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Animal Names

Animals That Start With W (Encounter Exotic Wildlife)

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by Emily Wolfe

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Ever stumbled upon an animal name that starts with ‘W’ and thought, “What on earth could that be?” You’re not alone. The animal kingdom is brimming with surprises, especially when it comes to those starting with the letter ‘W’. Think about it: how often do you come across such names in your daily life?

As we explore these creatures together, you’ll find that the world of ‘W’ animals is not just about names, but about discovery, adaptation, and the sheer wonder of nature. Ready to uncover some of nature’s most intriguing secrets hidden behind a simple letter? Let’s go!

List Of Animals That Start With W

  • Walrus
  • Warthog
  • Weasel
  • Whale
  • Whipray
  • White Rhino
  • Wallaby
  • Wombat
  • Woodpecker
  • Worm
  • Wolverine
  • Water Buffalo
  • Wildebeest
  • Wolf
  • Wrasse
  • Waxwing
  • Weevil
  • Wallaroo
  • Water Dragon
  • Woodlouse
  • Warbler
  • Waterbuck
  • Wood Frog
  • Wahoo (fish)
  • Walking Catfish
  • Wall Gecko
  • Water Strider
  • Wax Moth
  • Weaver Bird
  • Whiptail Lizard

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

1. Walrus

Walrus

Fun Fact: Walruses can slow their heart rate to withstand the cold Arctic water.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameOdobenus rosmarus
OriginArctic regions
FamilyOdobenidae

2. Warthog

Warthog

Fun Fact: Warthogs have been known to allow banded mongooses to clean them of ticks.

DetailInformation
Scientific NamePhacochoerus africanus
OriginSub-Saharan Africa
FamilySuidae

3. Weasel

Weasel

Fun Fact: Weasels have a very high metabolism and need to eat about half their body weight daily.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameMustela
OriginWorldwide, except Australia, Antarctica, and neighboring islands
FamilyMustelidae

4. Whale

Whale

Fun Fact: The blue whale’s heart is so large that a human can swim through its arteries.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameCetacea
OriginWorldwide oceans
FamilyVaries by species

5. Whipray

Whipray

Fun Fact: Whiprays, like other stingrays, have a venomous stinger on their tail for defense.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameHimantura uarnak
OriginTropical Indo-Pacific regions
FamilyDasyatidae

6. White Rhino

White Rhino

Fun Fact: The white rhino is the second largest land mammal after the elephant.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameCeratotherium simum
OriginAfrica
FamilyRhinocerotidae

7. Wallaby

Wallaby

Fun Fact: Wallabies have powerful hind legs and can leap great distances.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameMacropus
OriginAustralia and New Guinea
FamilyMacropodidae

8. Wombat

Wombat

Fun Fact: Wombats have cube-shaped feces, unique in the animal kingdom.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameVombatidae
OriginAustralia
FamilyVombatidae

9. Woodpecker

Woodpecker

Fun Fact: Woodpeckers can peck up to 20 times per second.

DetailInformation
Scientific NamePicidae
OriginWorldwide, except Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions
FamilyPicidae

10. Worm

Worm

Fun Fact: Earthworms have five hearts.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameVarious, e.g., Lumbricina for earthworms
OriginWorldwide
FamilyDepends on species; e.g., Lumbricidae for earthworms

11. Wolverine

Fun Fact: Wolverines are known for their strength and ferocity, capable of taking down prey much larger than themselves.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameGulo gulo
OriginNorthern boreal forests and subarctic and alpine tundra
FamilyMustelidae

12. Water Buffalo

Fun Fact: Domestic water buffaloes are essential to many people in Asia for their milk, meat, and as draft animals.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameBubalus bubalis
OriginSouth Asia, Southeast Asia
FamilyBovidae

13. Wildebeest

Fun Fact: Wildebeests participate in a massive annual migration in the Serengeti, known as one of the “Seven New Wonders of the World.”

DetailInformation
Scientific NameConnochaetes
OriginEastern and Southern Africa
FamilyBovidae

14. Wolf

Fun Fact: Wolves are highly social animals and live in well-structured packs.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameCanis lupus
OriginNorth America, Eurasia
FamilyCanidae

15. Wrasse

Fun Fact: Some wrasses can change their gender during their lifetime.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameLabridae
OriginWorldwide in tropical and temperate waters
FamilyLabridae

16. Waxwing

Fun Fact: Waxwings have a unique diet that can consist largely of fruit.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameBombycilla
OriginNorth America, Eurasia
FamilyBombycillidae

17. Weevil

Fun Fact: Weevils are known for their distinctive long snouts.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameCurculionoidea
OriginWorldwide
FamilyCurculionidae

18. Wallaroo

Fun Fact: Wallaroos are a cross between a wallaby and a kangaroo in size and habits.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameMacropus robustus
OriginAustralia
FamilyMacropodidae

19. Water Dragon

Fun Fact: Australian water dragons can stay submerged for up to 90 minutes.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameIntellagama lesueurii
OriginAustralia
FamilyAgamidae

20. Woodlouse

Fun Fact: Woodlice, also known as pill bugs, can roll into a ball as a defense mechanism.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameArmadillidiidae
OriginWorldwide
FamilyVarious, e.g., Armadillidiidae for pill bugs

21. Warbler

Fun Fact: Warblers are known for their beautiful songs and are among the most colorful birds in North America and Europe.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameSylviidae (Old World), Parulidae (New World)
OriginWorldwide, predominantly in North America and Eurasia
FamilySylviidae, Parulidae

22. Waterbuck

Fun Fact: Waterbucks have a distinctive white ring on their rump, which is often cited as a prominent identification feature.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameKobus ellipsiprymnus
OriginSub-Saharan Africa
FamilyBovidae

23. Wood Frog

Fun Fact: Wood frogs can survive being frozen during winter, with their blood turning into a natural antifreeze.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameLithobates sylvaticus
OriginNorth America
FamilyRanidae

24. Wahoo (fish)

Fun Fact: Wahoo are known for their speed and are highly prized by sport fishermen.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameAcanthocybium solandri
OriginTropical and subtropical oceans worldwide
FamilyScombridae

25. Walking Catfish

Fun Fact: Walking catfish can “walk” on land, moving between water bodies using their pectoral fins.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameClarias batrachus
OriginSoutheast Asia
FamilyClariidae

26. Wall Gecko

Fun Fact: Wall geckos have adhesive toe pads that allow them to climb smooth and vertical surfaces easily.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameTarentola
OriginMediterranean regions, Sub-Saharan Africa
FamilyPhyllodactylidae

27. Water Strider

Fun Fact: Water striders can walk on water, thanks to the surface tension and their long water-repellent legs.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameGerridae
OriginWorldwide
FamilyGerridae

28. Wax Moth

Fun Fact: Wax moths are known for their ability to live in beehives, where they feed on the beeswax.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameGalleria mellonella
OriginWorldwide
FamilyPyralidae

29. Weaver Bird

Fun Fact: Weaver birds are famous for their intricately woven nests, often hanging from tree branches.

DetailInformation
Scientific NamePloceidae
OriginSub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, South Asia
FamilyPloceidae

30. Whiptail Lizard

Fun Fact: Some species of whiptail lizards are entirely female and reproduce through parthenogenesis.

DetailInformation
Scientific NameAspidoscelis
OriginAmericas
FamilyTeiidae
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!