Highlights of Fantastic Beasts™: The Wonder of Nature

Explore the stories behind mythical beasts and the real-life creatures that share their incredible abilities.

Learn how scientists care for and protect animals, just like Newt Scamander™ does.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Giant oarfish are the world's longest bony fish and can grow up to twice the length of this delicate four-metre-long (13-foot long) skeleton. Because giant oar fish live in the deep ocean, scientists know little about their behaviour.

Dragon skull from the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom

Don't miss the dragon skull, which is part of the skeleton seen in the Harry Potter film series, hanging from the ceiling of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom at Hogwarts.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Its skull has spines, spikes and sharp teeth, which is typical of many dragon breeds that appear in the wizarding world created by J K Rowling.

Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) and Occamy

Marine iguanas live on the coast and feed only on algae and seaweed. When food is scarce, these lizards shrink their bodies by up to seven centimetres (three inches) or around 20% of their body length. This reduces the amount of food they need to survive.

Like the Occamy, marine iguanas can expand as well as shrink, returning to their original length when more food becomes available.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Jaguar (Panthera onca) and Demiguise

Much like the Demiguise, which can make itself invisible when threatened, a jaguar's markings disrupt the outline of their bodies, making them harder to spot in their habitat.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Peacock spider and Erumpent

Like the Erumpent, some animals (often males) show off complex, energetic routines to help display their intelligence and fitness to a potential mate.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Take a closer look at the peacock spider. Like a parading peacock, this male spider tries to impress a mate by raising its brightly coloured bottom (known as an abdomen) and waving its long legs. This delicate dance is a matter of life and death - if the performance does not impress, the female might eat the male.

Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgata) and Zouwu

As forests shrink and cities expand, large predators such as tigers are encountering people more frequently. As with the Zouwu in the wizarding world, these confrontations can be dangerous for humans and big cats alike.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Caspian tigers, once found across Central Asia, are victims of this conflict. They were driven to extinction in the 1970s as humans replaced its habitat with farms and cities.

For the world's remaining wild tigers to survive, we need to find new ways of living peacefully alongside big cats.

Newt's commitment to the beasts in the wizarding world, as well as stories of dedicated conservationists and scientists, can help us understand why it is now more important than ever to care for and protect the creatures that share our planet.