The aardvark’s name is from the Afrikaans language meaning “earth pig” - and if you look at an aardvark, you can see the resemblance. Although it looks like a long snouted pig, the aardvark is totally unique and is the only living member of its order.

Although domestic chinchillas are common as pets, wild chinchillas have become scarce in their native habitat due to unsustainable hunting for their soft, dense fur.

Domestic rabbits and their wild counterparts, old world rabbits, are one of the most familiar animals to children but the pet bunny we all think of might surprise a lot of people. Deliberate rabbit introductions into many parts of the world have inadvertently caused a number of wildlife conservation issues.

Sloths take the term “hanging around” to a whole new level. They spend almost their entire life upside down in the tree branches - only rarely descending to the ground.

The giant jumping rat (GJR) is the largest rodent in Madagascar. They are threatened with extinction because of their limited range and loss of habitat.

One of the most unusual of all mammals, naked mole-rats are remarkable not only for their bizarre appearance, but also for a unique social system that features queens, workers and soldiers, a life-span that can reach 27 years or more, and creation of extensive tunnel systems using tooth-power alone.

These South American porcupines are made for life in the trees. Their feet are built for gripping branches, and they have sharp claws which help them hold on. Their most distinctive feature however is their long, spineless, prehensile tail.

The Rodrigues fruit bat has a somewhat flattened face with a short muzzle and short triangular ears. Its eyes are large and nearly round. Its color ranges from light to dark brown with a red-gold chest and lighter head coloring. It has a large claw on the thumb and a smaller one on the second finger. Bats are the only true flying mammals.

One of the most unique animals at the Zoo, echidnas are a prickly pleasure to see first hand. Found in Australia and New Guinea, not much is known about these animals that rank among the oldest living mammals on earth.

Known for their striking coloration, striped possums are nocturnal and live in the trees. They have long tails that help them balance as they move from branch to branch.

Tree shrews are unique creatures that have long suffered from mistaken identity. They are not shrews, and most don’t live in trees. They are similar in size and shape to squirrels, but are not rodents and do not have long whiskers like squirrels do. They are in a family all to themselves – there’s nothing quite like a tree shrew!

The vampire bat is a creature of legends, but it is much more secretive and shy than most people realize. The only species of bat that can walk on all fours, it creeps up on a sleeping animal and uses it's sharp incisors to scrape open a small wound. Always prepared to jump away if the animal moves, it laps up a meal of fresh blood.