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The Zoospecies · habitats · children's zoo · care
The Zoo · India, China, Southeast Asia · 18 species

Asian forest

Tigers in the stream, the Asian elephant, giant pandas, sloth bears, clouded leopards, and the red panda that is not a bear.

Wild water buffaloRed pandaDholeAsiatic cheetahAsiatic lionClouded leopardSnow leopardTigerAsiatic black bearGiant pandaSloth bearSun bearGreater one-horned rhinocerosJavan rhinocerosSumatran rhinocerosMalayan tapirSunda pangolinAsian elephant
The red panda is not a bear and not a close cousin of the giant panda: see the "Not bears" room in natural history.

Wild water buffalo

Bubalus arnee
ENEndangered

Long, swept-back crescent horns, the widest of any living bovid. It wallows in mud to keep cool. The domestic water buffalo, worked across Asia, descends from it.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Endangered; fewer than 4,000 wild (est.).
Size
About 1.5-1.9 m at the shoulder · About 600-1,200 kg
What to watch forCompare the backward-sweeping horns with the African buffalo's boss.

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Red panda

Ailurus fulgens
ENEndangered AZA SAFE: Red Panda

Not a bear and not closely related to the giant panda: it has its own family. It was called "panda" first.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Endangered by habitat loss.
Size
Body length about 50-65 cm · About 3-6 kg
What to watch forWatch the "false thumb" (a wrist bone) grip bamboo.

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Dhole

Cuon alpinus
ENEndangered

The Asian wild dog: rusty red, with a black bushy tail. Packs whistle to keep in touch in thick forest.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Endangered.
Size
About 0.45-0.55 m at the shoulder · About 12-20 kg
What to watch forListen for the whistle calls.

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Asiatic cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus venaticus
CRCritically endangered

Survives only in Iran's central deserts. Iranian officials and conservationists put the wild population at roughly a dozen to about twenty (est.). Cheetahs reintroduced to India since 2022 come from Africa, not this subspecies.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Critically endangered (subspecies).
Size
About 0.7-0.85 m at the shoulder · About 35-55 kg
What to watch forCompare its paler, shorter coat with an African cheetah.

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Asiatic lion

Panthera leo leo (Asiatic population)
VUVulnerable Endangered (ESA)

Once found from Greece to India, it now lives only in and around Gir Forest, Gujarat. The 2025 census counted 891 lions, up from 674 in 2020 (Gujarat Forest Department). A fold of skin along the belly and a shorter mane that shows the ears are field marks.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Part of the lion species, Vulnerable (IUCN); the Gir population is growing.
Size
About 0.8-1.1 m at the shoulder · Males about 160-190 kg; females 110-120 kg
What to watch forLook for the belly fold and the ears showing through the mane.

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Clouded leopard

Neofelis nebulosa
VUVulnerable

Has the longest canine teeth for its size of any living cat.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Vulnerable.
Size
Body length about 70-110 cm · About 11-23 kg
What to watch forLook at the long tail used for balance in trees.

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Snow leopard

Panthera uncia
VUVulnerable Endangered (ESA)

Lives above the treeline in the mountains of Central Asia. A tail almost as long as its body works for balance and as a scarf. Wide, furry paws act as snowshoes.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Vulnerable (IUCN, 2017).
Size
About 0.55-0.65 m at the shoulder · About 22-55 kg
What to watch forWatch it wrap its tail around its face.

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Tiger

Panthera tigris
ENEndangered

The largest cat. Wild numbers rose in the latest global estimate after decades of decline.

Keeper's note
Tigers like water, so pools and shade matter, plus logs to scratch.
Conservation
Endangered; zoo tigers are managed for genetic diversity (check the current AZA program).
Size
Body length about 1.4-2.8 m · About 65-300 kg
What to watch forLook for the white spot behind each ear and the stripes that break up its outline.

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Asiatic black bear

Ursus thibetanus
VUVulnerable

Asia

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Ursidae
Size
·

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Giant panda

Ailuropoda melanoleuca
VUVulnerable

A true bear that eats almost only bamboo. China lends pandas to zoos; the Smithsonian's National Zoo received a new pair in 2024.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Vulnerable, improved from endangered in 2016.
Size
Body length about 1.2-1.9 m · About 70-125 kg
What to watch forWatch it eat for hours: bamboo gives little energy.

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Sloth bear

Melursus ursinus
VUVulnerable AZA SAFE: Sloth Bear

Sucks up termites with its lips and a gap in its front teeth.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Vulnerable.
Size
Body length about 1.4-1.9 m · About 55-145 kg
What to watch forWatch the long claws open logs.

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Sun bear

Helarctos malayanus
VUVulnerable

Southeast Asia

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Ursidae
Size
·

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Greater one-horned rhinoceros

Rhinoceros unicornis
VUVulnerable

One horn and deep skin folds that look like armor plates. About 4,075 live in India and Nepal (International Rhino Foundation, 2025), up from under 200 a century ago; Kaziranga holds most.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Vulnerable; a recovery story.
Size
About 1.7-2 m at the shoulder · About 1,800-2,700 kg
What to watch forLook for the armor-plate folds and bumpy "rivets" on the skin.

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Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
CRCritically endangered

One small horn, often absent in females. The last population lives in Ujung Kulon National Park, Java; poaching from 2019 to 2023 cut numbers by about a third (IRF). Roughly 50 may remain (est.).

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Critically endangered.
Size
About 1.4-1.7 m at the shoulder · About 900-2,300 kg
What to watch forNo zoo keeps a Javan rhino.

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Sumatran rhinoceros

Dicerorhinus sumatrensis
CRCritically endangered

The smallest and hairiest rhino, closest living relative of the woolly rhino. It has two horns, like African rhinos, though it lives in Asia. Fewer than 50 may remain (est.); Indonesia runs a captive-breeding sanctuary in Way Kambas.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Critically endangered.
Size
About 1-1.5 m at the shoulder · About 500-1,000 kg
What to watch forLook for the reddish hair on young animals.

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Malayan tapir

Tapirus indicus
ENEndangered

Black and white coloring breaks up its shape in moonlit forest. Related to horses and rhinos.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Endangered.
Size
Body length about 1.8-2.5 m · About 250-320 kg
What to watch forWatch the short trunk-like snout.

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Sunda pangolin

Manis javanica
CRCritically endangered

Scales of keratin, the same stuff as fingernails, cover its body; it rolls into a ball when threatened. Pangolins have been among the most trafficked mammals in the world.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Critically endangered; all eight pangolin species are on CITES Appendix I (2016).
Size
About 40-65 cm long plus tail · About 2-7 kg
What to watch forWatch the long sticky tongue.

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Asian elephant

Elephas maximus
ENEndangered

Smaller ears and a rounder back than African elephants; only some males have tusks.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Endangered.
Size
Shoulder height about 2-3.5 m · About 3,000-5,000 kg
What to watch forCompare ear size and back shape with the African bush elephant.

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Watch and look

Live cams

Live cameras at zoos, sanctuaries and wild places. Tap to watch here, or open the provider page; all zoo cams.

Panda 24/7 HD Live At Chengdu Panda Base
iPanda · local time at the camera
Best viewing: Live now; most cams run around the clock. Animals are most active in early morning and late afternoon local time.
LIVE Giant Panda Cam - Gengda Valley | explore.org
Explore Panda and Polar Bear Cams · local time at the camera
Best viewing: Live now; most cams run around the clock. Animals are most active in early morning and late afternoon local time.
Max the Tiger Cam at Turpentine Creek powered by EXPLORE.org
Explore Tiger & Kitten Cams · local time at the camera
Best viewing: Live now; most cams run around the clock. Animals are most active in early morning and late afternoon local time.
Jasmine the Tiger Cam at Turpentine Creek powered by EXPLORE.org
Explore Tiger & Kitten Cams · local time at the camera
Best viewing: Live now; most cams run around the clock. Animals are most active in early morning and late afternoon local time.
Giant Panda Cam
Smithsonian's National Zoo ↗
Giant Panda Cam
Smithsonian's National Zoo · Eastern time
Best viewing: Morning feeding, Eastern time; winter snow days are a favorite
If it is offline: more cams ↗
Elephant Cam
Smithsonian's National Zoo ↗
Elephant Cam
Smithsonian's National Zoo · Eastern time
Best viewing: Daytime, Eastern time
If it is offline: more cams ↗
Giant Panda Cam
San Diego Zoo ↗
Giant Panda Cam
San Diego Zoo · Pacific time
Best viewing: Mornings, Pacific time
If it is offline: more cams ↗
Tiger Cam
San Diego Zoo ↗
Tiger Cam
San Diego Zoo · Pacific time
Best viewing: Daytime, Pacific time
If it is offline: more cams ↗

Short films

Swipe, then tap to play. Captions are switched on where the maker provides them. Each film plays from its maker's channel.

Asian Elephant Meet Up: Introductions Between Two Social GroupsSmithsonian's National Zoo ↗
#DCPandas: Giant Panda Bao Li Plays IndoorsSmithsonian's National Zoo ↗
Asian Elephant Calf Linh Mai Goes Swimming For the First Time | July 15, 2026Smithsonian's National Zoo ↗
Jan. 6, 2025: Giant Pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao Play In The SnowSmithsonian's National Zoo ↗
Pandas Explore New Habitat at San Diego ZooSan Diego Zoo ↗
The Giant Panda Cubs' First Day OutsideZoo Atlanta ↗
Happy 5th Birthday, Giant Panda Bao Li!Smithsonian's National Zoo ↗
Dublin Zoo - Asian elephantsDublin Zoo ↗
Meet Asian elephant Kirina!Rosamond Gifford Zoo ↗

Picture gallery

Tap a picture to enlarge it. Every picture is public domain or openly licensed, credited below, and kept on our own server.

Another one of my pictures: This photograph was taken by Medium69 (William Crochot) and released un… · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gzen92 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gzen92 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gzen92 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Charles J. Sharp · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tisha Mukherjee · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tisha Mukherjee · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tisha Mukherjee · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Original: Ganga Raj Sunuwar Derivative work: UnpetitproleX · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Another one of my pictures: This photograph was taken by Medium69 (William Crochot) and released un… · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
For classes

Lessons: The Mammal Hall: Predict the dietPreviewHeredity and Evolution: Darwin and WallacePreviewThe Mammal Hall: Where the rule breaksPreview

Drawer: Zoo: Asian forest

Quiz: Asian forest quiz · 5 questions

Next door: Natural history: not bears (red panda) · Natural history: the bear room

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