ANIMALS

Animals that start with H

5 animals starting with the letter H — each with origin, classification, and notes.

If you've been searching for animals that start with H, you'll find 5 detailed animals below. We're not interested in giving you only a list of names — every entry on this page links to a full profile with the kind of detail you'd actually want to know.

For animals, that means taxonomy, habitat, diet, range, lifespan, and conservation status.

Table of contents 5 entries
HareHedgehogHippopotamusHorse
Hyena

List of Animals That Start With H

    1

    Hare

    Lepus (genus)

    A larger, faster cousin of the rabbit — distinguished by long legs, larger ears, solitary habits, and the dramatic spring boxing matches between competing males.

    2

    Hedgehog

    Erinaceus europaeus (European hedgehog)

    A small spiky insectivore beloved across Europe and Asia — covered in 5,000+ defensive spines, capable of curling into an impenetrable ball, and increasingly endangered by habitat loss in the UK.

    3

    Hippopotamus

    Hippopotamus amphibius

    A massive, semiaquatic African mammal — the third-largest land animal after elephants and rhinos, with surprisingly close evolutionary ties to whales and a reputation as one of Africa's most dangerous animals.

    4

    Horse

    Equus ferus caballus

    A large hoofed mammal domesticated 5,500 years ago on the Eurasian steppe — central to human history as transport, agriculture, warfare, and sport, with hundreds of breeds adapted to specific tasks.

    5

    Hyena

    Crocuta crocuta (spotted); Hyaena hyaena (striped); Hyaenidae family

    A powerful African scavenger and predator with the strongest bite force of any mammal — capable of crushing bones, organized in matriarchal clans of up to 80 individuals, and far more an active hunter than the scavenger reputation suggests.

About animals starting with H

That's our current list of animals starting with the letter H. We add new entries every week — if you have a favorite animal starting with H that isn't on this page, let us know and we'll write it up.

Looking for more? Try animals that end with H, or contain H anywhere in the name.