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KEY1. Western capercaillie (largest grouse)2. Red squirrel3. Caspian red deer4. Sable5. Argali sheep6. Grey wolf (largest canid)7. Goitered gazelle (fastest antelope)8. Snowy owl (most northerly owl)9. Reindeer10. Bactrian camel11. Yak12. Dromedary camel (largest camel)13. Lemming14. Brown bear (most subspecies for a bear)15. Snow leopard (highest‑living predator)16. Pika17. Gharial18. Harbour seal19. Arctic fox20. Marmot21. Giant panda (hungriest bear)22. Leopard23. Asian elephant (longest tail for a land mammal)24. King cobra (longest venomous snake)25. Green turtle26. Lynx27. Siberian tiger (largest wild cat)28. Gibbon29. Reticulated python (longest reptile)30. Octopus31. Green peafowl32. Mantis shrimp (most powerful strike)33. Hammerhead shark34. Willow ptarmigan35. Walrus (fewest teeth for a seal)36. Japanese macaque (most northerly primate)37. Whale shark (largest fish)38. Flying fish39. Sumatran rhinoceros40. Tapanuli orangutan41. Yellow-crested cockatoo42. Greater bird-of-paradise43. Tarsier

ASIAComprising about 30% of all land on Earth, it’s little wonder that the planet’s largest continent is brimming with life…

Most aquatic crocodilianCompared with other crocodile species,

the slender-jawed gharial has weak legs, so the only way it can move on land is by sliding on its belly. As a result, it never strays far from rivers in India

and Nepal. By contrast, in the water, it’s a very quick and nimble swimmer.

Highest‑living mammalThe rabbit-like large-eared pika lives

on rocky slopes of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau at dizzying heights of around 6,130 m (20,110 ft). They’re sometimes

called “whistling hares” owing to their high-pitched alarm calls.

Largest peafowlIndia’s blue peacocks are the most iconic member of this bird family, but they’re not the biggest. That title goes to the green peacock, found notably on the Indonesian island of Java. With that show-stopping tail, a male can reach 3 m (9 ft 10 in) long.

Largest hammerhead sharkWith their flattened heads and spaced-out eyes, hammerheads are one of the most unusual-looking creatures in the ocean! Of the nine known species, the biggest – by far – is the great hammerhead, which can attain lengths of 20 ft (6.1 m).

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Newest apeOnce believed to have been Sumatran orangutans, Tapanuli orangutans were officially recognized as a new species on 2 Nov 2017. Key traits that distinguish these close relatives include a smaller head and frizzier fur, as well as a slightly different diet.

Farthest head rotation by a mammalNo mammal’s neck is more flexible than the tarsier’s. These nocturnal primates from south-east Asia can turn their heads nearly 180° in each direction – giving them a total rotation of almost 360°! They also have the largest eyes for a mammal (relative to body size).

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