Animal Names Starts With Letter: Y

Animals that start with Y range from high-mountain grazers to reef fish and deep-sea oddities. Meet the shaggy yak crossing Himalayan passes; the alert yellow mongoose of southern African grasslands; and South America’s semi-aquatic yapok (water opossum). Rivers and wetlands hide the coiled yellow anaconda and the snapping yabby crayfish, while coasts and reefs flash with yellow tang, yellowtail snapper, and speedy yellowfin tuna. In colder seas, the fuzzy-armed yeti crab farms bacteria near hydrothermal vents, and the yellow-eyed penguin hunts along New Zealand shores. Forests and thickets ring with the bright yellow warbler and Europe’s yellowhammer, while South American swamps host the armored yacare caiman. This “Y” lineup spans herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores across mountains, grasslands, savannas, forests, rivers, wetlands, reefs, and open oceans. Browse the list below for species profiles—scientific names, habitats, diets, and conservation status—and say yes to discovering the wildlife that begins with Y.