This list includes 12 Big animals that start with Y, from “Yacare caiman” to “Yellowtail amberjack”. Many items are large fish and reptiles found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide.

Big animals that start with Y are large vertebrates whose common names begin with the letter Y. For example, the Yacare caiman shapes wetland ecology in South America and supports local cultures.

Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Primary habitat and Typical lifespan (years).

Common name: The widely used species name helps you quickly identify each animal and match it to other resources.

Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives precise identification so you can distinguish closely related species across regions.

Primary habitat: Notes the main biome and region so you can understand where each large species typically lives in the wild.

Typical lifespan (years): Average wild lifespans help you compare longevity among species and plan educational or conservation references.

Big animals that start with Y

Common nameScientific nameTypical adult size (mass or length)Primary habitat (biome + region)
YakBos grunniens500-1,200 kgalpine grassland, Tibetan Plateau (Central Asia)
Yellowfin tunaThunnus albacares1.5-2.4 mpelagic, tropical/subtropical oceans (global)
Yellowtail amberjackSeriola lalandi1.8 mcoastal temperate/pelagic, Pacific & southern oceans
Yacare caimanCaiman yacare2.0-3.5 mfreshwater wetlands, South America (Pantanal, Amazon basin)
Yellow anacondaEunectes notaeus3.0-4.0 mfreshwater marshes and slow rivers, South America
Yellow baboonPapio cynocephalus20-30 kgsavanna and woodland, East Africa
Yellow-footed tortoiseChelonoidis denticulatus0.50-0.90 mtropical forest and seasonally flooded areas, Amazon & northern South America
Yellow-backed duikerCephalophus silvicultor50-90 kgtropical rainforest, West & Central Africa
Yellow-billed storkMycteria ibis2-3 kgwetlands and floodplains, sub-Saharan Africa
Yangtze giant softshell turtleRafetus swinhoei1.0-1.2 mlarge rivers and lakes, Yangtze basin (China, Vietnam)
Yangtze sturgeonAcipenser dabryanus2.0-3.0 mlarge rivers, Yangtze River (China)
Yarkand deerCervus yarkandensis100-150 kgriparian desert meadows, Tarim Basin (Xinjiang, China)

Descriptions

Yak
Large, long-haired bovine adapted to high altitude; domesticated and wild yaks are vital to Tibetan livelihoods and cold-climate grazing.
Yellowfin tuna
Fast, migratory predatory tuna highly valued by fisheries; some stocks are overfished and the species is a major commercial target.
Yellowtail amberjack
Powerful gamefish that grows to near 2 m; prized by sport and commercial fisheries and common around rocky reefs and offshore kelp.
Yacare caiman
Medium-large crocodilian common in South American wetlands; important predator in floodplain ecosystems and frequently seen in the Pantanal.
Yellow anaconda
A heavy-bodied constrictor found in marshes and swamps; smaller than the green anaconda but still among the largest snakes.
Yellow baboon
Social, terrestrial primate living in large troops; widespread in East African savannas and known for complex social behavior.
Yellow-footed tortoise
Large forest tortoise with yellow-scaled legs; threatened by habitat loss and the pet trade.
Yellow-backed duiker
Shy forest antelope with a distinctive yellow rump; hunted locally and sensitive to forest degradation.
Yellow-billed stork
Tall, long-legged wading bird using bill-sweeping feeding; often nests in colonies and is dependent on healthy wetland habitats.
Yangtze giant softshell turtle
One of the world’s largest freshwater turtles and critically endangered; possibly functionally extinct in the wild with only a few known individuals.
Yangtze sturgeon
Ancient, large-bodied sturgeon species endemic to the Yangtze; critically endangered due to dams, overfishing, and habitat loss.
Yarkand deer
Endemic desert river-valley deer adapted to oases and reedbeds; populations are fragmented and conservation concerns persist.
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