From aardvark to zorilla

An aardvark emerges from its burrow Photograph: Nigel J Dennis/Gallo Images/Corbis

B is for the recently discovered Lagocheirus Delestaly beetle Photograph: University of Costa Rica

Rhacophorus gadingensis, a type of tree frog Photograph: WWF

A clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi). Scientists discovered the leopard on the Indonesian islands of Borneo and Sumatra and have identified it as a new species, according to WWF. It is estimated that there are only 18,000 of them left in the wild Photograph: Reuters/Handout

One animal who has already been extensively documented: Knut the polar bear Photograph: Franka Bruns/AP

A white Bengal tiger goes for a swim Photograph: Tom Brakefield/Corbis

It's not just animals that will be catalogued: plants such as this Iris Sofarana wil be indexed as well Photograph: American University of Beirut

This is believed to be the first photograph of the golden-fronted bowerbird, taken during an expedition into Indonesia's Foja mountains Photograph: Bruce Beehler/Conservation International

A slender loris peers at the camera Photograph: Kevin Schafer/Corbis

And last but not least the Zorilla, a skunk-like mammal native to Africa Photograph: Michael and Patricia Fogden/Getty