Lions and ligers and lemurs, oh my! The world of Animals That Begin With L is filled with many unique and fascinating creatures. Parents love when their kids are motivated to learn, and animals are a great way to light that spark. Check out this list of animals that begin with L to see which animals your child loves the most. Wait until you hear the facts about animals that begin with L.
Find more fun animals by searching our animals that start with K and our animals that start with J lists as well!
Common Animals That Start With L
There are so many well known animals that begin with L. Check out this list with some fun facts about each animal.
Labrador Retriever
Everyone loves a sweet family dog! That’s exactly what a Labrador Retriever is. They love to play with their human family. They wouldn’t make a very good guard dog, however. They love all people! The Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed in the United States. The Labrador Retriever, or Lab, was bred to be a good duck-hunting dog. They are excellent at swimming and love water, too! Labs also make great service dogs because they are loyal to their owners. When they have a job to do, they put their whole mind to it! As service dogs, their owner’s needs are their number one priority.
Ladybug
There are over 5,000 different kinds of ladybugs in the world! They’re also called “ladybirds” because their hard shells flutter as they fly. Ladybugs are bright red with black spots. While this makes them pretty to look at, their bright colors have an important purpose. The color acts as the first line of defense against predators. They say, “Go away! I’m scary and not tasty at all!” Ladybugs are great for growing crops and other plants. They love to eat the insects that destroy plants, like aphids. They’ve even been to outer space when NASA wanted to see how they would act with no gravity!
Largemouth Bass
The Largemouth Bass got its name because of its huge mouth! Largemouth bass live in freshwater all around the United States. This makes them the most popular fish for people to try catching when fishing. They are the biggest type of bass. The biggest one that ever existed weighed over 25 pounds! Largemouth bass are carnivores. They eat small fish, frogs, worms, and even snakes! Girl bass will lay eggs in nests that the boy bass has made. The boy bass will even guard the nest until the baby fish are big enough to swim out on their own!
Lamb
“Lamb” is the name of a baby sheep. When they are about a year old, they are called sheep. Boy lambs are called “rams.” A girl lamb is called a “ewe,” pronounced like “you.” People use lambs for all kinds of different things! Their hair, or wool, can be used to make fabric. Clothes made out of wool help people stay cool in hot weather or warm in the winter. People also use their milk to drink or make cheese! One cool thing about lambs is that they have four different areas in their stomachs. This allows them to fully digest all their food and keep from getting sick!
Lark
A lark is a type of songbird. They are best known for carrying a beautiful tune everywhere they fly. They love to “whistle while they work” and are constantly tweeting a happy melody. There is only one kind of lark that lives in the United States. It’s called the “Horned Lark.” They get their name because the boy larks have small, black feathers on their heads like horns. Larks are happy and playful birds. If you’ve ever heard the phrase “on a lark,” it’s referencing this bird! It means doing something fun spontaneously.
Leatherback Sea Turtle
The Leatherback Sea Turtle is the biggest turtle in the whole world! Fully grown leatherback turtles can weigh up to one thousand pounds! They can also grow up to six feet long. That’s as long as a grown man! Leatherback turtles also live a long time. They can live more than fifty years! Girl turtles migrate every two years to warm beaches to lay a nest of eggs called clutches. Two months later, baby turtles, called “hatchlings,” break through the eggs and work hard to get to the water from the safety of their nests.
Lemur
This large-eyed primate from Madagascar looks like a combination of monkey, fox, and raccoon! Some lemurs even have rings on their tails, like raccoons. Like many monkeys, lemurs like to spend most of their time in trees. There, they feast on fruit, bugs, and bird eggs. Lemurs like to live in small groups. A group of lemurs is called a “conspiracy!” This might be because they work together to trick predators into leaving them alone. Lemurs are an endangered species, but if you go to the zoo, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to see one!
Leopard
Leopards are big cats that live in the wilds of Africa and Asia. They’re easily identified by looking at their fur! They’re light orange with brown spots all over their bodies. Even though they are like other big cats in many ways, there is one big difference. Leopards prefer to live all by themselves. The only time they live in groups is when they have babies around. Otherwise, they like to go off on their own to hunt and live their lives. A baby leopard, called a “cub,” is old enough to go out on his own when he is about two years old.
Leopard Gecko
Leopard geckos are another popular pet for families! They’re spotted all over like the leopard cat. Leopard geckos use their skin-like armor to protect them from sandy deserts and rocks in their natural environment. Leopard geckos shed it every month because their skin is so important to keep them safe. This keeps their skin fresh and ready to protect them! Leopard geckos eat all kinds of insects. If you have one as a pet, you’ll probably feed it crickets and mealworms from the pet store. One exciting thing about leopard geckos is that they can regrow their tail if it gets broken or falls off in a fight.
Llama
Although Llamas were initially found in the Andes Mountains in South America, today, we can find them all over the world. Some people even keep these goofy mammals as their pets! Llamas are closely related to camels, and they even look pretty similar! Unlike Sally the Camel, however, Llamas do not have a hump to carry extra water. They prefer to drink it the old-fashioned way! Llamas live together in herds, treating each other like a human family. They can live 15-25 years. All llamas are herbivores and mostly eat hay and grass.
Leopard Seal
Leopard Seals live in the Southern Hemisphere, in the Antarctic. They prefer to live in waters where they can float on large sheets of ice! Leopard seals are apex predators, which means that they are high on the food chain. Their only worry is to stay away from killer whales, who think they are a tasty dinner. Leopard seals primarily eat penguins but will eat just about any animal they can get their mouths on. This even includes sharks! Leopard seals are so strong they can break through a sheet of ice to grab a penguin out of the water!
Lion
Lions are the pride of the Savanna, where they can be found living in large groups. In fact, a group of girl lions is called a pride! There’s usually only one or two boys in a pride. The lionesses (girl lions) are responsible for taking care of the young lions (called cubs) and hunting for food. When a male lion turns 2, they find their own pride to join. Lions hunt large animals to eat. They are so strong that they can even hunt animals that are three times their size! The whole pride joins in the feast when the lionesses bring food back to the group.
Lobster
Lobsters are a part of the ocean family known as crustaceans. They have a hard outer shell called an exoskeleton. This acts as thick armor to protect the lobster from predators. Lobsters are scavengers. They prefer to eat food that is easy to find, like dead animals and seaweed. They will hunt for live fish if they need to, however! Most lobsters are about 5-6 pounds, but some weigh as much as 40 pounds! That’s the size of a preschooler! Lobsters can live a very long time. Some of the oldest lobsters are more than 100 years old!
Locust
Locusts are a type of grasshopper. They live in large groups that travel together in swarms. This is very dangerous for farmers. The locusts love to eat their crops and can destroy an entire farm. Locusts travel long distances in their swarms and eat crops as they travel. In history, stories say that locusts were plagues that caused famine. A famine is when there is not enough food for people to eat. Today, locusts are found all over the world. Luckily, there hasn’t been a plague of locusts since the 1870s in the United States. Scientists study their habits so that people can be prepared if a swarm comes again.
Longhorn cattle
You know you’ve found a longhorn cattle when you see the wide span of its horns. Some of them have horns that spread more than eight feet apart! The Longhorns were brought to the United States by conquistadores from Spain around the time of Christopher Columbus. They brought them to Texas, where the longhorn is the state mammal! The longhorn cattle is excellent at living in hot weather with little water, which makes Texas and the Southwestern part of the United States the perfect place for them to live.
Lynx
There are four different species of lynx. You are most likely to be aware of the bobcat in the United States. In Europe, the Iberian lynx is the most endangered feline in the world! There are less than 300 worldwide. Lynx are nocturnal, which means that they like to be awake at night and sleep during the day. They’re also very quiet cats, which makes them a deadly hunter at night. Their favorite foods are wild rabbits, deer, and birds. Most lynx cubs are born in litters of four during the springtime. They live to be about 12 years old.
Lovebird
Ah, lovebirds. With such a sweet-sounding name, it makes sense that they are a popular pet among bird lovers! Lovebirds get their name because they find their mate early on and devote themselves to them for the rest of their lives. They are best friends and become very sad if they are ever separated. Lovebirds are tiny parrots that are about six inches tall. Although lovebirds are very vocal, they do not speak words. They love to talk to each other and become very “chatty” with their friends! Lovebirds like a variety of foods, such as fruit, vegetables, and even some human food!
Zoo Animals That Start With L
Did you know that there were so many zoo animals that start with L? How many of these animals have you seen on your most recent trip to the zoo?
- Lake Sturgeon
- LaMancha Goat
- Langur
- Lappet-faced Vulture
- Lapwing
- Large carpenter bee.
- Large flying fox
- Largehead gecko
- Largemouthed kangaroo rat
- Laughing Kookaburra
- Leaf beetle
- Leaf insect
- Leaf-Tailed Gecko
- Leafcutter Ant
- Leafcutter Bee
- Leafy Sea Dragon
- Leghorn Chicken
- Leopard Frog
- Leopard Lizard
- Leopard Shark
- Leopard Tortoise
- Lesser flamingo
- Liger
- Lined seahorse
- Lion-tailed macaque
- Lion’s Mane Jellyfish
- Lionfish
- Litter beetle
- Litter skink
- Little blue heron
- Little Brown Bat
- Little Penguin
- Little tern
- Lizard
- Llama-like guanaco
- Loggerhead Shrike
- Long-tailed mongoose
- Long-tailed shrew
- Longnose Gar
- Lop rabbit
- Lorikeet
- Lory
- Louisiana pine snake
- Lowland anoa
- Lowland streaked tenrec
- Lowland Tapir
- Lungfish
Other Animals That Start With L
There are so many animals that start with L that are not known by that many. See how many of these animals have you heard of or seen?
- La Plata dolphin
- Labahoula
- Labmaraner
- Labout’s Fairy Wrasse
- Labrabull
- Labradane
- Labradoodle
- Labraheeler
- Labrottie
- Lace Bug
- Lace Monitor
- Laced Woodpecker
- Lacewing
- Lady Amherst’s Pheasant
- Ladyfish
- Lagorchestes
- Lagotto Romagnolo
- Lake Cumberland snake
- Lake Trout
- Lake whitefish
- Lakeland Terrier
- Lakenvelder cattle
- Lakenvelder chicken
- Lammergeier
- Lamprey
- Lancashire Heeler
- Lancetfish
- Land snail
- Landrace pig
- Landseer Newfoundland
- Lappet moth
- Lanternfish
- Lanternfly
- Laotian water dragon
- Lapponian Herder
- Larder Beetle
- Laredo striped whiptail
- Large milkweed bug
- Large Munsterlander
- Large white butterfly
- Large White pig
- Large-billed crow
- Largehead hairtail
- Latastia longicaudata
- Laughing gull
- Lavender Albino Ball Python
- Lawnmower Blenny
- Laying hen
- Lazarus Lizard
- Lazuli bunting
- Leach’s storm-petrel
- Leaf miner
- Leaf-scaled sea snake
- Leaffooted bug
- Leafhopper assassin bug
- Least chipmunk
- Least flycatcher
- Least sandpiper
- Least weasel
- Leech
- Leicester Longwool sheep
- Leedsichthys
- Leichhardt’s Grasshopper
- Lemming
- Lemon Blast Ball Python
- Lemon Cuckoo Bumblebee
- Lemon dove
- Lemon Shark
- Leonberger
- Leopard Cat
- Leptocephalus
- Lesser Antillean iguana
- Lesser earless lizard
- Lesser grain borer
- Lesser Jacana
- Lesser kestrel
- Lesser kudu
- Lesser scaup
- Lesser spotted woodpecker
- Lesser stag beetle
- Lesser water boatman
- Levaillant’s Cuckoo
- Lhasa Apso
- Lichtenstein’s sand racer
- Lilac-breasted roller
- Limestone brown
- Limousin cattle
- Limpet
- Limpkin
- Lincoln sheep
- Lionhead rabbit
- Lineback Cattle
- Lined day gecko
- Lined snake
- Linnet
- Liopleurodon
- Lipizzan horse
- Little egret
- Little file snake
- Little grebe
- Little owl
- Little skate
- Little spotted kiwi
- Livyatan
- Lizardfish
- Loach
- Lleyn sheep
- Loggerhead sea turtle
- Lohmann Brown chicken
- Lohmann Tierzucht chicken
- Lone Star Tick
- Long arm octopus
- Long arm squid
- Long barbel goatfish
- Long snouted pipefish
- Long-beaked common dolphin
- Long-billed corella
- Long-billed curlew
- Long-billed dowitcher
- Long-billed Thrasher
- Long-billed vulture
- Long-eared flying squirrel
- Long-eared hedgehog
- Long-eared jerboa
- Long-Eared Owl
- Long-fingered bat
- Long-finned pilot whale
- Long-Haired Rottweiler
- Long-horned orb-weaver spider
- Long-horned woodchuck
- Long-legged buzzard
- Long-nosed Armadillo
- Long-nosed Bandicoot
- Long-nosed leopard lizard
- Long-nosed potoroo
- Long-nosed tree snake
- Long-snouted dolphin
- Long-snouted Seahorse
- Long-tailed brush lizard
- Long-tailed chinchilla
- Long-Tailed Duck
- Long-tailed macaque
- Long-tailed marmot
- Long-tailed mealybug
- Long-tailed planigale
- Long-tailed pocket mouse
- Long-tailed pygmy possum
- Long-Tailed Tit
- Long-tailed tree mouse
- Long-tailed weasel
- Long-toed salamander
- Long-Winged Kite Spider
- Longfin bannerfish
- Longfin Mako Shark
- Longfin tuna
- Longhaired Guinea Pig
- Longhorn beetle
- Longnose lancetfish
- Longnose sucker
- Longsnout seahorse
- Longspine squirrelfish
- Longspur
- Longtail tuna
- Longtooth grouper
- Loon
- Louisiana heron
- Lophelia coral
- Louse
- Louvar
- Lowchen
- Lowland paca
- Loxostege sticticalis
- Luminous hake
- Luminous shrimp
- Lumpfish
- Lumpsucker
- Luna Moth Caterpillar
- Lunkarya Guinea Pig
- Lurcher
- Lusitano horse
- Lycra lobster
- Lyrebird
- Lykoi Cat
- Lynx spider
- Lystrosaurus
There you have it! A huge list of animals that begin with L to learn and to have fun exploring with the kids. Did we forget an animal? Be sure to add any other animals that begin with L to the list!
Do you want to learn about other interesting animals? Be sure to check out our other lists of animals!
- Awesome Animals that Start with A
- 230 Curious Animals That Start With C
- 115 Exciting Animals That Start With E
- 184 Intriguing Animals that Start with G
- 128 Fascinating Animals That Begin with J
- 187 Amazing Animals that Begin with K
- 249 Interesting Animals That Begin with L
- 163 Marvelous Animals that Start with M
- 373 Spectacular Animals that Start with S
- 155 Terrific Animals that Start with T
- 98 Wonderful Animals that Start with W
- 24 X-cellent Animals That Start With X
- 32 Fantastic Animals That Start With Y
Michele Tripple is a renowned author and expert in the fields of parenting, relationships, and personal development. With her degree in marriage and family studies, her experience as a Family Life Educator, and over a decade of experience as a professional writer, Michele has authored books that provide practical advice and insights into improving family dynamics and personal growth. Her work is celebrated for its blend of research-driven information and relatable, real-world applications. Michele has been a keynote speaker at conferences and has contributed to numerous publications and media outlets, solidifying her reputation as an authoritative voice in her field and helping families build relationships.