80+ Animals that start with Y – Interesting Animal Facts

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Last Updated on January 18, 2022 by

Into the Wild Yonder: Animals that Start with the Letter ‘Y’

Are you looking for the best list of animals that start with Y?

Which animal do you think of first when you think of the letter Y? Is it Yak? I bet it is! In this article we’ll review the top 80 animals that start with the letter Y.

Have you heard of the Yellowjacket, Yorkshire Terrier and Yacare? There’s sure to be a few Y animals that are new to you!

Discover more about these beautiful wild creatures that start with the letter ‘Y’ and their way of living in the wild.

15 Best Animals that Start with the Letter ‘Y’

Yacare Caiman

One of the large crocodiles is the yacare caiman, a reptile inhabiting rivers, marshes, and lakes in South America, especially in Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia. You will recognize this caiman species due to its teeth that stick out of its mouth, which is uncommon in crocodiles. Unfortunately, people have been hunting these crocs for their skin’s bony scales, which they sell in the market. However, they are not considered endangered animals at present.

Yak

This large mammal is the most popular animal with a name that starts with the letter ‘Y.’ Yaks are bovines with curvaceous horns that grow upward and long hairy bodies to keep them warm in the high-altitude mountainous areas of Nepal and Bhutan. Yaks may resemble oxen, but they are not aggressive like cows, their other close relatives. They are also herbivores that love to feed on every herbivorous bovine’s favorite – grasses.

Yarkand Hare

This large furry hare is found in Xinjiang, China. It has the typical long ears with a granular brown-colored fur coating its body and survives by burrowing underground. According to the IUCN, Yarkand hares are considered threatened creatures due to habitat loss and continuous hunting.

Yellow Baboon Tarantula

Orange baboon tarantulas look orangey. On the other hand, yellow baboon tarantulas are bizarre-looking arachnids with yellow-haired limbs and bodies. These Old World tarantulas reside in many countries of Africa and are known as highly defensive and venom-containing creatures.

Yellow Cup Black Coral

Yellow cup black corals can survive in shallow and deep water since they can feed on zooplankton. Their population is abundant in the deep waters of the Galapagos Islands and the Gulf of Mexico.

Yellow Tube Sponge

This aquatic critter is a tube-shaped sea sponge noticeable for its bright yellow color. Its body has a rough surface and attaches itself to coral reefs in open water. Yellow tube sponges are filter feeders or animals that feed on zooplankton, algae, and other microorganisms.

Yellow-billed Hornbill

This large-sized hornbill, native to Southern Africa, has small golden eyes, pale greyish-white feathers with a black-and-white patterned design, and a long yellow curvaceous beak. These birds are omnivores that rely heavily on grains, seeds, insects, and snakes as their diet.

Yellow-eyed Penguin

The yellow-eyed penguin is a small-sized penguin species with light yellow eyes. While its head is yellow-and-black hair, its neck is brownish-black in color, and its abdomen is purely white. Not only are they unique for their eye color, but they are also endemic to New Zealand. They also don’t build nests that are near or visible with other nests.

Yellowfin Tuna

This sea critter got its name from its yellowfins with a tinge of faded yellow color on its silvery scaly skin. It can grow up to 400 lbs. heavy and survive in the open water for seven years. It is also a widely popular kind of tuna for being an edible, meaty, and nutritious fish. However, it is not for daily consumption due to its high mercury content dangerous for humans.

Yellow-sac Spider

This small arthropod has a translucent yellow body and limbs, while others may look orangey. They are also venomous arachnids, but they aren’t lethal enough to kill a human as long as the spider bite does not get infected. Instead of waiting for their prey to get stuck on their webs, these tiny predators love to hunt at nighttime. They can even crawl inside houses in pursuit of their meal of the night.

Yellowjacket

The yellowjacket, also known as the social wasp, is a yellow-and-black-striped insect often mistaken as a paper wasp. Yes, it might be challenging to distinguish one from the other at first glance, but yellowjackets are smaller and more combative than paper wasps. Their bodies are also different; paper wasps have slender abdomens compared to yellowjackets. Yellowjackets also have a needle-like spine on their butts. However, unlike bees, their stingers don’t get stuck on their prey’s skin, which means they can attack and sting you again.

Yorkshire Terrier

This dog breed is considered a toy dog and has been well-known for its tiny stature, V-shaped straight ears, and long human-like hair. However, don’t underestimate Yorkies. They might be miniature dogs, but they are agile creatures and make great human companions. Not only do Yorkshire terriers have a beautiful appearance, but they also have an overbearing or confident stance, making them great competitors in dog shows.

Yucatan Pig

This small-sized hairless pig is found in the Yucatan Peninsula nearby Southeastern Mexico. Male Yucatan pigs are much larger and stockier than the females but are both nonaggressive mammals. It has drab grey-colored skin and huge erect ears. This pig breed is well-liked for its low-fat content. Hence, it’s a crowd-favorite ingredient in many Yucatan dishes. Unfortunately, the domestication of American pig breeds has lowered the population of Yucatan pigs, and locals are trying to reproduce this pig breed.

Yucca Moth

The yucca moth (Tegeticula) is a tiny insect characterized by its white wings for camouflaging among the flowers of yucca plants. The interdependence between the yucca moth and yucca plants is evident from the moment its white-colored caterpillar is born, making it easier to blend and be protected by its favorite shrub. Yucca moths are also distinct for their tongueless mouths. Instead, they have tentacles on their proboscis for collecting pollen.

Yucatan Worm Snake

Another creature found in the Yucatan Peninsula is the Yucatan worm snake. Unlike a typical reptile, this worm snake has a shiny, scaleless external covering that highly resembles a worm’s skin. Its body can grow up to 16 inches long, a body length that is typically shorter than most snakes.

Animals with Extraordinary Names that Start with the Letter ‘Y’

Yoda Fruit Bat
York Chocolate
Yellowhammer
Yinnietharra Dragon
Yellow Lipped Scalyfoot
Yaqui Blackhead Snake
Yellow-handed Titi
Yosemite Toad
Yellow Chat
Yapacana Antbird
Yucatan Nightjar
Yellow-throated Hanging Parrot
Yellow-throated Greenbul
Yellow-shouldered Grassquit
Yellow-lored Tody-Flycatcher

Untypical, Uncanny Creatures that Start with the Letter ‘Y’

Yeti Crab
Yabby
Yapok Opossum
Yellow margined Box Turtle
Yellow Monitor
Yautepec Tropical Night Lizard
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard
Yellow-blotched Palm Pit Viper
Yellow-winged Bat
Yellow Bittern
Yap White-eye
Yellow-throated Frog
Yucatan Woodpecker
Yinnietharra Dragon
Yuman Desert Fringe-toed Lizard

Tiny Animals that Start with the Letter ‘Y’

Yungas Rice Rat
Yumi Myotis
Yellow-Footed Antechinus
Yellowjacket
Yankari Shrew
Yamdena Warbler
Yellow Flycatcher-Warbler
Yemen Accentor
Yellow Isthmus Rat
Yenyuan Stream Salamander

Animals with Yielding Cuteness that Start with the Letter ‘Y’

Yorkie Poo
Yorkie Bichon
Yoranian
Yellow-bellied brush-furred Rat
Yucatan Squirrel
Yellow Ground Squirrel
Yellow-Bellied Weasel
Yellowbelly Mud Turtle
Yellow-headed Box Turtle
Yellow-bellied Weasel
Yellow Canary
Yellow Honeyeater
Yellow Longbill
Yellow-vented Flowerpecker
Yellow Steppe Lemming

Hefty, Heavy, Weighty: Large Animals that Start with the Letter ‘Y’

Yacare Caiman
Yellow Baboon
Yellow Mongoose
Yearling (Young Horse)
Yellow-Backed Duiker
Yellow-Bellied Marmot
Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby
Yelkouan Shearwater
Yellowbelly House Snake
Yellowbelly Mud Turtle

Young and Adorable Animals that Start with the Letter ‘Y’

Yakutian Laika
Yellow-crowned Brush-tailed Rat
Yunnan Hare
Yellow-headed Temple Turtle
Yap Monarch
Yellow Lorikeet
Yellow Cardinal
Yellow Tyrannulet
Yellow-cheeked Chipmunk
Yellow-throated Marten