25 Examples of Animals With Double Letters

With over 2 million animal species on earth, it is not surprising that there are quite a few animal names containing double letters. Double letters come in the form of consonants and vowels. Some species even have two sets of double letters, like the raccoon that you’ll see further down this list. This article shows 25 animals with double letters in their names.

Enjoy!

25 Animals with Double Letters

1. Aardvark

Scientific name: Orycteropus afer

It is not every day you see a word starting with two A’s, but aardvark is one of these unique words. This unique animal is native to sub-Saharan Africa. Aardvarks have long snouts and sticky tongues perfect for eating thousands of insects.

2. Alligator

Scientific name: Alligator mississippiensis

Another member of the double letter club is a giant reptile – the alligator. This dinosaur-like creature can weigh up to 1000 pounds and grow up to 15 feet in length. Alligators can be found in the coastal wetlands of the southeastern US.

3. Baboon

Scientific name: Papio

There are five different species of these large monkeys, all of which live in Africa or Arabia. Baboons can weigh up to 82 pounds and be up to 40 inches in length, not including their tails, which can measure up to 23 inches.

4. Butterfly

Scientific name: Rhopalocera

Butterflies are colorful winged creatures that start their lives out as caterpillars. They go through a process called metamorphosis to change from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Butterflies do not have noses. Instead, they use their antennas “to smell” and their feet “to taste.”

5. Cheetah

Scientific name: Acinonyx jubatus

Cheetahs are large cats native to sub-Saharan Africa. These spotted mammals are known for their speed. They are the fastest land mammals, reaching speeds of up to 70 miles per hour in as little as three seconds.

6. Chimpanzee

Scientific name: Pan troglodytes

Chimpanzees are apes native to West and Central Africa. The DNA of humans and the DNA of chimpanzees is actually 98.5% the same, making us closely related to these intelligent mammals.

7. Deer

Scientific name:  Cervidae

There are over 60 deer species in the world, all of which have antlers except for the Chinese water deer. Deer can be found on every continent except Antarctica. In the deer family, males are called bucks, females are called does, and babies are called fawns.

8. Ferret

Scientific name: Mustela putorius furo

Ferrets have long, lean bodies and short legs. These adorable members of the weasel family were domesticated around 2500 years ago and were used for hunting rabbits and other rodents. Today, they are very popular pets.

9. Giraffe

Scientific name: Giraffa camelopardalis

Giraffes are large land mammals native to Africa. Giraffes have legs measuring up to six feet in length, and their necks can be six feet long as well, making them the tallest land mammals on earth.

10. Goose

Scientific name: Anserini

The goose is a waterfowl. There are 26 goose species in the world. While the singular form is a goose, it changes to geese when discussing more than one goose. Geese spend time on land and in the water eating grasses and plants.

11. Gorilla

Scientific name: Gorilla gorilla

Like chimpanzees, gorillas have double letters and share a close relation with humans. A gorilla’s DNA is 98.3% the same as a human’s.

There are two species of gorilla, both of which are native to Africa. These gentle giants are known to exhibit human emotions and actions like laughter and sadness.

12. Leech

Scientific name: Hirudinea

Leeches are a subclass of worms with a penchant for blood. Many leech species attach to other living creatures to consume their blood. These creatures are found in fresh and marine waters on every continent except Antarctica.

13. Llama

Scientific name: Lama glama

Llamas are pack animals closely related to the camel that are native to South America. They have been domesticated to help natives carry loads of up to 75 pounds for distances of up to 20 miles per day.

14. Moose

Scientific name: Alces alces

These large mammals are the largest members of the deer family, weighing up to 1800 pounds and measuring up to 6.5 feet in height at the shoulder. Moose have large antlers that can be up to six feet wide. Each year, they lose their antlers in the winter and regrow them in the spring.

15. Otter

Scientific name: Mustelidae

Otters are aquatic members of the weasel family. There are 13 otter species in the world, most of which live in freshwater except for the sea otter and marine otter that can be found in the Pacific Ocean.

16. Rabbit

Scientific name: Leporidae

There are 29 rabbit species in the world. Rabbits have long ears and excellent hearing to help them detect predators. Their strong hind legs help them jump long distances and run quickly to escape. These herbivorous creatures eat mostly plant matter.

17. Raccoon

Scientific name: Procyon lotor

The raccoon has two sets of double letters. These mammals are characterized by their bandit-like black mask markings and their hand-like paws.

Raccoons are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. They will eat pretty much anything they can get their paws on, including human trash, frogs, eggs, small rodents, and more.

18. Sheep

Scientific name: Ovis aries

Sheep are domesticated animals used for wool, meat, and milk. There are over 10,000 recognized breeds of domestic shape.

Sheep are almost as intelligent as pigs and have excellent memories. Studies show that they can remember up to 50 sheep or humans for years.

19. Woodpecker

Scientific name: Picidae

Woodpeckers are birds known for their unique adaptations that allow them to drill holes in trees to find insects and extract them. They have strong beaks and neck muscles. Woodpeckers have a special bone in their head called the hyoid bone and a unique toe arrangement called zygodactylism.

20. Jellyfish

Scientific name: Scyphozoa

Jellyfish are aquatic creatures known for their gelatinous bodies and long tentacles that contain stinging cells. They have no brain, heart, or bones and rely on a simple network of nerves. Jellyfish are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction.

21. Grasshopper

Scientific name: Caelifera

Grasshoppers are herbivorous insects that play an important role in the food chain by feeding on plants and grasses. They have the ability to regenerate lost limbs and a special ear on their abdomen to detect sounds. 

22. Eel

Scientific name: Anguilla dieffenbachii

Eels are long, snake-like fish found in both freshwater and saltwater environments around the world. They have a unique life cycle, migrating from freshwater to the ocean to spawn. Eels can absorb oxygen through their skin and are carnivorous, feeding on a variety of fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.

23. Cockatoo

Scientific name: Cacatuidae

24. Opossum

Scientific name: Didelphidae

25. Paddlefish

Scientific name: Polyodon spathula