Examples of animals that are solitary and live solitary lifestyles include ants, frogs, pandas, badgers and koalas.
Animals that are solitary or solitary by nature and have a different lifestyle than animals that live in groups.
Some animals live alone, but only because they choose to.
There are some loners who prefer to walk alone.
We all know that lions live in prides and other social animals like dolphins swim together.
Examples of animals that are lonely
Examples of animals that are lonely
1. Ants
1. Ants
Scientific nameVermilinguaType of animalMammalRange Central and South America, except GuatemalaDietOmnivore
Ants – like the aardvark – are solitary animals that enjoy their privacy and are not seen in groups at all.
They eat ants and termites all day long, but they do it alone.
Ants use their sharp claws to tear apart the ants before using their very sensitive tongues to corner as many insects as possible.
The ant may look heavy, but it can run pretty fast.
Scientific nameDasypodidaeType of animalMammalRange Central and South AmericaDietOmnivore
They are not social creatures and usually only interact with each other during mating season.
They often live in burrows that they dig themselves.
When an armadillo is threatened, it will curl up into a ball for protection.
Scientific name Diceros bicornis Type of animal Mammal Range Kenya to South Africa Diet Herbivore
Black Rhino are loners and live a solitary lifestyle.
They are shy animals by nature, especially when it comes to other rhinos.
They prefer their own company and come together with others of the same species only for the purpose of mating.
Scientific name Felis catus Animal type Mammal Range Worldwide Diet Carnivore
A cat is a good example of an animal that is lonely.
They don’t need humans to survive.
A person may have one or more cats as pets, but they usually come into contact with each other only when feeding or playing with them.
Scientific Name Sauromalus Animal Type Reptile Range Southeast California Diet Herbivorous
Their diet consists of small animals such as insects and lizards.
They live in deserts, which makes it difficult to find food, so living alone they don’t have to compete for resources with other Chuckwalla lizards.
6. Common frogs
6. Common frogs
Scientific nameRana temporariaType of animalReptilesGajaEuropeDietOmnivorous
The common frog is a loner.
There is an exception to this rule for female frogs who lay eggs in large groups during the mating season, but otherwise prefer to be alone.
Scientific name Gopherus agassizii Animal type Reptile Range Mojave and Sonoran deserts north and west of the Colorado River Diet Omnivore
Solitaries are animals that live alone or in very small groups.
A loner will not have many, if any, social interactions with other members of the same species.
The desert tortoise is one such animal that prefers to be alone
Scientific name Vulpes vulpes Animal type Mammal Range Worldwide Diet Omnivorous
Another solitary animal is the fox, which lives alone in burrows.
They are also solitary creatures and only come together during the mating season, while otherwise living alone to avoid contact with other animals.
This can be beneficial to humans as these animals do not need humans to survive, minimizing human contact.
9. Giant panda
9. Giant panda
Scientific name Ailuropoda melanoleuca Animal type Mammal Range Southwest China Diet Herbivore
These animals are one of the few bear species that do not live in a community.
Giant bears rarely interact with each other, except when it’s time to mate.
Scientific Name Monachus schauinslandi Animal Type Mammal Range Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Diet Omnivorous
They do not like to be in a group and can travel alone for long distances.
They can live alone, but have the option to mate with other Hawaiian monk seals when conditions are right.
It is common for them to stay together only until the young are weaned, at which point both males and females leave them behind (they do not form pair bonds).
Scientific nameMellivora capensisType of animalMammalRange Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran and West AsiaDietOmnivores
Honey badgers are known for their aggression and live free-ranging lives, generally preferring to hunt and forage alone when not in burrows.
Scientific name Phascolarctos cinereus Animal type Mammal Range Australia Diet Herbivore
Koalas live alone and prefer it that way.
It is a very solitary animal with a unique tree clinging technique used while feeding, climbing, sitting or resting positions.
Koalas live an average lifespan of 13 years, but some have been known to live up to 18 years.
Scientific name Panthera pardus Animal type Reptile Range Sub-Saharan Africa Diet Carnivore
Leopards are solitary animals.
They live alone and mark their territory with urine or feces to keep other leopards away from them.
If they are in the same area as another leopard, they will avoid contact by hiding out of sight until it is gone.
Leopards only come together when the breeding season begins.
Scientific name PteroisType of animal Fish Range South Pacific and Indian Ocean Diet Carnivore
In the ocean, there are also animals that live alone.
Lionfish lead a solitary life and have no friends or partners to spend time with.
In fact, it is rarely seen in groups of two lionfish together, as these cetaceans prefer to be alone.
Scientific name Talpidae Animal type Mammal Range Worldwide Diet Carnivore
Moles are solitary creatures that are rather intolerant of intruders.
Scientific name Alces alces Animal type Mammal Range North America, Europe and Russia Diet Herbivore
Moose are solitary animals that live in the northern regions of Canada and Alaska.
They need a lot of food, so they will often wander off alone or with another moose to find enough food for themselves.
Scientific name PongoType of animal Mammal Range Southeast Asian islands Borneo and SumatraDietOmnivore
Orangutans are solitary animals, and adults do not often interact with each other.
They live in dense jungles and forests, spending a lot of time high up in the trees, where they rest.
The only time they will interact with others is when it is time to mate.
Scientific nameOrnithorhynchus anatinusType of animalMammalRangeEastern AustraliaDietCarnivore
As solitary creatures, platypuses spend most of their lives keeping a distance from all others, although their territories sometimes overlap.
Instead of spending time with each other, they spend their entire lives alone hunting for food and swimming in rivers all day.
Platypus are so devoted to their solitude that even when the mating season stretches (from June to October), they still go about their business alone.
Polar bears
Polar bears
Scientific name Ursus maritimus Type of animal Mammal Range Arctic Diet Carnivore
Polar bears are solitary animals.
This means they don’t like to be around other polar bears.
The only time one polar bear will spend with another is when there are cubs or if the female is protecting her cubs from predators.
Red panda
Red panda
Scientific name Ailurus fulgens Animal type Mammal Range Eastern Himalaya Diet Herbivorous
Red bears are notoriously shy, choosing a life of solitude over company, except of course when it’s mating season.
During the mating season, the male red panda is extremely active, but once he has mated with several females and fertilized them all, he loses interest.
Scientific name ScolopacidaeType of animalBirdsRangeEurope and AsiaDietCarnivore
Most species of sandpipers travel in flocks, but solitary sandpipers take a somewhat different approach.
They are content to be alone when looking for an area to lay their eggs by borrowing nests from other birds.
Scientific name Chelonioidea Type of animal Reptile Range Coral triangle Diet Herbivore
They are sometimes called “sea hermits” because they spend so much time alone.
Although sea turtles can live in groups, most of them prefer solitude and will avoid contact with other turtles unless it is mating season.
These animals gather in groups during mating and nesting season, but are generally solitary.
Scientific nameMephitidaeAnimal typeMammalRangeUnited States, Canada, South America, and MexicoDietOmnivores
Skunks are solitary animals.
They usually only come together to mate.
Skunks often create their own burrows and holes in the ground so they can hibernate or give birth during the winter months.
Scientific name FolivoreType of animalMammalRange Central and South AmericaDietHerbivorous
They spend most of their time alone, especially during mating season.
When not sleeping or eating, sloths move so slowly it’s almost hard to see.
As a result, there is no need for them to interact with others on a regular basis.
Scientific nameSarcophilus harrisiiType of animalMammalDomainTasmaniaDietCarnivore
Tasmanian devils are solitary animals.
They spend most of their time alone to avoid conflicts with other Tasmanian devils.
Although they start out as cute little balls of fur, when they become adults it is very stressful if too many live in one area together.
This can cause fights that result in death and injury due to the sharp teeth these creatures have.
Scientific name Panthera tigris Animal type Mammal Range from Southwest Asia to the Indonesian island of Sumatra Diet Carnivore
They are lonely.
But if they band together, it is for an important reason, such as hunting, mating, or protecting their territory from other tigers.
Scientific name Canis lupus Animal type Mammal Range North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa Diet Carnivore
While most wolves live in packs, there are also many lone wolves.
Lone wolves are wolves that are excluded from their packs.
They spend their lives hunting alone.
But even wolves that live in packs are not as social as you might think.
They live in packs of about six members, but spend most of the day alone or with a mate and offspring.
Living in South Africa, I have had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal.