Animals that start with O
Almost 721 animals are present whose names start with the letter “O.” These letters help people to recognize different species quickly. In this blogpost, we will discuss some interesting facts and information about these animals such as Okapi, Olm, Orang-utan, Old English sheepdog, etc. Some of them are as listed below;
List of Animals that start with O
- Octopus
- Olm
- Ostrich
- Oyster
- Owl
- Ox
- Opossum
- Oriole
- Okapi
- Ocelot
Octopus
This animal species with eight full arms, large eyes, and spherical heads has the scientific name Octopoda. These are boneless animals with blue blood and three hearts. In addition to this, octopuses are called “monsters of the deep” like squids. They take water into and out of the mantle via a short funnel called a siphon. Researches have shown that these intelligent animal species are observed using various tools.
| Phylum | Mollusca |
| Habitat | Coastal marine water |
| Length | 4.3 feet |
| Weight | 9.97kg |
| Diet | Small fishes, snails, clams, crabs, other octopuses |
| Predators | Sea otters, sperm whales, seals, fish, moray eels |
Olm
These animal species with the scientific name Proteus anguinus have long and curved bodies. They swim through their short, flattened tail that has a fin. Their skin is so pale and thin-colored that their viscera is visible through the abdomen. A layer of mucus is also present to protect the skins of these animal species. They have an excellent hearing ability both on the ground and in water. Furthermore, unique electro-sensitive organs are also present that help them sense electrical fields.
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Habitat | Dark, wet caves |
| Size | 8 to 12 inches |
| Weight | 17 grams |
| Diet | Snails, small crabs, insect larvae |
| Predators | Birds, toads, fishes |
Ostrich
These animal species, whose names start with “o”, have the scientific name Struthio. The other name of this animal is camel bird because of its sweeping eyelashes, jolting walk, prominent eyes, and long neck. If we talk about the color of their bodies, the females are brown-colored, while males are black-colored with white plumes in the wings. They are strong runner animal species that can run up to 31 miles.
| Family | Struthionidae |
| Habitat | Desert and savanna regions |
| Diet | Gazelles, wildebeest, zebras, giraffes |
| Size | 9 feet |
| Weight | 330 pounds |
| Predators | Crocodiles, hyenas, lions, Cheetahs |
Oyster
These animal species with the scientific name Ostreidae have irregular-shaped bodies. The oyster sells contain two valves which have dirt gray-colored rough surfaces. The lower valve with smooth edges is larger and flat, while the upper valve is convex. Both valves have smooth and white-colored inner surfaces. In addition to this, they are the animal species with eyes on their whole bodies. They get easily escaped from their predators due to these eyes.
| Phylum | Mollusca |
| Length | 62 to 64mm long |
| Weight | 50 grams |
| Lifespan | 20 years |
| Diet | Extraction of food particles and algae from water |
| Predators | Humans, starfish, seabirds, crabs |
Owl
The owls come in the list of the animals with the letter “O.” They have the scientific name Strigiformes, a sharply hooked beak, round, forward-looking eyes. These animal species with acute vision and hearing have a silent flight. Sound plays a vital role for owls in territorial and mating defense. Their sounds include a variety of vocalizations with rhythms, timbres, pitches, and bill snaps. They can live up to almost 25 years.
| Phylum | |
| Habitat | Beaches, agricultural fields, deserts, arctic tundra to marshlands |
| Size | 5 to 28 inches |
| Wingspan | 0.3 to 2.0 meters |
| Weight | 470 grams (males), 570 grams (females) |
| Predators | Eagles, wildcats, squirrels, snakes, foxes |
Ox
These animal species with the scientific name Bos taurus are also called bullocks. People train male bovines and use them as draft animals. They are used for various purposes, including threshing grains, supplying irrigation, and transport and plowing. Furthermore, these horned mammals were once seen in Europe and North America. They are not present in Australia and South America in the wild.
| Phylum | Chordate |
| Habitat | Eurasia, Africa, biomes’ full range from African equatorial rainforests to the Arctic tundra |
| Weight | 2500 to 3000 pounds |
| Diet | Berries, seeds, willows, grass |
| Predators | Arctic wolf |
| Lifespan | 20 years |
Opossum
These animals have the scientific name Didelphidae. The scaly feet and a scaly prehensile tails are present in these marsupials. The opossums contain large sagittal crests and elongated snouts. In addition to this, these scavengers use to visit human homes to raid containers, dumpsters, and garbage cans. Their hungry mouths contain fifty teeth. These excellent tree climbers prepare their nests in tree holes. They have a total lifespan of 2 to 4 years.
| Phylum | Chordate |
| Habitat | United states, Central America, wooden areas, America |
| Size | 24 to 26 inches long |
| Weight | 6 to 12 pounds |
| Diet | Fruits, nuts, grass and hunt chickens, snakes, worms, insects and birds |
| Predators | Humans, dogs, cats, red foxes, hawks, owls |
Oriole
The orioles with the scientific name Icterus are bright-colored animal species. They come in the category of those animals whose names start with “O.” They appear to have dark or black-colored feathers. Some of these birds have yellow feathers with black-colored patches on their tails, heads, backs, and wings. There are almost 33 different oriole species with similar sizes. Furthermore, these animal species are not uitable to make pets.
| Phylum | Chordate |
| Habitat | Forest edge, woodlands, large, leafy deciduous trees |
| Size | 15 to 20cm |
| Wingspan | 9 to 12 inches |
| Weight | 33.8 grams |
| Diet | Seeds, berries, fruits, insects |
Okapi
These animal species have the scientific name Okapia johnstoni. They look like zebras due to on their legs’ white and black-colored striping. That’s why zebras are considered their close relatives. They have huge, upright ears to catch slight sounds. They give birth to only one young at a time. In addition to this, these animal species are considered elusive, solitary and shy animals. They can live up to 15 and 20 years.
| Class | Mammalia |
| Habitat | Tropical rainforests, thick vegetation, Ituri forests |
| Size | 1.5 to 1.7 meters |
| Weight | 200 to 350 kg |
| Diet | Fruits, twigs, buds, bugs, leaves, understory vegetation |
| Predators | Leopard |
Ocelot
Ocelots come in the category of those animals whose names start with “O.” They have the scientific name L. pardalis. This sleek animal has an attractive dappled coating on its body. These animal species have golden-colored fur on their bodies, while cream or white-colored on their bellies. They are considered the second largest cats. Their fun facts include that they take prey into a high altitude place to eat it in total peace.
| Class | Mammalia |
| Habitat | Dense thornscrub, subtropical and tropical rainforests to semi-arid, Texas, Central Arizona, United States |
| Size | 70 to 100 centimeters |
| Weight | 8 to 20 kg |
| Predators | Harpy eagles, pumas, jaguars |
| Lifespan | 8 to 11 years |
FAQ’s
Sometimes people get confused and raise some questions about the animals whose names start with “O.” The answer to some of those raised questions are as given below;
What is a sea creature that starts with O?
Octopus is sea creature that starts with O.
Is ostrich an animal?
They come in a group of flightless birds known as ratites.
Conclusion
There are many animals present throughout the whole world having unique characters. But those animals whose names start with “O” are described in this blog post. It provides you with enough information to help you identify various animals.