56 National Geographic Animals in the Wild ...

1. Reef Squid

Via The Galactic Squid - Traveler ...

The holographic colors of this squid are incredible. Wildlife photographers of National Geographic animals have a skilled way of capturing amazing features.

2. Chameleon

Via National Geographic Photo Contest 2012: ...

Entitled "Lovely Dinosaur." That's a great caption for this contest entry because a chameleon does have the features of a dinosaur even though it is a fraction of the size.

3. Zebra

Via National Geographic Prints I National ...

Getting up close and personal with a stripy pajama horse.

4. Lion

Via m0rtality

That it's black and white doesn't diminish the majesty of the beast known as the King of the Jungle by one iota.

5. Dragonfly

Via FIRE QUEEN Photo by Santanu ...

The photographer called this "Fire Queen."

6. Lemur

Via National

Named the Black and White lemur for obvious reasons, this darling creature is of one of the endangered species of Madagascar.

7. Humpback Whale

Via A well traveled woman

This action of a whale launching itself out of the ocean and flopping back in is called breaching.

8. Horses

Via Untitled

Wild ponies at play in Iceland.

9. Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Via photography.nationalgeographic.com

Tree frogs are common animals in the world's rainforests.

10. Sloth

Via A picture taken by Nina ...

Here's a fun fact for you. Some sloths have a green tinge to their fur and it is in fact mold. The sloth moves so slowly, that mold spores have time to grow!

11. White Lion

Via Herthen

Albinos of all species are among the most amazing National Geographic animals.

12. Dolphins

Via Dolphins - National Geographic Photo ...

Who doesn't find dolphins adorable?

13. Kangaroo

Via 30+ Award winning collection of ...

Kangaroos are such characters. This guy is as laid back as the people of Australia.

14. Armadillo

Via COUNTERFEIT-MESS

I just wonder how long it took for the photographer to capture this astonishing shot.

15. Oustalet's Chameleon

Via Buy Fine Art Prints by ...

The chameleon's coat of many colors, which provides camouflage from predators.

16. Common Octopus

Via One-of-a-Kind Sea Creature Photos -- ...

Because they have no bones, an octopus can squeeze itself
through incredibly small holes.

17. Orangutans

Via I Gotchya, Baby.

Orangutan means "old man of the forest."

18. LYNX

Via sun-hawk.tumblr.com

The Lynx (known in the US as the bobcat) is a medium-sized big cat and lives in North America and Europe.

19. Whale Shark

Via Arabian Seas - Photo Gallery ...

This magnificent creature is the largest fish species.

20. Anemone Fish

Via 10 Stunning Standouts in National ...

The anemone fish hides from prey in the ocean plant that gives it its name.

21. African Elephant

Via Buy Fine Art Prints by ...

Some of the National Geographic pictures of animals sum up our visions of the places they live. The elephant is captured at dawn in Botswana's Chobe National Park.

22. Cephalopod

Via Friday Cephalopod: It’s watching you

Cephalopods are among the creatures that live in the deepest, darkest depths of the oceans, which makes their colors even more remarkable.

23. Otter

Via thestar.blogs.com

Cute and oh so furry. I was lucky to regularly see a family of otters when I was a kid. They lived in a small river in woods close to my childhood home.

24. Gray Wolf

Via artflakes.com

How can something that looks so cute and cuddly be such a wild creature?

25. Christmas Tree Worms

Via Colorful Sea Creature Photos -- ...

I won't be inviting these home for the holidays. Although, you can't deny they're beautiful.

26. Icebergs & Polar Bear

Via Sony World Photography Awards 2011 ...

The magnificent bear of the ice world.

27. Elephants

Via I Love Ugly

Elephants exist in big family units. All the females act as mothers , sisters, aunts and cousins in bringing up the babies. This wondrous sight was shot in Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda.

28. Suwannee Cooter

Via vintagenatgeographic.tumblr.com

This is one of the species of freshwater turtles.

29. Narwhals

Via Vintagenatgeographic:National Geographic December 1988

The narwhal's distinctive single tusk is actually an elongated molar which grows in helical form. It can reach up to 10 feet in length in a mature male.

30. Giraffe

Via artflakes.com

A fine fellow taking a drink in Samburu National Park, Kenya.

31. Fallow Deer

Via news.nationalgeographic.com

He looks like he's posing for the camera.

32. Olindias Formosa Jellyfish

Via LET'S LOOK 4 TREASURE

The non-scientific name for this sea creature is the Flower Hat jellyfish. It lives in the Western Pacific off Japan.

33. Cheetahs

Via A female cheetah and her ...

A cub gets playful with Mom in Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa

34. Tiger

Via Les 14 photographies gagnantes du ...

This was the winner of the National Geographic Wildlife Photo Contest in 2012. Absolutely outstanding.

35. Seahorse

Via TYWKIWDBI ("Tai-Wiki-Widbee"): Pregnant male seahorses

You may be wondering why this doesn't look like the seahorses you are familiar with. That's because it is a male and it is pregnant. Seahorses belong to the family Syngnathidae where uniquely, the males give birth - this includes the pipe fish and sea dragons.

36. Cats

Via Eleutheria

National Geographic animals aren't always wild. There are domestic pets too.

37. Rhinoceros

Via National Geographic Found

The photographer took this shot in 1910 while the rhino was charging at him.

38. Bongo Antelope

Via artflakes.com

The bongo is one of many species of antelope in Africa. This one calls the Dzanga Ndoki National Park in Central African Republic home.

39. Beluga Whale

Via The Little French Bullblog

Recognizable by its color and distinctive head shape (and its grin!), the beluga belongs to the same family as the narwhal.

40. Bison

Via Ghostly Bison in Steam During ...

The bison's hugely thick, woolly coat keeps him warm at the height of winter in Yellowstone National Park.

41. Snow Monkeys

Via Snow Monkeys (macaca by National ...

Even though these snow monkeys have a woolly coat it is not as effective as the bison's and they regularly go for a soak in the natural hot springs of Japan.

42. Chrysalis

Via artflakes.com

The chrysalis protects the body of the caterpillar while it metamorphoses into a magnificent butterfly.

43. Fox

The red of the fox is a startling contrast to the snowy landscape.

44. Bowhead Whales

Via EVERYBODY TALKS

This species of whale has the largest mouth of any animal on Earth.

45. Cassiopea Xamachana

Via Nature - Week 3 Gallery ...

Wonderful! This warm water-loving jellyfish belongs to a class of upside jellyfish.

46. Cougar

Via Cougar - National Geographic Photo ...

Now this is a real cougar! Not an older woman preying on younger men.

47. Puffer Fish

Via National Geographic Photo Contest 12 ...

Known as fugu in Japan, it is a delicacy but only licensed chefs are allowed to prepare it as it is deadly poisonous.

48. Bornean Dragon

Via Bornean dragon - National Geographic ...

I love it when grandiose names are given to small creatures.

49. Green Sea Turtle

Via Vintage National Geographic

Once majorly endangered, there are many conservation areas for turtles around the world.

50. Elephant and Lion

Via Magical Nature Tour, Richard Davies ...

I wonder who will win the standoff at the waterhole.

51. Jaguar

Via artflakes.com

Hunted for his magnificent coat, it's good to see a stunningly beautiful creature at rest, safe in his forest home.

52. Puma

Via Liv's Animals | vintagenatgeographic: Puma ...

This picture taken in Colombia in 1970 shows us just how much the quality of photography has changed.

53. Gorilla

Via Funny Wildlife • funnywildlife: vintagenatgeographic: ...

He was christened "Snowflake" and somehow he seems cuter and less forbidding than his black gorilla cousins.

54. Snake

Via wiadomosci.gazeta.pl

This stunning picture won the first place in the amateur section of the National Geographic Photo Contest of 2013. Just shows you don't have to be a pro to capture a stunning wildlife photo if the moment is right.

55. Tiger

Via haygirlhey.tumblr.com

All cats love to climb trees whether they're an urban tabby or a Siberian tiger.

56. Viscacha

Via artflakes.com

This adorable cuddly creature is of the same family as the chinchilla and has similar characteristics but also looks like a rabbit.

I do hope you've enjoyed this short foray into our world's wildlife. What are your favorite animals?