30 Spectacular Animals That Begin With The Letter A 

Grab your animal lovers and get ready to travel the world! Start your exploration of the animal kingdom with the letter A. From the coldest parts of the Artic to the depths of the oceans, we’ll cover them all! You can show your little ones the animal photos and pictures to see if they already know the animal or read the description to see if they can guess what it is before revealing the image! Once you’ve finished, plan some outdoor active time and take animal photos of your own!

1. Aardvark

At the top of our list of animals is the aardvark. Native to sub-Saharan Africa, they have a great sense of smell. They’re nocturnal animals that use their super long, sticky tongue to scoop up termites and ants! 

Learn More: ThoughtCo.

2. African Wild Dog

This is one dog you do not want to pet. These fierce predators roam the plains of Southern Africa. They live in pacts and hunt all kinds of animals. Each dog has its own distinct pattern. To show they agree with a decision in the pact, they sneeze!

Learn More: Flora-Fauna.org

3. Albatross

With a wingspan of up to 11 feet, the Albatross is one of the biggest birds on the planet! They spend most of their lives flying over oceans in search of fish. These magnificent birds are critically endangered due to climate change and the loss of their nesting grounds.

Learn More: Pinterest

4. Alligator

A living dinosaur! Alligators live in the warm climates of North America and China. They live in freshwater, have u-shaped snouts, and are dark green or black. Remember to keep your distance if you see one as they can run up to 35 miles per hour! 

Learn More: Smithsonian’s National Zoo

5. Alpaca

Think of your favorite fuzzy sweater. That’s what an alpaca feels like! Native to Peru, these docile animals are very social and need to live in herds. Their padded feet allow them to walk without disturbing the grass they eat!

Learn More: National Geographic

6. Amazon Parrot

There are over 30 species of Amazon parrots! Their habitat stretches from Mexico and the Caribbean to South America. These American birds are mostly green, with bright accent feathers of all colors. They love eating nuts, seeds, and fruits.

Learn More: Wikipedia

7. American Eskimo Dog

Despite its name, the American eskimo dog is actually German! These super fluffy dogs used to perform in circuses around the world and are super intelligent and energetic. They love doing tricks for their owners!

Learn More: American Kennel Club

8. American Bulldog

These goofballs are a great addition to the family. Descended from a British dog breed, they became American in the 1700s when they were brought over on boats! Super intelligent, they quickly learn commands and love chasing after their favorite humans!

Learn More: American Kennel Club

9. Anaconda

At a whopping 550 pounds and over 29 feet long, anacondas are the largest snakes in the world! They live in Amazonian rivers. They can open their jaws wide enough to eat an entire pig in one bite! They are not venomous but kill their prey by relying on the strength of their constriction abilities.

Learn More: National Geographic

10. Anchovies

Anchovies are small bony fish that live in warm coastal waters. They have a long silver stripe on a blue-green body. Their eggs hatch after only two days! You can find them in coastal waters all over the world. Try some on your pizza!

Learn More: Encyclopedia Britannica

11. Anemone

Did you know an anemone is an animal? It looks like an aquatic plant, but it actually eats fish! There are over 1,000 species of anemones living in coral reefs around the world. Some species provide homes for special kinds of fish, like our clownfish friend Nemo!

Learn More: A-Z Animals

12. Anglerfish

Down in the deepest parts of the oceans live the anglerfish. With an abundance of teeth, these fish look more like monsters than angels! Some live in total darkness and use a little light attached to their head to lure their dinner into their mouth full of sharp teeth!

Learn More: Earth.com

13. Ant

Ants are everywhere! There are over 10,000 species of them and they live in colonies with a queen. While the queen lays eggs, the worker ants go out and collect food. Ants communicate by touching each other’s antennae, which are very sensitive. Some produce pheromones for other ants to follow and be led to food!

Learn More: Next Nature Network

14. Anteater

Somewhere close to an ant habitat in South America, you might find an anteater! Like their name says, they eat up to 30,000 ants in one day! They use their long tongue to swipe the ants out of their nests.

Learn More: San Francisco Zoo

15. Antelope

There are 91 different species of antelope in Africa and Asia. The largest antelope is over 6 feet tall and lives in the savannahs of Southern Africa. They never shed their horns, which means they grow super long. Each species has a different style of horn!

Learn More: A-Z Animals

16. Ape

Apes have hair instead of fur, fingerprints, and opposable thumbs, just like us! Chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas are all apes. They live in families and love picking the bugs off of each other to stay clean. They can even learn sign language!

Learn More: Center for Great Apes

17. Archerfish

Archerfish are small silver fish that live in coastal streams in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. They typically eat water bugs, but they also eat land bugs by shooting down their food with spouts of water that can reach 9 feet in the air! 

Learn More: New Scientist

18. Arabian Cobra

Arabian cobras live on the Arabian Peninsula. These black and brown snakes are super dangerous because of their venom. When they feel threatened, they spread their hood and hiss so if you encounter one in its natural habitat, be sure to leave it alone!

Learn More: A-Z Animals

19. Arctic Fox

Up in the snowy Arctic lives the Arctic fox. Their fluffy coats keep them warm during the Winter season and their fur turns brown in the Summer! This lets them hide from predators. They typically eat rodents, but sometimes follow polar bears for some tasty leftovers!

Learn More: World Wildlife Fund

20. Armadillo

This cute little animal roams around North and South America. They live on a diet of bugs and grubs. Its bony plates of armor protect it from predators and when they feel threatened, they roll into a ball to keep itself safe!

Learn More: National Wildlife Federation

21. Asian Elephant

Smaller than their African cousins, Asian elephants live in the forests of Southeast Asia. They love eating all kinds of plants. They live in herds led by the oldest female elephant. Female elephants are pregnant for 18 to 22 months! That’s twice as long as humans!

Learn More: Smithsonian National Zoo

23. Asian Lady Beetle

Have you seen an orange ladybug before? If you have, it was actually an Asian lady beetle! Originally native to Asia, it became an invasive species in the U.S. during the 1990s. In the Fall they love to find warm places for the Winter, like your attic, where they create a bad smell and stain things yellow.

Learn More: University of Kentucky

23. Asiatic Black Bear 

Also known as a moon bear, the Asiatic black bear lives in the mountains of East Asia. They use their sharp teeth to eat nuts, fruits, honey, and birds. They have a black body with a unique white marking on their chest that looks like a crescent moon!

Learn More: Encyclopedia Britannica

24. Asp

An asp is a venomous brown snake that lives in Europe. They love lying in warm sunny spots in hilly areas. They have triangular-shaped heads and fangs that rotate. It was once considered a symbol of royalty in ancient Egypt!

Learn More: A-Z Animals

25. Assassin Bug

Assassin bugs are bloodsuckers! Gardeners love them because they eat other pests. Some have brown bodies whilst others have elaborate colored markings. They have sticky front legs to help them catch other bugs. There are over 100 kinds in North America!

Learn More: ThoughtCo.

26. Atlantic Salmon

The “King of Fish” starts life as a freshwater fish before heading out to sea. During the breeding season, they head back upstream to lay their eggs! They used to live all across the Northeast of the U.S, however, due to pollution and overfishing, there are hardly any left in the wild.

Learn More: NOAA Fisheries

27. Atlas Beetle

This massive beetle is native to Southeast Asia. The male beetles can grow up to 4 inches long and are the strongest creature on Earth in proportion to their body size! They’re herbivores and harmless to humans!

Learn More: Kidadl

28. Australian Shepherd

These dogs aren’t actually Australian. They’re American! They became popular from their performances at rodeos. Many have two different colored eyes and naturally short tails!

Learn More: American Kennel Club

29. Axolotl

These adorable salamanders stay teenagers their whole lives! They live in freshwater in Mexico, where they eat fish and bugs. They can regrow entire parts of their body and there are only a few thousand left in the wild.

Learn More: World Wildlife Fund

30. Aye-Aye

The aye-aye is a nocturnal animal that lives in Madagascar. They use one super long finger to tap on trees to find bugs! They spend most of their lives in trees. Thought to once be extinct, they were rediscovered in 1957!

Learn More: How Stuff Works