Mammal
Whales are mammals, so they swim up to the surface to breathe air. The blue whale is the biggest animal that has ever lived.
Lives in: Ocean
HomeAnimals A–ZLetter W
Animals That Start With W: List, Facts & Free Coloring Pages
From giant whales to wiggly-nosed wombats, the letter W is packed with wonderful animals. Say the W sound together, read a fact or two, then print the free coloring page. Here is our list of animals that start with the letter W, perfect when a little one asks what animal starts with W.
12animals
1sounds
3free pages
Letter sound
What Sound Does the Letter W Make?
The letter W makes one main sound. You make it by rounding your lips, almost like a little kiss. Tap any word to hear it.
Ww
Say it together
Pucker up and say “wuh, wuh, wuh” together. Watch your lips pop open on each one.
/w/
W sound
Round your lips like you are about to blow a kiss, then open them as you say “wuh”.
Blow a kissRound your lips first, then say /w/.
Wiggle timeWiggle your body every time you hear a W word.
Wave helloWave and say “wave” to practice the sound.
Animal list
12 Animals That Start With the Letter W
Big ones, small ones, furry ones and even a giant fish. Read each name out loud and listen for the W at the start. Every one of these animals with W has a short fact you can read aloud.
Mammal
Walruses use their long tusks to help pull themselves up onto the ice. Their stiff whiskers help them find clams on the dark sea floor.
Lives in: ArcticMammal
Wolves live and hunt in family groups called packs. They howl to call each other from far away.
Lives in: ForestsMammal
Wombats live in Australia and dig long burrows under the ground. Their poop comes out shaped like little cubes!
Lives in: ForestsBird
Woodpeckers tap holes in trees to find bugs and make nests. Their long, sticky tongues help them grab bugs hiding deep in the wood.
Lives in: ForestsMammal
Warthogs are wild pigs that live in Africa. They often kneel down on their front knees to eat short grass.
Lives in: SavannaMammal
Wallabies are smaller cousins of kangaroos. A mother wallaby carries her baby, called a joey, in her pouch.
Lives in: GrasslandsMammal
Weasels have long, skinny bodies that can squeeze into tiny burrows. Some weasels turn white in winter to hide in the snow.
Lives in: ForestsMammal
Huge herds of wildebeest travel across Africa every year to find fresh grass. Baby wildebeest can stand up and walk just minutes after they are born.
Lives in: SavannaFish
The whale shark is the biggest fish in the world. Even though it is huge, it eats tiny food like plankton and little fish.
Lives in: OceanMammal
Wolverines look like small bears, but they are really part of the weasel family. Their big, wide paws work like snowshoes.
Lives in: MountainsMammal
Water buffalo love to rest in mud and water to stay cool. Farmers in Asia use them to help plow rice fields.
Lives in: WetlandsAnimal names that start with W (W animals list): Whale, Walrus, Wolf, Wombat, Woodpecker, Warthog, Wallaby, Weasel, Wildebeest, Whale Shark, Wolverine, Water Buffalo.
Facts checked with National Geographic Kids and Wikipedia.
Quick quiz
What Animal Starts With W? Quick Quiz
A tiny game to check what stuck. Read the question out loud and let your little one tap the answer.
Question 1
Score: 0
Free download
Free printable
Letter W Worksheets: Free Coloring Page
Three easy black and white pages: color a big letter W and a whale, trace the letter W, then find and circle the W animals. Great for circle time or a rainy afternoon.
1
Download the PDFOne click, no sign-up or email
2
Print at home or schoolFits US Letter and A4 paper
3
Color and traceBig letters and dotted tracing lines
Uppercase WLowercase wTracing practiceFind the W animals
Download Free PDF
3 pages, black & white
Questions
All FAQs
Animals Beginning With W: FAQ
Some easy ones for kids are whale, wolf, walrus and wombat. Fun extras include warthog, wallaby and wildebeest.
Whale and wolf are great first words. Kids know them from books and songs, and both start with a clear W sound.
Yes. Press the download button to get the PDF, then print as many copies as you need for home or class.
Have your child round their lips like a little kiss, then say “wuh”. Practice with fun actions like wave, wiggle and walk.
The blue whale is the biggest animal that has ever lived on Earth. It can be longer than two school buses.
On our list, the weasel is the smallest. The least weasel is the tiniest weasel in the world, with a body about as long as a pencil.
Whales and whale sharks swim in the ocean. Walruses swim in the cold sea too and rest on the ice.
Water buffalo help farmers in Asia plow their fields. Their milk is also used to make real buffalo mozzarella cheese.
The wombat! Its poop comes out shaped like little cubes, thanks to the way their insides squeeze it into shape.
Move on to the letter X page, or print the alphabet flashcards to review W with a quick matching game.