Wildlife Species Library

Identification guides, behavior notes, and camera tips for the wildlife visiting backyard habitats across the EverydayEarth community.

Showing 37-72 of 78 species

Green Anole
Reptiles

Green Anole

Anolis carolinensis

Meet the 'American Chameleon,' a color-shifting gymnast that brings a touch of the prehistoric to your garden. Watch ...

Green Basilisk
Reptiles

Green Basilisk

Basiliscus plumifrons

Meet the 'Jesus Christ lizard,' a brilliant emerald reptile famous for its gravity-defying ability to run across wate...

Green Iguana
Reptiles

Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

The Green Iguana is a prehistoric-looking giant that has mastered the art of living in both the wild jungle and the s...

Green Sea Turtle
Reptiles

Green Sea Turtle

Chelonia mydas

Meet the ocean's most famous gardener. The Green Sea Turtle is a majestic marine wanderer whose diet of seagrass keep...

Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Reptiles

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata

With its stunning 'tortoiseshell' pattern and a beak like a bird of prey, the Hawksbill is the most beautiful—and mos...

Helmeted Turtle
Reptiles

Helmeted Turtle

Pelomedusa subrufa

The African Helmeted Turtle is a prehistoric-looking survivor capable of outlasting the harshest droughts. With its u...

Indian Python
Reptiles

Indian Python

Python molurus

A master of camouflage and a silent guardian of the forest, the Indian Python is one of the world's most impressive n...

Indo-Pacific House Gecko
Reptiles

Indo-Pacific House Gecko

Hemidactylus garnotii

Meet the Indo-Pacific House Gecko, the 'fox-faced' hunter of the night. This remarkable all-female species has travel...

Indo-Pacific Slender Gecko
Reptiles

Indo-Pacific Slender Gecko

Hemiphyllodactylus typus

A pint-sized pioneer of the reptile world, the Indo-Pacific Slender Gecko is a master of camouflage and a silent guar...

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
Reptiles

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Lepidochelys kempii

Meet the rarest and most endangered sea turtle on the planet. Small in size but massive in spirit, the Kemp's ridley ...

Koch's Chirping Gecko
Reptiles

Koch's Chirping Gecko

Ptenopus kochi

The vocal 'voice of the Namib,' Koch's Chirping Gecko is a desert-dwelling marvel that announces its presence with a ...

Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Reptiles

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Caretta caretta

Ancient mariners of the deep, Loggerhead Sea Turtles are famous for their massive heads and thousand-mile migrations....

Mediterranean House Gecko
Reptiles

Mediterranean House Gecko

Hemidactylus turcicus

A nocturnal acrobat that turns suburban walls into hunting grounds. Meet the Mediterranean House Gecko, the vocal 'Mo...

Moorish Gecko
Reptiles

Moorish Gecko

Tarentola mauritanica

Meet the 'Common Wall Gecko,' a spiny-skinned night hunter that has lived alongside humans for centuries. Famous for ...

Morelet's Crocodile
Reptiles

Morelet's Crocodile

Crocodylus moreletii

Meet the 'Mexican Crocodile,' a broad-snouted master of the Central American wetlands. Known for its shy nature and d...

Mourning Gecko
Reptiles

Mourning Gecko

Lepidodactylus lugubris

Meet the world-traveling, all-female lizard known for its social chirps and chevron stripes. The Mourning Gecko is a ...

Namib Giant Ground Gecko
Reptiles

Namib Giant Ground Gecko

Chondrodactylus angulifer

A master of the desert sands, the Namib Giant Ground Gecko is a robust, nocturnal lizard known for its striking bande...

Namib Sand Gecko
Reptiles

Namib Sand Gecko

Pachydactylus rangei

Meet the 'Ghost of the Dunes,' a translucent marvel that licks the morning fog to survive. With its unique webbed fee...

Nile Crocodile
Reptiles

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

The undisputed king of the African waterways, the Nile Crocodile is a living relic of the dinosaur age. Witness the p...

Nile Monitor
Reptiles

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

Meet Africa's most versatile aquatic predator. From the ancient banks of the Nile to the modern canals of Florida, th...

Northern Map Turtle
Reptiles

Northern Map Turtle

Graptemys geographica

Often called the 'topographic turtle,' this master of the river is draped in a stunning pattern of golden map-like li...

Northwestern Pond Turtle
Reptiles

Northwestern Pond Turtle

Actinemys marmorata

The only native freshwater turtle of the Pacific Northwest, this shy 'sun-worshiper' is a master of disappearing at t...

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle
Reptiles

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Lepidochelys olivacea

The Olive Ridley is the world's most numerous sea turtle, best known for its 'arribadas'—massive, synchronized nestin...

Ouachita Map Turtle
Reptiles

Ouachita Map Turtle

Graptemys ouachitensis

Defined by the intricate 'topographical' lines on its shell and a jagged, saw-like ridge along its spine, the Ouachit...

Painted Turtle
Reptiles

Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta

Meet the most colorful and widespread turtle in North America. Known for their intricate red and yellow patterns and ...

Pond Slider
Reptiles

Pond Slider

Trachemys scripta

The Pond Slider is the most iconic freshwater turtle in the Americas, famous for its love of sunshine and its lightni...

Reticulated Python
Reptiles

Reticulated Python

Malayopython reticulatus

The world's longest snake and a masterpiece of natural camouflage, the Reticulated Python is a silent giant of the So...

River Cooter
Reptiles

River Cooter

Pseudemys concinna

The River Cooter is the sun-worshipper of the American waterways, easily recognized by its 'pinstriped' suit and a pe...

Rock Monitor
Reptiles

Rock Monitor

Varanus albigularis

Africa's largest lizard is a master of the savanna, combining prehistoric power with surprising intelligence and a ca...

Savannah Monitor
Reptiles

Savannah Monitor

Varanus exanthematicus

The Savannah Monitor is a stocky, powerful lizard that embodies the spirit of the African plains. With its blunt snou...

Schneider's Dwarf Caiman
Reptiles

Schneider's Dwarf Caiman

Paleosuchus trigonatus

The 'smooth-fronted' ghost of the Amazon, Schneider's Dwarf Caiman is a rugged, heavily armored reptile that is as mu...

Serrated Hinged Terrapin
Reptiles

Serrated Hinged Terrapin

Pelusios sinuatus

The Serrated Hinged Terrapin is Africa’s largest hinged turtle, known for its jagged shell and remarkable ability to ...

Southern Green Python
Reptiles

Southern Green Python

Morelia viridis

An emerald icon of the tropical canopy, the Southern Green Python is famous for its striking color and unique coiled ...

Spectacled Caiman
Reptiles

Spectacled Caiman

Caiman crocodilus

The Spectacled Caiman is a master of the water's edge, easily recognized by the bony ridge between its eyes that give...

Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle
Reptiles

Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle

Macrochelys suwanniensis

A prehistoric relic of the Deep South, the Suwannee alligator snapping turtle is a massive, ridge-shelled predator fo...

Tropical House Gecko
Reptiles

Tropical House Gecko

Hemidactylus mabouia

The ultimate 'wall-walker' of the night, the Tropical House Gecko is a tiny, vocal predator that has turned our subur...

photo_camera

Not sure what you saw?

Upload a wildlife photo and let AI identify the species for you instantly.

Identify a species

Start recording your backyard wildlife

Connect a camera and build your own species record — a personal field guide generated automatically.

Join free Connect a camera