Animals That Start With Letter A

June 12, 2023

Learning about animals that start with letter A is the perfect place to discover different species while expanding your vocabulary. Below is a list of common and unusual animals with varying characteristics, small to large and tame to vicious.

Table of Contents

Anchovies

Anchovies are small fish from the family Engraulidae that can grow up to 7 inches in length. Their natural habitat is in the Black Sea and the Pacific, with some found in the Mediterranean and Atlantic waters. They are commonly identified by their blue reflection when underwater due to their striking silver stripe.

Fun Fact: Anchovies can live up to four years and often reach maturity at two years, after which they can begin spawning.

Arctic Hare

As its name suggests, you can find the arctic hare in Arctic regions. Their furry snow-white coat and short ears and limbs allow them to preserve their body heat. They also have 20% body fat that keeps them warm. Arctic hares pair up during the breeding season and disperse into distinct territories, with males having multiple mating partners.

Anaconda

Anacondas are from the Boa family. Their primary habitat is in the tropical regions of South America. These carnivorous reptiles feed on animals such as deer, turtles, fish, and rodents. The green anaconda can weigh up to 550 pounds, making it the largest in the anaconda family. Their eyes and noses are on the top of their heads, helping them breathe and see easily in the water.

Aardwolf

Another animal that starts with the letter is an aardwolf. Native to East and South Africa, this animal resembles hyenas but is smaller and has stripes on its coat. You will find aardwolves in the grasslands and savannah regions of Africa. They are primarily nocturnal and burrow into termite nests with their long tongues.

Anemone

Anemones are colorful invertebrates and sea animals closely related to jellyfish and coral. They are a type of polyp under the phylum Cnidaria. Anemones are named after flowers due to their vibrant colors and often attach themselves to coral reels in the sea. These creatures live in diverse habitats, from the marine waters of the Caribbean to the North Pacific regions. Their diet comprises fish, plankton, and crabs.

Anglerfish

Anglerfish is a carnivorous fish with a bony structure. They live in the Antarctic and Atlantic waters at 0-1000 meters, with few suited to the shallow waters. They can measure up to 4 feet, with their diet comprising anything from fish and shrimps to sea birds. Finally, the dark brown and grey skin color makes the anglerfish adaptable to the deep ocean floor. It allows them to go undetected by their prey.

Arctic Fox

The arctic fox belongs to the family Canidae. These predatory animals have a white, bluish-gay coat but can change to brown during summer. They have thick fur, small bodies, and short legs and ears to conserve heat. These features also allow them to survive winter without the need for hibernation. The arctic fox feeds on rodents such as hares, insects, and reptiles.

Alpaca

Alpacas are native South American camelid mammals closely resembling their larger cousins, llamas. They have long necks and pointed ears along with long legs. They live in the mountains of Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Colombia. To cope with this climate, they have woolly coats of varying tones ranging from brown and blue-black tones to white. Their lifespan ranges anywhere from 18-24 years.

Aardvark

Aardvarks live in the semi-arid and savannah regions of Central and Southern Africa. Their long noses and tongues are essential to burrow for food. Besides this, they are classified as digitigrades, meaning they use their toes for walking instead of their soles.

Albatross

Albatrosses are a type of seabird in the North Pacific and Southern Hemisphere. They primarily nest on remote islands away from predators and occasionally breed on the mainland. In addition to this, they have a remarkable wingspan of up to 11 feet, allowing them to glide for hours without a single flap.

Armadillos

Armadillos are armored mammals found in the warm regions of Central and South America. They have a bony-plate-covered shell with a pointed snout, big ears, long tails, and claws that they use to dig up insects. Armadillos measures approximately 30 inches, with the giant armadillo growing up to 59 inches. They can live anywhere from 7-20 years.

Antelope

Antelopes follow suit in the line-up of animals that start with the letter A. They are hoofed and horned mammals that live in the African savannahs, with a few living in Asia and the Middle East. Antelopes have slender bodies and back-curving hones. Most are adorned with striking reddish, golden, or grey hair coats. Their long legs help them achieve speeds up to 60 mph to escape predators such as lions, cheetahs, and wild dogs.

Axolotl

Axolotls are amphibians in the salamander family with distinctive cartoon-like smiling faces. Unlike other amphibians, axolotls do not undergo the metamorphosis cycle needed to reach maturity. Axolotls can live up to 6 years in the wild, with an extended lifespan of 15 years for species in captivity.