Orange is one of the most vibrant colors in our world, from sunsets to fruits… and animals. This color can be found in some of the most powerful predators, delicate insects and birds, and gracious herbivores, among others.
We have compiled a list of 12 varied and fascinating members of the animal kingdom, with orange as their dominant color. Without further ado, let’s get started with the list!
12 Orange Animals: Overview
- Tiger
- Monarch Butterfly
- Orangutan
- Red Fox
- Red Squirrel
- Golden Lion Tamarin
- Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock
- Goldfish
- Clownfish
- Corn Snake
- European Fallow Deer
- Impala
Orange Animals: Pictures and Facts
Tiger
- Scientific name: Panthera tigris
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Where found: Asia
The tiger is definitely one of the most iconic animals in the world. There are 6 different subspecies of tigers still alive today (plus 3 extinct ones), which are native to different parts of Asia. The tiger is of course known for its orange coat with black stripes, which is a great camouflage among vegetation.
These apex predators hunt a variety of large prey such as buffaloes, deer, or wild boars. Unfortunately, all subspecies of tigers are either endangered or critically endangered, and it is estimated that there are around 4,000 tigers in the wild.
Monarch Butterfly
- Scientific name: Danaus plexippus
- Type of animal: Insect
- Where found: Americas, parts of Oceania, parts of Europe
The monarch butterfly is a famous insect that can be found in North America, but also in smaller regions of Europe and Oceania. The North American population is known for its extraordinary of up to 3,000 miles between its breeding ground in Canada all the way to its wintering destination in Mexico.
This goes to show the remarkable navigational abilities of these small insects. Monarch butterflies also are important pollinators, helping a large variety of plants reproduce. Unfortunately, the monarch butterfly is facing threats such as loss of their habitat, and climate change.
Orangutan
- Scientific name: Pongo spp.
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Where found: Southeast Asia
Orangutans are three different species of great apes native to the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo, in Indonesia and Malaysia. They are famous for their very expressive faces and their orange, brownish fur. They are arboreal creatures, meaning they mostly live in trees, in which they build a sleeping nest every night before sleeping.
They are highly intelligent and quite solitary animals, but females interact with and take care of their offspring. For some reason, it has been observed that orangutans from Sumatra are more social than the ones in Borneo. Orangutans spend a lot of time foraging for food, most of it being fruits. Orangutans are critically endangered and deforestation to make way for oil palm plantations is a major threat to their survival.
Red Fox
- Scientific name: Vulpes vulpes
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Where found: North America, Eurasia, North Africa
The red fox is a medium-sized mammal, and the largest of all foxes, known for its beautiful orange fur. It is native to large parts of the Northern Hemisphere, in North America, Europe, and Asia, and even a small part of Northern Africa. It is a highly adaptable species that can thrive in very varied habitats.
Red foxes are opportunistic predators, known for their intelligence (and their cunning character). They hunt a variety of prey, such as rabbits, rodents, birds, and sometimes chickens in farms. They are omnivorous and supplement their diet with berries and other fruits, and sometimes grass.
Red Squirrel
- Scientific name: Sciurus vulgaris
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Where found: Eurasia
Red squirrels, with their red fur and their bushy tail, are one of the best-known animals in the forests of Europe and Asia. They are very adaptable and can live very well in forests, as well as gardens and parks, as long as they have trees to climb in.
They feed primarily on seeds and nuts (they particularly love hazelnuts), and as a result, play a big part in the seed dispersal of the trees in the forest. They will also sometimes feed on berries and flowers. Red squirrels are mostly solitary animals, only meeting during the reproduction period, or sometimes a few squirrels will choose to share a nest for the winter, to keep each other warm and survive the cold.
Golden Lion Tamarin
- Scientific name: Leontopithecus rosalia
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Where found: Brazil
The golden lion tamarin is a small, endangered primate that can only be found in coastal lowland forests (called the Atlantic Forest) in a tiny region in the southeast of Brazil. Fortunately, conservation and reintroduction efforts are underway to save the species, with encouraging results. It has dense, orange fur resembling the mane of a lion, hence its name.
Golden lion tamarins are social animals, at least two live together, but groups can have up to 8 members. Typically, groups are composed of a male and a female, with their offspring. Males will migrate to other groups and will be allowed to join the new group if the resident male has died or left for another group. They spend most of their day foraging for food, mostly fruits and insects.
Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock
- Scientific name: Rupicola rupicola
- Type of animal: Bird
- Where found: Northern South America
The Guianan cock-of-the-rock is a striking, bright orange bird that is found in the northern part of the Amazon basin in South America, mostly in French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, southern Venezuela, and northern Brazil.
On top of their amazing colors, their most distinctive feature is the crest on their head. These attributes help the males attract females – who are more greyish in color and have a less prominent crest.
Their reproduction behavior is elaborate. Males gather in a specific spot in the forest perfectly cleared of dead leaves, called a lek, where the female is perched and can look at the males’ performances and choose the one she likes best.
Goldfish
- Scientific name: Carassius auratus
- Type of animal: Fish
- Where found: Domesticated around the world
The goldfish is the most commonly kept aquarium fish in the world, and its color ranges from bright orange to white, with all kinds of patterns in between. This fish belongs to the family Cyprinidae, the same as the carp, and is native to China.
Some 1,000 years ago, the Chinese have started to select red, orange, and golden mutations of this originally greyish fish to ornate the imperial families’ garden ponds. In ponds, goldfish lay eggs on aquatic plants. Interestingly, the fry is grey-silver in color during their first year, like their wild ancestors, before developing their bright colors.
Clownfish
- Scientific name: subfamily Amphiprioninae
- Type of animal: Fish
- Where found: Tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans
The clownfish, with its orange and white patterns, is one of the best-known fish in the world and is native to the tropical regions of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. There are in total 30 different species of clownfish. It is also called anemonefish, reflecting the symbiotic relationship that exists between clownfish and sea anemones.
The anemone provides the clownfish with shelter from predators and some food, the fish being able to recover some of the anemone’s leftover food. In return, the clownfish provides protection from parasites and predators to the anemone. Clownfish are also popular aquarium fish and 75% of clownfish who end up in the pet trade were wild-caught.
Corn Snake
- Scientific name: Pantherophis guttatus
- Type of animal: Reptile
- Where found: Southeastern United States
The corn snake is a non-venomous snake that can be found in the southeastern part of the United States, from New Jersey to Florida and Louisiana. They live in fields, around forests, and sometimes venture in abandoned buildings. They are also able to climb trees.
Corn snakes are harmless to humans, as they kill the small prey they eat by constriction. They mostly eat small rodents, but also frogs and other small reptiles.
Their lack of venom, mesmerizing colors, and their calm behavior have led them to be one of the most popular snakes to keep as pets.
European Fallow Deer
- Scientific name: Dama dama
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Where found: Turkey, Europe
The European fallow deer, or common fallow deer is a beautiful species with a brownish-orange coat and distinctive white spots. This species is native to Turkey and has been introduced early to the whole of Europe by Humans. More recently, it has been introduced to other parts of the world such as Australia, South Africa or the United States.
These deers are on average 1.5 m / 5 ft long, and can weigh up to 100 kg / 220 lbs. The bucks have palmate antlers. They typically live in open grasslands surrounding forests, and spend most of their time grazing in very large groups of more than 100 individuals.
Impala
- Scientific name: Aepyceros melampus
- Type of animal: Mammal
- Where found: Eastern and Southern Africa
The Impala is a common, medium-sized species of antelope native to eastern and southern Africa, from Kenya to South Africa and Namibia. They have a brownish-orange coat and can reach a weight of 75 kg / 165 pounds, and their pretty horns can grow up to 90 cm or 3 feet.
They are highly social animals that live in herds, and they are a key species for the African savanna ecosystem. Impalas are a staple prey to lions, leopards, hyenas, and other predators.
There are 2 subspecies of Impala: the common Impala and the black-faced Impala. The black-faced Impala has a much smaller geographical range, and can only be found in a small region between northern Namibia and southern Angola.
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