Discover, Appreciate, & Understand the Animal World!

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See All Animals A-Z!

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

7 Fowl Toys to Make Your Feathered Friends Feel Festively Feted

Friends and neighbors who keep chickens will talk about them as long as you'll listen. The same is true for those who own any other type of avian creature. From… Read More

By Kathryn Koehler 4 days ago


Why Bees Do the Waggle Dance

Honey bees are incredibly social insects. They live together in big groups with other bees in an organized society that scientists call eusocial, which means every bee has a job… Read More

By Jennifer Geer 5 days ago


Why Axolotls are Slowly Disappearing

A Mexican amphibian, the axolotl is believed by many to be the Aztec god of fire and lightning. His name was Xolotl, and he took the form of a salamander… Read More

By Katie Price 5 days ago

African Elephant Reunited With Her Sisters After More Than a Decade Apart

Essential New Research from Texas A&M New research has surfaced detailing the vital role of older animals in maintaining species populations and ecosystems. The Department of Ecology and Conservation at… Read More

By Eliana Riley 5 days ago


How and Why Animals Camouflage: A Free Downloadable Lesson Plan

Camouflage is an exciting animal adaptation that allows many different types of animals to blend in with their surroundings. The chameleon is one of the most recognizable animals that camouflages… Read More

By Brooks Mathews 6 days ago


U.S. Restricts Cattle Imports from Mexico and More Animal News for November 26, 2024

Pilot and Dog Die in Plane Crash While Transporting Rescue Animals The Catskills A pilot transporting rescue animals from Maryland to New York was found dead after the plane they… Read More

By Eliana Riley 6 days ago

Squid Diet and Mule Deer: This Week’s Reader Mail

We love to hear from our readers. Whether you have a story idea, article feedback or simply want to share a personal story about an animal encounter or a beloved… Read More

By Ashley Haugen 6 days ago


This Shrimp Punches Harder Than Mike Tyson (Almost)

During his prime, a punch from Mike Tyson would have felt the same as if you were hit 13 times by .22 caliber bullets while wearing a bulletproof vest. Remarkably,… Read More

By Jennifer Geer 6 days ago


The Many Facts You Can Learn From Reindeer Poop

Reindeer have very distinct droppings that reveal more than you may realize. From what they eat to where they migrate, reindeer poop is incredibly telling. Here's what you can out… Read More

By Ashley Haugen 7 days 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 around the world!

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.

Close up of a colorful lizard

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.

Beta fighting fish

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.

Colorful birds

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.

Golden eyed leaf frog

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.

Queen butterfly danaus gilippus on blue hydrangea flowers.

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.

Queen butterfly danaus gilippus on blue hydrangea flowers.

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.

A Albacore Tuna
Animals that Start with A

Example: The Albacore Tuna

A Boxerdoodle
Animals that Start with B

Example: The Boxerdoodle

A Common Spotted Cuscus
Animals that Start with C

Example: The Common Spotted Cuscus

A Dungeness Crab
Animals that Start with D

Example: The Dungeness Crab

A European Corn Borer
Animals that Start with E

Example: The European Corn Borer

A Flying Fish
Animals that Start with F

Example: The Flying Fish

A Giant Golden Mole
Animals that Start with G

Example: The Giant Golden Mole

A Horse Mackerel
Animals that Start with H

Example: The Horse Mackerel

A Irish Elk
Animals that Start with I

Example: The Irish Elk

A Japanese Macaque
Animals that Start with J

Example: The Japanese Macaque

A Kishu
Animals that Start with K

Example: The Kishu

A Lhasapoo
Animals that Start with L

Example: The Lhasapoo

A Minke Whale
Animals that Start with M

Example: The Minke Whale

A Northern Flicker
Animals that Start with N

Example: The Northern Flicker

A Olive Baboon
Animals that Start with O

Example: The Olive Baboon

A Porcupinefish
Animals that Start with P

Example: The Porcupinefish

A Quetzal
Animals that Start with Q

Example: The Quetzal

A Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Animals that Start with R

Example: The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

A Spongy Moth
Animals that Start with S

Example: The Spongy Moth

A Toy Fox Terrier
Animals that Start with T

Example: The Toy Fox Terrier

A Uaru Cichlid
Animals that Start with U

Example: The Uaru Cichlid

A Vicuña
Animals that Start with V

Example: The Vicuña

A Wryneck
Animals that Start with W

Example: The Wryneck

A Xeme (Sabine’s Gull)
Animals that Start with X

Example: The Xeme (Sabine’s Gull)

A Yoranian
Animals that Start with Y

Example: The Yoranian

A Zebrafish (Zebra Fish)
Animals that Start with Z

Example: The Zebrafish (Zebra Fish)

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.

A Boston Terrier
Boston Terrier

Friendly, lovable and very strong!

A Irish Setter
Irish Setter

Has a beautiful coat that's flowing and feathered!

A Golden Retriever
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

A Abyssinian
Abyssinian

One of the oldest cat breeds in the world!

A Australian Mist
Australian Mist

The only cat breed to originate in Australia.

A Ragdoll
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:

  1. Lion
  2. Panther
  3. Amur Leopard
  4. Polar Bear
  5. White Tiger
  6. Wolf
  7. Millipede
  8. Arctic Fox
  9. Marble Fox
  10. Rhinoceros 

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.