Ready to explore the animal kingdom in a whole new way? Check out all the animals that start with W. From the ocean to the savanna; we will discover some of the most fascinating animals that start with the letter W. Come explore with us.
Did you know that there are over 100 different animals that begin with W throughout the world? Some we all know and love, like a Welsh Corgi, while some are a little less known, like a wombat. As we dive into the world of animals that start with W we will learn fun facts and be amazed with everything the world has to offer. Let’s explore together.
Ready to learn even more about animals? Check out our Animals That Start With A or Animals that Start With J for more animal facts.
Commonly Known Animals That Begin With W
These animals that begin with W are some of the most commonly known animals throughout the world.
Wasp
A Wasp is an insect that is neither a bee nor an ant. The most commonly known wasps are yellowjackets and hornets. There are over 100,000 different species of wasps. There are two different types of wasps, social and ones that live alone. Did you know that they provide food for the egg they lay but that is all they do to take care of their young? Adults usually eat nectar, but their young will eat insects and spiders.
Walleye Fish
Did you know that a Walleye Fish is also called yellow walleye, yellow pike, yellow pikeperch, or yellow pickerel? They live in freshwater in Canada and Northern US. They are olive and gold in color and have large mouths that have a lot of sharp teeth. They are active at night and eat crayfish, minnows, and leeches.
Weasel
Weasels have long slender bodies with short legs. They live all over the world: in Europe, North America, many parts of Asia and South America, and part of North Africa. They eat small animals, including rodents. They are considered annoyances because they have been known to come and eat chickens and rabbits on farms and rabbits.
Water Buffalo
Water Buffalos are well suited to till rice fields and are known to have richer fat and protein in their milk than a dairy cow. They like to eat plants that are found in the water. They like to wallow in mud and coat themselves with thick coats of mud which helps them to cool off.
Welsh Corgi
Welsh Corgis is another dog breed that is pretty popular. They are known to live about 12 years. They became famous thanks to Queen Elizabeth II because she owned so many of them, over 30. Their coat is water resistant, and they only shed twice a year. They have very short legs, are very smart, and do well in several dog sports.
Weimaraner
A Weimaraners is a type of dog breed that is trained to hunt. They are used to hunt boar, bear, deer, fowl, rabbits, and foxes. They have webbed paws that make them great water dogs. They are full of energy and need a lot of playing and exercise. They do not like to be alone and want to be with their owner all the time.
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Welsh Springer Spaniels is a dog breed that is loving and loyal to their families. They are trainable with quite a bit of patience because they are headstrong. They are hyperactive if they do not get enough physical activity. They also can become attached to their owner and develop separation anxiety. They can live up to 12 to 15 years.
Welsh Terrier
Welsh Terriers are a dog breed that is trained to hunt foxes, rodents, and badgers. More recently, it has become more of a show dog. With the right training, they can be happy and lively dogs. , They are seldom shy but at times can have an attitude. They have average intelligence and need regular exercise or they will get bored and will start to misbehave.
West Highland Terrier
West Highland Terriers are also known as Westies. They are very smart and learn quickly. They are ok with gentle children. They can be stubborn, which can cause problems as you try and train them. They can live up to 12 to 16 years. They need at least 15 to 30 minutes of daily exercise to stay out of trouble.
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes are also called Texas diamond-back. They live in the Southwestern US and Mexico. They can live in many different types of habitats, from flat coastal plains to steep rocky canyons and hillsides. They do not climb well. If they feel threatened, they will usually coil up and rattle their tail to warn you. They will bite you if the rattle does not scare you off.
Western Rattlesnake
Western Rattlesnakes are also called Northern Pacific Rattlesnake. They are venomous. They use eat-sensing facial pits to locate and eat birds, bird eggs, and small mammals, from mice to rabbits. It also eats small reptiles and amphibians. The young Western Rattlesnakes will eat insects. They live all over the western US.
Western Rat Snake
Western Rat Snakes are non-venomous. They live in many different places, such as the bayous, prairies, rock outcrops, and wooded areas. If they feel threatened, they may kink up and freeze; if threatened further, they may run away or even vibrate their tail. They like to eat rodents but will eat what they can find. They are most active during the day.
Wheaten Terrier
Wheaten Terriers are known as Soft-coated Wheaten Terriers. They get along well with children and other dogs. They are generally friendly and love to play. They are full of energy and love to greet people by jumping up and kissing their face. They require good training to be well-behaved, but you have to be careful not to be too harsh or too relaxed because they may turn out more aggressive. They are hypoallergenic and need grooming, so keep that in mind if you are thinking about getting a Wheaten Terrier.
Whale Shark
Did you know that a Whale Shark is the largest fish? They are slow-moving and filter feed off the ocean floor. They live in warm, tropical seas. They eat plankton, krill, fish eggs, Christmas Island red crab larvae, small squid, and fish. It also feeds on clouds of eggs during mass spawning of fish and corals. They are gentle to divers and other humans. Little is known about how long they live, but it is speculated they live up to 180 years.
White Shark
White Sharks are also known as great white sharks, white pointers, or simply a great white. They live all over the coastal waters of the major oceans. They can live 70 years or more. They are the world’s most well-known predator fish. They are known to eat a lot of things, but did you know the only thing known to prey on them, is an orca? They are responsible for most of the human unprovoked shark attacks that result in death, but there are less than 10 of these in a year.
Whippet
Whippets are a dog breed that looks like a small greyhound. They are fast runners and have even been used in dog racing. They are quiet and reserved but can be playful. These dogs do need a lot of exercise. They may make good watchdogs as they usually only bark at strangers.
Wire Fox Terrier
Wire Fox Terriers are a dog breed that is full of energy and very smart. They need a lot of exercise and get bored easily. They take a lot of training and can be hard to control, but if trained well can be a great companion. They need to be groomed at least once a month. They have been known to run after cars and animals because they are bred to hunt animals like foxes, boars, and boars.
Whitetail Deer
Whitetail deer live in North, South, and Central America. Texas is where the most whitetail deer live in the US, with an estimated population of 5.3 million. One way to tell a deer’s age is the length of the snout and the color of the coat, with older deer tending to have longer snouts and grayer coats. Males regrow their antlers every year. They eat all sorts of different plants and fruits.
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are birds that live in forests and woodland areas. They look for insects in the trees and peck at the tree’s wood to find and eat them. They typically do not migrate, but you mind find a few that migrate here or there. They typically live alone, but there are a few species that will live in flocks. They communicate with other woodpeckers through the drumming sounds they make on trees.
Wolf Spider
Did you know that wolf spiders are considered to be a benefit because they help control the insect population? Wolf Spiders do not usually spin webs and hunt alone. They have great eyesight. They live everywhere and can be found on coastal and inland. They are venomous and cause swelling, mild pain, and itching. They carry their young on their backs.
Worm
Did you know that worms have no arms, legs, or eyes? One of the most familiar worms is the earthworm, but there are many other types of worms worldwide. Earthworms are found all over and eat dirt. They are used as bait in fishing. When it rains a lot, they will come out of the dirt and be found all over the ground. A fun fact is a worm can be cut in half and still live.
Woolly Mammoth
Woolly Mammoths are extinct animals that lived in prehistoric times. It is believed that the woolly mammoth was roughly the same size as modern African elephants. They had fur all over their bodies and smaller ears than the modern-day elephant; this allowed them to live in cold weather and not get cold. People lived around the same time as wooly mammoths and used their bones for tools and building materials.
Zoo Animals That Start With W
Headed to the zoo? There are so many zoo animals that start with W that can be found. On your next zoo trip, how many of these animals can you find?
Walrus
Walruses live in the northernmost parts of the world. They look like seals but have two big tusks that look like big front teeth sticking out of their mouths. Both males and females have tusks, but males use their tusks to fight and show dominance. The male with the biggest, longest tusk is usually the one that is dominant. Walruses are not picky and eat what they can find in the area they live in.
Wallaby
Wallabies live in Australia and New Guinea. They have a pouch that they use to carry their babies. They look like small kangaroos. They eat grasses, vegetables, leaves, and other plants. They use their strong tails for balance and support. Their babies are called “joeys” Adult male wallabies are called “bucks,” “boomers,” or “jacks.” Adult female wallabies are called “does,” “flyers,” or “jills.” A group of wallabies is called a “mob,” “court,” or “troupe.”
Warthog
Warthogs are from sub-Saharan Africa. They have two sets of tusks that come out of the sides of their mouths and curve up. They use them to fight off predators and to defend themselves. They live in groups called sounders which typically consist of females with their babies. The males will brake off but stay close to where they were birthed. Even though Warthogs can fight, they usually will run when threatened. They can run up to 30 mph when fleeing.
Wandering Albatross
A Wandering Albatrosses is one of the largest, well-known birds. They have the biggest wingspan of any bird and can live for over 50 years. They typically feed on things that float on the water but can do small dives into the water to find food. Did you know that they can eat so much that it causes them not to be able to fly, so they have to rest helplessly on the water?
White Rhinoceros
White Rhinoceroses are the largest rhino species. It eats mostly grasses and is one of the largest grazing animals on Earth. They drink twice a day but can go 4 to 5 days before needing to drink water again. It spends about half the day eating and one-third of the day resting, and the rest of the day doing various things. They live in herds or crashes of up to 14, usually females.
Western Lowland Gorilla
Western Lowland Gorillas are the most popular gorilla that you will see at the zoo. They are the smallest gorilla species. They live in small territories of about 3 to 17 square miles. They do not fight over territories but often overlap. Males will group together but often a group of gorillas consists of one male, three females, and their children.
White-Tailed Eagle
White-Tailed Eagles are one of the largest birds of prey. They live in northern Europe and northern Asia. They spend most of their time perched on high branches watching for food. They eat what they can find and mostly enjoy fish and birds, but will eat mammals as well. They pair up for life. Most of the time, they lay two eggs, but they can lay up to four eggs at a time.
White Tiger
Did you know a white tiger is a tiger that has lost its pigment? For a white Bengal tiger to be born, both mom and dad tigers need to carry the unusual gene for white coloring, which only happens naturally about once in 10,000 births. Most white tigers are in captivity; no one has spotted one in the wild for many years.
Wild Boar
Wild Boars are typically social animals found in female-dominant groups called sounders. They can live to be 10 to 14 years, but few make it past 4 or 5 years old. They live all over and can be found in forests and deserts. They eat a variety of foods; in fact, some would say they eat like humans because they love the variety of foods that we enjoy.
Whooping Crane
Whooping Cranes are birds that, as adults, are white with a red crown with a long dark pointed bill. They are found in North America. They nest on the ground and lay 1 to 2 eggs. They eat what they can find in the water while walking in the shallow water or fields. They usually eat frogs, small rodents, small birds, fish, aquatic insects, crayfish, clams, snails, aquatic tubers, and berries.
Wolf
Wolves are large doglike animals that live in packs. They hunt in those packs and eat things like deer. Wolves are found in forests, inland wetlands, shrublands, grasslands (including Arctic tundra), pastures, deserts, and rocky peaks in the mountains. They live where their food is. Their packs can be large and can be up to 42 wolves.
Wolverine
Wolverines are found all over the northern hemisphere and have thick, dark, oily fur that is resistant to frost. They like to live in forests that have mostly evergreen trees, subarctic and alpine tundra. They are scavengers, meaning they prefer to eat dead animals that they encounter while wondering. They can hunt live prey if they can’t find dead animals. They can live between 8 to 10 years.
Wombat
Did you know that wombats live in burros to help keep them safe? They live in Australia and Tasmania. Wombats have pouches that they carry their babies in. Their pouch is backward to protect it from getting dirt when digging. They are mainly active during the twilight hours or at night.
Other Animals That Start With W
Love learning about animals that start with W? These are other animals that are less common throughout the world. How many of these animals have you seen or heard of?
- Water Dragon
- Wahoo Fish
- Waimanu
- Walking Catfish
- Warbler
- Water Beetle
- Water Bug
- Water Vole
- Waterbuck
- Wattled Jacana
- Wax Moth
- Weaver Bird
- Weimardoodle
- Wels Catfish
- Welsh Black Cattle
- Welsh Terrier
- West Siberian Laika
- Western Blacklegged Tic
- Western Blind Snake
- Western Green Mamba
- Western Hognose Snake
- Western Tanager
- Westiepoo
- Whimbrel
- Whinchat
- Whiptail Lizard
- White Bass
- White Butterfly
- White Catfish
- White Crappie
- White Ferret / Albino Ferrets
- White German Shepherd
- White Marlin
- White Sturgeon
- White-Crowned Sparrow
- White-Eyed Vireo
- White-Faced Capuchin
- White-shouldered House Moth
- Whiting
- Whoodle
- Wildebeest
- Willow Flycatcher
- Willow Warbler
- Winter Moth
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
- Wirehaired Vizsla
- Wiwaxia
- Wolf Eel
- Wolf Snake
- Wolffish
- Woma Python
- Wood Bison
- Wood Frog
- Wood Tick
- Wood Turtle
- Woodlouse
- Woodlouse Spider
- Woodrat
- Wool Carder Bee
- Woolly Aphids
- Woolly Bear Caterpillar
- Woolly Monkey
- Woolly Rhinoceros
- Worm Snake
- Wrasse
- Writing Spider
- Wrought Iron Butterflyfish
- Wyandotte Chicken
- Wryneck
There you have it! A great list of animals that start with W 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