Animal Names

Animals That Start With Y (Meet the Unique and Unusual)

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by Emily Wolfe

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You know, when it comes to animals that start with “Y,” it’s like searching for hidden treasure in a vast jungle. It can be a real head-scratcher! But hey, who doesn’t love a good challenge, right?

But here’s the kicker: there’s more to this topic than meets the eye. You might be thinking, “Yaks and Yetis, right?” Well, hold onto your hat, my friend, because there’s a lot more to explore in this wild animal kingdom.

List Of Animals That Start With Y

  • Yak
  • Yellow Tang
  • Yellow Warbler
  • Yellow-Eyed Penguin
  • Yellow-Bellied Marmot
  • Yabby
  • Yapok
  • Yarará
  • Yucatan Black Howler
  • Yellow-Banded Poison Dart Frog
  • Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoo
  • Yaffle
  • Yamame
  • Yellow-Headed Amazon
  • Yellow-Legged Gull
  • Yellowfin Tuna
  • Yellow-Eyed Ensatina
  • Yonahlossee Salamander
  • Yucatan Squirrel
  • Yellow-Bellied Slider
  • Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
  • Yellow-Throated Marten
  • Yellow-Spotted Amazon River Turtle
  • Yellow-Pine Chipmunk
  • Yellow-Spotted Salamander
  • Yellow-Tailed Woolly Monkey
  • Yellow-Margined Box Turtle
  • Yellow-Collared Lovebird
  • Yellow-Rumped Warbler
  • Yellow-Spotted River Turtle

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

1. Yak

Yak

Fun Fact: Yaks are well-suited for high altitudes and can thrive in the harsh conditions of the Himalayas.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameBos grunniens
OriginTibet and Himalayan region
FamilyBovidae

2. Yellow Tang

Yellow Tang

Fun Fact: Yellow Tangs are famous for their striking yellow color and are often featured in aquariums around the world.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameZebrasoma flavescens
OriginPacific Ocean, Hawaii region
FamilyAcanthuridae

3. Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Fun Fact: These cheerful songbirds are known for their vibrant yellow plumage and sweet melodies.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameSetophaga petechia
OriginNorth and Central America
FamilyParulidae

4. Yellow-Eyed Penguin

Yellow-Eyed Penguin

Fun Fact: Yellow-eyed penguins are one of the rarest penguin species and are native to New Zealand.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameMegadyptes antipodes
OriginNew Zealand
FamilySpheniscidae

5. Yellow-Bellied Marmot

Yellow-Bellied Marmot

Fun Fact: Yellow-bellied marmots are known for their distinctive warning call, which sounds like a whistle.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameMarmota flaviventris
OriginNorth America
FamilySciuridae

6. Yabby

Yabby

Fun Fact: Yabbies are freshwater crustaceans found in Australia, and they’re popular as a culinary delicacy.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameCherax destructor
OriginAustralia
FamilyParastacidae

7. Yapok

Yapok

Fun Fact: Yapoks are semiaquatic marsupials known for their webbed feet and ability to swim underwater.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameChironectes minimus
OriginSouth America
FamilyDidelphidae

8. Yarara

Yarará

Fun Fact: Yararás are venomous pit vipers found in South America, and their bite can be life-threatening.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameBothrops alternatus
OriginSouth America
FamilyViperidae

9. Yucatan Black Howler

Yucatan Black Howler

Fun Fact: These howler monkeys are known for their distinctive vocalizations, which can be heard from miles away.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameAlouatta pigra
OriginCentral America
FamilyAtelidae

10. Yellow-Banded Poison Dart Frog

Yellow-Banded Poison Dart Frog

Fun Fact: These small, vibrant frogs get their name from the toxic secretions on their skin, which indigenous people used to poison blow darts.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameDendrobates leucomelas
OriginSouth America, Venezuela
FamilyDendrobatidae

11. Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoo

Fun Fact: These charismatic birds are known for their striking yellow tail feathers and distinctive calls that echo through Australian forests.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameCalyptorhynchus funereus
OriginAustralia
FamilyCacatuidae

12. Yaffle

Fun Fact: Yaffles, also known as Eurasian green woodpeckers, are recognized for their distinctive laughing call, resembling human laughter.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NamePicus viridis
OriginEurope and Western Asia
FamilyPicidae

13. Yamame

Fun Fact: Yamame is a species of salmonid fish found in clear, cold streams of Japan, prized by anglers for its challenging nature.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameOncorhynchus masou
OriginJapan
FamilySalmonidae

14. Yellow-Headed Amazon

Fun Fact: These parrots are renowned for their vibrant yellow heads and excellent mimicry skills, often imitating human speech.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameAmazona oratrix
OriginCentral America and Mexico
FamilyPsittacidae

15. Yellow-Legged Gull

Fun Fact: Yellow-legged gulls are skilled scavengers known for their opportunistic feeding habits, often found near coastal areas.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameLarus michahellis
OriginMediterranean region
FamilyLaridae

16. Yellowfin Tuna

Fun Fact: Yellowfin tuna are incredibly fast swimmers and are highly sought after in the fishing industry for their delicious, tender meat.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameThunnus albacares
OriginWorldwide, tropical oceans
FamilyScombridae

17. Yellow-Eyed Ensatina

Fun Fact: Ensatina salamanders have striking yellow eyes and are known for their unique ring-shaped distribution across California.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameEnsatina eschscholtzii
OriginCalifornia, USA
FamilyPlethodontidae

18. Yonahlossee Salamander

Fun Fact: Yonahlossee salamanders are a rare and elusive species, with distinct patterns on their bodies, making them intriguing to herpetologists.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NamePlethodon yonahlossee
OriginNorth Carolina, USA
FamilyPlethodontidae

19. Yucatan Squirrel

Fun Fact: Yucatan squirrels are small, agile creatures known for their tree-dwelling habits and playful acrobatics.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameSciurus yucatanensis
OriginMexico, Central America
FamilySciuridae

20. Yellow-Bellied Slider

Fun Fact: These freshwater turtles are popular in the pet trade and are recognizable by their vibrant yellow markings.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameTrachemys scripta scripta
OriginSoutheastern United States
FamilyEmydidae

21. Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

Fun Fact: These nocturnal herons are known for their distinctive yellow crowns and can often be seen foraging along the water’s edge at night.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameNyctanassa violacea
OriginAmericas, from the USA to South America
FamilyArdeidae

22. Yellow-Throated Marten

Fun Fact: Yellow-throated martens are agile tree climbers and are recognized by the striking yellow fur on their throats.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameMartes flavigula
OriginSoutheast Asia, Himalayas
FamilyMustelidae

23. Yellow-Spotted Amazon River Turtle

Fun Fact: These turtles are named after the striking yellow spots on their heads and bodies and are often found in the Amazon Basin.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NamePodocnemis unifilis
OriginAmazon Basin, South America
FamilyPodocnemididae

24. Yellow-Pine Chipmunk

Fun Fact: Yellow-pine chipmunks are known for their energetic behavior and their love for storing food in cheek pouches.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameTamias amoenus
OriginWestern North America
FamilySciuridae

25. Yellow-Spotted Salamander

Fun Fact: These salamanders are identified by their vibrant yellow spots and are a fascinating species in the world of amphibians.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameAmbystoma maculatum
OriginEastern North America
FamilyAmbystomatidae

26. Yellow-Tailed Woolly Monkey

Fun Fact: Yellow-tailed woolly monkeys are known for their bright yellow tails and are found in the treetops of South American rainforests.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameOreonax flavicauda
OriginAndes Mountains, South America
FamilyAtelidae

27. Yellow-Margined Box Turtle

Fun Fact: These turtles have striking yellow markings on their shells and are typically found in freshwater habitats.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameCuora flavomarginata
OriginSoutheast Asia
FamilyGeoemydidae

28. Yellow-Collared Lovebird

Fun Fact: Yellow-collared lovebirds are small parrots known for their colorful plumage and strong pair bonds.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameAgapornis personatus
OriginEast Africa
FamilyPsittaculidae

29. Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Fun Fact: These warblers are easily recognizable by their bright yellow rumps and are a common sight during migration.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NameSetophaga coronata
OriginNorth and Central America
FamilyParulidae

30. Yellow-Spotted River Turtle

Fun Fact: Yellow-spotted river turtles are known for their striking yellow head markings and are found in freshwater rivers.

AttributeDetails
Scientific NamePodocnemis unifilis
OriginSouth America, Amazon Basin
FamilyPodocnemididae
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!