Animals!
Discover cute, wild, and weird animals using the search bar below, or scroll to see popular animal lists!
Search for Any Animal – Discover Amazing Creatures!
A-Z Animals is the world’s most trusted online animal encyclopedia. If you want cute animals, wild animals, weird animals or are looking for comprehensive pet guides for dogs and cats, we’ve got you covered!
We believe that if people know more about the world’s creatures they will better care for them. Thats why we add new animals for you to discover – each and every day! Learn about any animal using the search box below:
The 7 Major Types Of Animals
Mammals
The official mammal class is Mammalia. Animals that are considered mammals include warm-blooded vertebrates that have hair or fur and whose babies drink milk. Unlike other animal types like birds and insects, all mammal babies drink milk that comes from their mother’s bodies. This is one of the key ways to know if an animal is a mammal.
See the complete list of mammals.
Reptiles
Lizards, dinosaurs, crocodiles, turtles, and snakes – all belong to that ancient and stout class of animals known as the reptiles. This is a diverse group with more than 10,000 different species and a huge representation in the fossil record. Once the dominant land vertebrates on the planet, reptiles still occupy just about every single ecosystem outside of the extreme north and south.
See the complete list of reptiles.
Fish
Fish are aquatic vertebrates. They usually have gills, paired fins, a long body covered with scales, and tend to be cold-blooded. "Fish" is a term used to refer to lampreys, sharks, coelacanths and ray-finned fishes, but is not a taxonomic group, which is a clade or group containing a common ancestor and all its descendants.
See the complete list of fish.
Birds
Birds, members of the class Aves, include more than 10,400 living species. Their feathers distinguish them from all other classes of animal; no other animals on earth have them. If you see an animal with feathers, it’s undoubtedly a bird. Like mammals, birds are warm-blooded vertebrates with four-chambered hearts. However, they are more closely related to reptiles and are believed to have evolved from dinosaurs.
See the complete list of birds.
Amphibians
The official class of amphibians is Amphibia. To have the classification of an amphibian, an animal must be a vertebrate, require water to survive, be cold-blooded, and spend time both on land and in water. Though other animals only live on land or in the water, amphibians have the unique ability to thrive equally in both. Amphibians cover over 6,000 different species across the globe, but about 90% are frogs.
See the complete list of amphibians.
Invertebrates
The definition of an invertebrate is any animal that does not have a backbone or vertebral column. The most prolific and easily recognizable members of the invertebrate family are insects. It’s estimated that upwards of 30 million individual species of invertebrates may exist accounting for between 90-95 percent of all organisms on the planet.
See the complete list of invertebrates.
Insects
All insects are part of the taxonomical phylum Arthropoda, and they are collectively referred to as arthropods. It is common to see this name misspelled as “anthropod,” but this is not the correct term. They can be found in nearly every environment on the planet, and they currently account for over half of all known living organisms in the world. They have undergone many cycles of evolution depending on the resources available to them.
See the complete list of insects.
Pet Guides: Everything To Know About Cat and Dog Breeds
Want to know how to raise a puppy or kitten? Curious to learn more about big and small dog breeds or cat breeds? Check out our comprehensive pets guides below!
Most Popular Pet Dog Breeds
Irish Setter
Can live for up to 16 years!
Boston Terrier
Friendly, lovable and very strong!
Golden Retriever
Trusting, kind and gentle!
See a complete list of dog breeds.
Most Popular Pet Cat Breeds
Abyssinian
The oldest breed of cat in the world!
Australian Mist
First bred in the 1700s!
Ragdoll
One of the larger breeds of domestic cat!
See a complete list of cat breeds.
Expert Pet Product Reviews
The AZ Animals team has spent years working with and studying the latest research on what products are best for our pets and yours, and we’re excited to share our expert pet product recommendations with you.
See all of our Expert Pet Product Reviews.
Explore Animals from Around the World
- African Animals
- Asian Animals
- Central American Animals
- Eurasian Animals
- European Animals
- North American Animals
- Marine (Ocean) Animals
- Oceanian Animals
- South American Animals
Animals By Letter: Explore A to Z Animal Lists
Animals that Start with A
Example: The Asiatic Black Bear
Animals that Start with B
Example: The Bearded Collie
Animals that Start with C
Example: The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Animals that Start with D
Example: The Discus
Animals that Start with E
Example: The Elephant
Animals that Start with F
Example: The Flounder
Animals that Start with G
Example: The Gharial
Animals that Start with H
Example: The Horsefly
Animals that Start with I
Example: The Impala
Animals that Start with J
Example: The Japanese Chin
Animals that Start with K
Example: The Kinkajou
Animals that Start with L
Example: The Labmaraner
Animals that Start with M
Example: The Markhor
Animals that Start with N
Example: The Naked Mole Rat
Animals that Start with O
Example: The Ocelot
Animals that Start with P
Example: The Pitador
Animals that Start with Q
Example: The Quail
Animals that Start with R
Example: The Rat
Animals that Start with S
Example: The Siberian Husky
Animals that Start with T
Example: The Tetra
Animals that Start with U
Example: The Umbrellabird
Animals that Start with V
Example: The Vaquita
Animals that Start with W
Example: The Wyoming Toad
Animals that Start with X
Example: The Xerus
Animals that Start with Y
Example: The Yorkshire Terrier
Animals that Start with Z
Example: The Zorse
See Endangered Animals Lists
- Extinct
- Extinct in the Wild
- Critically Endangered
- Endangered
- Vulnerable
- Near Threatened
- Least Concern
- Data Deficient
- Not Evaluated
Animal Reference Guides
We are building the world’s greatest animal encyclopedia. Be search to check out our Reference Library and Glossary to learn about Animal Habitats, Diet, Behavior and much more…
Animals – Facts, Pictures and Resources FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What are the 6 types of animals?
The 6 types of animals are mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and invertebrates. Additionally, animals are classified in many different ways, which you may learn about in this complete guide to animal classification.
What are the 10 most popular animals?
The 10 most popular animals on AZ Animals are:
How many animals are there?
There are over 1 million known animal species and more than 98% of those are insects, which are indeed animals.
Mouse vs Rat: 5 Main Differences Explained
At first glance, mice and rats look very similar. They both have a face with tiny dark eyes and twitching whiskers. But, there a lot of differences between these two rodents. We have looked at the differences between mouse vs rat. The biggest difference is their size. A mouse is much smaller than a rat. […] Read More
The 15 Most Expensive Cat Breeds
Cats have stolen people’s hearts everywhere for being independent, affectionate, playful, and adorable. Many can be found at local shelters and rescues. But for some people, there’s one particular cat breed they’ve just got to have, with a certain personality and look. An expensive cat is a worthy investment for that special pedigree. Here are […] Read More
Top 10 Happiest Animals on Earth
Many animals look happy when they’re in their natural habitat. They have their favorite food around, and they have their whole nest, pack or brood with them. How do we know which happy animals are truly loving life? To make our picks, we chose animals that seem to have easy lives compared to others. We […] Read More
Possum vs Opossum: How to Say It and How to Tell the Difference
Was that furry animal a possum or an opossum? What is the correct pronunciation? Was it “playing possum?” What does that even mean? If you’ve got questions about possum vs opossum, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn how to tell the difference. Possum vs Opossum How can you tell the difference […] Read More
Seals vs Sea Lions: 5 Major Differences Explained
Straddling a fine line between oceans and land, seals and sea lions belong to a group of closely related semi-aquatic mammals called the Pinnipeds (this is a Latin term that roughly translates to “fin-footed”). On an evolutionary timescale, it’s believed that the Pinnipeds split off from other carnivores (like canines and felids) around 50 million […] Read More
Coyote vs Wolf: The 6 Key Differences Explained
You saw a large, grey, furry animal streak across the road or down the forest path in front of you. Or, you heard eerie howls in the darkness. Was it a coyote? Was it a wolf? Wolves and coyotes have many similarities, but there are evident differences when you compare them side by side. Keep […] Read More
Toad vs Frog: The Six Key Differences Explained
Toads and frogs are both amphibians, which means they share similarities such as spending at least part of their lives in water or some moist place, and they usually lack tails, scales, and claws on their feet. Both are members of the Anura order. Anura is a Greek word that means “tailless” even though there […] Read More
Moth vs Butterfly: The 8 Key Differences
Moths and butterflies belong to the same insect family, the Lepidoptera. This category encompasses over 180,000 species. The butterfly and moth have their behavioral and physical differences. That includes butterflies being active during the day while moths are nocturnal. The stages between larva and adult have their distinctions too. What follows is an in-depth review […] Read More
Hornet vs Wasp – How to Tell the Difference in 3 Easy Steps
Was that large, buzzing insect a wasp or a hornet? What do they look like? Should you be afraid of it or try to kill it? Who would win in a fight between a hornet vs wasp? Find out by reading more below. Hornet vs Wasp Comparing hornets and wasps is a bit of a […] Read More
Tortoise vs Turtle: 10 Biggest Differences Explained
Are you confused about the differences between Tortoise vs Turtle? You’re not alone! At a glance, both creatures appear to have lots of similarities. It’s easy to assume that you can use the words “tortoise” and “turtle” interchangeably, but that isn’t the case. In reality, although both creatures belong to the same kingdom, phylum, class, […] Read More
