammaliaVU

Dingo

Canis lupus dingo

Diet: Opportunistic carnivore
Wild lifespan: Up to about 10 years in the wild and 13–15 years in managed care

MammaliaNE

Dromedary Camel

Camelus dromedarius

Diet: Herbivore
Wild lifespan: Commonly 30–40 years under good management, sometimes longer

AvesAnimal group

Eagle

Accipitridae

Diet: Carnivore and scavenger; prey differs by species
Wild lifespan: Species-specific; many large eagles can live for decades

ReptiliaLC

Eastern Glass Lizard

Ophisaurus ventralis

Diet: Carnivore of invertebrates and small vertebrates
Wild lifespan: Wild longevity is poorly known; 4–15 years recorded in managed care

ReptiliaLC

Eastern Hognose Snake

Heterodon platirhinos

Diet: Specialist predator of toads and other small vertebrates
Wild lifespan: Often estimated at 8–12 years in the wild; longer lives occur in managed care

ReptiliaLC

Eastern Indigo Snake

Drymarchon couperi

Diet: Generalist vertebrate predator with a strong preference for other snakes
Wild lifespan: About 8–12 years in the wild; up to 25 years in managed care