It took me some time to know the difference between these animals, especially crocodiles and alligators. In fact, I used to call it anyone that comes to mind first . Sometimes you have to use their habitat to identify them, but that is if you even know a lot about them...lol

Some belong to the same family, some are not in any way related, but they have somehow succeeded in confusing lots of people.

Here is my list of some commonly confused animals and basic ways to distinguish them.

The text is mine, but images were sourced from google, natgeowild and various wildlife photographers IG pages.

1— Leopard and Jaguar

I put this one first because a lot of people struggle with it. Someone called it a tiger on one thread sef. The difference between other big cats is clear to many of us. What of a leopard and jaguar?

The easiest way to differentiate both is from their coats (skin). While they both have rosettes with that of the leopard being more compact, the jaguar’s rosettes have black spots in them.

Both cats can be melanistic (black panthers), this would make it trickier to identify them. At this point you will have to rely on other things (e.g) size (jaguars are bigger, with bigger heads), habitat, attitude to preys and bigger animals...etc

Pic 1: Leopard
Pic 2: Jaguar

Pic 3: Black panther and his leopardess spouse. An article I read said they have been together for 4yrs. Some of you can’t even stay 1yr .

Pic 4: What is happening here?

2— Turtle and Tortoise

Turtles are fully aquatic, semi-aquatic or mostly on land. Tortoise on their part are fully on land and not in any way equipped to survive in water.

Turtle feets are webbed, while tortoises have short stumpy feet, helping them in moving on land.

Pic 1: Sea turtle (the only turtles with flippers)
Pic 2: Tortoise
Pic 3: Box turtle

3— Alligator and Crocodile

You can easily tell the difference by looking at their heads/mouths. The Crocodile’s head is mostly V-shaped. Alligator heads are U-shaped. Also, the teeth of the crocodile are never concealed.

I intentionally tried not to complicate the plot by adding caimans and gharials.

Pic 1: Crocodile
Pic 2: Alligator (Alligators are darker)
Pic 3: Boss moves
Pic 4: Somewhere in Epe, Lagos, Nigeria. Some people see premium meat, some Himalayan Birkin...conservationists would be enraged.

4— Bison and Buffalo.

There was a travel thread on NL where the OP tagged a bison a buffalo and it took a sharp eye to spot the error. It is easy to tell the difference if you focus on the horn and beard.

Bisons have small sharp horns, while buffalos have longer protruding horns- not forgetting the arc. The bison‘s frame looks inappropriate and it spots a hump that the buffalo doesn’t have. Buffalos are beardless, unlike bison.

Pic 1: Bison
Pic 2: Buffalo

5— Porcupine and Hedgehog

Despite how similar these creatures look, they are not closely related at all. Hedgehog(known as idiot by many Nigerians) is smaller in body size. It quills are shorter but fuller. Porcupine on the other hand is bigger, has visible tail and longer quills.

Courtesy: Kondomatîc.

Pic 1: Porcupine
Pic 2: Hedgehog
Pic 3: Leopard taking a chance with a porcupine, what do you think happens next?

Are there animals you struggle to tell apart or can easily tell apart? Feel free to add them.

You're a very intelligent lady Sha...but u get wahala

Nice list

All I see here is pepper soup



Catch any of them, cook with enough pepper and wash it down with chill sweaty bottle of origin or life.


That feeling is what heaven feel s like...


Op, Nice trend tho


Modified: Pocahontas, I don't know why those people naming this animal didn't save humanity the stress of trying to differentiate between them.


Like the croc and gator, why wasn't the croc named V-mouth crocodile while the gater name U-mouth crocodile. You see, it would have been easier

Nice.... Am sure Dean Scheider can be friends with these animals and they won't hurt him

highly informative

We been de call hedgehog porcupine.

Nice and educative. Not bobrisky and bbnaija shit. Kudos bae!

So black panthers are actually jaugaurs and leopards and not like a real specie of a big cat??

But I thought.... And I watched...
Mehn I never knew but now I do. Interesting!!

pocohantas:
1— Leopard and Jaguar



Pic 1: Leopard
Pic 2: Jaguar

Pic 3: Black panther and his leopardess spouse. An article I read said they have been together for 4yrs. Some of you can’t even stay 1yr .

Pic 4: What is happening here?

This is true.
Many folks confuse Cheetah, Leopard & Jaguar with one another.
With careful observation, one can easily spot the differences.

Karlifate:

This is true.
Many folks confuse Cheetah, Leopard & Jaguar with one another.
With careful observation, one can easily spot the differences.

That black line on the cheetah’s face is an easy expo for many people now. Once they figure that one out, they are okay. Na the jaguar and leopard still dey disturb many people.

Ningen:
So black panthers are actually jaugaurs and leopards and not like a real specie of a big cat??

But I thought.... And I watched...
Mehn I never knew but now I do. Interesting!

Yes they are jaguars and leopards. There is no real/separate specie of big cats called black panther. You are welcome.

that bison reminds me of appa. of course the "indomie generation" will not understand me


modified: abeg ohh, i was just being sarcastic.

Millennialaku:
that bison reminds me of appa. of course the "indomie generation" will not understand me

you're not consistent these days. Where have you been? Abi you too don go Yankee

OYENIYIJK:


you're not consistent these days. Where have you been? Abi you too don go Yankee

my gee
yankee no dey trip me at all, i wanna live and die in africa ....highest na to go there for holiday

i have been busy with udemy courses

Millennialaku:

my gee
yankee no dey trip me at all, i wanna live and die in africa ....highest na to go there for holiday

i have been busy with udemy courses

.... The thing don pay!!!!!! I go buy lappy and meet you aswear..... That course na 2D animation abi you don port go another hustle?
Meanwhile, an educative post here.

pocohantas:

Yes they are jaguars and leopards. There is no real/separate specie of big cats called black panther. You are welcome.

What of this blek pentha? Is he also a melanese leopard or jaguar?

OYENIYIJK:

.... The thing don pay!!!!!! I go buy lappy and meet you aswear..... That course na 2D animation abi you don port go another hustle?
Meanwhile, an educative post here.

nah still the same hustle oh.....e never pay sha ....but e no get option

yes the aunty try for the post

pocohantas:
4— Bison and Buffalo.




Pic 1: Bison
Pic 2: Buffalo

A bull too can sometimes be mistaken for these two.

pocohantas:
2— Turtle and Tortoise



Pic 1: Sea turtle (the only turtles with flippers)
Pic 2: Tortoise
Pic 3: Box turtle

These ones are same family. Just different species like Titus and mackerels.

pocohantas:
1— Leopard and Jaguar



Pic 1: Leopard
Pic 2: Jaguar

Pic 3: Black panther and his leopardess spouse. An article I read said they have been together for 4yrs. Some of you can’t even stay 1yr .

Pic 4: What is happening here?

Black Panthers are very beautiful and majestic animals.

Where's our able super moderator sef..
Lalasticlala

pocohantas:
4— Bison and Buffalo.




Pic 1: Bison

Appa!

pocohantas:
5— Porcupine and Hedgehog



Pic 1: Porcupine
Pic 2: Hedgehog
Pic 3: Leopard taking a chance with a porcupine, what do you think happens next?

Very enlightening post from an intelligent lady no doubt, but work on your attitude as you most times come of as a frustrated person. I'm a social psychologist and I am talking from the point of knowledge

Sixfeetbelle:


Appa!

Choi....you sabi

But na white we know

Sixfeetbelle:


Appa!

What is appa? You are the second person to mention it here.

Hintona:


Black Panthers are very beautiful and majestic animals.

You sure do like them.

Brachaa:

A bull too can sometimes be mistaken for these two.

True. That didn’t come to mind sef.

LordofNaija:

Very enlightening post from an intelligent lady no doubt, but work on your attitude as you most times come of as a frustrated person. I'm a social psychologist and I am talking from the point of knowledge

You come off as someone who struggles to mind his business. Work on that and keep your psychoanalysis to your clients, they pay you. This is a wildlife thread, not your consultation room.

Thanks

pocohantas:


What is appa? You are the second person to mention it.

The last airbender.

A cartoon where the main character, an air bender, has a Bison named Appa. However, his bison has a white wooly coat.