Discover the captivating realm of animals starting with the letter Z. From the elusive Zebra to the adorable Zorilla, embark on a journey through the animal kingdom’s lesser-known inhabitants, learning intriguing facts about each one. Prepare to be amazed by the diversity and wonder of these Animals that begin with Z.
Commonly Known Animals That Begin With Z
Zebra
Ever wondered about zebras and their cool stripes? Let’s dive into the exciting world of these amazing animals! Did you know that zebras are black with white stripes? And guess what, if you shave a zebra, you’ll find out its skin is black too!
Zebras are super fast runners, zooming at speeds of up to 65 miles per hour to escape their predators. Like each of us has our particular fingerprints, every zebra has its unique stripe pattern. Let’s explore more fun facts about these fantastic creatures who live on the African Savanna!”
Love Zebras be sure to check out our Zebra Headband Craft or our adorable Zebra Paper bag puppet!
Zebra gecko
Let’s talk about an amazing creature called the Zebra Gecko! This gecko has a tail that looks just like the stripes of a zebra. And guess what? It’s the fastest lizard in the desert! When faced with danger, the clever Zebra Gecko waves its tail around to confuse its predators before quickly escaping. And here’s a super cool fact – just like some other geckos, if they ever get caught by a predator, they can drop their tail, but don’t worry, it will grow back over time. How fascinating is that?
Zebra Shark
Zebra sharks are like the night owls of the sea – they prefer to hunt for yummy mollusks and small fish only when the stars come out to play. And guess what? They can grow up to a whopping 12 feet in length, making them one of the big guys in the ocean!
But don’t be scared of them because Zebra Sharks are pretty chill and not aggressive at all. They like to take it easy during the day, catching some Zs and napping in the cozy coral reefs.
So, next time you visit the ocean, keep an eye out for these marvelous creatures, and you might spot a Zebra Shark taking a snooze!
Zebrafish
Guess what? Zebrafish are not just beautiful, but they’re also super tough and make fantastic pets. They can adapt to different environments easily, which makes them great companions for fish enthusiasts like you!
But here’s the amazing part: Zebrafish have some truly magical abilities! If they happen to damage an eye, no worries – they have incredible regeneration powers that allow them to repair it all by themselves! Scientists are so fascinated by this fantastic ability that they study Zebrafish to learn more about regeneration and how it works.
Zebu Cattle
Zebu Cattle are native to Africa and parts of Asia. The Zebu cattle are known for their long horns, hump on their back, and hanging chin called a dewlap. There are 75 different species of Zebu Cattle due to breeding with other cow species. Zebu Cattle live in hierarchical groups led by one male, several females, and their offspring.
Zigzag Salamander
The Zigzag Salamander is native to the humid states of North America. Mostly they can be found in Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky. The Zigzag Salamander gets it is named from the zigzag pattern on its back. The Zigzag Salamander is not very big and only grows to be around 3 ½ inches long.
Zoo Animals That Start With Z
Zanzibar Red Colobus
The Zanzibar Red Colobus monkey gets its name from living on the island of Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania. The red fur on its back contributes to the other part of its name. The Zanzibar Red Colobus has crazy white hair on the top of their head that kind of looks like Einstein’s hair. Groups of Zanzibar Red Colobus work together to gather food during the cool periods of the day.
Zebra Dove
The Zebra Dove is easily recognizable by the stripes on its plumage that resemble zebra stripes. The Zebra Dove has become a popular pet because of their ease of care and quiet cooing. Zebra Doves are native to Asia but have been found as far away as Hawaii due to pets being released on accident.
Zonkey
A Zonkey is a zebroid mix of a female donkey and a male zebra. A Zedonk is a mix of a female zebra and a male donkey. They live primarily in the savanna and woodlands of Africa. The Zonkey’s body primarily resembles a donkey’s coloring but has stripes down its legs like its Zebra parent. Due to their hybrid status, the Zonkey and the Zedonk are both sterile animals, which means they can not have babies.
Zorilla
The Zorilla, or Polecat as it is commonly known, looks like a skunk and smells like a skunk but is actually in the weasel family! The Zorilla shares their habitat and diet with the mongoose, so they hunt at night while the mongoose hunts during the day. You can tell the difference between a male and a female Zorilla by how they walk. Male Zorillas walk with their tail up, and females walk with their tale down.
Zorse
Like Zonkey and Zedonk, the Zorse is a zebroid mix of a male Zebra and a female Horse. They can be found in Africa and North America. The Zorse has more horse characteristics and is larger than the Zonkey and Zedonk. Since Zebras and Horses do not normally share a habitat, this pairing occurs during purposeful breeding. Due to their sturdy nature, a Zorse can live to be around 30 years old.
Other Animals that Start with Z
- Zanzibar Red Duiker
- Zapata Wren
- Zebra Duiker
- Zebra Finch
- Zebra Longwing Butterfly
- Zebra Mussels
- Zebra Pleco
- Zebra Snake
- Zebra snake-necked turtle
- Zebra spiny tail iguana
- Zebra Spitting Cobra
- Zebra Tarantula
- Zebra-tailed Lizard
- Zebrette
- Zebroid
- Zebu
- Zenaida Dove
- Zimmer’s Quail
- Ziphius
- Zokor
- Zonata snake
- Zone-tailed hawk
- Zone-tailed Pigeon
- Zorro
- Zuchon
- Zululand dwarf chameleon
- Zyzomys (rodent)
Do you know any other animals that begin with Z? Add them to the comments! We’d love to learn about them as well.