5 Animals From China
Within the large area of the third largest country in the world, we can find different biomes: mountains, plateaus, deserts, coasts and depressions. China’s animals have adapted to geographical features in a surprising way. Get to know them in this article.
Examples of animals from China
In addition to the famous Chinese horoscope, in which each sign is represented by an animal, the local fauna is made up of countless species. Among them we can highlight some animals from China, which are more representative and characteristic:
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Yak
This bovine, in the photo that opens this article, so known by the inhabitants of the Himalayas, is one of the representatives of Chinese fauna. The word ‘yak’ in the Tibetan language means ‘male’, so females in this region are known as ‘nak’.
With long, thick, dark hair – black or brownish and short feet, ending in hooves, yaks can weigh up to a ton and measure two meters in height : almost no problem with predators. Females and their offspring remain in groups and males live alone.
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Panda bear
It is the best known animal and that we relate to the country, although it belongs to the “Ursida” family, it differs a lot from them, for example in terms of its diet. The panda eats bamboo and fruit and does not hibernate, as it lives in a subtropical environment: China, Vietnam and Burma.
He is known for his stout black and white body, dark round ears and tail, and small eyes. When they are born, the body is pink with some gray spots and they are blind for a month. They remain on the mother’s side for two years, although only half that time are breastfed.
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silver pheasant
It inhabits southwestern China and southeastern Tibet (prefers dense forests with dense vegetation), but was introduced to England, where it is known as Lady Amherst’s pheasant, in honor of the governor’s wife responsible for bringing these birds to their homeland.
Like other royal pheasants or peacocks, the male is very striking due to its long tail, which in this case measures 80 centimeters and is black and white. The body has blue, red, yellow and orange feathers. The female is brown with some black spots.
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Red panda
This endangered mammal is another of the most characteristic animals in China, it inhabits the south of the country, particularly among temperate and humid forests and with abundant bamboo trees. As the name suggests, the fur is reddish, but more than a bear, it looks like a raccoon as it has a long tail and is small in size.
The red panda is sedentary, active only at dawn and dusk. Sensitive to heat and very skilled at moving from branch to branch. With solitary habits, it sleeps with its tail covering its face and every day before eating (in addition to bamboo, it feeds on berries, fungi, roots and fruits) it “washes” its legs and belly.
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snow leopard
Also called ‘irbis’, it is a typical Central Asian mountain feline, over 6,000 meters tall, so it is not very well known. It has dense gray hair, with black spots and a white belly. Its tail is very long and furry as it is used to cover itself while sleeping.
The snow leopard is one of China’s animals in danger of extinction due to hunting for its fur. This predator feeds on rabbits, squirrels, deer, birds, shrews and even goats and cattle, which it attacks during the day. It’s one of the few cats that don’t roar because their vocal cords are so small.
