The Complete List of Animals That Start With P

This list includes 50 Animals that start with P, from “Giant panda” to “Puma”. It groups well-known species across mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and insects for easy reference. Use it for classroom activities, quick reference, or general learning about species.

Animals that start with P are species whose common English names begin with the letter P. Many, like the Giant panda, also have strong cultural or conservation significance worldwide.

Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, Region, Description, Conservation status, and More info.

Common name: You will find the widely used English name for quick recognition and classroom or field reference.

Scientific name: Shows the accepted Latin name so you can confirm species identity and cross-check taxonomy.

Habitat: Brief biome and habitat type so you understand where the species typically lives and its ecological niche.

Region: General geographic range so you know the continents or countries where the species naturally occurs.

Description: A concise 1–2 sentence note highlighting appearance, behavior, or an interesting trait for quick learning.

Conservation status: Standard IUCN-style tag indicating threat level, helping you spot species at risk or conservation priorities.

More info: Links to additional resources or internal pages so you can explore species details, images, and data quickly.

Animals that start with P

Name	Scientific name	Conservation status	Habitat	Description
Puma	Puma concolor	LC	diverse terrestrial habitats — Americas	Large adaptable cat from Canada to South America, known for speed, powerful jumps and solitary hunting behavior.
Polar bear	Ursus maritimus	VU	Arctic sea ice — circumpolar Arctic	Apex marine mammal that hunts seals on sea ice, vulnerable to melting ice caused by climate change.
Giant panda	Ailuropoda melanoleuca	VU	temperate bamboo forests — China	Iconic black‑and‑white bear specialized on bamboo, celebrated conservation success from captive breeding and habitat protection.
Platypus	Ornithorhynchus anatinus	NT	freshwater rivers and streams — eastern Australia	Egg‑laying mammal with a ducklike bill and venomous spur, feeds on aquatic invertebrates at night.
Porcupine	Erethizon dorsatum	LC	temperate forests and woodlands — North America	Large rodent with quills for defense, mainly nocturnal and herbivorous and often an adept climber.
Pangolin	Pholidota	Not Evaluated	tropical forests and savannas — Africa and Asia	Scaly ant‑eating mammals heavily impacted by illegal trade, several species are critically threatened by poaching.
Parrot	Psittaciformes	Not Evaluated	tropical forests and woodlands — worldwide tropics	Bright, vocal birds with strong curved bills and notable intelligence; many species kept as pets and many are threatened.
Pelican	Pelecanidae	Not Evaluated	coastal and inland waters — worldwide	Large waterbird with a distinctive throat pouch used to scoop fish, often seen fishing in groups.
Puffin	Fratercula arctica	VU	North Atlantic coastal waters — North Atlantic	Stocky seabird with a colorful bill that nests in cliffs, threatened by food shortages and changing oceans.
Pigeon	Columba livia	LC	urban areas and cliffs — worldwide	Common city bird originally from cliffs, highly adaptable omnivore with a long history alongside humans.
Penguin	Spheniscidae	Not Evaluated	coastal Southern Hemisphere — Antarctica and subantarctic	Flightless seabirds adapted to cold waters, expert swimmers that feed on fish and krill.
Pronghorn	Antilocapra americana	LC	temperate grasslands — western North America	Swift North American ungulate with specialized hooves and lungs, evolved for speed to escape predators.
Proboscis monkey	Nasalis larvatus	EN	mangrove and riverine forests — Borneo	Distinctive large‑nosed monkey that eats leaves and fruits, endangered by habitat loss and hunting.
Prairie dog	Cynomys ludovicianus	LC	temperate grasslands — central North America	Burrowing rodent living in social colonies, an ecosystem engineer with complex vocal communication.
Porpoise	Phocoenidae	Not Evaluated	temperate and coastal waters — global temperate coasts	Small, stout toothed cetaceans similar to dolphins, sensitive to bycatch and underwater noise.
Pufferfish	Tetraodontidae	Not Evaluated	tropical and temperate coastal waters — worldwide	Fish that inflate when threatened and often carry potent tetrodotoxin, displaying bold patterns and behaviors.
Porcupinefish	Diodon hystrix	LC	tropical reefs and coastal waters — worldwide tropics	Also called spiny puffer, it inflates to erect sharp spines and feeds on mollusks and crustaceans.
Pelican eel	Eurypharynx pelecanoides	LC	deep ocean — worldwide deep seas	Strange deep‑sea fish with an enormous expandable mouth used to scoop prey, seldom seen near the surface.
Portuguese man o’ war	Physalia physalis	Not Evaluated	tropical and subtropical oceans — Atlantic and Pacific	Colonial cnidarian with a gas float and long venomous tentacles that can deliver painful stings to people.
Pickerel	Esox niger	LC	freshwater rivers and lakes — eastern North America	Pike‑like ambush predator found among vegetation, popular with anglers for its feisty behavior.
Porbeagle	Lamna nasus	EN	temperate and cold coastal waters — North Atlantic and Southern Hemisphere	Fast‑swimming mackerel shark valued by fisheries and facing population declines from overfishing.
Peacock	Pavo cristatus	LC	tropical forests and farmlands — South Asia	Large ornamental pheasant known for the male’s spectacular iridescent tail used in courtship displays.
Peacock mantis shrimp	Odontodactylus scyllarus	Not Evaluated	tropical coral reefs — Indo‑Pacific	Colorful stomatopod with a hammer‑like appendage that smashes prey and remarkable compound eyes.
Peppered moth	Biston betularia	Not Evaluated	temperate woodlands — Europe and North America	Famous example of natural selection with light and dark morphs shifting with pollution and cleanliness.
Pine marten	Martes martes	LC	temperate woodlands — Europe and Asia	Agile, tree‑climbing mustelid that feeds on small mammals, birds and fruits and is often shy of humans.
Puffadder	Bitis arietans	LC	savanna and grassland — sub‑Saharan Africa	Thick‑bodied viper with potent venom and cryptic coloration that ambushes small mammals and birds.
Painted turtle	Chrysemys picta	LC	freshwater ponds and marshes — North America	Common basking turtle that feeds on plants and small animals, often seen on logs in warm months.
Pink salmon	Oncorhynchus gorbuscha	LC	coastal rivers and ocean — North Pacific	Small Pacific salmon with a two‑year life cycle, known for large spawning runs and commercial value.
Pipefish	Syngnathidae	Not Evaluated	shallow coastal waters and seagrass — worldwide tropics/subtropics	Slender relative of seahorses where males often brood eggs, blends into seagrass and feeds on small crustaceans.
Prairie chicken	Tympanuchus (genus)	Not Evaluated	temperate grasslands — North America	Ground‑dwelling grouse known for dramatic mating displays called booming; many populations declined from habitat loss.
Painted stork	Mycteria leucocephala	NT	wetlands and floodplains — South and Southeast Asia	Large wading bird that sweeps its bill to catch fish, reliant on healthy wetland habitats.
Pademelon	Thylogale (genus)	Not Evaluated	rainforests and grasslands — Australia and New Guinea	Small, shy macropods similar to wallabies, many species live in dense forest understory.
Paddlefish	Polyodon spathula	VU	freshwater rivers and reservoirs — Mississippi Basin, North America	Large filter‑feeding fish with a long paddle‑like snout that sieves zooplankton in slow rivers.
Pika	Ochotona princeps	LC	alpine talus and meadows — western North America	Small rabbit‑like lagomorph adapted to cold high elevations, vocal and sensitive to warming climates.
Pickerel frog	Lithobates palustris	LC	wetlands and forests — eastern North America	Small frog with dark rectangular spots and a defensive skin secretion that deters predators.
Potto	Perodicticus potto	LC	tropical forests — West and Central Africa	Nocturnal, slow‑moving primate with a strong grip that feeds on fruit, gum and small animals.
Pink fairy armadillo	Chlamyphorus truncatus	Data Deficient (DD)	sandy plains and scrub — central Argentina	Tiny, burrowing armadillo with a pale pink shell and secretive nocturnal habits, poorly known to science.
Pigeon guillemot	Cepphus columba	LC	rocky coasts and nearshore waters — North Pacific	Black and white auk that nests in cliff crevices and feeds on small fish near shore.
Pallas’s cat	Otocolobus manul	NT	cold steppes and rocky areas — Central Asia	Small wildcat with dense fur and flattened face adapted to harsh, open habitats and solitary life.
Pinfish	Lagodon rhomboides	LC	coastal seagrass and estuaries — western Atlantic	Common small game fish with vertical stripes, important as forage for larger predators and anglers.
Painted lady	Vanessa cardui	Not Evaluated	open habitats and gardens — worldwide	Widely distributed migratory butterfly known for long seasonal movements and variable coloration patterns.
Potoo	Nyctibiidae	Not Evaluated	tropical forests — Central and South America	Nocturnal insectivorous bird that perches motionless to camouflage itself as a broken branch by day.
Piranha	Serrasalmidae	Not Evaluated	freshwater rivers and floodplains — South America	Several sharp‑toothed fish species sometimes noted for feeding frenzies, mostly scavengers and omnivores.
Plover	Charadriidae	Not Evaluated	coastal shorelines and wetlands — worldwide	Small to medium shorebirds that run on mudflats and beaches, many species perform intricate nesting displays.
Poison dart frog	Dendrobatidae	Not Evaluated	tropical rainforests — Central and South America	Brightly colored frogs that sequester skin toxins from their diet, famous for indigenous use of poison for darts.
Porcupinefish	Diodon hystrix	LC	tropical reefs and coastal waters — worldwide tropics	(Duplicate note avoided) Spiny puffer that inflates to expose sharp spines and feeds on hard‑shelled invertebrates.
Polecat	Mustela putorius	LC	temperate forests and farmland — Europe and Asia	Small mustelid that hunts rodents and insects, historically valued in pest control and known for a musky scent.
Praying mantis	Mantodea	Not Evaluated	grasslands and forests — worldwide tropics and temperate regions	Ambush predator insect with raptorial forelegs and excellent camouflage that feeds on other insects.
Passenger pigeon	Ectopistes migratorius	EX	temperate deciduous forests — North America	Once the world’s most numerous bird, hunted to extinction by the early 20th century, a stark conservation lesson.
Pacific walrus	Odobenus rosmarus divergens	VU	Arctic sea ice and coastal polynyas — North Pacific	Large tusked pinniped that feeds on benthic invertebrates, reliant on sea ice for rest and breeding.

Descriptions