Ready to embark on a thrilling journey through the animal kingdom? Let’s dive into the world of animals that start with K to see what we discover. We are sure to find fun facts on so many animals that start with the letter K. Come join us on this exciting adventure through the animal kingdom.
Did you know that there are so many amazing animals that begin with K? Among them are familiar favorites like the Kangaroo and Koala; others may be less renowned, such as the Kookaburra.
As we explore these animals that begin with K, we will uncover interesting facts and much more. Let’s embark on this animal adventure together.
For even more animal fun, be sure to explore our Animals that Start with M and our Animals that Begin with C.
Commonly Known Animals That Start With K
These animals that begin with K are some of the most commonly known animals throughout the world.
Kangaroo
Kangaroos are from Australia. They live in the outback and have pouches to carry their babies. Babies are born very small and stay in the pouch until they grow big enough to take care of themselves. Kangaroos hop around on their back leg and use them to protect themselves, often leaning back on their tails to balance while using their large hind legs to hit each other. Groups of Kangaroos are called mobs. Kangaroos eat plants. Did you know kangaroos are one of the symbols of Australia, in fact, they even appear on some money.
Kerry Blue Terrier
Kerry Blue Terrier is one of the largest terrier dog breeds. Their coat ranges in different shades of Blue. Terriers are bred to help capture rats, rabbits, badgers, foxes, otters, and hares. Today they are pets but are not as popular as other breeds of dogs. They are stubborn and full of energy, like most terriers can be. They love people and children but might not like other dogs. They are energetic and require daily exercise and a strong owner that will help them learn. Many of them live up to 13 to 14 years old.
Key Deer
Key Deer are the smallest living deer species in North America that can only be found on the Florida Keys. At one time they were endangered but there are more and more being seen these days. They like to eat mostly plants; a big part of their diet is red, white, and black mangroves and thatch palm berries. They live near the watery parts of the Florida Keys and have become scarce in many of the Keys because of a lack of water supply.
Killer Bee
Killer Bees are an aggressive swarm of bees known to kill animals and people. They were originally bred to help with honey production and became aggressive. Killer bees are known to be very protective of their hive and will swarm and chase you. They have been found to spread quickly throughout the world and now make up 90% of the bee population in the US.
Killer Whale
Killer Whales are called orcas. You will recognize them by the black and white bodies they have. They are one of the few whales that have teeth. They eat fish, seals, and other large mammals. They are very social animals and live in family units called pods. Killer Whales talk to each other like other whales, with noises that they make that are often unique to their pod. They live throughout all oceans and all seas. They are intelligent and can be trained to do tricks and other skills. They are not known to be a threat to people.
King Cobra
The King Cobra is a venomous snake that is found in Asia. They have a neck flap that spreads out when they feel threatened to make their head look bigger. Even though it is known to be one of the most feared snakes, it tends to avoid people when it can. It likes to eat other snakes and lizards. King Cobras protect their eggs aggressively, but most of the time. They make a low growling hiss much different from other snake sounds. If a King Cobra bites you, you may die if you do not get treated within 30 minutes of the bite.
King Penguin
King Penguins are the second largest penguin species. They look similar to the emperor penguin. They like to eat lanternfish, squid, and krill. King penguins have beautiful cheeks that are bright orange with black and white. They live in Antarctica. King Penguins dive deep into the water to hunt for food; they do have to return to the surface to get a breath. King Penguins only have one mate. Both male and female king penguins take turns keeping their egg warm before it hatches.
King Snake
Most king snakes have bright, colorful patterns on their bodies. They are nonvenomous, but some have red, black, and yellow striped coloring, which can be confused with the coral snake, which is very venomous. They live all over the United States and in Mexico. They also live in many habitats, such as tropical forests, shrublands, and deserts. They mostly stay on the ground but have been seen in trees and water. King snakes squeeze their prey and like to eat what they can find easily.
King Vulture
King vultures are large birds that can be found in Central and South America. They are mostly white and black. Like most vultures, it has no feathers on its head. They can live a long time in captivity, about 30 years. They are scavenger birds and will eat freshly killed animals. Typically, they do not tend to migrate. King Vultures live in family groups of up to 12 birds and will bathe and drink in pools and waterfalls. They mate for life and typically only lay one egg at a time. The male and females share the responsibility of sitting with the egg.
Kingfisher
Kingfisher is a beautiful bird that has been spotted in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Europe. They like to live in deep forests, near small ponds or rivers. They eat fish but also eat bugs as well. They have just one mate and usually for life. They like to nest in the cavities on the wall and rocks or dig themselves into the ground. Depending on the subspecies, they lay white eggs, anywhere from 3 to 10 eggs at a time. The baby birds usually stay with their parents until they are three to four months old.
Kitten
A kitten is a young cat. Did you know that they do not open their eyes for seven to ten days after they are born? Kittens are born into a litter of two to five kittens. Kittens love to socialize. At first, kittens drink milk from their mom; as they grow older, they are weaned from their mother and eat mostly solid food at about eight weeks old. This is when they will go live with another family and no longer need to be with their mother.
Kiwi Bird
A Kiwi bird is a flightless bird that lives in New Zealand. Not many Kiwi Birds are left in this world but are not endangered yet. Kiwi eggs are very big compared to the size of the mother. They live on the ground and are nocturnal animals. They have a great sense of smell and like to eat small bugs, seeds, grubs, and worms. They also eat fruit, crawfish, and eels. They mate for life and have one egg at a time. They lay it in an underground nest, and the male is the one that usually sits with the egg.
Koala
Koalas are marsupials, meaning they have pouches that they use to carry their young until they are big enough to care for themselves. They live in Australia and are usually gray or brown. The koala is a symbol of the country of Australia. Baby koalas are known as joeys. Koalas eat plants, mostly eucalypt leaves. Because they eat eucalypt (which contains a lot of water), they do not need to drink much. They sleep a lot, up to 20 hours a day.
Kodiak Bear
Kodiak bears are one of the largest bears in the world. They are more active during the day. They may become nocturnal when they have to compete for food or space. From October to June, they typically hibernate (but not all adult bears) and dig their dens in hills and mountains. They are monogamous and stay together for weeks at a time. Kodiak bears have two to three cubs in each litter. Bears’ eating habits are diverse, they start with plants as they wake up from their hibernation, then eat salmon, and just before hibernation again, they eat berries.
Koi Fish
Koi fish are beautiful white and orange fish that many people have in their ponds at home. Many koi fish are pets loved by their owners and are taken very care of. They are susceptible to predators with their bright colors. They eat a wide variety of foods. They can live 100 or 200 years. Koi are known to recognize those that feed them and will gather around when they see them coming.
Komodo Dragon
Komodo dragons are the largest lizard that is alive. They are at the top of the food chain and eat bugs, birds, and mammals. They do occasionally attack humans. They will lay as many as 20 eggs at a time. Komodo dragons leave their eggs to hatch on their own, and the young have to fend for themselves. They take 8 to 9 years to mature and can live up to 30 years. They are an endangered species.
Zoo Animals That Start With K
Headed to the zoo? There are some fun zoo animals that start with K that you may discover. On your next zoo trip, how many of these animals can you find?
- Kafue Lechwe
- Kagu
- Kai Ken
- Kaibab Squirrel
- Kakapo
- Kakariki
- Kalahari Meerkat
- Kalahari Scrub Robin
- Kanchil
- Kangaroo
- Kangaroo Mouse
- Kangaroo Rat
- Karoo Lark
- Karoo Prinia
- Karoo Thrush
- Kashmir Flycatcher
- Kashmir Musk Deer
- Kaua’i ‘Ō‘ō
- Kavango Coppery Sunbird
- Kea
- Keel-billed Toucan
- Keelback Sea Snake
- Kelaart’s Long-Clawed Shrew
- Kelp Gull
- Kentish Plover
- Kentucky Warbler
- Kenyan Sand Boa
- Kermode Bear
- Kestrel
- Key Deer
- Key West Quail-Dove
- Killdeer
- Killer Clown Ball Python
- King Colobus
- King Eider
- King Penguin
- King Quail
- King Rat Snake
- King Snake
- King Vulture
- Kingfisher
- Kinkajou
- Kipunji
- Kirk’s Dik-Dik
- Kirtland’s Snake
- Kit Fox
- Kite
- Kitlope Grizzly
- Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat
- Kittiwake
- Kivu Shrew
- Kiwi Bird
- Klaas’s Cuckoo
- Knight Anole
- Knob-tailed Gecko
- Knobbed Hornbill
- Kodiak Bear
- Kodkod
- Koel
- Koi Fish
- Kokako
- Komati River Frog
- Komodo Dragon
- Kondana Soft-furred Rat
- Kookaburra
- Korean Field Mouse
- Korean Hare
- Korean Water Deer
- Kori Bustard
- Korinch’s Rat
- Kouprey
- Kowari
- Krait
- Kudu
- Kuhl’s Flying Gecko
- Kuhl’s Flying Squirrel
- Kumlien’s Gull
- Kumbara Nightjar
- Kuhl’s Pipistrelle
- Kunekune Pig
- Kwongan Dunnart
Other Animals That Start With K
Love learning about animals that start with K? These are other animals that are less common throughout the world. How many of these animals have you seen or heard of?
- Kalligrammatid Lacewing
- Kaluga Sturgeon
- Kamehameha Butterfly
- Kangal Shepherd Dog
- Kangaroo Fish
- Karakul Sheep
- Karner Blue Butterfly
- Karwar Fish
- Katydid
- Kauri Snout Beetle
- Keelback
- Keeltail Needlefish
- Keeshond
- Kelp Bass
- Kelp Crab
- Khasi Pine Blue Butterfly
- Kelp Fly
- Kelp Greenling
- Kelp Snail
- Kelp Surfperch
- Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle
- Kenk’s Amphipod
- Kerry Blue Terrier
- Keta Salmon
- Keyhole Cichlid
- Keyhole Wasp
- Khao Manee
- Khapra Beetle
- Kiang
- Kibale Red Swallowtail
- Kiko Goat
- Kilifia Acuminata Ant
- Killer Bee
- Killer Whale
- Killifish
- Kinabalu Giant Red Leech
- Kinder Goat
- King Angelfish
- King Crab
- King Cricket
- King Mackerel
- King Ragworm
- King Salmon
- King Shepherd
- Kingfish
- Kitefin Shark
- Kingklip
- Kinnaridae
- Kinzelbach’s spider
- Kipunji skipper
- Kirk’s Dik-Dik
- Kirkcaldy’s Leafhopper
- Kishu
- Kissing Bugs
- Kissing Gourami
- Kitten
- Kiwi Fruit Bug
- Klamath Weed Beetle
- Klipspringer
- Knifefish
- Knifetooth Sawfish
- Knight Moth
- Knobbed Sea Star
- Knobbed Weevil
- Knobbed Whelk
- Knot-horned Sawfly
- Knysna Seahorse
- Koa Bug
- Koa Seed Worm
- Kokanee Salmon
- Komondor
- Kooikerhondje
- Koolie
- Korean Jindo
- Kraatzian Leaf Beetle
- Krill
- Kroyer’s Deep-Sea Anglerfish
- Kuhl’s Stingray
- Kulan
- Kulga Sturgeon
- Kuril Seal
- Kuroko Honey Bee
- Kusnezov’s Ant
- Kyrgyz Horse
- Kyrgyz Tarpan
There you have it! A great list of animals that start with K to expand your knowledge of all our favorite animals. Did we miss any? Share them in the comments so we can add them to the list.
Be sure to check out our other animal lists.
- 190 Amazing Animals that Start with A
- 236 Captivating Animals That Begin with C
- 119 Intriguing Animals that Begin with E
- 180 Fascinating Animals that Begin with G
- 22 Exciting Animals that Begin with J
- 272 Captivating Animals that Begin with L
- 165 Magnificent Animals that Start with M
- 104 Wonderful Animals that Start with W
- 31 Amazing Animals that Start with Y