The site also offers animated animal puzzles, and games where you can build an online habitat for animals, plus lots of educational animal videos. You will also find lesson plans for art and science projects, and educational activities.

An elephant with the head of a zebra and a fish tail.

Start by building your ordinary self, choosing gender, hair color, eyes, mouth etc so that you get a picture that looks just like you. Then take your pick from the wild parts – perhaps you would like elephant ears, or frog arms? Or a crocodile tail?

Then choose a background for your avatar – a forest or the sea, perhaps? Finally, you can email your masterpiece to a friend, or use it as a desktop wallpaper.

Bat wings, antelope ears and tiger arms. Build Your Wild Self is presented by New York Zoos and Aquarium.