Animal Encyclopedia

Every animal in al-Damiri’s Hayat al-Hayawan that we have published so far — 68 profiles, A to Z. Each card is one entry from the 700-year-old book: the animal’s name, its Arabic headword, and a profile built around the strangest things the entry records. Search by name, or jump to a letter.

No animal in the encyclopedia matches that search yet.

A

A vast flock of birds swirling across a fiery orange sunset skyAbabilAbabil · الأبابيلA young camel standing among sunlit desert dunesAl-Afal · Young CamelsAl-AfalA mottled long-necked water bird standing among reeds at dawnAl-Aghthar · Water BirdAl-AghtharA small green bird with speckled wings perched on a branchAkhayl · Bird of Ill OmenAl-Akhayl · الأخيلRed ants marching in a column across desert sand carrying grains at golden hour, long shadows stretching behind themAntAl-Naml · النملA dark venomous snake coiled on desert sandArbad · Venomous SnakeAl-Arbad · الأربدA spotted snake with dark blotched scales, coiled and alertArqam · Spotted SnakeAl-Arqam · الأرقمA legendary giant snake with a humanlike face rising from a burning desertAslah · One-Legged SnakeAl-AslahJupiter breaking apart in a luminous sky above a medieval cityAtaysh · Flighty BirdAl-Ataysh · الأطيشA dusty-black wolf standing beside a camel at a desert watering troughAtlas WolfAl-AtlasA cinematic wolf standing in a misty wildernessAl-Aws · WolfAl-AwsA mountain stag holding venomous snakes in its mouth on a rocky alpine ridgeAl-Ayl · StagAl-AylA serpent raising its head with its forked tongue flickingAl-Aym · SerpentAl-Aym · الأيم والأين

B

A mother camel touching noses with her young calf in warm desert lightAl-Babus · 'Little One'Al-BabusA decorated sacrificial camel standing near pilgrims in a desert landscapeAl-Badana · Sacrificial CamelAl-BadanaA small white lamb standing alone among sunlit desert dunesAl-Badhj · LambAl-BadhjA dusty-grey shabby bird with ragged wings flying low over a sunlit desert plain, a larger vulture soaring far behind itAl-Baghath · Shabby BirdAl-Baghath · البغاثA plump, well-fed gazelle buck with curved horns standing in warm golden desert lightAl-Baghibigh · Fat Gazelle BuckAl-Baghibigh · البغيبغA male wolf standing on a rocky desert ridge beneath storm cloudsBajaq · Male WolfAl-BajaqA white water bird flying low over a misty wetlandAl-Bajj · Water BirdAl-BajjA two-humped Bactrian camel standing in a windswept desert landscapeAl-Bakht · Bactrian CamelAl-BakhtAn Arabian oryx mother standing beside her calf in the desert at sunsetBakhzaj · Wild Cow's CalfAl-BakhzajA colossal legendary whale rising beside a wooden sailing ship in a stormy seaBalam · Mystery WordBalamA wary little bird darting sideways while drinking from a desert poolBaqi'a · Wary BirdAl-Baqi'aA lone bird in flight over golden desert dunes at sunset, an old manuscript and a feather resting in the sand belowAl-Bara · BirdAl-Bara · البراA young desert wild bovine calf standing on a sand dune at sunsetBarghan · Wild Cow's CalfAl-BarghanWater birds standing along the edges of open water spread across a pebble-strewn desert plain at dusk, as a sandgrouse swoops down to the waterAl-Barkah · Water BirdAl-Barkah · البركةThe she-dog Barāqish barking from a rocky hill above her tribe's fire-lit desert camp at night, as mounted raiders approach under a full moonAl-Barqash · Sparrow-like BirdAl-Barqash · البرقشA mature camel standing in golden desert lightBazil · CamelAl-BazilA glossy black snake coiled beside its shed skin among dark gravestonesBlack SnakeAl-Aswad al-SalikhA radiant white heavenly steed running through clouds beneath a starry skyAl-Buraq · Heavenly SteedAl-BuraqAn old manuscript open on a wooden desk in a dark stone room, its writing glowing pale blue in the darkness, a small fish lying beside the book as moonlight streams through the windowAl-Butas · FishAl-Butas · البطس

C

A camel lowering its head and lowing toward a robed elder at a desert crossroads in the first light of dawnCamelAl-Ba'ir · البعيرA male dromedary camel displaying its inflated dulla throat sacCamelHayat al-Hayawan entryA red-headed caterpillar with white tufts feeding on a green leafCaterpillarAl-Asari' · الأساريع

D

A brown-and-white domestic cow with curved horns standing in a freshly ploughed field at golden hour, a wooden plough beside it and a herd grazing behindDomestic CattleAl-Baqar al-Ahli · البقر الأهليA line of mallard ducks gliding across a misty lake at golden dawn, reeds and cattails along the near shoreDuckAl-Batt · البط

E

A massive elephant mother standing protectively over her calf under moonlight on the dark savanna, dust in the airElephantAl-Fil · الفيل

F

A falcon returning through a dramatic sky carrying a fish in its talonsFalconAl-BaziClose portrait of a dusky falcon with dark feathers touched by red in the evening lightFalconAl-AsfaDetailed close-up of a tiny flea against a dark warm backgroundFleaAl-Barghuth

G

A flock of geese and goslings moving across a misty lake at sunriseGooseAl-IwazzA gray camel standing in a rocky desert beneath a dramatic skyGray CamelAl-AwraqA metallic green fly with red eyes resting on a leaf, seen in close-upGreen FlyAl-Akhaydar · الأخيضر

H

A hoopoe with its orange-pink crest fanned open and black-and-white striped wings, perched on ancient stone ruins in the desert at golden hourHoopoeAl-Hudhud · الهدهدAn open medieval bestiary by candlelight, its aged pages inked with a lion, a camel, a falcon and a fish — and one tiny human figure standing in the fold between the pagesHumanAl-Bashar · البشر

I

An ibex with great curved horns climbing a rocky mountain slopeIbexAl-Arwiya · الأرويةA cinematic enormous fish moving through deep ocean waterAl-Ilas · Sea FishAl-IlasA lone wolf silhouette crossing a moonlit desert beneath a dark blue skyAl-Ilfah · She-GhoulAl-IlfahA gray wolf standing in golden grass at duskAl-Ilq · WolfAl-Ilq

J

A jackal beneath a tree as frightened chickens tumble from the branches at nightJackalIbn AwaA jerboa standing on desert sand with its long hind legs raisedJerboaAl-Awda'

L

A lion resting beside a small orange cat on an old wooden arkLionHayat al-Hayawan entryA vividly multicolored locust with patterned green, orange and violet wings perched on a dry desert branch at golden hourLocustAl-Barqana · البرقانة

M

King Nimrod prostrate in torment on the floor of his torch-lit palace, clutching his head as a single mosquito hovers beside himMosquitoAl-Ba'ud · البعوضA grey mule with long ears and woven saddlebags standing on an ancient stone road above a hillside village at golden hourMuleAl-Baghl · البغل

P

A snowy-white parrot with a black beak and pale crest perched in an ornate palace cageParrotAl-BabghaA pelican with its throat pouch visible beside a wetland at sunsetPelicanAl-Baja'

R

A wild rabbit sitting upright in the grass with ears raisedRabbitAl-Arnab · الأرنب

S

A donkey standing alone in dry desert scrub under a blue skyShe-DonkeyAl-Atan · الأتانA shrike with a black eye-mask perched on a bare twigShrikeAl-Akhtab · الأخطبA spider spinning a glistening web across a dark cave entrance at dawn, golden light streaming through the silk threadsSpiderAl-Ankabut · العنكبوت

T

Termites swarming through crumbling earth and woodTermiteAl-Ardah · الأرضةA white tiger standing beside an ancient camphor-like tree in a sunlit forestTigerAl-Babr

U

A thick-skinned sea creature emerging from dark ocean waterUtum · Four Animals in OneAl-Utum

W

A herd of Arabian oryx with long straight horns gathered in moonlight before the walls of a desert fortress, one rubbing its horns against the stoneWild CattleAl-Baqar al-Wahshi · البقر الوحشيAn Arabian oryx, the wild cow of the desert, standing among sand dunesWild CowAl-Arkh · الأرخA wolf and a crow standing apart from people in a rocky desert at sunsetWolf & CrowAl-Asraman

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