Large Mammals: English Vocabulary List

an animal that is very large, has thick gray skin, four legs, a very long nose that is called a trunk, and mostly lives in Asia and Africa

"The elephant sprayed water with its trunk."

"The elephant used its trunk to spray water over its back to cool down on the hot African plain where the temperature often exceeded one hundred degrees during summer."

a large African mammal with a thick gray skin, big jaws and tusks that lives near water

"The hippopotamus stayed in water."

"The hippopotamus emerged from the lake and opened its mouth widely."

a very large mammal with a thick gray skin and one or two horns on its nose, feeding on plants, which is native to Africa and Southern Asia

"The rhinoceros charged forward."

"The massive rhinoceros, with its formidable horn, charged across the savanna, a truly awe-inspiring sight."

a tall animal with a very long neck and long legs that has brown spots on its yellow fur

"The giraffe ate leaves."

"A giraffe's neck can be up to two meters long containing the same number of vertebrae as a human neck which is seven."

an African ape which has a large head and short neck that looks like a monkey with no tail

"The gorilla looked powerful."

"Gorillas live in family groups led by a dominant silverback male who protects the group from predators and resolves internal conflicts peacefully."

a large mammal that looks like a bear with black and white fur and eats bamboos, usually found in China

"The panda ate bamboo at the zoo."

"The giant panda spends up to fourteen hours each day eating bamboo to meet its nutritional needs."

a large deer with palmate antlers, a long, drooping snout, and a hump on its shoulders, found chiefly in northern forests of North America, Europe, and Asia

"A big moose walked."

"A large moose with impressive antlers emerged from the dense forest and cautiously approached the lake."

a large wild ox with shaggy coat and long horns that is domesticated in Tibet

"The yak carried heavy supplies through the mountain pass."

"The yak carried heavy supplies across the high mountain passes for the expedition team."

a large marine mammal that is herbivorous, has a rounded tail and lives in coastal waters

"A manatee swam by."

"A gentle manatee glided through the clear, warm waters, peacefully munching on submerged vegetation."

a large type of seal with external ear flaps that is mainly found on Pacific coasts

"The sea lion barked."

"The sea lion performed an impressive trick, balancing a bright red ball on its nose for the cheering crowd."

a large sea animal with flippers that eats fish, can live on land and in water, and is hunted by humans for its fur

"A seal rested on the rock."

"Seals can hold their breath for nearly two hours when diving deep underwater because their bodies store large amounts of oxygen in their muscles and blood."

a large marine mammal like a seal with two large tusks that lives in Arctic regions

"The walrus had tusks."

"The massive walrus used its formidable tusks to anchor itself securely on the slippery ice floe."

a wild pig with a pair of tusks that lives in sub-Saharan Africa and feeds on vegetables

"A warthog ran fast."

"The warthog darted across the savanna, its tail held high as it escaped from the approaching predator."

a marine mammal known for its adorable appearance, dense fur coat, playful behavior, and remarkable tool-use ability in foraging for food

"The sea otter floated."

"The adorable sea otter floated on its back, skillfully using a rock to crack open a tasty clam."

a large wild mammal of the cow family covered with long hair that is found in North America or Europe

"The bison herd grazed peacefully."

"The bison herd thundered across the prairie their heavy hooves shaking the ground beneath the grass."