Animals That Start With W

Scientists state that the first animals evolved approximately 800 million years ago. Yet, they were very different from what we see now. Each species has its own evolutionary history and has come a long way in terms of change. Different habitats, circumstances, and environments make every animal individually special. Therefore, today we have a wide range of amazing creatures that create our world.

Have you ever wondered about the animals that start with W? If you have, you are reading the right article. Here, we will discuss some of the most interesting animals that start with W. 

Animal Names That Start With W

1. Weasel
2. Walrus
3. Wasps
4. Wolf
5. Whimbrel
6. Warthog
7. White Ferret

Well-Known Animals That Start With W

Our list of animals that start with W includes the creatures that are well-known to us and starts with weasels. Weasels are considered to be the tiniest carnivorous mammals in the animal kingdom. Let’s also not forget the Walrus, the giant ocean animal that can weigh as much as 1700 lbs. 

Wasps are also interesting insects that are actually feared by lots of people. It is impossible to talk about the famous animals that start with W and do not include wolves, the mammals that have been around for more than 300,000 years. 

1. Weasel

Weasels are little mammals that have a wide range of habitats. They can be found on every continent, with only one exception – Antarctica. There are several different species of weasel, and depending on where they dwell, they all have somewhat different sizes, colors, and behavioral traits.

Those animals that start with W have slender bodies and narrow heads. They have a pretty flexible spine, which gives them the possibility to move around and maneuver in a small area. Weasels have brown-colored fur, which can get either darker or lighter according to the season. 

Those little animals are distributed throughout North Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. They like to stay in the grasslands, mountains, woodlands, moors, marshes, and sand dunes. Weasels are typically carnivores; therefore, they enjoy eating small animals such as rodents, lizards, fish, frogs, bird’s eggs, and even carrion. 

2. Walrus

Walrus are widespread animals found in the freezing cold locations of the Atlantic ocean coast and Pacific ocean coastlines, mainly in the arctic circle areas. They like the shallow waters where their prey is located. They are present on the Spanish coast, the United Kingdom, and the central part of Canada. 

Those large animals have wide necks and heads. Their skin is wrinkled and comes in brown and greenish tones. An interesting fact about those creatures is that they get a pinkish-red color when sunbathing.

Male walruses weigh roughly twice as much as females and have significantly more enormous tusks, which may reach a length of a meter. These tusks are primarily employed in battles over the most desirable mating locations. They are renowned for producing a range of vocal noises, including loud,

The mustache of those animals has 450 whiskers, which is used mainly in the food search. They can even find their prey in the murky and dark waters. Most of their victims are found on the ocean floor. Those large seals are carnivore eaters and enjoy eating squid, octopus, worms, clams, snails, and fish. In addition to this diet, they can also eat the carcasses of the younger seals.

3. Wasps

Wasps are insects that come in more than 100,000 species. Many people are afraid of wasps and think that they are aggressive. Yet, the majority of species are not aggressive at all and remain solitary most of the time. 

Those insects have slender bodies, unlike bees, which are covered with few hairs. The wasps also have a petiole that splits their bodies in half and is located between the thorax and abdomen. 

All wasps create nests, and while they resemble bees’ hives in appearance, wasps’ houses are composed of paper. Their powerful mandibles are used to chew wood fibers into a pulp, which is then secreted into honeycomb-shaped structures to build their dwellings. 

Wasps get their needed nutrients from sugars. They get this nectar from the flowers and the honeydew. Honeydew is the sweet substance that aphids produce. Similar to the bees, those creatures do play an important role in the plant’s pollination. Yet, they not only eat the sap and sweet substances but also the pests. 

Their live prey includes caterpillars, aphids, grasshoppers, flies, and others. When looking for food, those little insects can travel up to half a kilometer. 

4. Wolf

Wolves are one of the best known animals that start with W. They appear in folklore, songs, and even contemporary movies. There are more than 30 different subspecies of wolves in the northern hemisphere. These devoted pack animals hunt, travel, and play together and keep the ecosystem in balance. 

Wolves are carnivorous mammals and are characterized by a bushy tail that is curled, a long snout, and pointy ears. The vast majority of individuals have the same thick fur and patterns in gray and beige. Typically, the color of the fur depends on the environment where they live. This is because of their need to blend in with the environment.

Those animals that start with W are typically found in the northern hemisphere. The locations include North America, Asia, and Europe. They can live in a wide range of environments and are not limited to specific ones. Wolves are found in forests, plains, mountains, and tundras. 

Although some animals prefer to stay in one place, the majority of wolves spend each night in a new area of their territory. Since they are carnivores, these creatures will consume almost any kind of prey they can catch. They primarily hunt large hoofed animals, including elk, sheep, bison, deer, moose, goats, and bison. In the absence of huge prey, wolves are more prone to feeding on smaller creatures like rabbits and beavers.

Less-Known Animals That Start With W

As for the list of famous animals that start with W, there is actually a pretty long list of interesting creatures. However, we have to only choose a few. One of the rarest and weird-looking animals is the warthog, which comes with two separate sets of tusks. The whimbrel has a habit of washing the food before eating it. The last rare and interesting animal that we’ll also discuss below is the white ferret, also known as the albino ferret. 

5. Whimbrel

The Whimbrels belong to the family of Scolopacidae. They can be found in locations in Europe, Asia, North America, and right below the Arctic circle. In the winter, they go to the southern parts of the world to stay warm and visit Africa, Australia, and Asia. They can be found in the tundra, on sandy beaches, and on hillsides. 

Those birds are pretty rare animals that start with W. They are the size of crows and can be anywhere from 15 to 19 inches. Yet, the wingspan reaches a length of 25 inches. They have brownish-gray feathers, which come with brown and white stripes. The whimbrels have a long bill that is curved and webbed feet.

Those birds like to eat fish, mollusks, worms, and crustaceans. Additionally, when food is limited, they will also consume berries, seeds, and insects. 

6. Warthog

Warthogs are animals that are considered to be wild pig species. Their distinguishing characteristics are the two sets of tusks. The tusks go upwards and are curved. They mostly use their tusks in fights and to protect themselves from predators. Warthogs are typically located in sub-Saharan Africa. Their habitat includes savannas, woodlands, bushlands, and grasslands. They try to avoid the thickets, deserts, and rainforests. 

Those animals that start with W are both scavengers and omnivorous. They mostly eat fungi, eggs, carrion, insects, bark, fruit, berries, grasses, and roots. 

Warthogs are very gregarious and spend their whole lives in family units known as “sounders.” Although they may appear threatening, these creatures are not violent unless cornered and prefer to flee from predators rather than engage in combat. Although humans are currently a serious danger to warthogs owing to overhunting in some places, these creatures do not yet have specific conservation status.

7. White Ferret

White ferrets are one of the rarest ferret species. They are also known as albino ferrets. Just like other species, those ones are pretty mischievous and energetic. They often jump around on any surface and have nimble bodies that can slip anywhere. 

Ferrets are naturally wild creatures and carnivores, and they get easily frightened. However, in recent years, they have been entirely domesticated and are kept as pets. Being around a white ferret calls for extra caution in this regard. Due to fewer inner ear components, albino ferrets frequently have trouble hearing, and their poor eyesight is caused by the absence of pigment in their eyes. Those are one of the varieties that are more prone to deafness.

Wild white ferrets typically dig tunnels to hide in or scoff at moles, rabbits, or snakes’ abandoned holes. They like to dig and get through various surfaces. White ferrets are no different from other ferrets in the trait of being excellent escape artists. 

Those animals that start with W enjoy eating rats, rabbits, and mice. Yet, if held as a pet indoors, there are many different kinds of dry food that can be fed to them. Domestic ferrets can be found all around the world. Yet, some individuals that are found in the wild are located in Western Asia, Europe, and North Africa.

Bottom Line – Animals That Start With W

Above, we discussed a few creatures from the very long list of animals that start with W. Some are well-known to us, but some can be rare and less-known. We explored wolves, weasels, walruses, wasps, whimbrels, white ferrets, and warthogs.