Animals That Start With L

Did you know that there are more than 2 million identified species of animals in the world? Among those, the vast majority (80%) of creatures live on land. The rest, 20%, have chosen the oceans and freshwater as their habitat. All those animals are unique and have distinctive characteristics and habits.

In this article, we will discuss the animals that start with L. We will explore both water and land animals and talk about their habitats, diets, characteristics, and size.

Well-known Animals That Start With L

We will start our list with the well-known animals that start with L. Did you know that leopards spend most of their time up in the high trees? Or have you ever heard that lobsters can live very long, even up to 100 years? Why are lions called the kings of all animals?

Lions

Lions are the first creatures on the list of animals that start with L. Although lions are often gregarious animals, 80% of prides typically include female members. Because of this, only around 1 in 8 male lions reaches maturity. Male lions will occasionally team up to rule large areas of land.

Lions have long tails and golden-colored fur. These huge predators can sneak up on victims in the tall grass because of their coat patterns, which blend in perfectly and make them less visible.

Those animals have 30 teeth, including 4 canines that resemble fangs, and the other 4 teeth are carnassial, which means that they use them when cutting into the flesh. Giraffes, wildebeests, and even buffalo make up the diet of lions. However, they also consume zebras, gazelles, and antelopes.

In the past, lions were native to Africa and even in certain areas of Europe and Asia. A very small population today, however, is now only found in sub-Saharan African nations, having been forced into increasingly isolated areas of their once-vast natural habitat. The IUCN calculated a 42% decline in the lion population between 1993 and 2014. The number of those animals today is around 20 000.

Lobster

Those creatures, similar to spiders, have jointed legs and an exoskeleton. Lobsters are closely linked to insects, especially spiders. They are omnivores and mainly feed on algae, shrimp, sand fleas, mussels, and fish. Since lobsters can’t see well, they rely on their senses of taste and smell to navigate the ocean floor. Most lobsters’ brownish coloring makes them easy to blend with the environment and avoid predators. A lobster will crawl back into a rock fissure if it sees a predator and uses its tail fin. 

Those interesting animals that start with L contain some of the strangest anatomical structures in the animal kingdom, including a brain in the neck and teeth in the stomach. Their eyes can only see the light and shadows; they cannot see colors or pictures. 

The North Atlantic Ocean is the habitat of lobsters. They reside on the ocean floor between sand and rocks. They are typically shy and love hiding. A variety of lobster subspecies, including the spiny lobster, may be found in the warm, tropical seas of the territories around the Gulf of Mexico, the Florida coast, and the Caribbean Sea.

Leopards

The leopard is a large, thin animal with short, stocky legs supporting its long, slender body. Its long tail serves as a balancing aid when it is climbing trees. Depending on the area in which they live, leopards can have a wide range of colors and patterns. For example, those who live in the woods tend to have darker coats and more markings than those that live in open grasslands.

Those well-known animals that start with L are extremely adaptable and can be found in many types of habitats. However, leopards are typically native to Africa’s deserts and South Asia. As long as there is food and protection, they reside in savannahs, rainforests, mountain highlands, and deserts. 

Leopards often hunt alone, and they are nocturnal animals. They are skilled climbers and spend most of the day on tree branches or behind a protected rock. Leopards stand out among large felines because they rely primarily on their ability to sneak up on prey before ambushing. 

These opportunistic predators hunt and kill typically medium-sized animals like deer and warthogs. However, the leopard also consumes a range of tiny foods, including reptiles, birds, and rodents. When larger creatures are in short supply, they may even hunt dung beetles.

Less Known Animals That Start With L

As for the less-known animals that start with L, the first one we will discuss is the Lyrebird. This bird has unique traits. The male attracts a female with a complicated natural song that incorporates elements from at least 20 different bird species.

The second less-known animal that starts with L is the lamprey, a fish that has unique characteristics. It moves up rivers from lakes and seas to reproduce, just like salmon does. Additionally, let’s also explore the lion’s mane fish, which, despite its large size, only lives up to one year.

Lyrebird

It takes some persistence to locate a lyrebird in its native Australian or Tasmanian woodland since they are reclusive and shy. In the evening, they ascend to the very top of canopy trees after spending the day in the bushes. Because of their weak wings and not really liking to fly, they will probably flee from danger by running and using their wings to assist them in leaping away.

Although there may be some red spots, their feathers are generally neutral in hue. With male lyrebirds weighing over 2 pounds, it is considered a pretty large weight for a songbird. The birds have rather long beaks, a long neck, a long body, long, powerful legs, and a long tail. The male, however, stands out because of its tail feathers.

The majority of what this Australian bird consumes are invertebrates, such as worms, centipedes, larvae, and insects. It occasionally consumes seeds, and in rare cases, if the opportunity presents itself, it can eat lizards and frogs. Even though those animals that start with L were listed as the least concerned conservation category, the fires that happened in Australia greatly decreased the amount.

Lamprey Fish

Lamprey fish are another interesting animal that starts with L. One very interesting fact about them is that they are called vampire fish because of their parasitic nature. These fish strongly resemble eels with their long, snake-like bodies and smooth, scale-free skin. A lot of people believe that those two animals are related, but this is untrue. Lampreys reach maturity when they are between 14 and 24 inches long and weigh, on average, approximately 5 pounds.

The Atlantic Ocean’s northern and western regions, including the coasts of northern parts of America and European waters, are home to them. Additionally, these fish may be found in the western Mediterranean and the Black Sea. 

These fish bite and cling on to other species and consume their blood in a process that is known as hematophagous feeding. Lake trout, northern pike, salmon, lake whitefish, walleye, and lake sturgeon are common prey, although they can also feed on sharks and rays. Their main targets and prey are the thin-skinned fish, which are easy to attack and consume. 

Those animals sink their rows of teeth to gain a firm grip on their prey. Then, after tearing through the host’s skin with their razor-sharp tongues, they emit an enzyme that stops blood coagulation.

Lion’s Mane Fish

Lion’s Mane Fish are the last creatures in the list of animals that start with L. A fish has a bell as large as 7 feet wide and tentacles as long as 100 feet. The Jellyfish got its name from the orange-colored bell and the golden tentacles that can be compared to the color of a lion. 

However, it has a short lifespan, and almost all of its body consists of water. 

Lion’s mane jellyfish may be found in cooler regions of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The North Sea and the Baltic Sea are the other locations.

Those fish are too huge and poisonous for predators to consume, but the young individuals are large enough to be eaten by sea turtles, giant fish like molas, sea birds, sea anemones, and bigger jellyfish. The mature jellyfish consumes a wide range of aquatic creatures as its food. Shrimp, small fish, and other crustaceans, as well as moon jellyfish, are on the diet of those interesting jellyfish.

When a jellyfish hunts, it descends upon its victim and uses the tentacles that sting to paralyze the prey. After capturing its meal, the jellyfish must move its tentacles to transport the prey to its oral cavity. After that, the prey gets transformed into the stomach.

Bottom Line – Animals That Start With L

We’ve just discussed some of the most interesting animals that start with L. They are all unique in their own ways. As for the well-known animals that start with L, we discussed lions, lobsters, and leopards. Additionally, as for the less-known animals that start with L, we explored the characteristics and habitats of the Lyrebird, Lamprey fish, and Lion’s Mane fish.