Animal Names

Animals That Start With S (Nature’s Marvels Revealed)

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by Emily Wolfe

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You know, it’s quite a task to keep track of all the animals that start with ‘S’. It’s like trying to remember all your distant relatives at a family reunion! From the slithering snake to the swift-footed squirrel, the animal kingdom is brimming with these ‘S’ starters.

It’s a bit of a brain teaser, isn’t it? Sometimes, you find yourself scratching your head, wondering, “What on earth is another animal that starts with S?” But that’s the beauty of it – there’s always something new to discover.

List Of Animals That Start With S

  • Sloth
  • Shark
  • Swan
  • Squirrel
  • Salamander
  • Seahorse
  • Skunk
  • Sparrow
  • Scorpion
  • Starfish
  • Stingray
  • Snow Leopard
  • Sloth Bear
  • Saiga
  • Serval
  • Sunfish
  • Swordfish
  • Shrimp
  • Snail
  • Sandpiper
  • Sea Urchin
  • Sea Lion
  • Sidewinder (Snake)
  • Sugar Glider
  • Saker Falcon
  • Silkworm
  • Siamang
  • Sea Anemone
  • Stinkbug
  • Siberian Tiger

Animals That Start With S (Fun Facts & Species Details)

1. Sloth

Sloth

Fun Fact: Sloths are known for their slow movement, but did you know they only defecate once a week? This is because their slow metabolism makes food digestion a lengthy process.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameFolivora
OriginCentral and South America
FamilyBradypodidae (Three-toed sloths), Megalonychidae (Two-toed sloths)

2. Shark

Shark

Fun Fact: Some shark species, like the Greenland shark, can live for hundreds of years. The Greenland shark is currently the longest-living vertebrate known on Earth.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameSelachimorpha
OriginWorldwide oceans
FamilyMultiple families including Carcharhinidae, Lamnidae, Sphyrnidae

3. Swan

Swan

Fun Fact: Swans are among the largest flying birds. The trumpeter swan can have a wingspan over 3 meters (10 feet).

DetailInformation
Scientific NameCygnus
OriginNorthern Hemisphere
FamilyAnatidae

4. Squirrel

Squirrel

Fun Fact: Squirrels can find food buried beneath a foot of snow. They have a keen sense of smell which helps them locate their hidden caches of nuts and seeds.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameSciuridae
OriginWorldwide, except Australia and Antarctica
FamilySciuridae

5. Salamander

Salamander

Fun Fact: Some salamander species can regenerate lost limbs and other body parts, a trait that fascinates scientists for its potential applications in human medicine.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameCaudata
OriginNorthern Hemisphere
FamilyMultiple families including Ambystomatidae, Salamandridae

6. Seahorse

Seahorse

Fun Fact: Seahorses are the only animal species in which the male experiences pregnancy and gives birth to the offspring.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameHippocampus
OriginWorldwide in temperate and tropical waters
FamilySyngnathidae

7. Skunk

Skunk

Fun Fact: Skunks are famous for their defensive spray, which is a highly effective deterrent. The spray can reach up to 10 feet and the smell can be detected up to 1.5 miles away.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameMephitidae
OriginAmericas
FamilyMephitidae

8. Sparrow

Sparrow

Fun Fact: Sparrows are highly social and often found in large flocks. In urban areas, they’re known to use human-made structures for nesting.

DetailInformation
Scientific NamePasseridae
OriginWorldwide
FamilyPasseridae

9. Scorpion

Scorpion

Fun Fact: Scorpions can survive a year without food. They have a highly efficient metabolism that allows them to conserve energy.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameScorpiones
OriginWorldwide, especially in deserts and tropical regions
FamilyMultiple families including Buthidae, Scorpionidae

10. Starfish

Starfish

Fun Fact: Starfish can regenerate lost arms, and in some cases, an entire new starfish can grow from a single severed limb.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameAsteroidea
OriginWorldwide oceans
FamilyMultiple families including Asteriidae, Ophidiasteridae

11. Stingray

Fun Fact: Stingrays have a sixth sense! Besides their five traditional senses, they can detect the electrical charges emitted by their prey using special sensors called ampullae of Lorenzini.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameMyliobatiformes
OriginWorldwide in coastal waters
FamilyMultiple families including Dasyatidae, Myliobatidae

12. Snow Leopard

Fun Fact: Snow leopards are unable to roar, a trait that sets them apart from other big cats. Their thick fur and long tail help them survive in the harsh mountainous climates of Central Asia.

DetailInformation
Scientific NamePanthera uncia
OriginCentral and South Asia
FamilyFelidae

13. Sloth Bear

Fun Fact: Sloth bears primarily eat termites and ants, and they have a unique way of eating: they blow away dirt and then suck up the insects with their lips, which act like a vacuum cleaner.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameMelursus ursinus
OriginIndian subcontinent
FamilyUrsidae

14. Saiga

Fun Fact: The saiga antelope has an unusual oversized, flexible nose structure, which helps filter out dust and regulate their blood temperature in the extreme climates of the Eurasian steppes.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameSaiga tatarica
OriginEurasian steppes
FamilyBovidae

15. Serval

Fun Fact: Servals are known for their remarkable jumping ability. They can leap more than 2 meters (6 feet) in the air to catch birds in flight.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameLeptailurus serval
OriginAfrica
FamilyFelidae

16. Sunfish

Fun Fact: The ocean sunfish, or mola mola, is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. It can weigh up to 2,000 kilograms (4,400 pounds)!

DetailInformation
Scientific NameMola mola
OriginWorldwide in temperate and tropical waters
FamilyMolidae

17. Swordfish

Fun Fact: Swordfish are among the fastest fish in the ocean. They can swim at speeds up to 97 km/h (60 mph) and use their long, sword-like bill to slash at their prey.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameXiphias gladius
OriginWorldwide oceans
FamilyXiphiidae

18. Shrimp

Fun Fact: Some species of shrimp can make a loud snapping sound with their claws, so loud that it can stun or even kill small fish.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameDecapoda
OriginWorldwide in marine and freshwater habitats
FamilyMultiple families including Caridea, Dendrobranchiata

19. Snail

Fun Fact: Snails can sleep for up to three years if the weather is not suitable for their survival. They are also known for their slow movement and unique ability to regenerate a lost body part.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameGastropoda
OriginWorldwide
FamilyMultiple families including Helicidae, Achatinidae

20. Sandpiper

Fun Fact: Sandpipers have a unique hunting technique. They use their beaks to detect and capture prey hidden in the wet sand, often appearing to dance as they hunt.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameScolopacidae
OriginWorldwide, especially near water bodies
FamilyScolopacidae

21. Sea Urchin

Fun Fact: Sea urchins have no eyes, yet they can see with their entire body. Their spines and tube feet are sensitive to light, helping them navigate their environment.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameEchinoidea
OriginWorldwide oceans
FamilyMultiple families including Strongylocentrotidae, Echinidae

22. Sea Lion

Fun Fact: Sea lions are highly social animals and can often be seen sunbathing in large groups on shorelines. They are also known for their loud barks.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameOtariidae
OriginPacific coastlines
FamilyOtariidae

23. Sidewinder (Snake)

Fun Fact: The sidewinder snake moves in a unique sideways motion, which helps it navigate and minimize contact with the hot desert sand.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameCrotalus cerastes
OriginDeserts of Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico
FamilyViperidae

24. Sugar Glider

Fun Fact: Sugar gliders are nocturnal marsupials that can glide for distances of over 50 meters (160 feet) between trees, using a membrane between their front and back legs.

DetailInformation
Scientific NamePetaurus breviceps
OriginAustralia, New Guinea, and Tasmania
FamilyPetauridae

25. Saker Falcon

Fun Fact: The saker falcon is one of the fastest birds in the world, reaching speeds of over 300 km/h (186 mph) when diving for prey.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameFalco cherrug
OriginEurasia
FamilyFalconidae

26. Silkworm

Fun Fact: Silkworms are not actually worms but caterpillars of the silk moth. They spin silk cocoons, which are used to produce silk fabric.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameBombyx mori
OriginNorthern China
FamilyBombycidae

27. Siamang

Fun Fact: Siamangs are known for their loud and complex vocalizations. They have a large throat sac that inflates, amplifying their calls across the rainforest.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameSymphalangus syndactylus
OriginMalaysia, Thailand, and Sumatra
FamilyHylobatidae

28. Sea Anemone

Fun Fact: Sea anemones are named after the anemone flower. They are predatory animals, using their colorful tentacles to capture prey.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameActiniaria
OriginWorldwide oceans
FamilyMultiple families including Actiniidae, Stichodactylidae

29. Stinkbug

Fun Fact: Stinkbugs get their name from the unpleasant odor they emit as a defense mechanism against predators.

DetailInformation
Scientific NamePentatomidae
OriginWorldwide
FamilyPentatomidae

30. Siberian Tiger

Fun Fact: The Siberian tiger is the largest of all tiger subspecies and can weigh up to 300 kg (660 lbs). They have thick fur and a layer of fat to survive the harsh Siberian winter.

DetailInformation
Scientific NamePanthera tigris altaica
OriginSiberia, Russia
FamilyFelidae
About
Emily Wolfe

Emily is a lifelong animal lover and the founder of PETS CRAZIES. She started this blog after realizing the great need for quality pet information on the internet. Emily has two dogs, a cat, and two rabbits of her own.

She has a B.S. in Animal Science from Cornell University and is a professional writer specializing in the pet industry. Learn More About Our Team!