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Animals That Start With P

Pelicans - animals that start with p
Pelican via Pixabay

Welcome to animals that start with P.

If you’ve been searching for animals starting with P, you’re in luck. You’ve come to the end of your search. We’ve put together a list of twenty animals that begin with the letter P, and some fun facts about them! You can find these animals in many parts of the world, maybe even close to you.

Parrot via Pixabay

Let’s go through the list together, shall we?

Overview of Animals that Start with P

1. Paddlefish

By Emőke Dénes - kindly granted by the author, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27275789
Paddlefish By Emőke Dénes -, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Scientific NamePolyodon spathula
Where It LivesRiver basin
What It EatsFilter feeder, primarily consuming zooplankton
Conservation StatusNot specifically mentioned

Fun Fact: Paddlefish get their name from their paddle-like snouts used to track electrical waves from zooplankton.

Paddlefish haven’t undergone many changes since the Cretaceous period. Paddlefish are large freshwater fishes that can get up to seven feet long. Despite their size, these fishes feed on zooplankton alone. They are fished for their flesh, but food industries also seek after the caviar made from their Roe.

2. Pademelon

Pademelon
Pademelon via Pixabay
Scientific NameThylogale
Where It LivesForests of Australia and New Guinea
What It EatsHerbivorous, eating grasses, leaves, and occasionally small insects
Conservation StatusVaries by species

Fun Fact: Pademelons are born tiny, blind, furless, and defenseless.

Pademelons are marsupials that can be found in Australia. They are closely related to wallabies and kangaroos but are solitary animals. They are nocturnal, so they only come out to eat berries, leaves, and grasses at night.

3. Pangolin

Pangolin. By WildlifeConservationist - Own work, photo taken at Working with Wildlife, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Pangolin. By WildlifeConservationist – Own work, photo taken at Working with Wildlife, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Scientific NamePholidota
Where It LivesAfrica and Asia
What It EatsAnts and termites
Conservation StatusRanges from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered due to illegal wildlife trade

Fun Fact: Pangolins can roll into a ball when threatened to protect themselves.

These animals look a lot like anteaters would if they had scales. They have a similar diet of ants and insects; they have long tongues and elongated snouts.

The Pangolin is the most trafficked animal in the world. You can read our complete guide on Pangolins to learn more about this vulnerable animal.

4. Porcupine

Porcupine
Porcupine via Pixabay
Scientific NameErethizon dorsatum

Where It LivesVarious habitats in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa
What It EatsHerbivore, eating leaves, twigs, and green plants
Conservation StatusVaries by species

Fun Fact: Porcupines do not shoot their quills; however, their quills are easily detachable and can be dropped in the path of predators.

The spiky bodies of these animals are very distinctive. Porcupines are famous for the quills that cover their bodies, but they have hair on their front ends.

5. Parrot

Parrot
Parrot via Pixabay
Scientific NamePsittaciformes
Where It LivesTropical and subtropical regions around the world
What It EatsSeeds, nuts, fruit, buds, and other plant material
Conservation StatusVaries by species, with some endangered due to habitat loss and pet trade

Fun Fact: Parrot brains evolved similarly to primate brains, making them so smart.

These colorful birds are very popular as pets. Not just for their beautiful and bright feathers but also their wit. These long-living birds are famous for their ability to speak, and mimick sounds in the wild as well!

Parrots can mimic sounds they hear which include words and sentences.

6. Patas Monkey

patas monkey
Image by Abejaobrera, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Scientific NameErythrocebus patas
Where It LivesOpen grasslands of Central Africa
What It EatsOmnivorous, eating fruits, insects, and small animals
Conservation StatusLeast Concern, but facing threats from habitat destruction and hunting

Fun Fact: Patas monkeys are the fastest primates in the world.

These are large monkeys that inhabit the grasslands of Central Africa. These omnivores eat lizards, birds’ eggs, and fruits and raid farms for crops.

7. Peacock

Peacock - animals that start with p
Peacock via Pexels
Scientific NamePavo cristatus
Where It LivesNative to South Asia, introduced elsewhere
What It EatsOmnivorous, including seeds, insects, fruits, and small mammals
Conservation StatusLeast Concern, but populations are decreasing in the wild

Fun Fact: A group of Peacocks is called a pride or an ostentation.

Peacocks are notable for their bright tail feathers and intricate mating dances. They also have eyespots on those feathers, called ocelli, to dissuade predators.

8. Peacock Spider

peacock spider
Image by KDS444, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Scientific NameMaratus
Where It LivesAustralia
What It EatsSmall insects
Conservation StatusNot widely studied, but habitat destruction could pose a threat

Fun Fact: Peacock spiders can see ultraviolet light.

Peacock spiders feature bright colors and have a mating dance, just like actual peacocks. These tiny spiders are not poisonous despite their coloration.

9. Pelican

Pelican
Pelican via Pixabay
Scientific NamePelecanus
Where It LivesLakes, rivers, and seacoasts around the world
What It EatsMainly fish, caught by diving or scooping with their large bill
Conservation StatusVaries by species, with some threatened by habitat loss and pollution

Fun Fact: There is a myth that says pelicans stab themselves and feed their blood to their young. That isn’t true.

The pouch in its beak is a distinctive feature of a pelican. These waterbirds feed on fish that they catch with their beak pouches.

10. Pufferfish

By National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -
Image by David Starr Jordan, Public domain, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/FMIB_42660_Tetraodon_hispidus_Linnaeus_Muki-Muki%2C_Oopuhue.jpeg,via Wikimedia Commons
Scientific NameTetraodontidae
Where It LivesTropical and subtropical ocean waters
What It EatsAlgae, invertebrates, and sometimes shellfish
Conservation StatusVaries by species, with some threatened by habitat loss and pollution

Fun Fact: Pufferfishes seem to have romantic feelings for their mates.

These poisonous fishes can puff up and double in size in the presence of threats. Pufferfishes are very aggressive and are usually solitary.

11. Pere David’s Deer

Pere David’s Deer
Pere Davids Deer via Pixabay
Scientific NameElaphurus davidianus
Where It LivesReintroduced in China; originally extinct in the wild
What It EatsGrasses and aquatic plants
Conservation StatusExtinct in the Wild, exist only in captivity and reintroduced populations

Fun Fact: Pere David’s Deers have spread hooves with webbing that help them wade in water bodies.

This is a strange member of the deer family that predominantly lives in China. Pere David’s Deer are usually found close to water bodies or swampy areas.

12. Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon - an animal that starts with p
Peregrine Falcon via Pixabay
Scientific NameFalco peregrinus
Where It LivesWorldwide, across all continents except Antarctica
What It EatsPrimarily birds, caught in flight
Conservation StatusLeast Concern, populations have recovered significantly after DDT ban

Fun Fact: Peregrine falcons are the fastest animals on earth, having been recorded to reach 242mph while diving for prey.

The Peregrine Falcons are accomplished birds of prey. These birds are known to dive from above when hunting other airborne birds.

They mate for life.

13. Pheasant

Pheasant
Pheasant via Pixabay
Scientific NamePhasianus colchicus
Where It LivesAsia, with introduced populations in other regions
What It EatsOmnivorous, including seeds, insects, and small animals
Conservation StatusVaries by species, with some threatened by habitat loss and hunting

Fun Fact: Pheasants have dust baths to cleanse themselves.

Pheasants are a prevalent species of brightly-colored game birds with long tail feathers.

These birds can run fast and fly in times of danger.

14. Pig

Pig - animals that start with p
Pig via Pixabay
Scientific NameSus scrofa domesticus
Where It LivesDomesticated worldwide
What It EatsOmnivorous, with a diet including grains, fruits, and vegetables
Conservation StatusNot applicable, as they are domesticated

Fun Fact: Pigs don’t have a lot of sweat glands, so they wallow in mud to regulate their body temperatures.

Pigs were one of the first animals to be domesticated by humans. There are hundreds of pig breeds, but the curly tail is unique to the domesticated ones. You can find these animals in all parts of the world.

15. Pygmy Marmoset

Pygmy Marmoset
Pygmy Marmoset via Pixabay
Scientific NameMartes martes
Where It LivesNorthern Europe and parts of Asia in forested areas
What It EatsSmall mammals, birds, insects, and fruits
Conservation StatusLeast Concern, but habitat loss and fragmentation are concerns

Fun Fact: Pygmy Marmosets are the smallest monkeys in the world.

These small monkeys are found in the Amazon forests of South America. They use their fingernails to climb trees, giving them the nickname of Finger monkeys.

16. Pine Marten

By Pine Marten (Martes martes), Rothiemurchus by Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Scientific NameChlamyphorus truncatus
Where It LivesCentral Argentina, in dry grasslands and sandy plains
What It EatsInsects, worms, and plant material
Conservation StatusData Deficient, with threats from farming and climate change

Fun Fact: Pine Martens can leap from tree to tree, covering gaps of more than six feet.

Pine Martens look like weasels, but they have a partially arboreal lifestyle. These shy, nocturnal animals are hard to see in the open. Put in their speed and agility, and you’ll see why the pine Marten is such an elusive creature.

17. Pink Fairy Armadillo

By Cliff – originally posted to Flickr as Pink Fairy Armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus), CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Scientific NameChlamyphorus truncatus
Where It LivesCentral Argentina, in dry grasslands and sandy plains
What It EatsInsects, worms, and plant material
Conservation StatusData Deficient, with threats from farming and climate change

Fun Fact: Pink Fairy armadillos are very good at burrowing and navigating underground.

With its length of 13cm, the Pink Fairy armadillo is the smallest in the world. It gets its name from its size and the color of its shell.

18. Piranha

Piranhas - animals that start with p
Piranha via Pixabay
Scientific NamePygocentrus nattereri
Where It LivesSouth American rivers and lakes
What It EatsFish, carrion, seeds, and fruit
Conservation StatusVaries by species, with no immediate threats known

Fun Fact: Piranhas use their scissor-like teeth to eat anything from plants to carrion.

At first glance, piranhas might not look like aggressive feeders. But a look at its razor-sharp teeth will remove any doubt quickly.

19. Platypus

Platypus
Playtypus via Shutterstock
Scientific NameOrnithorhynchus anatinus
Where It LivesFreshwater habitats in eastern Australia, including rivers and lakes
What It EatsCarnivorous, eating aquatic invertebrates and small water animals
Conservation StatusNear Threatened, with threats from habitat destruction and water pollution

Fun Fact: The platypus is one of only three mammals that lay eggs.

This strange-looking animal is found in Australia. They have short waterproof fur to survive in their semi-aquatic environment.

20. Polyphemus Moth

Polyphemus Moths - animals that start with p
Polyphemus Moth via Pixabay
Scientific NameAntheraea polyphemus
Where It LivesWoodlands, forests, and suburban areas across North America
What It EatsLarvae feed on leaves of broad-leaved trees and shrubs
Conservation StatusNot listed as endangered, but habitat destruction and pesticide use are threats

Fun Fact: Polyphemus Moths have a short life span of four days; due to this, they don’t eat. They don’t even have true mouths.

The Polyphemus Moth is a giant Moth with a striking eyespot on its wings. Its caterpillars produce silk that can be used to make clothes.

These moths are usually found in North America.

Summary of Animals that Start with P

YouTube video
Animals that start with P. Source: Youtube, Uploaded: James English.

We hope you loved the list. You can find many animals beginning with P around you. There are even more interesting animals to discover in this other list of animals that start with q. Stay safe.

Get all A-Z Animal Letters here:

Thank you for reading!

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