Animals that Start with V

Let’s explore some very unique and fascinating animals that start with V! From the mysterious vampire bat to the colorful vine snake and the curious vole, these animals may not be the most famous, but they’re full of surprises. In this English lesson, you’ll discover interesting facts and improve your vocabulary and pronunciation all at once.

List of Animals that Start with V

Below are some animals with names that start with the letter V.

Vanikolo Goatfish
Veiled Chameleon
Verreaux’s Sifaka
Vervet Monkey
Vicuna
Viper
Vireo
Virginia Opossum
Viscacha
Vixen
Vole
Vulture

Animals that Start with V with Facts and Pictures

Vicuna

Vicunas are the wild relatives of llamas and live high in the Andes mountains.
They produce one of the finest and most expensive types of wool in the world.
Vicunas are protected animals—they were once endangered but have made a comeback due to conservation efforts.

Vicuna

/vɪˈkuːnjə/

Example: Clasen combined these blonde tones with deeper, warmer shades of camel or vicuna.

Viper

Vipers are venomous snakes known for their long, hinged fangs.
They have heat-sensing pits to detect warm-blooded prey.
Some vipers, like the Gaboon viper, can grow very large and blend into leaf litter perfectly.

Viper

/ˈvaɪpɚ/

Example: Be careful of that viper; he is dangerous.

Vireo

Vireos are small songbirds often found in North and Central America.
They sing cheerful, repetitive tunes that help identify them.
Vireos are insectivores and help control insect populations in forests.

Vireo

/ˈvɪrioʊ/

Example: A yellow warbler will do just as well as a vireo, a spotted thrush as well as a song sparrow.

Vole

Voles look like mice but have shorter tails and rounder bodies.
They create underground tunnel systems in meadows and gardens.
Voles can reproduce very quickly, making them important in food chains.

Vole

/voʊl/

Example: It had the cunning of the vole. Like the owl, it could lose itself in the forest.

Vulture

Vultures are scavengers that eat dead animals, helping to clean the environment.
They have bald heads to stay clean while feeding on carrion.
Vultures have extremely strong stomach acids that kill harmful bacteria in their food.

Vulture

/ˈvʌltʃɚ/

Example: In some areas, the vulture has vanished, with extinction possibly five years away.

Verreaux’s Sifaka

Verreaux’s sifaka is a type of lemur found only in Madagascar.
It’s known for its funny sideways jumping when moving on the ground.
They live in social groups and communicate with calls, scent, and grooming.

Verreaux’s Sifaka

/vəˈroʊz sɪˈfɑːkə/

Example: Verreaux’s sifaka is a medium-sized primate in one of the lemur families, the Indriidae.

Vervet Monkey

Vervet monkeys are clever primates found in eastern and southern Africa.
They have different alarm calls for different predators like snakes or eagles.
Vervet monkeys are very social and live in large troops.

Vervet Monkey

/ˈvɝːvɪt ˈmʌŋki/

Example: The vervet monkey is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa.

Virginia Opossum

It’s the only marsupial (pouched mammal) found in the U.S. and Canada.
Virginia opossums play dead when frightened—a behavior called “playing possum.”
They are immune to some snake venom and help control tick populations.

Virginia Opossum

/vɚˈdʒɪnjə əˈpɑsəm/