Animals that Begin with J

Need an animal that starts with J but can not get past the commonly known ones? We have you covered! Our 130 animals that begin with J will give you ideas for projects, and research, or even help you impress your friends with these facts.

featured image with teal background, large letter J, and images of various animals such as Jellyfish and Javanese Duck

Commonly Known Animals That Begin With J

There are so many animals that begin with J that we know and don’t know right off the top of our heads. Check out this list with some fun facts about each animal. If you are looking for more animal facts be sure to check out our animals that start with L.

Jack Rabbit

Jack Rabbits are native to the United States and Mexico and live primarily in the desert. Their fur is brown and tan, which helps them blend in with their surroundings. They are herbivores, which means they eat only plants. Jack Rabbits have long ears than normal household rabbits. Their ears can grow to be 7 inches long!

When running, a Jack Rabbit can go 45 miles per hour, but they do not run in a straight line. Instead, they zigzag to confuse the animal chasing them. Jack Rabbits live for around 6 years in the wild.

Jack Russell Terrier

If you are looking for an energetic and loving dog companion, a Jack Russell Terrier is the dog for you! Jack Russell Terriers were initially bred to be hunting dogs, which is still ingrained in them so they will bother the family cat. They love having a job around the house and are excellent at keeping out rodents from the yard. Jack Russell Terriers are short-statured dogs with short coats and can live up to 15 years old!

Jay

Jay’s are not one particular bird, but a species with around 40 different varieties of birds. The most famous bird in this group is the Blue Jay. They are all categorized by their colorful plumage and low song. This group of birds inhabits many areas of North America. Most of the birds in the species are herbivores while a few are omnivores due to their consumption of other birds’ eggs.

Jellyfish

There are over 2,000 different species of Jellyfish on the planet. They range in size from less than half an inch to over 6 feet wide! Their tentacles have stingers that keep predators away. Jellyfish have no brains, instead, they have a central nervous system that helps them detect light and vibrations. Depending on the species of Jellyfish, some live for a few years or only a few days. There is even a species of Jellyfish that is considered ‘immortal’ because it regenerates younger cells and regrows itself when it becomes old or sick. Jellyfish eat mostly shrimp, crabs, and tiny plants.

Jersey Cow

Jersey Cows originated on an island in the British Chanel. Jersey Cows are wonderful milk producers and their milk had more protein and calcium in it than any other cow breed. Since Jersey Cows can not sweat they prefer to be in cooler climates. Jersey Cows are grazing animals, meaning they like to eat when they want, preferring fresh grass or hay. Jersey Cows are friendly and do not mind being in a group of other cows, but they do like their alone time too so a large space is needed to house them.

Jewel Beetle

Jewel Beetles are called such because of their iridescent wings of various colors. Jewel Beetles can be found all over the world. They are able to live in forests, woods, and tropical areas. In the past, Jewel Beetles were captured and used for jewelry. There are actually 15,000 varieties of Jewel Beetles, with over 750 of those species living in North America. A Jewel Beetle enjoys eating wood but prefers decaying wood to fresh wood. Wasps and dragonflies are natural predators of the Jewel Beetle.

Johnson’s Cottontail

Johnson’s Cottontails are just one of many in the Cottontail family. Johnson’s Cottontails are native to Connecticut in the United States. Baby Cottontails are actually called kit (short for kitten) and are born blind. By 7 weeks old, Kits are ready to be independent and leave the family nest. When in danger, Cottontails can hold completely still for 15 minutes but will run at up to 15 miles per hour in a zigzag pattern when being chased. With their eyes on the sides of their head, Cottontails can see 360 degrees around them but have a blind spot directly in the front. When a Cottontail is twitching its nose, it is actually activating the 100 million scent receptors that live on the end of its nose!

Jumbo Squid

Jumbo Squid is the nickname of the Humboldt Squid. Jumbo Squids are the largest invertebrates in the world, meaning they have no backbone. The large part of the Jumbo Squid is not its body, it’s the head! Jumbo Squid can change colors in order to camouflage itself from predators. When fully grown the Jumbo Squid can be up to 8 feet long and weigh 100 pounds. The Jumbo Squid has ten tentacles, two are longer than the rest for feeding. Each tentacle has between 100-200 sharp hooked suckers on them for protection and to rip their food apart.

Jumping Spider

There are over 5000 different species of Jumping Spiders and can be found all over the world. In order to catch its prey, the Jumping Spider jumps on the back and uses its venom to kill it. Jumping Spiders have 4 pairs of eyes so they can see far away. They eat between 400-800 million insects a year, worldwide! They are called jumping spiders since they can jump over 6 inches. Even though they are venomous, they rarely bite humans, and prefer to watch them go about their day.

Zoo Animals That Begin With J

Jackal

Jackals are native to Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe. Their physical characteristics make them look like larger foxes or smaller wolves. They have large ears. Jackals have the same mate for life and raise their pups together. In captivity, Jackals can live up to 16 years. Jackals eat both plants and meat, so they are omnivores. Jackals are very fast runners and can reach speeds up to 40 miles per hour. Jackals live in groups of between 20-30 other jackals for protection and live in a territory.

Jackson’s Chameleon

Jackson’s Chameleon is native to Africa but has been introduced to Hawaii, Florida, and California due to the climate. Jackson’s Chameleons are also called three-horned chameleons due to the three horns male Jackson’s Chameleons have on their head. Fully grown Jackson’s Chameleons are around 14 inches long, and their tongue is twice as long as their body! They use their tongue to catch bugs to eat. To hide from predators, the Jackson’s Chameleon can change their skin color to blend into their surroundings. A female Jackson’s Chameleon can give birth to between 8 and 30 live young at a time, and the babies are completely independent within hours of being born.

Jaguar

Jaguars are the largest cats in Mexico and South America, but the third largest after the tiger and the lion. Unlike house cats, Jaguars enjoy the water and prefer to live in flooded forests. Even though Jaguars are cats, they do not purr like their smaller house cat relatives. Instead, they roar which is said to sound like wood being sawed. Due to deforestation, there are only around 170,000 Jaguars left in the world. The spots on a Jaguar are called Rosettes, which are circles with spots in them.

Japanese Crane

The Japanese Crane is also known as the Red-Crowned Crane. The red “crown” on the top of their head is actually exposed skin. Adult Japanese cranes weigh up to 25 pounds, which makes them the heaviest crane species. Japanese Cranes are not only native to Japan, but Russia, China, and Mongolia. Japanese Cranes are omnivores, which means they eat fish, rodents as well as plants. Japanese Cranes live in flocks and are very community orientated. Japanese Cranes have the same mate for their whole life. Their babies stay with them for a year before flying off to form their own mated pair. A Japanese Crane can live for around 15 years.

Japanese Giant Salamander

Japanese Giant Salamanders are the second largest salamanders in the world. They can grow up to 5 feet long and weigh 55 pounds! Japanese Giant Salamanders live in the water and prefer fast-flowing water sources. During the day they will hide under rocks on the banks of rivers. Since the Giant Salamander lives mostly underwater, it breathes through its skin. When a Japanese Giant Salamander feels threatened, it secretes a toxic mucus that smells like Japanese peppers. If a Japanese Giant Salamander is harmed, it can regenerate (or regrow) its skin and bone. Japanese Giant Salamanders are carnivores, meaning they eat meat including fish, crayfish, and other small mammals. They have an extremely slow metabolism and only need to eat once every few weeks.

Jerdon’s Kangaroo Rat

Jerdon’s Kangaroo Rats live in the deserts of North America. Their appearance is very similar to the Kangaroo Mouse but Kangaroo rats are slightly larger. Kangaroo Rats have large back feet that allow them to jump 9 feet in order to escape predators. Since they live in the desert, they have adapted and do not drink much water. Instead, they get moisture from the food they eat. Kangaroo Rats are nocturnal so they look for their food at night and sleep in underground burrows during the day. Kangaroo Rats have a pocket on the outside of their cheek to store nuts that they find to be eaten later.