Do you have an animal lover in your home? This list of Awesome Animals that Start with A has plenty of animal facts that will excite friends and family of all ages! See what interesting facts you discover about these animals that begin with A.
For even more fun with animals, check out our Animals that Begin with K and our 2Animals That Begin with L lists.
Common Animals that Begin with A
There are so many animals that begin with A. Here are some of the most common ones! Check out these fun facts about each one!
Aardvark
Did you know that during the day, aardvarks are mostly blind due to bad eyesight and color blindness? Even cooler is that their eyesight improves at night when they’re most active. These nocturnal animals love to dig up termite mounds and ant hills for a midnight snack!
Alligator
Because alligators are so big, most people think that they are constantly hunting for their next meal. Alligators actually only eat once a week! They have a very slow metabolism due to being cold-blooded. That means that their bodies take all week to digest their last meal! In the wild, alligators can go months without eating. In extreme cases, they could even go years without food, if they had to!
Anaconda
The green anaconda is the largest snake in the world! They can grow over 25 feet long and weigh almost 500 pounds. Anacondas are part of the constrictor family, which means they wrap around their prey and squeeze it until it stops breathing. That’s one killer hug!
Angelfish
These heavenly fish live in the coral reef. They can be up to 12 inches long and weigh 2 pounds. Just like human hair changes color when they get older, angelfish scales can change their color as they age. Their color isn’t the only thing they can change, though. Angelfish are protogynous hermaphrodites. That means that female angelfish change into male fish at some point in their lifespan!
Ant
Ants are remarkable little weight builders! They can carry up to 50 times their body weight at one time! All of those muscles are used to build colonies dedicated to keeping their queen safe from harm. Have you ever tried caviar? Apparently it’s not just made out of fish eggs! In some parts of the world, ant pupae are eaten as a form of insect caviar!
Anteater
Like the aardvark, anteaters love to munch on termites and ants. They also love to eat eggs, fruit, and other insects. Because they have no teeth, they rely on their long, spiky tongues to gather food. Their noses also help act as a vacuum to suck the ants toward their mouths!
Antelope
Even though antelope look a lot like deer, they’re actually part of the Bovidae family, which includes buffalo, cattle, and goats. Antelopes are very good sprinters! Impalas are a part of the antelope family. They use short bursts of speed to get away from their natural predators, like lions and tigers. Impalas are the second fastest mammal in the world, right behind cheetahs!
Ape
Apes are extremely intelligent. That’s probably because they share 98% of the same DNA as humans! Chimpanzees are most like humans and learn from each other. They even like to fit in with each other. If one chimp puts a piece of grass behind her ear, so will the others! They must have felt like quite the fashionistas!
Armadillo
Armadillos are covered in a hard outer shell, made out of bone. This “armor” gives armadillos their name! Armadillo means “little armored one.” More importantly, however, the armor provides protection from predators, like coyotes and alligators. If you see an armadillo in the wild, you’re going to want to leave it alone. Armadillos can spread leprosy, a gruesome skin infection. It’s not something you want to get!
Asian Elephant
Asian Elephants are an endangered species. There are only about 50,000 left in the world! If you’re lucky, you might be able to see one of these majestic beasts at the zoo. Asian elephants can use their trunks to drink water. These huge straws can hold over two gallons of water at one time!
Atlantic Salmon
After an Atlantic salmon hatches, they spend their first few months of life growing strong enough to head out into the open waters. They live their lives exploring the big blue sea but always return to the same place where they were hatched to spawn their own eggs. Scientists think that salmon have a sense of magnetism that draws them back home to have their babies in a safe place.
Axolotl
Axolotls are only found in one place in the whole world! Lake Xochimilco in Mexico is where the critically endangered axolotls prefer to call home. One of the coolest things about these slimy amphibians is that they come in all kinds of color patterns. There are even pink ones! Axolotls always look like they’re smiling because their mouths turn up at the corner.
Dogs that begin with A
No list of animals would be complete without man’s best friend! These lovable furballs make great pets and would be the perfect addition to any home. Did you know there were so many different types of dogs that begin with A?
- Affenpinscher
- Afghan Hound
- Ainu Dog
- Airedale Terrier
- Airedoodle
- Akbash
- Akita Shepherd
- Alabai (Central Asian Shepherd)
- Alaskan Husky
- Alaskan Klee Kai
- Alaskan Malamute
- Aidi
- Alpine Dachsbracke
- Alusky
- American Coonhound
- American Alsatian
- American Bulldog
- American Bully
- American Cocker Spaniel
- American Eskimo Dog
- American Foxhound
- American Leopard Hound
- Alaskan Shepherd
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- American Pugabull
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- American Wirehair
- American Water Spaniel
- Anatolian Shepherd Dog
- Appenzeller Dog
- Apple Head Chihuahua
- Armenian Gampr
- Aussiedoodle
- Aussiedor
- Aussiepom
- Australian Bulldog
- Australian Kelpie Dog
- Australian Labradoodle
- Australian Retriever
- Australian Shepherd
- Australian Shepherd Mix
- Australian Terrier
- Australian Cattle Dog
Zoo Animals that Begin with A
Make sure to check out this list of Zoo Animals that Begin with A before your next zoo trip! Make a list of how many you discover on your next zoo adventure.
- Addax
- African Bullfrog
- African Bush Elephant
- African Forest Elephant
- African Clawed Frog
- African Grey Parrot
- African Wild Dog
- African Penguin
- Agama Lizard
- Agkistrodon Contortrix
- Amazon Parrot
- Albino (Amelanistic) Corn Snake
- Aldabra Giant Tortoise
- Alpaca
- Amazon Tree Boa
- Alpine Goat
- American Eel
- American Pygmy Goat
- American Toad
- Amur Leopard
- Anemone
- Anglerfish
- Arapaima
- Archerfish
- Arctic Fox
- Argentine Black and White Tegu
- Argentine Horned Frog
- Aruba Rattlesnake
- Asiatic Black Bear
- Atlantic Puffin
Uncommon Animals that Begin with A
Here are even more animals that begin with A that you may not have heard of yet! How many of these have you heard of! Let us know!
- Abalone
- Abyssinian Cat
- Abyssinian Guinea Pig
- Acadian Flycatcher
- Achrioptera Manga
- Ackie Monitor
- Adelie Penguin
- Admiral Butterfly
- Aesculapian Snake
- African Civet
- African Fish Eagle
- African Golden Cat
- African Jacana
- African Palm Civet
- African Sugarcane Borer
- African Tree Toad
- Africanized bee (killer bee)
- Agouti
- Alaskan Pollock
- Albacore Tuna
- Albatross
- Albertonectes
- Allosaurus
- Amano Shrimp
- Amargasaurus
- Amazon River Dolphin (Pink Dolphin)
- Amazonian Royal Flycatcher
- Amberjack
- Ambrosia Beetle
- American Cockroach
- American Dog Tick
- American Paddlefish
- American Robin
- Amethystine Python (Scrub Python)
- Amphicoelias Fragillimus
- Anchovy
- Andrewsarchus
- Angelshark
- Angled Sunbeam Caterpillar
- Angora Ferret
- Angora Goat
- Anhinga
- Anna’s Hummingbird
- Anole Lizard
- Anomalocaris
- Antiguan Racer Snake
- Apennine Wolf
- Apple Moth
- Arabian Cobra
- Arabian Wolf
- Arafura File Snake
- Arambourgiania
- Archaeoindris
- Archaeopteryx
- Archaeotherium
- Archelon Turtle
- Arctic Char
- Arctic Hare
- Arctic Wolf
- Arctodus
- Armadillo Lizard
- Argentavis Magnificens
- Argentinosaurus
- Arizona Bark Scorpion
- Arizona Black Rattlesnake
- Arizona Blonde Tarantula
- Arizona Coral Snake
- Armored Catfish
- Armyworm
- Arsinoitherium
- Arthropleura
- Ashy Mining Bee
- Asian Arowana
- Asian Carp
- Asian Cockroach
- Asian Giant Hornet
- Asian Lady Beetle
- Asian Longhorn Beetle
- Asian Palm Civet
- Asian Vine Snake
- Asian Water Monitor
- Asp
- Asp Caterpillar
- Assassin Bug
- Assassin Snail
- Atlantic Cod
- Atlantic Sturgeon
- Atlas Beetle
- Atlas Moth
- Aurochs
- Australian Cockroach
- Australian Firehawk
- Australian Flathead Perch
- Australian Gecko
- Australian Mist
- Australopithecus
- Avocet
- Axanthic Ball Python
- Ayam Cemani
- Azawakh
There you have it! A huge list of animals that begin with A 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 A 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.