Biogeography in popular culture 2 - Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

With the new movie Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle out to capture a slice of the year-end box office pie, we have a movie featuring lots of animals, and another chance to figure out the biodiversity and biogeography of the setting.

I counted at least 16 species of animals featured in the film, and there is a constant reference to the jaguar. So is Jumanji somewhere in the Americas?

As the accuracy of biogeography depicted in popular culture such as television commercials and Katy Perry's music video is rather suspect, lets see about this one.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Africa: 1. hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), 2. black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis), 3. Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) (?), 4. white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), 5. African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana).

South America: 6. vulture (Cathartidae), 7. jaguar (Panthera onca)

North America: 8. Mexican red knee tarantula (Brachypelma sp.), 9. grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

Unknown/unidentified (too fleeting or unfamiliar to ID): 10. eagle, 11. fruit bat (Pteropodidae), 12. centipede, 13. scorpion, 14. mosquito, 15. rat

Missing from original: lion, monkey, zebra, pelican

Based on the overwhelming number of animals (at least 4) from one continent, the new Jumanji movie is probably set somewhere in Africa. However, the presence of some species from North and South America makes this another flawed depiction of biogeography in the media industry.

I am not sure if it there is a biodiversity crisis in Jumanji that mirrors the real world, because some species from the original movie such as the zebras and lion are obviously missing from this movie.

One thing has not changed though. Just like the original, the CGI animals in the new movie look rather unnatural.