161 Paw-sitively Perfect Animals that Start with P

Animals that start with P encompass a vast array of species found across different ecosystems and regions of the world. From the majestic peacock, known for its vibrant and colorful feathers, to the mysterious platypus, a mammal that lays eggs and has a bill like a duck, these creatures offer a fascinating glimpse into the diversity of the animal kingdom. Come on an adventure with us as we explore animals that start with P and discover some fascinating facts about some of the most common animals.

featured image with teal background, bold letter P, and names and images of animals that start with P

Learning animal facts is like unlocking a secret code to the awesome world of creatures big and small, and it’s super fun because every fact is a new piece of the puzzle that makes nature even more exciting. To learn more about other animals be sure to check out animals that start with T and animals that start with M.

Commonly Known Animals That Start With P

Pacific Halibut

The Pacific Halibut is the largest member of the flounder family. It is a freshwater fish whose body is completely flat. The Pacific Halibut is a very large and heavy fish, growing up to 8 feet long and weighing 500 pounds! The Pacific Halibut is actually two separate colors, one side of their body is dark to allow them to blend in on the water floor, and the other is white so prey who are looking up at it will think they are the sky.

Pacific herring

Pacific Herring are fish that are found in the Pacific Ocean. They are shiny fish with green and blue backs and silver on their sides and belly. Herrings travel in schools, or groups, of other Herrings around 1,300 feet below the ocean surface. On average the Pacific Herring grows to be around 8 inches long, but there have been occurrences of 18-inch Herring caught.

Pacific Walrus

The Pacific Walrus is known for its large size, whiskers and long tucks. The tusks of the Walrus are actually their canine teeth and males can have tusks up to 3 feet long! The longer the tusks, the more dominant the male. Female Walrus take care of their babies for two years and are very protective mothers.

Pacific White-Sided Dolphin

The Pacific White-Sided Dolphin gets its name from the colors on its body. They have a dark stripe from their nose to their tail, but the sides of their body are either white or light gray. These playful dolphins can be found off the coast of Washington State, Oregon, California, and Alaska. The Pacific White-Sided Dolphin travels in groups of up to 100 members. It has been discovered that these dolphins can live to be around 40 years old!

Paint Horse

The Paint Horse is easily one of the most recognizable of the horse breeds. Their bodies look like someone flicked paint on them and made large spots. Paint Horses are known for their intelligence and calm dispositions. This makes it easy to own and train, especially for the inexperienced rider. Due to the white patches on their faces, Paint Horses are capable of having two different colored eyes (brown and blue). When the white patch goes over one eye, that eye will be blue due to lack of pigmentation.

Peacock

Peacocks are not a species, but rather peacocks are the male of the Peafowl species. Peahens are the female of the Peafowl, and the babies are peachicks. When a peachick is born, it looks much like its mother, and around 6 months old the peacocks will start changing their plumage color. The fancy feathers of the Peacock are shed every year, so to get a feather no one has to harm the Peacocks. If you see a Peacock fan out his tail and shake it, it is trying to attract the Peahen. Peahens feel the vibration that rattles their head and makes them pay attention to the Peacock.

Pelican

Pelicans are amazing waterbirds who use their unique mouth pouch to collect fish to eat. Not only do they eat fish, but also turtles, mammals, and small birds. The 10-foot wingspan of the Pelican helps them fly long distances and swoop down quickly toward the water to catch their food. A Pelican’s mouth pouch can fold up to 3 gallons of water at a time!

Perch

The Perch is a freshwater fish that is commonly found in North America and Eurasia. The Perch is known for its delicious meat and is often caught for food by game fishers. The largest Perch caught in North America was 4 pounds. The top fin of a Perch is very noticeable and looks like a mohawk!

Pheasant

Originally Pheasants could only be found in Asia, but now are found in many places around the world. The male Pheasant has much fancier plumage than the female pheasant. Male Pheasant feathers can be a combination of red, purple, brown, and white feathers. Pheasants are often seen on the ground, which they prefer but when they do fly, they can reach 60 miles per hour!

Pig

People often see pigs as muddy little creatures that oink, but pigs are very interesting! Pigs are actually very clean, and will not poop where they sleep or eat. The reason pigs like to roll in the mud is so they can cool off since they don’t sweat! Pigs like to sleep together and can be found nose to nose while dreaming in a piggy pile.

Pigeon

It is believed that the Pigeon was among the first domesticated birds. They have been used to send messages long distances and can be trained to come back home. Pigeons were so reliable in delivering their messages that they were used during World War II. Pigeons have adapted to live in all types of environments including urban areas such as New York.

Piranha

The Piranha is known throughout the world for being the angry, biting fish of the Amazon River, but are they really that ferocious? Not really. Most Piranhas are flesh eaters, but not humans. They prefer smaller fish, crustaceans, and insects. Some Piranhas are actually vegetarians. Piranhas only attack when they feel threatened.

Platypus

The Platypus is a duck-billed looking animal that is native to Australia that can be found in the rivers and on riverbanks. The Platypus looks like a mix between a duck, a beaver body and a tail. On the male Platypus, you will find a small spur on its hind leg, which is poisonous. It isn’t poisonous to humans, only to small animals.

Porcupine

Porcupines are known for their amazing quills that they use in self-defense. They can not shoot out their quills but will drop them willingly in the path of a predator. With their quills, they may look dangerous, but Porcupines are actually gentle animals that like to be alone. Porcupines found in North America actually like climbing trees, unlike their cousins in Europe.

Pot-Bellied Pig

Pot-Bellied Pigs are native to Asia but have become popular pets in the United States. Like other pigs, the Pot-Bellied Pig does not have sweat glands so it uses mud to stay cool. Pot-Bellied Pigs are very social and love a good sleep in a piggy pile. They are also very intelligent and can be trained.

Pygmy goat

Pygmy Goats are bouncy, fun little goats that are adorable! They only grow to be around 2 feet tall and maybe a few feet long. Just like their larger goat cousins, they love to eat everything they find because that is how they discover things about their surroundings. Pygmy Goats are great climbers and if kept as a pet they need obstacles in order to keep them occupied.

Python

Pythons are popular pets around the world but were originally found in Asia and Africa. Python is a nonvenomous snake that uses its body to kill its prey. In order to kill their prey, they wrap their bodies around, restricting circulation. Pythons swallow their prey whole. The Ball Python is the most popular pet snake.

Dogs That Start With P

If you are a god lover you have probably heard of some of these dogs that start with P. From a pug to a pointer, one thing is for sure, all these dogs would love to be your best friend.

in post image with teal background, bold letter P, name of an animal that starts with P, and an image of a Pekingese

Pekingese
Pointer
Pomeranian
Poodle
Pug
Pyrenean mountain dog

Zoo Animals That Start With P

Going on a zoo adventure with your class or family? See how many of these zoo animals that start with P you find while you are there! Tell us which one is your favorite.

Pangolin

Pangolins are known for their scales and their resemblance to anteaters. Pangolins are often captured and sent around the world because of the demand for their scales and meat. This has caused the Pangolin to be on the endangered species list. The scales of the Pangolin are made of Keratin, which is the same thing your fingernails are made out of.

Panther

A Panther is not a separate species but is a Leopard or a Jaguar depending on where they live. Panthers are native to Asia, Africa, China, and South America. Panthers (or Black Leopards) that live in Asia and Africa prefer to live in dense forests. While the Panthers (or Black Jaguars) that live in South America prefer to live in the rainforest. They are nocturnal hunters and their dark fur gives them the perfect camouflage.

Parrot

Parrots have become one of the most popular pets to have with their bright colors and even brighter personalities. When you think of parrots, the red variety comes to mind but there are actually over 300 different species of parrots. Parrots use their feet as hands and hold nuts or fruit up to their mouth to eat. Even though Parrots are omnivores, they prefer fruits, seeds and nuts over meat.

Penguin

Penguins are amazing birds that have adapted over time to fly underwater. Their “wings” changed to flippers so that they could find a food source in the water. Most Penguins will be found in the Southern Hemisphere unless they are in a zoo. The tallest Penguin is the Emperor Penguin and they stand at almost 4 feet tall! In total, there are 18 species of Penguins.

Peregrine Falcon

The Peregrine Falcon is known as the fastest animal on Earth! When swooping toward prey they can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour! Peregrine Falcons are highly adaptable and have learned to live in urban areas. Unfortunately, they are nearing extinction due to being hunted during World War II so that they would not kill the messenger pigeons.

Pink Flamingo

Have you ever been told that if you eat too many carrots your nose will turn orange? Well, it is true, and that is why Pink Flamingos are pink! The algae they eat metabolizes in their body and turns them pink. There are 6 different Flamingo species found around the world. A group of Flamingos is called a Flamboyance, which is very fitting!

Poison Dart Frog

The Poison Dart Frog can be found in the tropical rainforests of South America. The food they eat actually is what makes the Poison Dart Frog secrete toxins. They got their name from the indigenous people of the rainforest and rubbed their darts on them before shooting at their prey. Besides being poisonous, the Poison Dart Frogs are known for their beautiful colors, which serve as a warning to predators that they are not safe to eat.

Polar Bear

Did you know that you will never see a Polar bear and a Penguin together? The Polar Bear lives north of the Equator, and Penguins live south of the Equator. Even though the fur of the Polar Bear is white to blend in with its snowy surroundings, its skin is actually black. Their black skin helps them soak up the sun and keep warm. Their sense of smell is so good that they can smell their favorite food, which is seals, up to 9 miles away.

Porpoise

Porpoises are cousins to the dolphin but are more closely related to Narwhals. These adorable toothless animals are on the endangered species list. The porpoise needs to stay close to the surface of the water in order to come up for air, but they have developed a way around this. When traveling long distances, they leap out of the water to take a breath, swim, and then jump again.

Puffin

Puffins are adorable birds that live most of their lives on the sea. Their brightly colored beaks like parrots have earned them the nickname of Parrot of the Sea. The Puffins live all along the West coast of the United States. Even though Puffins are not very big, they are amazing fliers. Their wings can flap at 400 beats a minute and they fly at around 54 miles per hour!

Puma

Pumas and Mountain Lions are one in the same animal! They are also called Cougars and Panthers, it all depends on what region they are found in. Pumas can be found all over South and North America and their color depends on which region they are found in. Colder region Pumas have gray coloring. Because the Puma does not roar like the Lions and Tigers they are not categorized as a Big Cat.