A Trip to the Zoo

Mammals

100

These mammals are often domesticated (but also found in larger, wild varieties) and were considered sacred in Ancient Egypt

Cats (felines)

200

This group of large mammals contains some of the largest of all known animals and are usually not found on land (unless they are "beached")

Whales (cetaceans)

300

These mammals, often associated with vampires, are typically nocturnal, can fly, and use echolocation to understand their surroundings

Bats (chiroptera)

400

These desert-dwelling mammals are known to store large deposits of back fat as a backup reserve for when food is scarce and come in two main varieties (having either one or two large reserves of fat)

Camels 

500

These mammals are the only ones that lay eggs

Platypus and/or Echidna (monotremes)

Reptiles & Amphibians

100

These curly-tailed reptiles commonly found in green varieties are famously known to change their color with their surroundings

Chameleons

200

Hard as a rock, these unique reptilians are "at home" wherever they go as their keratinous, domed backs provide them protection

Turtles (testudines)

300

Now that dinosaurs and other large lizards are extinct, these Indonesian lizards (known to have toxic saliva) are the current largest species of lizards on Earth

Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis)

400

In nature, bright colors often are a sign of danger. These small, amphibious creatures come in many bright colors and strange patterns across 170 different species and get their distinct name for their purpose in aboriginal South American cultures.

Poison Dart Frogs (dendrobatidae)

500

These unique amphibians whose name comes from the Central American Nahuatl language have many fern-like appendages stemming from their heads, a fascinating ability to regenerate limbs, and fish-like gills during their adult stage

Axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) 

Ocean Life

100

This group of sea creatures is often depicted as a large monster in many forms of mythology, including the Norwegian Kraken or Ainu Akkorkamui, and gets its name from the number of "feet" is has

Octopus

200

These "fish" are commonly thought to be immortal and are actually more closely related to sea cucumbers and anemone than fish

Jellyfish (medusozoa)

300

Don't forget that not everything in the ocean is a fish! These sea mammals have often been linked to sightings of mermaids and are also referred to as "sea cows" for their uncanny cow-like behaviors

Manatees (trichechus)

400

Despite not being the largest creature in the ocean, these animals famously have the largest eyes of any living creature on the planet

Colossal Squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni)

500

Once thought to be extinct, this "living fossil" of a fish last evolved in its current form roughly 400 million years ago and was rediscovered at an Indonesian fish market in the late 1990s

Coelacanth 

Birds

100

If Benjamin Franklin had his way, these "thankful" birds would be our national bird instead of the bald eagle

Turkeys (meleagris)

200

These birds may as well be bees due to their tiny size, their large role in pollination, and their distinct namesake noise made from the flapping of their wings (just like the buzzing of bees)

Hummingbirds (trochilidae)

300

The males of this flamboyant variety of birds boast a large display of beautiful blue, green, and gold feathers and a majestic dance-like routine to attract females

Peacocks/Peafowl (pavo)

400

This bird gets their name from the Polynesian Maori language and shares their name with both a fruit and the nickname for the people of the nation this bird originates from

Kiwi (apterygidae)

500

This species of bird is the fastest of all known animals on Earth, boasting speeds of up to 242 miles per hour (389 km/h)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)