Discover, Appreciate, & Understand the Animal World!
Search or scroll below to dive into the wonders of the natural world.
We believe that if people know more about the world’s creatures they will better care for them. That’s why we add new animals for you to discover – each and every day! Learn about any animal using the search box below or subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Also, be sure to check out our growing list of Animal Quizzes.
Discover Your Favorite Animal Today!
Latest from A-Z Animals
The Strawberry Squid: A Deep Ocean Dweller with a Unique Hunting Strategy
Deep below the surface waters of the ocean lives a mysterious world filled with alien-like creatures. Floating around this dark and eerie place are fascinating animals with the ability to… Read More
By Jennifer Geer 3 hours ago
Baby Animals 101: Fun Names and Surprising Facts
While most people know that a baby dog is called a puppy, many may not know what a baby elephant is called. In this fun infographic, explore the world of… Read More
By Ashley Haugen 3 hours ago
Meowijuana’s Catnip Stocking is Simply Purrfect (& Other Stuffers for Your Pets)
As cherished members of the family and exemplars of unconditional love, our pets deserve the best that the holidays offer. The good news is that you can get your beloved… Read More
By Kathryn Koehler 4 hours ago
Are Elephants Ungulates? Ancient Fossil Evidence Has This to Say.
As with all life forms, elephants have evolved over time from ungulates to near ungulates or subungulates as they are called today. Their unusually shaped feet are quite similar to… Read More
By Emmanuel Kingsley 9 hours ago
Are Elephants Really Afraid of Mice? An Elephant Expert Weighs In.
If you've seen cartoon elephants before, you've likely noticed the stereotype that elephants fear mice. Given that they're the largest land mammal on earth, it does seem unbelievable for elephants… Read More
By Cindy Rasmussen 9 hours ago
Discover Fascinating Facts About Elephants: The World’s Largest Land Mammals
From its long, flexible trunk to its loud trumpeting sounds, there’s a lot to admire about an elephant. But how much do you know about these massive creatures? Where do… Read More
By A-Z Animals Staff 10 hours ago
The Critical Role of Elephants in Ecosystem Balance (and What Might Happen Without Them)
Elephants are the largest land animals worldwide, used in tourism in several countries, and are often gentle to humans despite their gigantic sizes. However, the elephant population has fallen greatly… Read More
By Emmanuel Kingsley 10 hours ago
The Curious Way Kangaroos Stay Cool
The Australian Outback is one of the hottest places on earth. In the summertime, daytime temperatures hover between 95-105°F. Night time is slightly cooler, but not much, as temperatures average… Read More
By Tad Malone 15 hours ago
Ostrich
The ostrich looks like an unusual chimera cooked up in a lab. When writing about it, the Greek philosopher Aristotle did not know whether to classify it as a bird… Read More
By Abby Parks 18 hours ago
Animal Reference Guides And Educational Resources
We believe if people are more educated about the world’s animals, they will better car for them. That’s why we are building the world’s greatest animal encyclopedia, completely free to you. Please take a moment to learn more about animals today using these helpful guides and resources:
- Reference Library – See helpful information on conservation, classification, animal evolution, and more
- Glossary – A list of scientific and technical animal terms, with definitions
- Animal Habitats – Learn all about different animal habitats
- Diet – The different animal diets like omnivores, herbivores, and carnivores defined with examples
- Behavior – Learn all about animal intelligence, communication, community, language, migration, and more.
The 7 Main Types of Animals And Their Characteristics
There are many different types of animals in the world, but some of the largest categories include:
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.
Explore Types of Wild Animals from Around the World
We track thousands of animals from every continent and corner on earth, and are adding more every day!
- African Animals – Africa is home to some of the most incredible and dangerous animals in the world.
- Asian Animals – Asia has the world’s longest coastline, and an amazing diversity of exotic animals, birds, and more.
- Central American Animals – Discover the the nearly 400 different animals we track in Central America today.
- Eurasian Animals – Eurasia has some of the rarest animals in the world, like Siberian Tigers and Snow Leopards.
- European Animals – We track over 500 different animals in Europe, including wolves and bears.
- North American Animals – North America has many beautiful national parks that house some of the rarest animals on earth.
- Marine (Ocean) Animals – The ocean is teaming with life, from the smallest shrimp to the largest animal ever – the Blue Whale!
- Oceanian Animals – Oceania has many islands, and the world’s highest concentration of marsupials.
- South American Animals – Home to the stealthy Jaguar, the friendly Capybara, and many more!
See Endangered and Extinct Animals Lists
A-Z Animals follow’s the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species definitions of threatened and endangered animals. Please consult the lists below to learn more about which animals need our help the most
- Extinct – Species that no longer exist on earth
- Extinct in the Wild – Species that are only known to survive in captive or cultivated environments
- Critically Endangered – Animals that face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
- Endangered – Animal species that face a high risk of extinction in the wild
- Vulnerable – Animal species that face a risk of extinction in the wild
- Near Threatened – Species that are facing population challenges and likely to become vulnerable to extinction soon
- Least Concern – Animals with strong populations that are not expected to face extinction risk in the near future
- Data Deficient – Species where we lack adequate information to assess the risk
- Not Evaluated – Animal species that have not been evaluated yet
Types of Animals By Letter: Explore A to Z Animal Lists
See lists of animals that start with every letter of the alphabet, from A to Z. We track all types of animals like lions and tigers, dogs and cats, even dinosaurs and spiders. Choose your favorite letter below to see all animals that start with it today.
Animals that Start with A
Example: The Australian Terrier
Animals that Start with B
Example: The Boxer Dog
Animals that Start with C
Example: The Cantil
Animals that Start with D
Example: The Dobsonfly
Animals that Start with E
Example: The Ember Tetra
Animals that Start with F
Example: The Fangtooth
Animals that Start with G
Example: The Greenland Dog
Animals that Start with H
Example: The Horned Viper
Animals that Start with I
Example: The Icadyptes
Animals that Start with J
Example: The Joro Spider
Animals that Start with K
Example: The Klipspringer
Animals that Start with L
Example: The Lace Bug
Animals that Start with M
Example: The Muntjac
Animals that Start with N
Example: The New Hampshire Red Chicken
Animals that Start with O
Example: The Orange Roughy
Animals that Start with P
Example: The Psittacosaurus
Animals that Start with Q
Example: The Quetzal
Animals that Start with R
Example: The Rock Bass
Animals that Start with S
Example: The Siberian Retriever
Animals that Start with T
Example: The Teacup Chihuahua
Animals that Start with U
Example: The Uintatherium
Animals that Start with V
Example: The Vervet Monkey
Animals that Start with W
Example: The Walrus
Animals that Start with X
Example: The Xenoposeidon
Animals that Start with Y
Example: The Yak
Animals that Start with Z
Example: The Zebra Snake
Everything To Know About Pet Dogs, Cats Birds, and More
Some of the most popular types of animals on earth are pets. A pet is a domesticated animal that lives with a person or family, usually in a house. The most common pets include dogs, cats, fish, and birds, but there are also many amazing exotic pets like reptiles, lizards, and more! Horses, goats, and pigs can also be pets too.
Pet Dogs
Dogs are the most popular type of pet on earth with nearly 500 million worldwide. Thats almost one dog for every 15 people on earth! There are hundreds of different dog breeds. The Irish Wolfhound is the largest dog breed, and was bred to hunt wolves. Chihuahuas are the smallest, and were likely bred for companionship or to hunt small rodents. The most popular dog breeds are below.
Boston Terrier
Friendly, lovable and very strong!
Irish Setter
Has a beautiful coat that's flowing and feathered!
Golden Retriever
Trusting, kind and gentle!
Pet Cats
Cats are the second most popular pet on earth with nearly 400 million worldwide. Thats almost one pet cat for every 20 people on earth! You can read about the hundreds of different cat breeds, from the large to the small. The most popular cat breeds are below
Abyssinian
One of the oldest cat breeds in the world!
Australian Mist
The only cat breed to originate in Australia.
Ragdoll
One of the larger breeds of domestic cat!
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.
