Animals that start with b: list with pictures and facts. Find the animal beginning with b that you’re interested in and follow the links for further information.
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Animals That Start With B
On this page you’ll find a list of amazing animals beginning with b, together with pictures and interesting facts about each animal.
You can find out more about many of the animals (and see pictures and videos) by following the links.
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- Main list page: Animals A to Z
- Become an animal expert: Animals: The Ultimate Guide To The Animal Kingdom
List of Animals Beginning With B
In this list we’ve included both individual species whose names begin with b, e.g. brown bear and well-known groups of animals that begin with b, e.g. baboons.
The scientific name and conservation status of individual species are provided.
If you need to find out about terms such as ‘species’, ‘family’ and ‘order’, etc., then check out our guide to animal classification.
Babirusa
Babirusas are members of the pig family, Suidae. Male babirusas have large tusks which are actually canine teeth that grow through the flesh of the mouth and protrude from the top of the snout. There are three recognized species and one proposed species of babirusa. They are found in Indonesia.
Baboon
Baboons are large monkeys in the genus Papio. There are five species of baboon: the hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas), Guinea baboon (Papio papio), olive baboon (Papio anubis), yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus) and Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus). All are found in Africa; the hamadryas baboon is also found in the Arabian Peninsula.
Find out more about baboons here: Baboon Facts
Bactrian Camel
- Scientific name: Camelus bactrianus
- Conservation status: Domesticated
The Bactrian camel is an ungulate (hoofed mammal) and the largest member of the Camelidae family. Its name comes from a historical region in Central Asia. The Bactrian camel is able to withstand extremes of both heat and cold, and can go without water for many weeks.
Find out more about Bactrian camels here: Bactrian Camel Facts
Badger
Badgers are short, powerful animals that are well-adapted for digging. There are 11 species of badger in three families. Well-known badger species include the familiar black and white Eurasian badger, the American badger and the fearsome honey badger.
Bald Eagle
- Scientific name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The bald eagle is a North American bird of prey. It is in the genus Haliaeetus, a group known as the ‘sea eagles’. Fish make up the majority of its diet.
The bald eagle is the national animal of the United States. The species was once included in the country’s endangered species list, but its population has now recovered.
Find out more about bald eagles here: Bald Eagle Facts
Bandicoot
Bandicoots are rabbit-sized marsupials that are found in Australia and New Guinea. There are around 20 species of bandicoot, all are found in the order Peramelemorphia, along with the bilby.
Find out more about bandicoots here: Bandicoot Facts
Barracuda
Barracudas are saltwater fish with long, powerful bodies and large jaws. There are 28 species of barracuda, all are in the genus Sphyraena. Larger species can grow to over 1.5 m (5 ft.) in length, and some can swim at speeds of up to 35 mph (56 km/h)
Basking Shark
- Scientific name: Cetorhinus maximu
- Conservation status: Vulnerable
The basking shark is the world’s second largest species of fish. Only the whale shark is bigger.
The basking shark, unlike most other sharks, is a filter feeder. Instead of actively hunting fish and other large prey, the basking shark simply opens its mouth and swims along. Complex gill rakers in its mouth filter small food items such as zooplankton from the water.
Bat-Eared Fox
- Scientific name: Otocyon megalotis
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The bat-eared fox is a small canid (member of the dog family, Canidae). Its large ears help to keep it cool, and also provide it with excellent hearing. It locates insects, which form the bulk of its diet, by sound.
There are two populations of bat-eared fox. One is found in southern Africa, the other in western Africa.
Bats
Bats are mostly small, flying mammals in the order Chiroptera. Chiroptera is the second largest mammalian order, and there are around 1,240 species of bat.
There are two main types of bat. Megachiroptera (also known as megabats, or fruit bats) mainly eat fruit and nectar. Microchiroptera (also known as microbats or echolocating bats) mainly eat insects.
You can find out more about the bloodsucking vampire bat here: Vampire Bat Facts
Beaver
Beavers are large rodents with distinctive, paddle-like tails. There are two species of beaver: the North American beaver (Castor canadensis), which lives in the United States and Canada, and the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber), which is found throughout much of Northern Europe.
Beavers specialize in constructing dams and lodges. Beavers are keystone species that help create wetland ecosystems.
You can find out about the North American beaver here: North American Beaver Facts
Beetle
Beetles are insects in the order Coleoptera. The forewings of beetles have adapted to form hardened wing cases. Coleoptera is the largest of all orders, and beetles form around 25% of all known animal species!
Beluga Whale
- Scientific name: Delphinapterus leucas
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The beluga whale is a white whale found in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. It is related to the narwhal, and the two species are the only members in the family Monodontidae. The beluga whale has a distinctive bump on the front of its head known as a ‘melon’. This is an organ that allows the beluga whale to navigate using echolocation.
Find out more about beluga whales here: Beluga Whale Facts
Bilby (Greater)
- Scientific name: Macrotis lagotis
- Conservation status: Vulnerable
Bilbies are rabbit-sized marsupials that live in the desert region of Central Australia. The lesser bilby became extinct in the 1950’s, leaving the greater bilby as the only surviving bilby.
Find out more about bilbies here: Bilby Facts
Binturong
- Scientific name: Arctictis binturong
- Conservation status: Vulnerable
Binturongs are rainforest mammals of south and Southeast Asia. They are the largest members of the family Viverridae, which also includes animals such as mongooses and civets.
Binturongs are one of the few members of the mammalian order Carnivora to have prehensile tails (i.e. tails that can grip).
You can find out more about binturongs here: Binturong Facts
Bison
Bison are large, powerful hooved animals that live in herds. There are 2 species of bison. The American bison (Bison bison) lives in North America, where it is also known as a buffalo. The European bison (Bison bonasus) was hunted to extinction, and has since been reintroduced in Poland.
Black-Backed Jackal
- Scientific name: Canis mesomelas
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The black-backed jackal is one of three species of jackal. It can be told apart from the other species by a distinctive patch of dark fur on its back. It lives in two separate populations, one in southern Africa, the other in East Africa.
All jackals are in the genus Canis, which also includes wolves, domestic dogs and coyotes.
You can find out more about the black-backed jackal here: Black-Backed Jackal Facts.
Black Footed Ferret
- Scientific name: Mustela nigripes
- Conservation status: Endangered
The black-footed ferret is a member of the weasel family, Mustelidae. It has black legs and black patches over its eyes. It is a carnivore, and preys mainly on prairie dogs. It was at one time considered to be extinct in the wild, but has now been re-introduced.
Find out more about black footed ferrets here: Black Footed Ferret Facts
Black Mamba
- Scientific name: Dendroaspis polylepis
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The black mamba is a highly-venomous snake found in Sub-Saharan Africa (the area of Africa south of the Sahara Desert).
The ‘black’ in the snake’s name comes from the dark black color of the inside of its mouth. The snake’s skin is dark olive-grey, with lighter underparts.
The average length of a black mamba is around 2.5 m, but individuals can reach up to 4.4 m.
The black mamba’s bite is potentially fatal, and due to the snake’s size and ability to rear up off the ground bites can occur on the torso as well as on the legs.
Despite this, the snake’s legendary speed and aggressive nature are somewhat exaggerated; the black mamba will usually only attack if it feels threatened.
- You can find out more about the black mamba here: Black Mamba Facts
Black Rhino
- Scientific name: Diceros bicornis
- Conservation status: Critically endangered
The black rhino is a critically endangered species of rhino. Only around 5,000 of the species remain in the wild. Black rhinos are told apart from white rhinos not by their color (despite their names, both species are grey), but by the shape of their lips. Black rhinos have pointed lips, and are also known as hook-lipped rhinos.
Find out more about black rhinos here: Black Rhino Facts
Black Vulture
- Scientific name: Coragyps atratus
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The black vulture is a member of the New World vulture family, Cathartidae. It is found throughout much of South America and in southern North America. Its plumage is black, and it has a grey, featherless head.
Blue Morpho Butterfly
Blue morphos are large, bright blue butterflies found in South America (and southern parts of North America). Several butterfly species in the genus Morpho are known as blue morphos.
Find out more about blue morpho butterflies here: Blue Morpho Facts
Blue Whale
- Scientific name: Balaenoptera musculus
- Conservation status: Endangered
The blue whale is the largest animal ever to have existed on Earth. It can reach lengths of up to 33.3 meters (109 ft.) and weights of up to 173 tonnes (190.7 short tons).
Find out more about blue whales here: Blue Whale Facts
Boa Constrictor
- Scientific name: Boa constrictor
- Conservation status: Unassessed
The boa constrictor is a large snake that is found in South and Central America (an introduced population also exists in Florida). The boa constrictor has distinctive dark markings along its back and sides. Like all constrictors, it suffocates its prey by squeezing it with its muscular body.
Find out more about boa constrictors here: Boa Constrictor Facts
Boar
- Scientific name: Sus scrofa
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The wild boar is a large, powerful mammal. Although mainly thought of as a forest species, the boar can also live in a wide range of other habitats, including mountains and deserts. A member of the pig family, Suidae, the wild boar is found throughout much of Europe and Asia. Its main predator is the grey wolf.
Bobcat
- Scientific name: Lynx rufus
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The bobcat is a wild cat around twice the size of a domestic cat. It is found throughout much of North America, and is one of the four species in the genus Lynx. The bobcat is usually found in woodlands. Its principle prey is rabbits and hares.
Bonobo
- Scientific name: Pan paniscus
- Conservation status: Endangered
The bonobo is closely related to the common chimpanzee, and both species are our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom. The bonobo is found in the rainforests of Central Africa.
Find out more about bonobos here: Bonobo Facts
Bowerbird
Bowerbirds are passerines (perching birds) found in Australia and New Guinea. Male bowerbirds build intricate structures called bowers in order to attract females.
Brown Bear
- Scientific name: Ursus arctos
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The brown bear is a large carnivorous mammal that is found in North America and northern Europe. It has the largest range (the area in which it is found) of any ursid (member of the bear family, Ursidae).
The brown bear is, on average, smaller than the polar bear. However, the Kodiak bear subspecies of brown bear competes with the polar bear for the title of ‘biggest type of bear’!
Other well-known subspecies of brown bear include the grizzly bear and the Eurasian brown bear.
Bull Shark
- Scientific name: Carcharhinus leucas
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The bull shark is a large, predatory fish. It inhabits warm waters close to the shore, and will also enter brackish water (a mixture of salt water and freshwater) and freshwater estuaries and rivers. It is thought to be responsible for a large proportion of near-shore shark attacks.
Bullet Ant
- Scientific name: Paraponera clavata
- Conservation status: Least Concern
The bullet ant is a large ant that lives in the rainforests of Central and South America. It is famous for the potency of its sting, which is deemed to be the world’s most painful on the Schmidt sting pain index. The pain from a bullet ant’s sting has been likened to being shot, hence the species’ name.
Find out more about bullet ants here: Bullet Ant Facts
Animals That Start With B: Conclusion
We hope that this page has helped you find out about some amazing animals beginning with b. Continue your exploration of the animal kingdom by checking out the following pages:
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