Photo: A lion guards the courtyard of Adolphus Busch Hall. The statue is a replica of Braunschweiger Löwe, or Brunswick lion, a cast of the 12th-century bronze from Germany.

Photos by Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff PhotographerAnimal explorers traversing the Harvard campus will encounter curious squirrels in the Yard, flocks of wild turkeys near the residences, and red-tailed hawks hopping from tower to tower.

More exotic creatures lurk everywhere. On building facades, gates, and shields, a closer look reveals a host of nature’s and mythic beasts, from lions to boars, from eagles to owls, a famous pair of rhinos, and even a Pegasus and a unicorn.

Most gather close to the Charles River, their source of water, along the perimeter gates, or surround the Bio Labs, near the scientists who study them. The Yard is largely unpopulated, save for the humans guarded under John Harvard’s close watch.

For the New England area, the variety of species is astounding. An inventory reveals such unusual stock as a jaguar, tapir, pelican, iguana, and a giant anteater.

Explore the campus wildlife, where animals are etched and cast in stone, brick, and metal.