The diversity of life will continue to surprise us. However, If I ask you to tell me animals that start with o. The name that will pop up in most of our minds will be Owl, or Octopus may be. However, we have so much diversity on this planet, and there is so much that we haven’t explored yet.
Thus, today I will be sharing and discussing with you Animals that start with O. moreover, there are more than 700 species that begin with the letter “o.” Although it is not possible for me to describe each one of them.
Hence, here are some common animals that you should know about. Below is the list of animals that start with the letter “o.”
1. Orca (Killer Whale)
Scientific name– Orcinus orca
Common name– Killer Whale
Orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family, i.e., Delphinidae. However, as you can guess from the name, Killer whales are at the top of the food chain. Furthermore, they don’t have any natural predators. Thus, they are apex predators.
Moreover, they usually roam around and hunt in groups, and they have a huge range of variety in their diet from small fishes, adult whales, and even humans can be a part of their meal. People find it amusing that this species also hunt blue whales.
2. Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Scientific name- Spizaetus ornatus
These species are commonly found in Brazil and central and south America. Moreover, it has a large crest than other birds. Just like the killer whale, it also has the capacity to hunt bigger prey. Surprisingly, Ornate Hawk-Eagle can hunt on animals even five times more than their own weight. Moreover, this bird creates hiccupping whistles to indicate its presence.
3. Olive baboon
Scientific name- Papio Anubis
These species are mainly found in Africa and sub continents of Sub-Saharan Africa. However, these mammals are heavily built and have long pointed muzzles and long tails. They are characterized by their long limbs and walk on all four legs.
Moreover, Olive baboons are diurnal, which means they are active during day time. During the night, they climb trees and branches to rest. Furthermore, they live in groups of about 20 to 60 individuals.
4. Ostrich
Scientific name- Struthio camelus
Common name- Camel Bird
Because of their long neck, big eyes, and body posture, they are called camel birds. Moreover, they are heavy and which is why they can’t fly. Ostriches have great speed and extremely strong legs.
They are very different from the rest of the birds, and their loose furry coat makes them look ‘bushy.’ Unlike most birds, they don’t have special glands, which is why their feathers are not waterproof.
5. Owl
Scientific name- Strigiformes
There are more than 200 species of owls that are found globally. As we all know, Owls are nocturnal, which means they are active at night time. These species usually prey on smaller species like insects and rodents.
Moreover, all the species of owls look similar, with a small and hooked beak, flat faces, and forward-facing eyes. Even though owls have great vision and 270 degrees of neck movement. Still, they hunt using ultrasonic vibration and sounds.
6. Otter
Subfamily- Lutrinae
All the species of this subfamily are semi-aquatic and are well-equipped swimmers. Their characteristics traits are a cylindrical body, short legs, and a strong neck with a long tail. Moreover, they have webbed feet that assist them in swimming.
Otters are generally playful, and depending on their habitat, there are two main types: freshwater otters and saltwater otters. However, otters prey on herbivorous urchins, shellfish, and other smaller fishes.
7. Oyster
Family- Ostreidae
These are basically marine mollusks. For so many centuries, oysters have been cultivated for commercial purposes, as they are served as delicacies in many countries. Moreover, the Aviculidae (pearl oysters) are grown for valuable pearls.
It has a grey-colored hard shell that can be of various shapes and sizes. Whereas the inner portion is smooth and white. It has two convex valves that are placed together with strong elastic ligaments.
Moreover, oysters are eaten by many fishes, snails, and especially oyster drills, which create a hole in the hard shell of the oyster and can suck out the living tissue.
8. Octopus
Scientific name- Octopoda
We all are familiar with these eight-legged creatures belonging to the order Octopoda. These can be found in shallow water as well as the deepest in the sea. Octopus has some amazing survival techniques, which is why they have been living on this planet for millions of years.
Their locomotory organs are their 8 long arms that have suckers that help them crawl. Whenever they sense any danger, they release an ink-like substance that can even paralyze the sensory organ of some species. Moreover, these species mainly hunt crabs and other crustaceans.
9. Oscar Fish
Scientific name- Astronotus ocellatus
Oscar fishes are also known as cichlids or velvet cichlids. These are freshwater fishes. Moreover, there are various species of these fishes, including some wild and predatory fishes. Oscar fishes hunt by creating suction to suck in any smaller organism.
Some species of these fishes are ideal for keeping in aquariums, and many people prefer having these fishes. Because they are attractive, easy to keep, and fun to watch. These are mostly found in pairs in any aquarium.
As they are popular globally for keeping in aquariums thus, they have spread all around the world in natural rivers as well. This might create an ecological imbalance because the introduction of new predator species can be a threat to native species.
10. Olm
Scientific name- Proteus anguinus
Common name- human fish
Olm is known as human fish because they have a fleshy and shiny outer lining that looks like human skin. They can spend their whole life living in dark caves and can even go 6 years without feeding.
However, olm preys on the smaller insects to complete their life cycle. Naturally, olms are light in color and have a pinkish tone, but when they are exposed to light, they turn black. Moreover, olms have brilliantly adapted to live in complete darkness and underground.
Olm has underdeveloped eyes, which makes them blind, but their sense of smell and hearing is extraordinary.
11. Owl butterfly
Scientific name- Caligo
As you can guess by the name, this species of butterfly looks like an owl and have owl-like markings all over. Moreover, you can easily spot these butterflies from miles away, they will grab your attention instantly.
Owl butterflies are mainly found in central and South America. However, they enjoy feeding on fresh fruity juices from pineapple, mango, and especially bananas. Moreover, owl butterflies love fermented fruits and juices. These species can be found in a sugarcane processing mill as well.
12. Oriole
Scientific name- Icterus
Avian flu has effected the population of so many species. However, there are more than 30 species from the genus Oriolus. Orioles can be found in various parts of Europe, Central Asia, and India. These are attractive, vibrant-colored birds that are shy and don’t usually sit on a tree top.
However, you can spot them from their loud whistling and high pitch notes. All the species of these birds are mostly insect eaters and even feed on fruits.
13. Orangutan
Scientific name- Pongo
The species of orangutans are mainly found in Southeast Asia. Orangutans are often compared to chimpanzees, and they do have some similarities, like the great strong forearms strength and cognitive abilities.
However, orangutans are larger than chimpanzees, and they are covered with thick red hair all over their bodies. They spend most of their time on trees and most of the time they are resting.
Moreover, their diet has such a lot of variety, and they mostly eat fruits and vegetables rarely they can also feed on meat. Their hook-like arms help them to move around and hang on trees.
14. Opossum
Scientific name- Didelphidae
These are marsupial mammals and have around more than 100 species most of them are found in the Australian continent. While some of them are spread across other continents like Mexico, central and south America.
Like many marsupials, opossums are born underdeveloped, and they live the beginning of their life in a pouch attached to their mother. However, the only opossum species that are found in Mexico is the Virginia opossum.
15. Olive Ridley Sea Turtle
Scientific name- Lepidochelys olivacea
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle is one of the engendered species even though they are most commonly found. Still, they are included in the vulnerable species by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
These turtles are normally found in the Indian and Pacific oceans. They are characterized by heart-shaped hard shells and are olive green in color. However, their diet includes jellyfish, green algae, crabs, and shrimp which makes them omnivorous.
Most time of the year, they live alone in the sea. Whereas they travel in the month of May to their feeding ground for this, they would travel thousands of miles.
