370 Spectacular Animals that Start with S

Around the world, we will discover animals that begin with every letter of the alphabet, but one that you might discover a little more often is animals that start with S. Some that come to mind quickly may be the seagull, the snail, and the starfish, but did you know that there are so many other animals that start with S like the Saola?

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From the savannahs to the rainforests and even within the walls of our own home we can discover some of the most fascinated animals that begin with S. There are some with the most stunning attributes while some that are quite a mystery.

There are so many sensational animals that begin with S! Slither on over and learn about these amazing animals. Can you find an animal that glows with UV light? Or the one that was the face of an Ancient Egyptian God? Stump your friends with your knowledge about animals that start with S! If you’re looking for other facts to stump your friends, be sure to check out our list of Animals that Start with R and our Facts About Raccoons.

Now, let’s go on an adventure and discover new facts about animals that begin with S to see how many of these animals you have heard of as you learn intriguing new facts along the way.

Commonly Known Animals That Start With S

These animals are pretty well known animals that begin with S. These facts are downright cool that you will love sharing with your friends.

Sagehen

The Sagehen does not look like your average backyard chicken hen. The Sagehen is the largest grouse, a type of bird, in North America. Sagehens can be found in North America and Canada. Sage Hens live in groups that can contain hundreds of Sagehens. Due to fires and loss of habitat, the Sagehen is on the threatened species list.

Sable

Sable’s are native to Eurasia and Asia, and their luxurious fur has been used in clothing since the Middle Ages. Sables are very small creatures, weighing no more than 4 pounds and growing to be around 22 inches long including their tail. Their fur is unique and no matter which way you pet a Sable, it is soft and fluffy, that is why their fur was used in clothing. Sables prefer to live in wooded areas near riverbanks.

Salamander

Salamanders are interesting creatures that look like a hybrid between a lizard and a frog. They have long slender bodies like lizards and slippery skin like frogs. There are many different types of salamanders all over the world ranging in sizes and colors. Salamanders are carnivores and feed on small fish and insects.

Sand Crab

Sand Crabs are very small crabs that live in the sand on the beach. Measuring no bigger than your thumb, these crabs only have the ability to move backward. If you are at the beach, stand where the water meets the sand, and look for bubbles, that is where you will find Sand Crabs! Unlike other crabs, the Sand Crab does not pinch or bite.

Sand Dollar

Sand Dollars look like large flat coins that got lost in the sand at the beach. Sand Dollars have hairs or Cilia that they use like fingers to eat and move their food toward their mouth which has rows of tiny teeth! Look closely at a Sand Dollar and you will see rings around its perimeter, this is used to determine how old they are.

Sandpiper

Sandpipers are cute little birds that live on the beach. They look like they are chasing the water, but they are gathering crustaceans that have washed ashore or grabbing sand crabs. The ends of their bills are sensitive so they can feel vibrations from their food in the sand. Sandpipers are found on the beaches of Australia, Africa, and Asia.

Scorpion

Scorpions are cousins to the spider but their long curved tail with a stinger gives them their distinct look. Their stinger is a defense against predators and contains a toxin. Some Scorpions have a toxin that is potent enough to kill a person. Scorpions are highly adaptable to any climate or region. If you are in a region that contains scorpions an easy way to find them is with a UV light, they glow under UV light!

Sea Dragon

The Sea Dragon is both lovely and well adapted to living in the sea. The leaf-like appendages of the Sea Dragon are used to camouflage their bodies in the seaweed and kelp forests. Since they do not use their leafy exteriors to swim, they have two small fins that help them navigate the ocean. Since they look like easy prey, the Sea Dragon actually is covered in hard armor-like plates.

Sea Lion

Sea Lions and seals are often mistaken for each other, but one way to tell the difference is how they move on land. Seals bounce on land while Sea Lions walk on their flippers. Sea Lions are very social creatures and travel in groups. They hunt for small fish in the ocean and can hold their breath for 20 minutes. Sea Lions have a long life span and can live to be around 30 years old.

Sea Otter

Sea Otters are known for their cute and playful faces. A Sea Otter can live its whole entire life in the water and has no reason to leave. In order to open shells for their food, Sea Otters use rocks as a hammer. When you see a group of Sea Otters floating together it is called a raft. Since their babies can not swim right after birth, mommy Sea Otters wrap them and their babies together with seaweed and kelp.

Seagull

Seagulls are always found near lakes or oceans. They enjoy the water and will even sleep on the water. Since they live around mostly salt water they have the ability to drink salt water. If a group of Seagulls feel threatened they will attack people to protect their space. Seagulls are also known for their sneaky way of taking people’s food.

Seahorse

The Seahorse is the most easily identified ocean animal ever. The Seahorse gets its name because of its resemblance to a horse. Like the Seadragon, the Seahorse is covered in an armor-like plate which makes it hard for predators to digest them. Seahorses are very romantic and dance for their partner every morning. When a Seahorse pair has babies, it is the male Seahorse that carries and gives birth to the babies.

Shark

Shark is a blanket term for over 400 different species of shark. Sharks are interesting creatures considering they do not have bones. Instead of bones, they have cartilage throughout their body. Cartilage is the same material that your nose and ears are made out of. Shark skin has the same texture as sandpaper due to the pointy scales they have on their body.

Sheep

Sheep are cute, cuddly, and very useful animals! Sheep wool is used in clothing all over the world and their milk and meat are high in nutrients. Sheep are social creatures and like to live in herds, if they are separated from their herds they demonstrate depressive type symptoms.

Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is one of the most popular breeds of dog found in America, but it originated as a lapdog in Ancient Tibet more than 1,000 years ago! The Shih Tzu is known for its beautiful long coat. They are happy and friendly little dogs that enjoy being around their families but are okay with being alone for long periods of time.

Skunk

The Skunk is an easily identifiable animal with its distinct white and black fur…and its smell! Skunks spray predators with a nasty smelling fluid when they feel threatened. Skunks are very adaptable creatures and they live all over North America. Their main diet is rodents, birds eggs, and insects. Skunks are nocturnal and are rarely seen out during the day.

Snail

There are over 40,000 different types of snails found around the world, living both on land and in the water. The largest snail in the world is the African Land Snail which can grow as big as an adult’s hand! The smallest snail is the micro mollusk which can only be seen with a microscope. Despite their squishy bodies, Snails have around 1,000 teeth to scrape and cut their food.

Sperm Whale

Sperm Whales are the largest of the toothed whales and can be found in every ocean around the world. A male Sperm Whale can grow to be around 66 feet long, while the female is around 52 feet long. A Sperm Whale lives to be around 60 years old and is considered fully mature at the age of 10. The brain of the Sperm whale weighs around 9 pounds and is the largest of any living animal.

Starfish

A Starfish is not actually the correct name, their name is Sea Star since they are not fish. There are around 2,000 different species of Seat Stars. The stomach of the Sea Star comes out of its mouth to eat its prey and then re enters its body. If one of their limbs comes off, it will regenerate but it takes some time.

Swordfish

Swordfish get their name from the sword like bill. They are the fastest predators in the ocean, reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour! Swordfish start life as tiny eggs and grow to be around 13 feet long and 1,400 pounds in adulthood. When they are born, they have scales and teeth, both of which they lose as adults.

Dogs That Start With S

Do you have a dog that starts with the letter S? Tell us what kind in the comments!

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Saint Bernard
Saarloos Wolfdog
Saint Berdoodle
Saint Shepherd
Saluki

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Samoyed
Sambar
Schapendoes
Schipperke
Schnauzer

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Scotch Collie
Schnoodle
Schneagle
Sco-Shi
Scottish Deerhound

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Scottish Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Sheepadoodle
Shepadoodle
Shepkita

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Shetland Sheepdog
Shepweiler
Shiba Inu
Shichi
Shih Poo

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Siberian Husky
Shikoku
Shiloh Shepherd
Shollie
Short-eared Dog

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Silky Terrier
Siberian Retriever
Siberpoo
Silken Windhound
Smooth Fox Terrier

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Spanish Mastiff
Snorkie
Spanador
Spanish Water Dog
Springador

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Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Springerdoodle
Springbok
Standard Schnauzer

Zoo Animals That Start With S

Headed to the zoo? Be sure to see if you spot these zoo animals that start with S while you are there.

Scarab Beetle

The Scarab Beetle is also known as the Egyptian Beetle. They are a dung beetle that can be found on every continent except Antarctica. The Scarab Beetle was revered by ancient Egyptians and was considered to be the face of the sun god, Ra. The Scarab Beetle will make balls of dung and that is where they will lay their eggs.

Sand Cat

Sand Cats are solitary animals living in Asia and Africa’s deserts. Sand Cats are fearless and enjoy a good snake dinner, including the venomous viper. Due to the extreme heat of the deserts they live in, they have dense hair and pads on their paws to help protect them. They will burrow underground to keep cool when the heat is too much.

Sea Urchin

Sea Urchins are spiky multicolored creatures that live in all of Earth’s oceans. Even though it looks like they do not move, Sea Urchins use tube feet to slowly move themselves from place to place. Their mouths are at the bottom of their bodies. Even though Sea Urchins do not have brains, they do have nerves that control their body movements.

Sea Eagle

The Sea Eagle can be found on every continent except South America and Antarctica. They live close to a water source at all times, be it the ocean, lakes, or wetlands. The Sea Eagle can grow to be 3 feet tall and its wingspan is up to 6 feet. Since the Sea Eagle lives around water, fish is the main staple of their diet.

Sloth

The Sloth is known for its slow and leisurely existence. Sloths are very strong, and have a specialized muscle system that allows them to withstand being pulled from a tree by a predator. In order to hang for long periods of time to sleep, they have tendons that lock so that they do not fall out of the tree. Sloths only poop once a week, and in the process lose a third of their body weight.

Sloth Bear

Sloth Bears are named after the Sloth because of their similar snout. The shaggy-coated Sloth Bear is native to India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. A Sloth Bear likes to dine on termites during the dry season, and during the monsoon season eats mostly fruit. In order to get termites, the Sloth Bear will dig up the termite mounds. Interesting fact, the Sloth Bear can close its nostrils to avoid termites going up their nose!

Snow Leopard

The Snow Leopard is most at home in Nepal’s high, snow-capped mountains. Their bodies are adapted to climbing the rocky rough mountain terrain. Some adaptations are their shorter front legs and longer back legs, and their longer coats that keep them warm. Additionally, their paws are larger and act like snow shoes so they can walk easily on the snow. Due to hunting and climate change, the Snow Leopard is on the endangered species list.

Snow Monkey

The Snow Monkey is actually named the Japanese macaque. They are native to Japan and dwell in the forests in the south or freezing terrain of the North. The Snow Monkey is a stockier monkey than most and has a long coat to keep it warm with a pink face peeking out. The Snow Monkey travels in groups of around 30 individuals.

Snowy Owl

The Snowy Owl is a gorgeous white bird with piercing yellow eyes that is native to the cold regions of Canada and Russia. Their white plumage makes it easy for them to blend in with their surroundings. Male Snowy Owls are mostly white, while the females have some darker brown mixed into their main body feathers. Unlike other owls who are nocturnal, the Snowy Owl is diurnal, which means they are awake during the day.

Spotted Python

The Spotted Python is native to Australia. When looking for a Spotted Python, it is a good idea to look up into the trees since they spend more time there and not on the ground. One of their favorite foods is bats, and will actually hang from cave ceilings to catch bats in midair! The Spotted Python is much smaller compared to other species of pythons and has a lighter color base and dark spots.

Striped Hyena

Striped Hyenas were previously thought to be members of the dog family, but they are not. They actually have their own family with four different species of Hyenas. The Striped Hyena is smaller than the other members of their species. They have golden colored fur with gray and black stripes down their body. Their coloring provides the perfect camouflage in the long grass of their native African and Asia habitats.

Sumatran Orangutan

The Sumatran Orangutan is an endangered species that is native to the island of Sumatra. Their distinct orange fur with flat dark faces make them noticeable. Female Sumatran orangutans live primarily in trees while the males make occasional trips to the jungle floor. These amazing Orangutans have wide arm spans of 7 feet so they can move easily through the trees. Their hands look just like human hands, with four fingers and a thumb that give them amazing gripping power while climbing trees.