This list includes 27 Animals that start with L, from “Ladybird” to “Loon”. They span insects, birds, mammals, and reptiles, and serve classroom, field guide, and conservation uses.
Animals that start with L are species whose common English names begin with the letter L. For example, the loon features in northern folklore and signals freshwater ecosystem health.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, Description, and Conservation status.
Common name: Gives the familiar name you recognize, so you can find species quickly in guides and classroom lists.
Scientific name: Provides the accepted Latin name so you can confirm the exact species and track scientific information consistently.
Habitat: Summarizes the primary biome and typical region so you know where the animal lives and where to look for it.
Description: Offers a short one to two sentence overview of appearance, behavior, or diet to give quick useful context.
Conservation status: Notes global risk categories like Least Concern or Endangered so you can assess conservation needs at a glance.
Animals that start with L
| Name | Scientific name | Habitat | Conservation status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lion | Panthera leo | savanna & grassland — sub-Saharan Africa, India | Vulnerable |
| Leopard | Panthera pardus | tropical forest & savanna — Africa & Asia | Vulnerable |
| Leatherback sea turtle | Dermochelys coriacea | open ocean & beaches — worldwide tropical/subtropical | Vulnerable |
| Loggerhead sea turtle | Caretta caretta | coastal oceans & beaches — worldwide temperate/tropical | Vulnerable |
| Largemouth bass | Micropterus salmoides | freshwater lakes & rivers — North America (introduced worldwide) | Least Concern |
| Lionfish | Pterois volitans | coral reefs & coastal waters — Indo-Pacific; invasive Atlantic | Not Evaluated |
| Little blue penguin | Eudyptula minor | coastal shorelines & islands — New Zealand, southern Australia | Least Concern |
| Leafy seadragon | Phycodurus eques | temperate kelp beds — southern Australia | Near Threatened |
| Leopard seal | Hydrurga leptonyx | pack ice & coastal waters — Antarctic region | Least Concern |
| Laysan albatross | Phoebastria immutabilis | pelagic oceans & islands — North Pacific (Hawaii) | Near Threatened |
| Laysan duck | Anas laysanensis | coastal wetlands — Laysan Island (Hawaii) | Critically Endangered |
| Long-tailed duck | Clangula hyemalis | Arctic seas & coastal bays — circumpolar northern hemisphere | Vulnerable |
| Leafcutter ant | Atta (genus) | tropical rainforest — Central & South America | Not Evaluated |
| Ladybird | Coccinellidae (family) | temperate gardens & grasslands — worldwide (especially Eurasia) | Not Evaluated |
| Locust | Schistocerca gregaria (example) | grassland & semi-arid plains — Africa, Middle East, Asia | Not Evaluated |
| Leaf-tailed gecko | Uroplatus (genus) | rainforest canopy & understory — Madagascar | Not Evaluated |
| Long-beaked echidna | Zaglossus (genus) | montane forest — New Guinea | Critically Endangered |
| Long-eared owl | Asio otus | woodland edges & grasslands — Holarctic regions | Least Concern |
| Lesser flamingo | Phoeniconaias minor | alkaline lakes — East & Southern Africa, India | Near Threatened |
| Limpkin | Aramus guarauna | freshwater marshes & wetlands — Americas (Florida to South America) | Least Concern |
| Lappet-faced vulture | Torgos tracheliotos | dry savanna & arid plains — Africa, Arabian Peninsula | Endangered |
| Lilac-breasted roller | Coracias caudatus | open woodlands & savanna — sub-Saharan Africa | Least Concern |
| Long-billed curlew | Numenius americanus | coastal mudflats & grasslands — North America | Near Threatened |
| Long-tailed macaque | Macaca fascicularis | tropical forest & mangroves — Southeast Asia | Least Concern |
| Long-billed hermit | Phaethornis longirostris | tropical forest understory — Central & South America | Least Concern |
| Longhorn beetle | Cerambycidae (family) | woodland & forests — worldwide | Not Evaluated |
| Loon | Gavia (genus) | freshwater lakes & coastal waters — northern hemisphere | Least Concern |
Descriptions
Lion
Large social cat 1–2.5 m body length, obligate carnivore that hunts ungulates in prides across African savannas and a remnant Indian population.
Leopard
Solitary, adaptable big cat with spotted coat, preys on mammals and birds across varied habitats from forests to mountains in Africa and Asia.
Leatherback sea turtle
Largest sea turtle (up to 2 m), shell-less leathery carapace, primarily eats jellyfish and migrates long distances across oceans.
Loggerhead sea turtle
Medium-large sea turtle (80–200 kg), hard-shelled omnivore that nests on sandy beaches and feeds on crustaceans and mollusks.
Largemouth bass
Popular sport fish reaching ~1 m, ambush predator feeding on fish and invertebrates in warm freshwater lakes and rivers.
Lionfish
Venomous, striped reef fish up to 45 cm, voracious predator native to the Indo-Pacific and an invasive threat in the western Atlantic.
Little blue penguin
Small penguin ~30–40 cm, feeds on small fish and squid; nests in burrows and is the smallest penguin species.
Leafy seadragon
Cryptic, leaf-like marine fish ~20–45 cm that drifts among seaweed, feeding on tiny crustaceans using a tube-like snout.
Leopard seal
Large Antarctic seal up to 3.5 m, powerful predator of penguins and fish that inhabits sea ice and coastal waters.
Laysan albatross
Large seabird with >2 m wingspan, surface-feeder on squid and fish, breeds on Hawaiian islands and ranges widely across the North Pacific.
Laysan duck
Small dabbling duck once nearly extinct, feeds on invertebrates and plants, now surviving on a few Pacific islands through conservation efforts.
Long-tailed duck
Sea duck diving for mollusks and crustaceans, breeds in tundra ponds and winters in coastal waters; noted for long migratory flights.
Leafcutter ant
Social ant that cuts leaves to cultivate fungal gardens, forming huge colonies and playing major roles in tropical forest ecology.
Ladybird
Small, rounded beetles often red or yellow with spots; many species are aphid predators valued in gardens and agriculture.
Locust
Swarming grasshoppers that can form massive migratory swarms, consuming vast amounts of vegetation and impacting agriculture.
Leaf-tailed gecko
Nocturnal, flattened geckos with leaf-like tails and superb camouflage that ambush insects on tree trunks and leaves.
Long-beaked echidna
Unusual egg-laying mammal with a long snout and spines, insectivorous, and threatened by habitat loss and hunting.
Long-eared owl
Medium-sized nocturnal owl with ear tufts and cryptic plumage, preys mostly on rodents across Europe, Asia, and North America.
Lesser flamingo
Small flamingo with pink plumage from carotenoids, feeds on cyanobacteria in saline lakes and forms large breeding colonies.
Limpkin
Wading bird ~60–70 cm with curved bill specialized for feeding on apple snails in marshes and wetlands.
Lappet-faced vulture
Large scavenging vulture with a powerful bill and bare head, important for carcass cleanup but declining from poisoning and habitat loss.
Lilac-breasted roller
Colorful perching bird ~35 cm, hawk-like hunting from exposed perches for insects and small vertebrates across African savannas.
Long-billed curlew
Large shorebird with a distinctive long, down-curved bill used to probe for invertebrates in estuaries and grasslands.
Long-tailed macaque
Adaptable monkey up to ~60 cm body, omnivorous and often associated with coastal and inland forests, frequently seen near humans.
Long-billed hermit
Hummingbird with a long, slightly curved bill and long tail streamers, feeds on nectar and small arthropods in forest edges.
Longhorn beetle
Diverse family of elongated beetles, many species with long antennae whose larvae bore into wood and influence forest decomposition.
Loon
Diving waterbirds noted for haunting calls, excellent underwater swimmers that feed on fish in lakes and coastal seas.
