From the Yak to the rare yellow-eyed penguin, here are 12 animals starting with the letter'Y'.
12 animals starting with 'Y'
Yellowjacket
Yellowjacket (or yellow jacket) is an American term for the predatory social insects usually referred to as “wasps” elsewhere, typically species from the Vespula and Dolichovespula genera). It is also used for some of the bloodwood and eucalyptus trees native to Queensland in Australia.
Yellowhammer
A distinctive yellow and brown-chestnut bird, the yellowhammer is a farmland bird (and one of the 19 species in the UK Farmland Bird Indicator). Males are brighter than females, and sing a song likened to the phrase “a little bit of bread and no cheese”.
Yak
The yak has both a wild species and a domesticated species. It is a long-haired bovine found in the Himalayas, which is extremely well adapted for living at high altitudes. Wild yaks are dark in colouration, whilst domestic yaks are more variable.
Yellow-necked mouse
Similar in appearance to the wood mouse, the yellow-necked mouse is slightly larger and has – as the name suggests – a yellow band of fur on its neck. It is restricted to southern England and parts of Wales.
Yeti crab
The yeti crabs are a group of deep-sea squat lobsters found living on the hydrothermal vents in the waters around Antarctica. Although these waters are the coldest on earth, the water just around the hydrothermal vents is warm enough for these crustaceans to survive.
Yapok
‘Yapok’ is the local name for the water opossum, a marsupial found in parts of Central and South America. It is the most aquatic of the living marsupial species, and the only living marsupial where both sexes have a pouch.
Yellow wagtail
Similar in appearance to the grey wagtail, the yellow wagtail is only a summer visitor to the UK and its breeding range has mostly been restricted to central and northern England in recent years. The decline since the 1970s is thought to be linked to the increasing intensification of agriculture.
Yellow longnose butterflyfish
Very aptly named, the yellow longnose butterflyfish (one of the world's weirdest fish) has a bright yellow body and a long nose on its black and silver striped head. It has an alternative name of ‘forceps butterflyfish’, as it snout has the appearance of a pair of forceps.
Yacaré caiman
The Yacare caiman is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay and can grow up to three metres in length. It was once hunted extensively for its skin, but populations have since increased due to protections and trading restrictions. As a youngster it is vulnerable to a variety of predators, and adults can be predated by jaguars.
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Yellow-eyed penguin
The hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguin, is the largest penguin breeding on New Zealand’s mainland and is distinctive for the yellow band of feathers around the head as well as yellow eyes.
It is one of three penguin species that breeds on New Zealand’s mainland and another three breed on New Zealand subantarctic islands. The species is found nowhere else in the world and is one of the most threatened penguins globally.
Yidiyidi
Already known to the local Wuggubun people, an Aboriginal community in Western Australia, the yidiyidi wasn’t described by scientists until 2022 – in a paper that added 12 other newly described species for the country. It is a green cicada which appears after the rains in December.
Yabby
Fans of Australian soap operas will be familiar with the idea of catching yabbies down at the creek. And we're grateful for this Y word from down under, which refers to a species of Australia freshwater crayfish – Cherax destructor.
Checkout the rest of the animal alphabet and find animals starting with every letter from A-Z