Animals That Can Only Be Found In Asia

1. Giant Panda

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This adorable animal is native to central China. They're part of the bear family, but generally like to avoid confrontation when they can. Don't get me wrong, a panda is certainly able to defend themselves when they feel threatened, but they're mostly too lazy to fight! In fact, they spend up to 12 hours of their day napping and the other 12 eating. They sound like they're living the dream to me.

2. Bengal Tiger

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Recognised as the national animal of India and Bangladesh, the Bengal tiger are usually found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. They live in forests and grasslands, where they hunt, climb and swim. Sadly, these stunning animals are endangered due to poaching and their habitats being destroyed. Bengal tigers have a striking appearance, each with completely unique stripes, no two tigers have the same pattern.

3. Snow Leopard

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Found in the mountains of Central and South Asia, the snow leopards are designed for the snowy, harsh conditions of their home. Their fur allows them to camouflage easily, and is super thick to keep them warm and dry. Naturally, as they live in the mountains, they're terrific climbers. This is helped by their large tails which they use for balance and their ability to leap up to 50 feet!

4. Red Panda

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The red panda is native to the Eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, mostly, you'll find them in the trees. They live solitary lives, but when they do come together, they're extremely vocal! These animals communicate with each other with a whole range of different noises, from purring, to hissing, to chirping. They also love to play, chase and wrestle one another.

5. Komodo Dragon

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That's right, dragons are real! The Komodo dragon can grow up to 10 feet long, making them the largest lizard in the world. You'll find them on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang. But, I wouldn't suggest going looking for these creatures, their claws and teeth are extremely sharp and their bite is venomous! They've even been known to prey on humans before.

6. Indian Elephant

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Native to mainland Asia, these huge mammals can weigh up to six tons! For reference, that's as much as six horses, or two delivery trucks. You've probably heard the phrase 'an elephant never forgets' and this really is true. A fully grown elephant can remember events from when they were a small baby. They're highly emotional animals, too. They form close relationships with their herd and genuinely grieve after a member passes.

7. Japanese Macaque

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Also known as the snow monkey, the Japanese macaque are of course native to Japan. They're well adapted to their environment, with thick fur. When they do need to warm up, they love to take a dip in the hot springs as you can see on this picture. It's like nature's very own spa! These animals are highly sociable, living in groups of up to 10 monkeys.

8. Malayan Tiger

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The gorgeous Malayan tiger is the smallest tiger subspecies. They're found in southern and central Malay Peninsula and southern Thailand. These tiger's stripes differ from the Bengal, as they are narrower and darker. They can also be recognised by their under-eye markings, which resemble teardrops. They're highly skilled predators, with their prey being anything from small birds to large deer or boar.

9. Arabian Oryx

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Native to the Arabian Peninsula, found mostly in the desert, is the Arabian oryx. They're a type of antelope, but are distinguished by their bumpy shoulders and long, straight horns. They travel in herds of up to 50, to keep themselves safe. Back in the 70's, these animals were sadly hunted into extinction. Thankfully, following a captive breeding programme, they were successfully reintroduced into the wild in the 80's.

10. Asiatic Lion

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These type of lions can only be found in India. In comparison to their relatives in Africa, Asiatic lions are smaller than African lions and their mane is less thick. But, despite their smaller size, they are still avid hunters, killing their prey on both land and water. The lions are sociable and live in prides of up to 30. There is always an alpha male in charge, who's job is to protect their pride and territory.

11. Indian Rhinoceros

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You guessed it, these Rhinos are native to India. More specifically, they're found in the Indian subcontinent. They're the biggest Rhino living in the whole of Asia, with a height of up to 12 foot! Despite their menacing appearance, they're actually vegetarians, and their diets consist of fruit, grass, leaves and aquatic plants. They love the water, and can actually stay underneath for 5 whole minutes.

12. Amur Leopard

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The Amur leopard lives in northern China. They're the biggest subspecies of leopard and their fur changes depending on the season. So, if you were to see an Amur leopard in the winter, they would be covered in thick fur which is a pale cream color. But, during the heat of the summer months, their fur is far shorter and is more reddish-brown in appearance.

13. Bactrian Camel

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Bactrian camels are characterized by the two humps on their backs, as opposed to their more commonly known African relatives who just have one hump. The Bactrian camel lives in Central Asia, but the majority of their population are now domesticated. Humans use these animals for transportation, milk, meat and even some traditional medicines. They don't look particularly athletic, but surprisingly, they can run up to 40 miles per hour!

14. Clouded Leopard

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As you can see, the clouded leopard are known for their gorgeous pattern. These big cats actually cannot roar, but they will purr just like your pet cat! Make no mistake though, these predators are natural hunters, sporting the longest canine teeth relative to their body size than any other cat. Their habitat is in the forests of Southeast Asia, where they spend most of their time in the trees.

15. Saola

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The saola goes by a few different names, for example the spindle horn, Vu Quang bovid, or more commonly the Asian unicorn. Both males and females have two horns parallel to each other on their heads, which grow long and straight, hence their unicorn nickname. They're peaceful, solitary animals, grazing on grass, leaves and fruits. Their habitat is in the forests of the Annamite Range in Vietnam and Laos.

16. Sun Bear

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The sun bear's usual habitat is in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. The common stereotype is true, these bears love honey! They spend most of their time in the trees, where they can easily open up beehives with their sharp claws and long tongues. Generally, these animals live alone and are known to be rather shy when it comes to other bears.

17. Sumatran Orangutan

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This type of orangutan only lives in one area of the world - the Indonesian island of Sumatra. They're highly intelligent, able to problem solve and they've even been known to use tools to aid them in the wild. For example, using sticks to help them to catch and eat their food. These creatures are skilled all round, with impressive climbing and swimming skills.

18. Tibetan Antelope

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These animals live in high-altitude environments, mainly in the steppes and semi-desert of the Tibetan Plateau. They are known to travel in large herds of up to 100 animals. Usually, there is one dominant male who is the leader of the herd. Tibetan antelopes are very competitive when it comes to mating, known to fight to win over the females and usually having multiple partners at time.

19. Indian Cobra

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You wouldn't want to cross paths with this venomous snake! In fact, this snake is one of the top four who are most responsible for snake bite human deaths in the whole of Asia. The Indian Cobra is native to the Indian subcontinent, characterized by their distinctive hood, which are used to make the snake appear bigger than they are and intimidate their enemies.

20. Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey

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The golden snub-nosed monkey is one of Asia's critically endangered animals, due to habitat loss, hunting and illegal wildlife trade. There are now less than 10,000 left in the forests of southwestern China, where they are native to. Their name comes from their unusual noses. They are the only member of the primate family that live in temperate forests, being able to handle temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius.

21. Malayan Tapir

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Situated in various parts of Asia, from Myanmar and Thailand south to Malaysia and Sumatra, is the Malayan Tapir. They're the only species of Tapir that can be found in Asia. Their snout is highly flexible, which they use well to dig out roots, shoots, fruits and other foods. Their noses are also perfect tools for picking up scents, which is just as well because their eyesight isn't the best!

22. White-handed Gibbon

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Also known as the lar gibbon, the white handed gibbon live in the tropical rainforests of India, Indonesia an other parts of Asia. Much like humans, these animals form families made up of 2 monogamous adults and their children. They are perfectly equipped for their forest habitat, able to shoot up trees at incredible speeds and jump from one to another with ease. In fact, they can travel up to 50 meters in one swing!

23. Japanese Serow

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This strange creature is actually classified as a type of goat-antelope. They're mountain dwelling animals, found in the Japanese islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. They live alone most of their lives, only mothers stay with their young until they are old enough to go on by themselves. Of course, living in the mountains, they're terrific climbers.

24. Himalayan Tahr

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Hence the name, the Himalayan Tahr is native to the Himalayas in southern Tibet, northern India, western Bhutan and Nepal. They thrive in high altitude environments, living up to 5,500 meters high. They're omnivores, living on both grass or shrubs, to rodents and marmots. They live together, in herds of up to 50, where they're active together throughout the daylight hours.

25. Markhor

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The Markhor is recognized as the national animal of Pakistan. They live in the mountains of Central Asia, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Tajikistan. Their name originations from the Persian word "markhur", which translates to "snake eater". Despite their name, there is actually no evidence to suggest that they eat or kill snakes. They're mostly known for their striking horns, which are used in numerous traditional Chinese medicines.

26. Chinese Pangolin

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This unusual animal is the most trafficked mammal in the entire world. Their scales are used in traditional Chinese medicines, and their meat is seen as a delicacy in certain cultures. Not to mention, they're incredibly slow moving with impaired eyesight, making them an easy catch for hunters. Their scales are made of keratin, which is what makes up human hair and nails.

27. Siamese Fighting Fish

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The Siamese fighting fish are named well, as they're highly aggressive and known to fight other fish. The most likely to spring into combat are two male Siamese fighting fish together, intending to establish their place in the pecking order and show off to females. They live in freshwater, and are native to Southeast Asia. A lot of people have these fish as pets in their aquariums, as they're easy to care for.

28. Proboscis Monkey

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The word Proboscis roughly means large addition, which is where this monkey gets their name from, look at the size of that nose! In the world of the Proboscis monkey, these schnozzles are thought to amplify the male's calls, which help when it comes to attracting a mate. The most dominant male becomes leader of the group, which usually contain around 30 animals. These primates can be found in the rainforests of Borneo.

29. Indian Pangolin

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Native to the Indian subcontinent, the Indian pangolin is also referred to as the thick-tailed pangolin. They're difficult to come by, as they only come out at night. Generally, they snack on ants and termites, which they catch by using their long, sticky tongues. Their food is found in the ground, but also up in the trees, as these creatures are skilled climbers.

30. Gaur

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This huge animal is the biggest wild Ox that can be found in Asia, more specifically, they live in forests and grasslands of South and Southeast Asia. Another name for the gaur is the Indian bison. They can weigh up to 1,800 kilograms, which is roughly the same as a large car. Whilst they look scary, they won't attack unless threatened, as their food consists of grass, leaves and fruits.