2-syllable Animals that contain D

List of 2-syllable Animals that contain D

1

Aardvark

Orycteropus afer

A secretive nocturnal African mammal with a pig-like snout and long sticky tongue — the only living species in its entire order, an evolutionary singleton that has changed little in tens of millions of years.

2

Deer

Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed); Cervidae family

Slender, antlered ruminants found across nearly all continents — from the white-tailed deer of North America to the European red deer to tropical muntjacs — among the most successful large mammals in human-altered landscapes.

3

Dik-dik

Madoqua kirkii (and related species)

The tiny antelope of African thornbush — one of the world's smallest antelopes, barely 35–45 cm at the shoulder, with enormous dark eyes, an elongated flexible snout, and a habit of zigzagging away in a characteristic stop-start dash when alarmed; dik-diks form lifelong monogamous pairs that maintain small territories together, marking boundaries with secretions from preorbital glands beside their eyes.

4

Dingo

Canis lupus dingo

Australia's wild dog — a lean, amber-coated canid that arrived from Asia at least 3,500 years ago and now sits at the top of the mainland food chain as the continent's largest terrestrial predator.

5

Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

A highly intelligent marine mammal found in oceans worldwide, famous for its sophisticated social behavior, problem-solving ability, and signature whistle communication.

6

Donkey

Equus africanus asinus

A patient, sure-footed working equid descended from the African wild ass — the world's primary cargo animal in mountainous and arid regions for over 5,000 years.

7

Mandrill

Mandrillus sphinx

The world's largest monkey and the most colourful mammal — males develop electric blue and red facial colouring and a brilliantly coloured rump; despite their fearsome appearance, mandrills are omnivorous and live in enormous groups called hordes.

8

Maned Wolf

Chrysocyon brachyurus

The giraffe-legged wolf of South American grasslands — an unmistakable canid with improbably long legs, reddish-orange fur, a black mane, and large ears; the maned wolf is not closely related to wolves or foxes, being the sole member of its genus; it is an omnivore that eats more fruit than meat, and the wolf-apple (lobeira fruit) forms a large part of its diet.

9

Panda

Ailuropoda melanoleuca

A black-and-white bear that subsists almost entirely on bamboo despite a carnivore's digestive system, and the international symbol of wildlife conservation.

10

Sand Cat

Felis margarita

The smallest wild cat of the deserts — a compact, sandy-coloured cat with enormous ears, densely furred paws, and adaptations for life in extreme heat and cold; sand cats can survive without drinking water for months, obtaining all moisture from their prey, and can dig rapidly into sand to escape heat or pursue prey; deceptively cute in appearance but a formidable desert predator.

11

Wild Boar

Sus scrofa

The ancestor of the domestic pig — a powerfully built, tusked omnivore with coarse grey-black bristles that has recolonised much of Europe and Asia; a major game animal, agricultural pest, and ecological engineer whose rooting transforms forest floors.