Animals That Start With E

In English, many interesting animal names start with the letter E.
From giant Elephants-Are-Endangered.html">elephants on African savannas, to soaring eagles, to unusual creatures like the echidna, “animals that start with E” live in forests, oceans, deserts, mountains, and even your backyard soil.

On this page, you’ll find a detailed, search-friendly guide to Animals That Start With E, including:

• A quick reference list of E animals by group

• An overview table with class, habitat, diet, and fun facts

• Detailed profiles of representative E animals (mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, invertebrates)

• FAQs that match common user search intent (pets, wild animals, weird animals, etc.)

Quick List of Animals That Start With E

Here is a fast alphabetical list of animals that begin with E.
Some are very famous, others are less well known.

Mammals

• Elephant (African elephant, Asian elephant)

• Elk

• Echidna (spiny anteater)

• Eland (common eland, giant eland)

• Ermine (stoat in winter coat)

• European hedgehog

Birds

• Eagle (bald eagle, golden eagle, etc.)

• Emu

• Egret (great egret, snowy egret)

• Emperor penguin

• Eastern bluebird

Reptiles & Amphibians

• Eastern box turtle

• Emerald tree boa

• Eastern newt

Fish

• Eel

• Electric eel (actually a knifefish, not a true eel)

• Emperor angelfish

Invertebrates

• Earthworm

• Earwig

• Emperor scorpion

• Emperor moth

Next, let’s look at a quick overview table before we dive into detailed profiles.

E-Animals Overview Table

The table below summarizes 15 representative animals that start with E, including their class, main habitat, typical diet, and a fun fact.

Detailed Profiles of Key “E Animals”

Below are more detailed explanations for some of the most representative Animals That Start With E, organized by class.

1. Elephant

• Class: Mammal

• Habitat: African savannas and forests, Asian forests and grasslands

• Diet: Herbivore – grass, leaves, bark, fruit, roots

Key features:

• Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. African Elephants-Are-Endangered.html">elephants are generally larger than Asian elephants.

• Their trunk is a long, flexible extension of the upper lip and nose, used for breathing, smelling, touching, grabbing food, and sucking up water.

• Elephants live in family groups, usually led by an older female called a matriarch. They communicate with touch, sight, sound, and even low-frequency rumbles that humans can’t hear.

Fun fact:
Elephants have excellent memories and can remember water sources, migration paths, and even other elephants and humans after many years.

2. Elk

• Class: Mammal

• Habitat: Forest edges, meadows, mountains in North America and parts of Eurasia

• Diet: Herbivore – grasses, leaves, bark, and shrubs

Key features:

• Elk are large deer with long legs and, in males, impressive branched antlers.

• During the autumn mating season, males make loud, high-pitched calls called bugles to attract females and challenge rivals.

• Elk live in herds that may change size with the seasons.

Fun fact:
Elk antlers can grow more than a centimeter per day during peak growing season and are shed and regrown every year.

3. Echidna

• Class: Mammal (monotreme)

• Habitat: Forests, grasslands, scrublands in Australia and New Guinea

• Diet: Insectivore – ants, termites, and other small invertebrates

Key features:

• Echidnas are spiny mammals with a long snout and sticky tongue used to capture insects.

• Along with the platypus, echidnas are monotremes, one of the only groups of mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young.

• Their bodies are covered in spines mixed with fur, and they roll into a ball or dig down when threatened.

Fun fact:
Baby echidnas are called puggles. The mother keeps the puggle in a burrow and returns to feed it with milk.

4. Eland

• Class: Mammal (antelope)

• Habitat: Savannas, grasslands, and lightly wooded areas in Africa

• Diet: Herbivore – grasses, leaves, seed pods, and fruits

Key features:

• Elands are among the largest antelopes, with both males and females having spiral horns.

• Despite their size, they can jump over 2 meters (6.5 feet) from a standing start.

• They often move in herds and can travel long distances in search of food and water.

Fun fact:
Eland milk is very rich, and in some areas people have experimented with semi-domestication of elands for meat and milk.

5. European Hedgehog

• Class: Mammal

• Habitat: Gardens, hedgerows, woodlands and grasslands in Europe

• Diet: Omnivore – beetles, worms, slugs, snails, fruits, and fungi

Key features:

• Hedgehogs are small nocturnal mammals covered in sharp spines. The spines are modified hairs.

• When frightened, they roll into a tight ball with the spines pointing outward.

• In cooler climates, they may hibernate through the winter.

Fun fact:
Gardeners often welcome hedgehogs because they eat slugs and other pests that damage plants.

6. Eagle

• Class: Bird

• Habitat: Mountains, forests, grasslands, coastal cliffs, and large lakes or rivers

• Diet: Carnivore – fish, small mammals, birds, reptiles

Key features:

• Eagles are large birds of prey with powerful talons and sharply hooked beaks.

• They have excellent eyesight, allowing them to spot prey from long distances while soaring high in the sky.

• Many species build large nests (called eyries) on cliffs or in tall trees, sometimes reusing and adding to them for years.

Fun fact:
Some eagles can carry prey that is nearly as heavy as they are, thanks to strong wings and muscles.

7. Emu

• Class: Bird (ratite)

• Habitat: Open plains, grasslands, and woodlands in Australia

• Diet: Omnivore – seeds, fruits, leaves, insects, and small animals

Key features:

• Emus are the second-tallest living birds, after ostriches. They cannot fly but run fast on strong legs.

• Their three-toed feet and long strides allow them to travel great distances in search of food and water.

• Emus have soft, shaggy feathers and can tolerate a wide range of temperatures.

Fun fact:
In emus, the male usually incubates the eggs and cares for the chicks after they hatch.

8. Egret

• Class: Bird (heron family)

• Habitat: Wetlands, marshes, riverbanks, coastal lagoons worldwide

• Diet: Carnivore – fish, frogs, insects, crustaceans

Key features:

• Egrets are elegant, long-legged wading birds, often white, that hunt in shallow water.

• They use quick stabbing motions with their sharp bills to catch prey.

• Some species develop beautiful long plumes during the breeding season.

Fun fact:
In the past, egret plumes were so fashionable in hat decorations that heavy hunting caused big declines in their populations. Legal protection helped many egret species recover.

9. Emperor Penguin

• Class: Bird

• Habitat: Antarctic sea ice and surrounding ocean

• Diet: Carnivore – fish, krill, squid

Key features:

• Emperor penguins are the largest penguin species, standing up to about 1.2 meters (almost 4 feet) tall.

• They breed during the Antarctic winter, when temperatures and winds are extreme.

• Males keep the single egg warm by balancing it on their feet under a fold of skin called a brood pouch.

Fun fact:
To survive the cold, emperor penguins huddle together in large groups, constantly shifting so each bird has a chance to move toward the warmer center.

10. Eastern Box Turtle

• Class: Reptile

• Habitat: Moist forests, fields, and shrublands in eastern North America

• Diet: Omnivore – berries, mushrooms, leaves, worms, insects, slugs

Key features:

• Eastern box turtles have a high, domed shell with a hinge on the underside. They can close the shell tightly, protecting their head and limbs like a “box.”

• They are mostly terrestrial, spending much of their time on land rather than in water.

• Box turtles grow slowly and can live for many decades.

Fun fact:
Some wild box turtles have been recorded living more than 50 years, and a few may reach over 80.

11. Emerald Tree Boa

• Class: Reptile (snake)

• Habitat: Rainforest canopy and understory in the Amazon Basin and surrounding regions

• Diet: Carnivore – small mammals, birds, sometimes lizards

Key features:

• Emerald tree boas are bright green with white or yellow markings, perfect camouflage among leaves and branches.

• They spend much of their time draped over branches in a characteristic coil, with the head resting in the middle.

• They are non-venomous and kill prey by constriction.

Fun fact:
Their young are often born reddish or orange and change to green as they mature.

12. Electric Eel

• Class: Fish (knifefish, not a true eel)

• Habitat: Slow rivers, floodplains, and swamps in northern South America

• Diet: Carnivore – fish, crustaceans, small mammals, and other animals

Key features:

• Electric eels have special electric organs that can generate strong electric shocks, sometimes over 500 volts.

• They use weaker discharges for navigation and communication, and stronger ones to stun prey or deter predators.

• They breathe air and must come to the surface regularly.

Fun fact:
Electric eels can sometimes leap out of the water and press their body against a threat to deliver a more effective shock.

13. Earthworm

• Class: Annelid (segmented worm)

• Habitat: Moist soil in gardens, forests, fields, and grasslands worldwide

• Diet: Detritivore – decaying plant material, dead leaves, organic matter in soil

Key features:

• Earthworms burrow through soil, creating tunnels that improve aeration and drainage.

• As they eat and excrete organic matter, they help form rich, fertile soil.

• They are an important food source for many birds, mammals, and other animals.

Fun fact:
Charles Darwin once wrote a whole book about earthworms and called them some of the most important animals for the history of the world because of their effect on soil.

14. Emperor Scorpion

• Class: Arachnid

• Habitat: Tropical forests and savannas in West and Central Africa

• Diet: Carnivore – insects, spiders, small lizards, and other small animals

Key features:

• Emperor scorpions are among the largest scorpion species, reaching up to about 20 cm (8 in) in length.

• They have powerful pincers and a stinger; their venom is usually mild to humans compared to some other scorpions.

• Under ultraviolet (UV) light, like a blacklight, their exoskeleton glows a blue-green color.

Fun fact:
Scientists are still studying why scorpions glow under UV light; the exact reason is not fully understood.

Frequently Asked Questions About Animals That Start With E

How many animals start with the letter E?

There is no exact number, because:

• New species are still being described.

• Common names vary between countries and languages.

However, in English there are hundreds of animal names starting with E, covering all major groups:

• Mammals: Elephant, elk, echidna, eland, ermine, European hedgehog, Eurasian lynx

• Birds: Eagle, emu, egret, Egyptian goose, emperor penguin, eastern bluebird

• Reptiles & Amphibians: Eastern box turtle, emerald tree boa, eastern newt

• Fish: Eel, electric eel, emperor angelfish, European eel

• Invertebrates: Earthworm, earwig, emperor scorpion, emperor moth, European hornet

What are some common pets that start with E?

Compared to letters like C or D, there are fewer very common household pets starting with E, but you might see:

• English bulldog – a dog breed with “English” in its name

• English cocker spaniel / English springer spaniel – popular dog breeds

• English budgerigar (budgie) – sometimes sold as “English budgie,” a larger show type of budgerigar

• Emperor scorpion – occasionally kept by experienced exotic-pet keepers

• Eel or emperor angelfish – kept by advanced aquarium hobbyists in large, well-maintained tanks

Before choosing any exotic pet (like scorpions or marine fish), always check local laws and make sure you understand their special care requirements.

What are some dangerous or powerful animals that start with E?

A few E animals can be dangerous or powerful, especially if threatened:

• Elephant – usually peaceful but extremely strong; can be dangerous if provoked or frightened.

• Eagle – powerful talons and beaks can cause serious injury.

• Electric eel – can deliver strong electric shocks.

• Emperor scorpion – venom is mild compared with some scorpions, but still can hurt and may cause allergic reactions.

• Emerald tree boa – non-venomous but has strong jaws and teeth, and can bite if handled improperly.

Most wild animals prefer to avoid humans. Respecting their space and following safety guidelines is the best way to stay safe and protect wildlife.

Which E animals are especially important for ecosystems?

Some Animals That Start With E play key ecological roles:

• Elephants – shape landscapes by knocking down trees, digging for water, and spreading seeds in their dung.

• Elk and eland – large herbivores that influence plant communities and serve as prey for big predators.

• Earthworms – improve soil structure and fertility, benefiting plants and agriculture.

• Egrets and eagles – act as predators that help keep prey populations in balance.

• Emperor penguins and eels – are part of complex food webs in marine ecosystems.

Protecting these species helps keep entire ecosystems healthy and stable.

By exploring this guide to Animals That Start With E, you’ve seen how one letter can link together a huge variety of life—from elephants and eagles to echidnas, electric eels, earthworms and emperor penguins.

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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.