Asian Animals: List of Remarkable Animals that Live in Asia

There’s no denying the rich cultural heritage of Asia, alongside its abundance of stunning and rare animal species. Being host to the world’s tallest peaks, Asia’s tropical and subtropical climates are conducive to supporting thriving wildlife populations.

Asian animals are spread across various countries on the continent, including China, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Mongolia, Indonesia, Iraq, and Sri Lanka. This article delves into the wildlife of Asia, presenting a list of these animals along with their fascinating characteristics.

Asian Animals

The animal life in Asia is diverse, encompassing everything from massive terrestrial mammals to tiny marine creatures found in the bustling aquatic environments of the continent. Asia houses a minimum of 500 mammal species, with bird species making up approximately 1,300 of the total. It is also estimated that Asia is home to 500 varieties of versatile and exotic reptiles, while the amphibian population accounts for around 300 species.

List of Asian Animals

• Sumatran Rhinoceros
• Japanese Macaque
• Asian Elephant
• Amur Leopard
• Malayan Tapir
• Slow Loris
• Indian Rhino
• Panda
• Snow Leopard
• Bactrian Camel
• Draco Lizard
• Indian Cobra
• Siamang
• Water Buffalo
• Yak

Asian Animals | Facts & Pictures

Sumatran Rhinoceros

With a lifespan that can extend up to 40 years, this land mammal native to Asia has a reproductive cycle that results in one calf every 3-4 years. Primarily a browser, it feeds on grass, leaves, and plant shoots.

Typically reaching lengths of 5-6 feet, the males of this species are slightly larger than the females. While they generally prefer solitary living, they may also form groups known as crashes, consisting of female rhinos and their offspring.

Asian Elephant

As the largest land animal in Asia, although slightly smaller than its African counterpart, these elephants consist of three subspecies: the Sumatran, Indian, and Sri Lankan elephants. They can reach lengths of up to 21 feet, with females undergoing a gestational period of 2 years and typically giving birth to a single calf.

These Asian land mammals usually display shades of dark grey to brown, with distinct pink patches on body parts like their trunks, ears, and foreheads. Within their herds, they establish a hierarchical structure where the oldest female commonly assumes a leadership role. Engaged in constant foraging, a mature elephant typically consumes at least 136 kg of food daily.

Malayan Tapir

Native to the Malayan Peninsula and Thailand, these creatures bear a resemblance to a blend of an anteater and a pig. They can reach lengths of up to 6 feet and typically lead solitary lives, though they may form groups during mating seasons. With approximately 2000 individuals remaining, they are classified as an endangered species.

Slow Loris

This primate stands as the sole poisonous one globally, with its venom capable of causing human fatality if delivered through a bite. Sporting owl-like eyes and a round face, these creatures typically inhabit trees, subsisting mainly on leaves, fruits, birds, and reptile eggs.

Operating under a nocturnal lifestyle, they can live up to 20 years and typically give birth to one or two offspring after a gestational period of 6 months per year.

Panda

Indigenous to South and Central China, these creatures are critically endangered, with only 1,864 pandas remaining in the wild. Operating as omnivores, they devote nearly 12 hours daily to feeding on bamboo leaves, stems, and shoots, occasionally supplementing their diet with small birds and rodents.

Belonging to the bear family, their distinctive white and black fur sets them apart. They have the ability to give birth to either a single cub or twins in roughly equal proportions following a gestation period of 95-160 days.

Key takeaway

If we are to preserve our biodiversity, we have to change our attitudes and take care of our environment.