Not counting the Animal Token bonuses:
- Rambi appears in Jungle Hijinxs, Oil Drum Alley, and Manic Mincers (3).
- Enguarde appears every underwater level in DKC1: Coral Capers, Clam City, Croctopus Chase, and Poison Pond (4).
- Winky appears in Winky's Walkway, Bouncy Bonanza, Millstone Mayhem, and Rope Bridge Rumble (4).
- Expresso appears in Temple Tempest, Orang-utan Gang, Ice Age Alley, and Misty Mine (4).
- Squawks appears only in Torchlight Trouble (1).
Interestingly, this means roughly half of the regular levels in DKC1
(16/33) have an Animal Buddy. Surprising that Rambi appears in one fewer level than the other three ridable ones. Maybe they had a quota and Rambi's fourth appearance was scrapped because of Squawks?
Here's the breakdown by world:
- Kongo Jungle: 2 (Rambi, Enguarde)
- Monkey Mines: 3 (Winky x3)
- Vine Valley: 3 (Expresso x2, Enguarde)
- Gorilla Glacier: 4 (Expresso, Enguarde, Squawks, Winky)
- Kremkroc Industries, Inc.: 2 (Rambi, Enguarde)
- Chimp Caverns: 2 (Rambi, Expresso)
Gorilla Glacier has the biggest variety and quantity of levels with Animal Buddies in the game, with everyone appearing in one except for (oddly) Rambi. Enguarde appears in the most worlds
(4), with Rambi and Expresso tied for second
(each in 3). Rambi has the longest drought of not appearing in a regular level (he's first seen in the first world, but not seen again until the fifth world).
The info on which levels each Animal Buddy appears in comes from the Super Mario Wiki.
Edit: Squawks doesn't exist in
this naming sheet from March 1994, so the idea to include him came later (though Hooter the Owl may originally have been conceptualized to fill the role later given to him).