Can sharks see? And do giraffes really give birth standing up? We answer your burning questions about the astonishing animal kingdom, and bring you closer to our natural world with the BBC Earth fact files.
Giraffa camelopardalis
With their long napes and lanky legs, giraffes are literally head and shoulders above the rest – towering over the arid African savannahs, they are the tallest mammals roaming the Earth.
Elephantidae
The elephant is the largest living land animal. This giant, plant-eating mammal lives in family groups with complex social orders and is capable of remarkable feats of memory – they do say elephants never forget!
Equus ferus caballus
The horse is a four-legged herd animal. Various breeds of the animal have been domesticated and are used for work, riding and as a source of food and milk. Historically, the domestication of horses helped humans to spread across the world and also improved their ability to farm.
Panthera leo
The lion is the second biggest big cat after the tiger. Unlike most big cats, the lion is social, and lives in family groups called prides. This ferocious apex predator works together with its companions to take down sizeable prey like water buffalo, which are much larger than a single lion.
Anthophila
Honeybees and bumblebees are the iconic representatives of this busy and buzzy insect, but there are actually more than 20,000 different species of bee.
Selachimorpha
Sharks are often characterised as vicious killers, but in reality, they’re a diverse and endangered group of creatures that add tremendous value to marine ecosystems.