This list includes 24 Big animals that start with N, from “Napoleon wrasse” to “Nurse shark”, spanning oceans and coasts. Use this list for quick reference, education, and wildlife identification tasks.
Big animals that start with N are large vertebrates whose adults reach notable length or mass. The Napoleon wrasse is a famous example, prized by divers and vital to coral reef balance.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Primary habitat, and Typical lifespan.
Common name: The species’ everyday name helps you quickly recognize animals and match observations or references.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives precise identification, so you avoid confusion across languages and regions.
Primary habitat: Where the animal typically lives, noting biome and region, so you understand its natural range.
Typical lifespan: Average wild lifespan in years helps you assess life-history and compare species longevity quickly.
Big animals that start with N
| Common name | Scientific name | Typical adult size | Typical wild lifespan (years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narwhal | Monodon monoceros | 4–5.5 m (13–18 ft) | 50 |
| Nile crocodile | Crocodylus niloticus | 3–5 m (10–16 ft) | 70 |
| Nile monitor | Varanus niloticus | 1–1.5 m (3–5 ft) | 20 |
| Nile perch | Lates niloticus | 1–1.5 m (3–5 ft) | 15 |
| Nilgai | Boselaphus tragocamelus | 150–200 kg (330–440 lb) | 15 |
| Nilgiri tahr | Nilgiritragus hylocrius | 60 kg (132 lb) | 15 |
| Nubian ibex | Capra nubiana | 50–60 kg (110–132 lb) | 13 |
| Northern elephant seal | Mirounga angustirostris | Males 2,300–4,000 kg (5,070–8,820 lb) | 20 |
| Northern fur seal | Callorhinus ursinus | Males ~200 kg (440 lb) | 20 |
| New Zealand fur seal | Arctocephalus forsteri | Males ~150 kg (330 lb) | 20 |
| New Zealand sea lion | Phocarctos hookeri | Males ~300 kg (660 lb) | 20 |
| North Atlantic right whale | Eubalaena glacialis | 13–16 m (43–52 ft) | 70 |
| North Pacific right whale | Eubalaena japonica | 13–16 m (43–52 ft) | 70 |
| Northern white rhinoceros | Ceratotherium simum cottoni | 2,000–3,600 kg (4,400–7,900 lb) | 40 |
| Northern giraffe | Giraffa camelopardalis | 4.5–5.5 m (15–18 ft) | 25 |
| North American river otter | Lontra canadensis | 1.0–1.2 m (3–4 ft) | 10 |
| Northern bottlenose whale | Hyperoodon ampullatus | 6–9 m (20–30 ft) | 40 |
| Northern right whale dolphin | Lissodelphis borealis | 2–2.5 m (6.5–8 ft) | 20 |
| Napoleon wrasse | Cheilinus undulatus | 1.5–2 m (5–6.5 ft) | 30 |
| Nurse shark | Ginglymostoma cirratum | 2–3 m (6.5–10 ft) | 25 |
| New Zealand longfin eel | Anguilla dieffenbachii | 1.5–2 m (5–6.5 ft) | 40 |
| New Guinea crocodile | Crocodylus novaeguineae | 2–3 m (6.5–10 ft) | 60 |
| Nassau grouper | Epinephelus striatus | Up to 1 m (3.3 ft) | 15 |
| Northern hairy‑nosed wombat | Lasiorhinus krefftii | 25–35 kg (55–77 lb) | 15 |
Descriptions
Narwhal
Arctic marine whale (polar seas); males reach over 4 m and sport a long tusk; deep-diving, ice‑influenced habitat and iconic tusked cetacean.
Nile crocodile
Freshwater rivers and lakes in sub-Saharan Africa (tropical/subtropical); one of Africa’s largest crocodiles, powerful ambush predator and long‑lived apex species.
Nile monitor
Semi-aquatic lizard in African wetlands and savannas (tropical); often exceeds a metre, strong swimmer and opportunistic predator/scavenger.
Nile perch
Large freshwater predatory fish in African lakes and rivers (notably Lake Victoria); major top predator whose introduction reshaped ecosystems.
Nilgai
Large antelope of Indian grasslands and scrub (South Asia); heavy-bodied, prominent in open habitats and a major regional ungulate.
Nilgiri tahr
Mountain ungulate of South India’s montane grasslands; stocky cliff‑dwelling herbivore adapted to steep terrain.
Nubian ibex
Rocky desert and mountain slopes in northeast Africa and Arabia (arid); agile climber with large curved horns, adapted to steep terrain.
Northern elephant seal
Coastal and island beaches of the North Pacific (temperate); males enormous and territorial during breeding, deep divers.
Northern fur seal
North Pacific islands and coasts (boreal); highly sexually dimorphic colonial breeder, males much larger than females.
New Zealand fur seal
Rocky coasts of New Zealand and southern Australia (temperate); coastal colonies, agile swimmers and benthic foragers.
New Zealand sea lion
Subantarctic and southern New Zealand coasts (cool temperate/subantarctic); endemic pinniped with small, vulnerable populations.
North Atlantic right whale
Temperate/coastal North Atlantic (marine); massive baleen whale, slow-moving and critically endangered from ship strikes and entanglement.
North Pacific right whale
Cold temperate North Pacific waters (marine); large, rare baleen whale with low population numbers and long lifespan.
Northern white rhinoceros
Savanna and floodplains of central Africa (tropical/subtropical); huge grazing rhino subspecies now functionally extinct in the wild.
Northern giraffe
Savannas and open woodlands in sub‑Saharan Africa (tropical/subtropical); tallest land mammal, iconic long neck for high browsing.
North American river otter
Rivers, lakes and coastal waters across North America (temperate); sleek semiaquatic mustelid often reaching around a metre including tail.
Northern bottlenose whale
Deep North Atlantic and Arctic waters (pelagic/deep sea); large beaked whale, notable deep diver found in cold offshore seas.
Northern right whale dolphin
Pelagic North Pacific (open ocean); slender, finless‑back dolphin that forms fast, tight schools and lacks a dorsal fin.
Napoleon wrasse
Coral reefs of the Indo‑Pacific (tropical); very large reef fish, males exceed 2 m and are vulnerable from overfishing.
Nurse shark
Shallow tropical and subtropical reefs and lagoons in the Atlantic (marine); heavy, bottom‑resting shark, slow nocturnal predator often seen on seafloor.
New Zealand longfin eel
Freshwater rivers and lakes of New Zealand (temperate freshwater); very long‑lived migratory eel reaching large sizes.
New Guinea crocodile
Freshwater swamps and rivers of New Guinea (tropical); mid‑sized crocodile, ambush predator in dense wetland habitats.
Nassau grouper
Coral reefs and rocky habitats in the Caribbean (tropical); large reef grouper that forms spawning aggregations and is vulnerable to overfishing.
Northern hairy‑nosed wombat
Eucalypt woodlands and grasslands in eastern Australia (temperate); large burrowing marsupial, extremely rare and restricted to a tiny reserve.