Explore Remarkable Animals That Start with R

Roam into a wild world of wonder with animals that start with R! From rambunctious raccoons to radiant rainbow fish, embark on a thrilling discovery safari. Get ready to ‘roar’ with excitement!

Commonly Known Animals That Start With R

Rabbit

Did you know that rabbits aren’t supposed to eat a lot of carrots? Carrots hurt their digestive system. Rabbits like to jump in the air and twist when they are happy, and it’s called a “binky.”  Rabbits like to live in groups and get lonely if they live by themselves. Rabbits keep their eyes open to sleep. If you love rabbits, try creating our rabbit headband papercraft.

Raccoon

Raccoons are very clever animals and will forage for food anywhere. Their nickname is the “trash panda” since their black and white markings remind people of a panda, and they enjoy digging through trash. The Raccoon is native to North America but has been recently found in parts of Europe and Japan. Raccoons have excellent hands that allow them to open latches, doors, and jars! 

Raggle

A Raggle is a mixed-breed dog. When a Rat terrier and a Beagle are bred, you get a Raggle! Raggles are very energetic and friendly watchdogs. They are also stubborn and can be hard to train. Due to their short coat, they are easy to groom and have low-shedding fur. 

Rainbow Lorikeet

The Rainbow Lorikeet gets its name from the vibrant and colorful plumage it showcases. Bright red, yellow, green, orange, and blue feathers make the Rainbow Lorikeet a brilliant bird to see! The Rainbow Lorikeet is native to Australia. Unlike other birds, the males and females look the same, with bright feathers. The Rainbow Lorikeet has a tongue that looks like a brush and is adapted to lick up pollen.

Rainbow Shark

The Rainbow Shark is a freshwater fish that is native to Asia. It has been genetically modified to glow in the dark! The Rainbow Shark is not a shark at all! It got its name because its body resembles that of a shark. It is a small fish that has become popular with freshwater fish enthusiasts. 

Ram

A Ram is a name for a male sheep. They have large horns that distinguish them from female sheep. Their large horns help them defend themselves from predators and display dominance over other males.  Rams are herbivores and have adapted to living in the mountains and dessert. Their hooves help them easily walk over rocky terrain. 

Rat

Rats are fascinating and gross animals at the same time. Rats are known to carry over 40 diseases that are harmful to humans.  A group of rats is called mischief, and they live mostly underground. Even though rats are everywhere, they like to stay out of sight of humans. Their teeth never stop growing, so they eat to keep them filed down to a manageable length.

Red Diamondback Rattlesnake

The Red Diamondback Rattlesnake is native to North America and mostly in the desert or near the coast. The Rattlesnake uses the rattle on the end of its tail to warn predators that they have come too close. A Rattlesnake can shake its rattle between 10 and 200 times a second! The older the Red Diamondback Rattlesnake, the more powerful its venom.

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

The Red Eyes Tree Frog may be small but it has ways of keeping predators away. Their bright blue skin and red eyes warn predators that they are toxic and will make them sick. The little nubs on the ends of their toes are suction cups used to help them climb. 

Red Squirrel

The Red Squirrel is known for its unique red fur and tufts of hair growing from the top of its ears. Their fun changes color depending on the season and the weather, ranging from red to dark brown. Red Squirrels are known to be forgetful and can not remember where they hid their food for the winter! This is helpful to the environment because new plants sprout from the seeds they forget. 

Red-tailed Hawk

Driving down the highway is the best way to find a Red-Tailed Hawk. They scout for prey near roadsides and swoop in. Red-Tailed Hawks have fantastic eyesight and can spot a mouse from 100 feet away! A Red-Tailed Hawk pair are great at co-parenting and working together to raise their young to maturity.

Reindeer

North American Reindeer are also called Caribou. They are the only species of deer that both males and females grow antlers. An interesting fact is that some species of reindeer have knees that make a clicking noise so that they can find each other in blinding blizzards. Even though they are large they still have predators, such as bears and eagles. 

Robin

The Robin is a lovely bird with orange colors plumage on its belly. They are the most prominent member of the Thrush bird species. Robins eat fruits, berries, and worms, but they can be seen walking a little funny after eating fermented berries. Interestingly, another bird called the Brown-headed Cowbird will lay its eggs in Robin’s nest and try to pass their eggs off as the robins! 

Rooster

Roosters are adult males of the chicken species. Roosters, as well as chickens, are found all over the world. Roosters are protectors of their flock and make sure that no predators get to the hens or chicks. Another way roosters care for their flock is by eating after the hens and chicks eat. Roosters are known for their crow, which signals farmers to wake up. Now they crow to tell their flock that food is ready or if there is a predator nearby.

Dogs that Start with R

  • Raccoon Dog
  • Rat Terrier
  • Red Nose Pit Bull
  • Redbone Coonhound
  • Rotterman
  • Rottsky
  • Rottweiler
  • Rottweiler Mix
  • Russell Terrier
  • Russian Bear Dog

Zoo Animals that Start with R

Rainbow Boa

The Rainbow Boa is native to the waters of the Amazon River Basin. The Rainbow Boa got its name from how its scale refracts the light in different rainbow colors. The scales are usually red with black rings down the back. The Rainbow Boa is a nonvenomous snake and does not grow to be more than 7 feet long, which is shorter than a boa. When looking at the Rainbow Boa, you can see two vestigial, or remnant, hind limbs.

Red Fox

The Red Fox is known for its amazing running, leaping, and swimming capabilities. A Red Fox can run up to 31 miles per hour, leap 6-foot fences and swim. The Red Fox’s more oversized ears are supersonic, allowing them to hear sounds almost 330 feet away! If you see a Red Fox grinning, then it is scared. 

Red Panda

Red Pandas are native to the Himalayan forest of Nepal, India. The Red Panda was named 50 years before the Giant Panda, and because they both have similar characteristics and eating habits, the Giant Panda was named after the Red Panda. Red Panda is the only real panda since the Giant Panda is classified in the bear species. 

Red Wolf

Despite their name, the Red Wolf is similarly colored like a German Shepard dog. They do have a red tint to their fur behind their ears, but that is pretty much all the red they have. The Red Wolf is native to the Eastern to Southern regions of the United States. They are on the endangered species list and can only be found in North Carolina.

Red-footed Booby

The Red-Footed Booby is a relative to the Blue-Footed Booby. They are sea birds that hunt for fish near the Equator. The Red-Footed Booby has a blue bill and throat and colorful feet. Red-Footed Booby pairs will raise several chicks together over several years. Their nests are built in colonies in the tree tops because they prefer the sun to shade.

Rhino

Did you know that Black and White Rhinos are the same color? They both have grey skin! The White Rhino is the second-largest land mammal in the world! Only the elephant is larger. The horn on the Rhino’s nose is not bone but keratin, which is the same thing your fingernails are made from. The Rhino’s closest relative is actually the zebra! 

River otter

There are 13 different species of otters and they can be found all over the world. River Otters are an indicator species, which tells environmentalists that a water ecosystem is healthy. They can only live in a healthy and clean water ecosystem. River Otters were built for swimming, and their bodies show that by their streamlined body and ability to close their nostrils so no water gets in wholly. 

Rosy boa

Rosy boas are nonvenomous snakes native to North America and Mexico. They got their name from their pink-hued coloring, but some Rosy Boas are orange. Rosy Boas depends on a lot of moisture, so they are very active above ground after a good rainstorm. Instead of biting a human that bothers it, the Rosy Boa releases a foul smell from its tail. 

Royal Bengal Tiger

The Royal Bengal Tiger is native to the countries of Nepal and India. Like Zebra, the stripes of each Royal Bengal Tiger are unique, like fingerprints. A Bengal Tiger roars can be heard over 2 miles away.  Male Royal Bengal Tigers are very family oriented and will ensure the female and cubs (baby tigers) eat first.

Other Animals that Start with R

  • Raccoon butterflyfish
  • Racer Snake
  • Radiated Tortoise
  • Ragamuffin
  • Ragdoll
  • Rail
  • Rainbow Grasshopper (Dactylotum bicolor)
  • Rainbow Kribs (Kribensis)
  • Rainbow trout
  • Rat Snakes
  • Ratel
  • Ratfish
  • Rattlesnake
  • Raven
  • Ray
  • Razor clam
  • Red Ackie Monitor
  • Red Aphids
  • Red Crossbill
  • Red deer
  • Red diamond rattlesnake
  • Red drum
  • Red Drum Fish
  • Red Finch
  • Red hake
  • Red king crab
  • Red Kite
  • Red Knee Tarantula
  • Red lionfish
  • Red octopus
  • Red Paper Wasp
  • Red Racer Snake
  • Red River hog
  • Red rock crab
  • Red sea urchin
  • Red sheep
  • Red snapper
  • Red Spitting Cobra
  • Red Star Chicken
  • Red-Bellied Black Snake
  • Red-bellied piranha
  • Red-Bellied Woodpecker
  • Red-Billed Quelea Bird
  • Red-breasted Merganser
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Red-eared slider
  • Red-eyed Vireo
  • Red-faced Cormorant
  • Red-footed tortoise
  • Red-handed Tamarind
  • Red-Headed Vulture
  • Red-headed Woodpecker
  • Red-legged Seriema
  • Red-Lipped Batfish
  • Red-necked Grebe
  • Red-shouldered Hawk
  • Red-spotted newt
  • Red-Tailed Cuckoo Bumblebee
  • Red-throated Loon
  • Red-throated Pipit
  • Red-vented Bulbul
  • Red-whiskered Bulbul
  • Red-winged blackbird
  • Redback Spider
  • Redcap Chicken
  • Redfish
  • Redhead
  • Redhump Eartheater
  • Redpoll
  • Redstart
  • Redtail Catfish
  • Reef Shark
  • Reeves’s muntjac
  • Regal Jumping Spider
  • Remora
  • Repenomamus
  • Reticulated python
  • Rex Rabbit
  • Rhamphosuchus
  • Rhea
  • Rhesus Macaque
  • Rhino Beetle
  • Rhino Viper
  • Rhinoceros
  • Rhinoceros Beetle
  • Rhinoceros iguana
  • Rhinoceros viper
  • Rhode Island Red Chicken
  • Rhodesian Ridgeback
  • Rhombic Egg-Eater Snake
  • Ribbon Eel
  • Ribbon Snake
  • Ribbonfish
  • Ridge-tailed monitor
  • Right whale
  • Rim Rock Crowned Snake
  • Ring-billed Gull
  • Ring-necked Duck
  • Ring-necked Pheasant
  • Ring-necked snake
  • Ring-tailed lemur
  • Ringed Kingfisher
  • Ringed Parakeet
  • Ringed Seal
  • Ringtail
  • Rinkhals Snake
  • Risso’s dolphin
  • River Dolphin
  • River Turtle
  • Roadrunner
  • Robber Flies
  • Rock Bass
  • Rock Crab
  • Rock Hyrax
  • Rock iguana
  • Rock lobster
  • Rock Pigeon
  • Rock Ptarmigan
  • Rock python
  • Rockfish
  • Rockhopper Penguin
  • Rocky Mountain Goat
  • Rodents
  • Roe Deer
  • Roller
  • Rook
  • Roosterfish
  • Root Aphids
  • Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
  • Roseat flamingo
  • Roseate cockatoo
  • Roseate Spoonbill
  • Ross’s Goose
  • Rosy-faced lovebird
  • Rosy-lipped batfish
  • Rough Earth Snake
  • Rough green snake
  • Rough-legged Hawk
  • Rough-necked monitor
  • Rough-toothed dolphin
  • Roughhead blenny
  • Roughneck shrimp
  • Round stingray
  • Round-eared elephant shrew
  • Round-tailed horned lizard
  • Rove Beetle
  • Royal angelfish
  • Royal Penguin
  • Royal python
  • Rubber boa
  • Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
  • Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
  • Ruddy Duck
  • Ruddy Turnstone
  • Ruffed Grouse
  • Rufous hare-wallaby
  • Rufous Hummingbird
  • Rufous mouse lemur
  • Rufous-bellied Thrush
  • Rufous-capped Warbler
  • Rufous-collared Sparrow
Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird animal that starts with R
  • Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird
  • Rufous-tailed Jacamar
  • Russel’s Viper
  • Russian Blue Cat
  • Russian desman
  • Russian tortoise
  • Rusty Blackbird
  • Rusty Sparrow
  • Rusty-capped Flycatcher
  • Rusty-rumped Warbler
  • Rusty-Spotted Cat
  • Rusty-spotted catshark

Do you know other animals that start with R that we missed? Add them to the comments so we can add them to our list!

If you’re looking for other unique and interesting animals, be sure to check out our other Animals lists.

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