100+ Animals That Start With R
Last Updated on May 21, 2023 by Shu
Exploring the Realm of Animals that Start with the Letter ‘R’
Looking for the best list of animals that start with R?
Which animal comes to mind when you first think of the letter R? Rabbit? Raccoon? Or how about Rattlesnake? In this article we’ll review the top 100 animals that start with the letter R.
The letter R includes some of the most rare and remarkable creatures in the world!
Have you heard of the Rhea, Ruff and Ribbon Seal? I bet there are a few new R animals you’ll find on this list.
Let’s get you acquainted with some animals that begin with the letter ‘R’ and discover their uniqueness and significance to the environment.
The Rulers of the Animal Kingdom: Top 15 Animals that Start with the Letter ‘R’
There are creatures that really stand out in the animal kingdom. Get to know more of them by starting with the most remarkable creatures beginning with the letter ‘R.’
Rabbit
Rabbits are furry mammals with long ears, four limbs, and incisor teeth to munch on food. They also share similarities to hares, but you can easily differentiate one from the other. Hares are bigger and heavier than rabbits and have longer back legs and ears than them. While hares love building grassy nests above the ground, rabbits dig the earth and dwell in tunnels or warrens. Rabbits are also social creatures; they love co-inhabiting with other rabbits, unlike hares that live in solitude.
Raccoon
This small-to-medium-sized mammal has black-and-white frizzy fur. You can also recognize a raccoon for its black “mask” surrounding its eyes. Raccoons have rounded ears, and their tails are also long and striped. So, what’s different about raccoons? Despite the lack of thumbs, these creatures use their ultra-sensitive hands to lift objects and feed themselves. Raccoons inhabit many forests of North America or areas near bodies of water.
Ram
A ram is a male bighorn sheep. It has a brown-coated body and two big curvy horns. Not only are rams heavy, but their horns are particularly hefty, each one weighing up to 13 kilograms. In fact, their horns are heavier than all of their bones combined. They love hanging out in groups consisting of other male bighorn sheep.
Rat
Rats are some of the most abundant rodents in the world. Most species have dark grey fur and a pointed snout. Since rats don’t sweat, they have long tails that help them regulate body temperature. They also use these tails to fight off predators. Their population is overflowing that they’ve been considered as pests in various areas. However, some religious cultures still treasure rats as significant or godsend creatures.
Rattlesnake
The rattlesnake is a venomous reptile best recognized for the rattling sound it produces. This unique noise comes from the rattlesnake’s loose segmented tail made of keratin. Every time a rattlesnake feels threatened or wants to warn predators, it uses the shaker muscles on the tip of its tail to vibrate very rapidly. They also use their curved fangs to bite their enemies.
Ray
Rays are large marine creatures with flat bodies, broad pectoral fins and long pointed tails. They take advantage of their flattened physical features to camouflage with the sandy seabed. They also use their slender tails to move along the water. However, some rays have venomous spiky tails used against predators.
Red Panda
Contrary to the black-and-white giant pandas that you know, red pandas are small mammals with reddish-orange, black and white fur. People might mistake red pandas as raccoons for their bushy striped tails and the uncanny facial resemblance. However, red pandas are neither raccoons nor giant pandas. They are actually members of the Ailuridae family, which are also related to raccoons and bearcats. Unfortunately, red pandas are endangered creatures that dwell in the forests of the Himalayan Mountains and southwestern China.
Reindeer
Reindeer, or caribou, is a large, four-legged mammal related to antelopes and deer. However, both male and female reindeer grow big antlers atop their heads. Because most reindeer live in cold habitats, they have greyish-brown and hairy bodies, even up to their hooves. They also search for lichen beneath the snow and eat them during winter.
Reticulated Python
The largest and heaviest living snake is no other than the reticulated python. This reptile can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh up to 200 kilograms. It also got its name from the network-like or reticulated and asymmetrical pattern on its dark brown scaly skin. Reticulated pythons are nonvenomous snakes, yet they suffocate their prey using their powerful body muscles. A single reticulated python can kill big animals like alligators within a few minutes.
Rhea
Rhea, or the greater rhea, is a big, flightless South American bird, similar to ostriches and emus. However, they are comparably smaller than ostriches and have shorter necks than both ostriches and emus. Rheas are also tridactyl birds or animals with three toes on each leg. They also have greyish-brown feathers.
Rhinoceros
The rhinoceros or rhino is a massive, grey thick-skinned mammal native in South Africa. Rhinoceros are ungulates or animals with hooved legs. However, they are odd-toed, having an unequal number of toes on their stocky limbs. Rhinos have stubby bodies and a large ivory tusk atop their muzzles. Because of their horns, poachers have been hunting them, thereby causing a drastic decline in their population.
Rhinoceros Beetle
This big-sized polished beetle got its name from the male’s large horn on its head that looks like a rhino’s tusk. It also has another horn, which is way smaller than the primary one. Meanwhile, the female rhino beetle doesn’t have any horn or bump on its head but has a red hairy abdomen.
Rhino beetles are also among the strongest animals on earth; their exoskeletons are so hard that they can carry anything 850 times their weight.
Ribbon Seal
Ribbon seals look similar to ringed seals and spotted seals. However, they are unique for their thick dark brown or black fur with wide white or pale brown “ribbons” or bands all over their bodies. Ribbon seals are also relatively smaller compared to the other two seal species. They live near the icy coasts in the North Pacific Ocean and feed on crustaceans and small fish most of the time.
Royal Penguin
This large-bodied bird is a tall yellow-and-black crested penguin native to the Macquarie Island in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. A thin yellow layer also surrounds their eyes and beak. Royal penguins have a bizarre mating ritual; the male searches for the smoothest pebble and uses it to “propose” to the female. Royal penguins also love rocky beaches because they use rocks to build an abode for their offspring.
Ruff
Ruffs are members of the sandpiper family or a group of wading birds with long beaks, slender legs, stubby bellies, and very short feathered tails. However, a ruff’s neck has a frill-like collar. Its black feathers also have white or pale yellow borders, giving them an asymmetrically netted pattern.
Animals with Ridiculous Names that Start with the Letter ‘R’
Don’t miss learning about these creatures with utterly ridiculous names that start with the letter ‘R.’
- Ragamuffin Cat
- Ragdoll
- Rain Frog
- Red-footed Booby
- Red Acouchi
- Rhebok
- Ribbon Eel
- Ringneck Coffee Snake
- Roadrunner
- Robber Fly
- Roly-poly
- Rose’s Ghost Frog
- Rosy Boa
- Ruby-cheeked Sunbird
- Rufous Cacholote
Rare Creatures that Start with the Letter ‘R’
These weird creatures will make your jaws drop for their freakish yet astonishing features and habits.
- Railer Bat
- Ratel
- Red-handed Tamarin
- Red-lipped Batfish
- Red-spotted Blenny
- Red Hills Salamander
- Red Lionfish
- Red Sheep
- Red Uakari
- Reef Gecko
- Ring-tailed Cat
- Ringed Map Turtle
- Rockfish
- Roseate Spoonbill
- Russian Bear Dog
Creatures with Unrivaled Cuteness: Animals that Start with the Letter ‘R’
Check out the cutest animals that begin with the letter ‘R.’
- Racket-tailed Coquette
- Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
- Rainbow Lorikeet
- Red Fox
- Red Squirrel
- Red Tree Vole
- Red-eyed Tree Frog
- Redthroat
- Ribbon-tailed Drongo
- Robin
- Rock Sparrow
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Roseate Cockatoo
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Rusty-spotted Cat
Tiny but Remarkable Animals that Start with the Letter ‘R’
Being small isn’t a big deal to these 15 tiny animals that start with the letter ‘R.’
- Rain Quail
- Rat Flea
- Raven
- Red Knee Tarantula
- Red-bellied Newt
- Red-bodied Swallowtail
- Red-headed River Turtle
- 8. Red-winged Blackbird
- 9. Redback Spider
- Redbelly Earth Runner
- Reddish Hermit
- Redshank
- Rennell Fantail
- Ringed Woodpecker
- Robust Frog
Real-life Giants: Large Animals that Start with the Letter ‘R’
Here are 15 of the biggest creatures in the animal kingdom.
- Red Howler Monkey
- Red King Crab
- Red River Hog
- Red-legged Cormorant
- Red-necked Wallaby
- Reef Shark
- Rhesus Macaque
- Rhim Gazelle
- Risso’s Dolphin
- Roan Antelope
- Rock Crab
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Roe Deer
- Rough-toothed Dolphin
- Russian Tortoise
Ravishing Animals that Start with the Letter ‘R’
Perk yourself up by learning about these 15 adorable animals that begin with the letter ‘R.’
- Rat Terrier
- Racoon Dog
- Radiated Tortoise
- Raggle
- Red and White Giant Flying Squirrel
- Red Wolf
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Ringed Seal
- Riverine Rabbit
- River Turtle
- Rock Cavy
- Rock Hyrax
- Ross Seal
- Rottweiler
- Russian Blue
