Animals That Start With B: Names, Habitats and Facts

2025-11-25 17:50:20 25

In English vocabulary, a huge number of animal names begin with the letter A.
From the aardvark of African savannas to the deep-sea anglerfish, animals that start with A live in almost every habitat on Earth.

On this page you’ll find 15 representative animals beginning with A, with:

Classification (mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, invertebrate)
Main habitat
Typical diet
A few key features that make each species stand out

A-Animals Overview Table

Notes:
Classification is given as a broad group.
Habitat describes the main environments where the species is commonly found.
Diet is simplified to the dominant food type(s).

Animal Name	Classification	Habitat	Diet	Key Features
Aardvark	Mammal	Sub-Saharan African grasslands, savannas and scrublands	Insectivore – mainly ants and termites	Nocturnal burrower with a long snout and powerful claws, excellent sense of smell, and a long sticky tongue for eating termites.
Aardwolf	Mammal	Eastern and southern African grasslands and semi-deserts	Insectivore – mostly termites	A small hyena-like canid that feeds almost entirely on termites, with specialized teeth and a shy, non-aggressive nature.
African Elephant	Mammal	African savannas, woodlands and some forests	Herbivore – grasses, leaves, bark and fruit	The largest land mammal on Earth, with large ears, a trunk used for many tasks, complex social behavior and strong memory.
African Wild Dog	Mammal	Open savannas and shrublands in sub-Saharan Africa	Carnivore – hunts medium-sized mammals such as antelopes	Highly social pack hunter with mottled coat, large ears and one of the highest hunting success rates among predators.
Alpaca	Mammal	Andean highlands and farms in South America and beyond	Herbivore – grasses and other plants	Domesticated camelid valued for its soft fiber, gentle temper, long neck and expressive eyes; often kept in herds.
Arctic Fox	Mammal	Arctic tundra, coastal regions and pack ice	Omnivore (mainly carnivore) – lemmings, birds, fish and carrion	Exceptionally cold-adapted fox with thick fur that changes color with the seasons, often white in winter and brownish in summer.
Arctic Hare	Mammal	Arctic tundra and rocky, cold landscapes	Herbivore – mosses, grasses, buds and bark	Large, powerful hare with strong hind legs and dense fur; winter coat is usually pure white for camouflage in snow.
Aye-aye	Mammal (Primate)	Native forests of Madagascar	Omnivore – insect larvae, fruits, nuts and seeds	Strange-looking nocturnal lemur with huge eyes and an extremely long middle finger used to tap wood and extract grubs.
Albatross	Bird	Open oceans of the Southern Hemisphere and North Pacific; nesting on remote islands	Carnivore – fish, squid and carrion	One of the largest-winged birds, capable of gliding for hours over the sea with minimal wing movement, famous for long-distance flights.
Alligator (American Alligator as example)	Reptile	Freshwater rivers, swamps and wetlands in the southeastern United States	Carnivore – fish, turtles, birds and mammals	Large semi-aquatic reptile with a broad snout, powerful jaws and stealthy ambush hunting behavior.
Anaconda	Reptile (Snake)	Rivers, swamps and flooded forests of tropical South America	Carnivore – fish, birds, reptiles and mammals	One of the heaviest and most powerful snakes, largely aquatic, killing prey by constriction.
Axolotl	Amphibian	High-altitude lakes and canals in central Mexico (now largely in captivity)	Carnivore – small fish, worms, insects and other small aquatic animals	Neotenic salamander that keeps its larval features for life, with external gills and remarkable ability to regenerate limbs and tissues.
Angelfish	Fish (many species)	Tropical freshwater rivers and/or coral reefs, depending on species	Omnivore – small invertebrates, algae and prepared fish food	Laterally compressed body with long fins; popular aquarium fish due to their elegant shape and vivid patterns.
Anglerfish	Fish	Deep sea and some coastal bottom habitats	Carnivore – fish and crustaceans	Deep-sea predator with a bioluminescent lure protruding from its head to attract prey in the dark ocean depths.
Ant	Invertebrate (Insect)	Almost worldwide on land – forests, grasslands, deserts, cities	Omnivore – plant material, seeds, other insects, honeydew, etc.	Highly social insects living in complex colonies with queens, workers and sometimes soldiers, communicating via chemicals and building intricate nests.

Animals whose names begin with the letter A cover many different habitats, climates and lifestyles. By learning about their habitats, diets and key features, we can better understand biodiversity on Earth and appreciate how each A-animal plays its own role in the natural world.

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We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a Animals Top editor.