Discover animals that begin with the letter V. Can you think of more? Let us know what we have missed...
Animals beginning with 'v'
Vampire bat
Living in Central and South America, vampire bats feed on blood, like their name suggests. They feed on cows, pigs, horses, and birds.
Vampire spider
The vampire spider is a member of the imminently likeable and charismatic jumping spider family (Salticidae). As its name suggests, it enjoys a diet of blood. Too small to bite a human, this arachnid manages to get a taste of the red stuff from mosquitoes.
Vampire squid
Despite its name – inspired by its dark colour and the cloak-like webbing between its arms – the vampire squid is neither vampire nor squid. It is the sole member of its own cephalopod order. Like the octopus, it has eight legs, but is equipped with a pair of thin trailing filaments, which may be derived from the two extra arms possessed by squid. No wonder we named it one of the weirdest sea creatures.
Vaquita
The vaquita is the world's smallest and rarest cetacean. With around 10 remaining in the wild, the tiny vaquita needs a miracle to save it from extinction.
Vervet monkey
A member of the primate family, this small Old World monkey thrives in East Africa. Although they enjoy a mostly vegetarian diet, they are partial to the odd insect, egg, baby bird and rodent. On the Caribbean islands of St. Kitts, Nevis and Barbados, however, they've also learnt how to steal alcohol from bars.
Viper
Also known as an adder, the common European viper is found throughout much of England, Scotland and Wales (but absent from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland), and throughout most of Europe. It's the UK's only venomous snake.
Viperfish
Found in the twilight zone of most oceans, deep-dwelling viperfish are named after their long fangs that jut out from the upper and lower jaws. They are also famed for their luminescent organs.
Vultures
As scavengers, vultures play a vital role in the clean-up of the environments in which they live. Often referred to as ‘nature’s clean-up crew’, their scavenging ways help to prevent the spread of diseases such as rabies and tuberculosis through clearing away carcasses.
There are 23 different vulture species altogether, however they are categorised based on whether they are a New World vulture species (found across the Americas and Caribbean) or an Old World vulture species (which are found typically in Africa, Asia, and also Europe).
Check out the rest of the animal alphabet and find animals starting with every letter from A-Z