Perhaps my favorite of the wildlife group names — a buffoonery of orangutans. The term buffoonery comes from old perceptions of orangutans as comical or clownish due to their expressive faces, gangly limbs, and slow, deliberate movements that can appear exaggerated or humorous to human observers. In reality, orangutans are deeply intelligent, solitary primates with complex behaviors and problem-solving skills. Photographed in Indonesian Borneo. To get a buffoonery t-shirt, baby bodysuit or coffee mug, visit specieslimited.com. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 190mm) ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/80th of a second.
A group of penguins on land is called a waddle, no doubt inspired by their distinctive, side-to-side walking style — a shuffle both awkward and endearing. This waddle of gentoo penguins was photographed on Saunders Island in the Falkland Islands. To buy a waddle t-shirt, Onesie or coffee mug, visit specieslimited.com. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/3200th of a second.
The name “Parade” of echidnas comes from the unusual sight of multiple echidnas waddling along in a slow, purposeful line, especially during the breeding season when males may follow a single female in what’s called an “echidna train.” There was no evident parade when I photographed this guy. Just a single echidna along the side of the road in Tasmania. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/125th of a second.
Well… at least, the makings of a clowder. Bobcats are almost always solitary in the wild, so the collective name is borrowed from domestic cat terminology, where clowder describes a loose, shifting gathering of felines. Applying it to bobcats is more poetic than scientific, but that’s the charm. It brings these elusive wildcats together in name, if not in nature. The photo was captured by my backyard camera trap back in April of 2024. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 20mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and flash units.
A group of bears is called a sleuth — the term coming from the Old English word “sleuth,” meaning a slow-moving or stealthy animal. The connection to bears stems from their solitary, slow-moving, and deliberate nature when not provoked. This particular sleuth was photographed in Alaska’s Lake Clark National Park. As always, head on over to specieslimited.com to get your animal group names apparel. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/1600th of a second.
The term “husk” for a group of jackrabbits is one of those rare and lesser-known collective nouns, and like many such terms, its origin is more poetic than scientific. It may come from the old usage of “husk” meaning an outer shell or group enclosing something, possibly reflecting how jackrabbits may scatter from low vegetation or “husk-like” cover when startled. Alternatively, it could simply have been chosen for its crisp, natural sound, fitting for an animal of open plains and dry grasslands. As with many collective nouns, it’s more about imaginative language than biological behavior. For more, head on over to Species Limited, and why not pick up a few tee shirts (or a nice coffee mug of a jackrabbit husk) while you’re there. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second.
The term for a group of lemurs likely comes from the way lemurs move together silently through the trees, with watchful eyes and coordinated behavior that can seem secretive or mischievous. The eerie calls of some species like the indri, especially at night, might have added to that mysterious reputation. While not used in scientific contexts, “conspiracy” has stuck in popular culture because it captures the intriguing, otherworldly vibe of lemur groups. Karen and I are looking to put a group together for a Madagascar trip in September of 2027. Reach out if interested. And head to specieslimited.com to get your Conspiracy of Lemurs onesie, toddler tee or coffee mug. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 200, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units.
I’ve seen tayras a few times, but was only able to photograph them this one time. And when I say “them,” I mean this one individual. So again, not technically a gang. You need two more for that. Either way hope you’re all enjoying the wildlife collective name series and have checked out more at specieslimited.com. Tayras are sleek, weasel-like mammals found in Central and South American forests. Fast, curious, and highly adaptable, they are agile climbers that hunt small animals and raid fruit trees with equal enthusiasm. I photographed this one in the cloud forest of Ecuador. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/125th of a second.
Continuing with the animal collective names series, here is my favorite marmot shot. Had this individual been with two others, it would be correct to call it a madness of marmots. This image has been posted before but was worth a second look. Captured in the alpine tundra of Mount Rainier National Park. For more on the animal group names series, visit my shop at specieslimited.com.Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second.
Last week I launched a new collection of t-shirt (and baby bodysuit) designs in my online store, Species Limited. The 72 fun new designs center around the names we call groups of animals. For instance, a group of tigers is called an ambush. In my ten days in India, however, I never came close to seeing an ambush. I managed only three sightings of solo tigers — which was three more than I had ever seen, so good by me. See the “ambush” design below and head over to Species Limited to see more. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/200th of a second.
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Perhaps my favorite of the wildlife group names — a buffoonery of orangutans. The term buffoonery comes from old perceptions of orangutans as comical or clownish due to their expressive faces, gangly limbs, and slow, deliberate movements that can appear exaggerated or humorous to human observers. In reality, orangutans are deeply intelligent, solitary primates with complex behaviors and problem-solving skills. Photographed in Indonesian Borneo. To get a buffoonery t-shirt, baby bodysuit or coffee mug, visit specieslimited.com. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 190mm) ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/80th of a second.
