This list includes 33 Zoo animals that start with E, from “Eastern grey kangaroo” to “European tree frog”. They include mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles commonly used in education and conservation.
Zoo animals that start with E are species whose common names begin with the letter E. A notable example is the elephant, long admired as a zoo ambassador in public exhibits.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Region of origin, and Typical adult size (cm).
Common name: The everyday name you see on signs and labels, helping you quickly identify animals in exhibits or lists.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives precise species identity, useful if you track conservation status or look up more detailed biology.
Region of origin: Shows the species’ native continent or country, helping you understand natural habitat and biogeographic context.
Typical adult size (cm): Gives an average adult length or height in centimeters, so you can compare animal sizes across species.
Zoo animals that start with E
| Common name | Scientific name | Region of origin | Typical adult size (cm) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elephant, African | Loxodonta africana | Africa (Kenya, Botswana) | 300 cm (shoulder height) | Massive savanna herbivore commonly seen in zoos for conservation and education; iconic species facing habitat loss and poaching. |
| Elephant, Asian | Elephas maximus | South Asia (India, Sri Lanka) | 250 cm (shoulder height) | Smaller, forest-adapted elephant kept in many zoos for breeding and outreach; endangered and heavily managed in captive programs. |
| Eland | Taurotragus oryx | East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania) | 150 cm (shoulder height) | Large, spiral-horned antelope often in mixed African exhibits; hardy and useful for education about savanna ecology. |
| Emu | Dromaius novaehollandiae | Australia (mainland) | 150 cm (height) | Flightless bird frequently displayed in zoos and farms; curious, fast runners and great for talking about island/continental evolution. |
| Emperor penguin | Aptenodytes forsteri | Antarctica | 115 cm (height) | World’s tallest penguin, kept in very cold-specialty exhibits and some aquariums for research and public education about polar ecology. |
| Emperor tamarin | Saguinus imperator | South America (Peru, Brazil) | 25 cm (head-body length) | Tiny primate with distinctive moustache; popular in rainforest exhibits and captive breeding programs. |
| Electric eel | Electrophorus electricus | South America (Amazon, Brazil) | 200 cm (total length) | Electrifying freshwater fish often shown in aquaria to teach about bioelectricity and Amazon ecosystems. |
| Egyptian goose | Alopochen aegyptiaca | Africa (Egypt, Nile) | 70 cm (total length) | Striking waterfowl kept in many collections; adaptable species often used in waterfowl displays. |
| Egyptian vulture | Neophron percnopterus | Africa & Eurasia (Egypt, Spain) | 65 cm (total length) | Small, white vulture seen in raptor centers; important scavenger and conservation concern in parts of its range. |
| Egyptian tortoise | Testudo kleinmanni | North Africa (Egypt, Libya) | 15 cm (carapace length) | Tiny desert tortoise in zoo breeding programs; critically endangered and useful for conservation education. |
| Egyptian cobra | Naja haje | North Africa (Egypt) | 150 cm (total length) | Large, classic cobra species seen in reptile collections; often featured in venom-awareness and conservation talks. |
| Emperor scorpion | Pandinus imperator | West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria) | 20 cm (total length) | One of the largest scorpions in zoos and insectariums; popular with visitors and used in invertebrate education. |
| Emerald tree boa | Corallus caninus | South America (Amazon, Brazil) | 150 cm (total length) | Striking arboreal snake common in reptile houses; excellent for talks about rainforest predators and camouflage. |
| Eurasian beaver | Castor fiber | Eurasia (Scandinavia, Russia) | 80 cm (head-body length) | Iconic ecosystem engineer kept in many zoos and wildlife centers for public education and reintroduction work. |
| Eurasian eagle-owl | Bubo bubo | Eurasia (Russia, Europe) | 65 cm (total length) | One of the largest owls, commonly in raptor displays; impressive eyes and calls make it a visitor favorite. |
| Eurasian lynx | Lynx lynx | Eurasia (Russia, Central Europe) | 65 cm (shoulder height) | Medium-sized wild cat kept in many zoos for conservation and education about forest predators. |
| Eurasian otter | Lutra lutra | Europe & Asia (UK, Sweden) | 100 cm (total length) | Playful aquatic mammal often in zoo aquaria; used to teach about freshwater conservation and pollution impacts. |
| Eurasian wolf | Canis lupus | Eurasia (Russia, Europe) | 80 cm (shoulder height) | Classic pack predator kept in many collections for enrichment and interpretive programs about predators and ecosystems. |
| Eastern grey kangaroo | Macropus giganteus | Australia (eastern Australia) | 160 cm (standing height) | Familiar zoo marsupial often in walk-through or exhibit paddocks; good for teaching about marsupial biology. |
| Eastern imperial eagle | Aquila heliaca | Eurasia (Eastern Europe, Asia) | 70 cm (total length) | Large, endangered raptor held in some raptor centers; important species for conservation breeding and education. |
| Eastern quoll | Dasyurus viverrinus | Australia (Tasmania) | 35 cm (head-body length) | Small carnivorous marsupial in captive breeding programs; intensity on restoration and island ecosystems. |
| Elk | Cervus canadensis | North America (USA, Canada) | 140 cm (shoulder height) | Large cervid displayed in many zoos and parks; good for explaining range, migration, and human-wildlife interactions. |
| European bison | Bison bonasus | Europe (Poland, Belarus) | 180 cm (shoulder height) | Europe’s largest land mammal, central to reintroduction and zoo breeding programs for genetic conservation. |
| European badger | Meles meles | Europe (UK, Poland) | 75 cm (total length) | Familiar nocturnal mammal sometimes kept for education about local wildlife and ecosystem roles. |
| European fallow deer | Dama dama | Europe (UK, Spain) | 90 cm (shoulder height) | Common in park and zoo collections; valued for talks on deer biology and historical human–animal relationships. |
| European hedgehog | Erinaceus europaeus | Europe (UK, France) | 25 cm (total length) | Popular small mammal in educational displays; used to illustrate urban wildlife and conservation tips. |
| European pond turtle | Emys orbicularis | Europe (Central Europe) | 18 cm (carapace length) | Freshwater turtle often in zoo ponds; used in conservation messaging about wetland habitats. |
| European rabbit | Oryctolagus cuniculus | Europe (Spain, UK) | 40 cm (total length) | Frequently seen in petting and educational exhibits; important for talks about invasive species in some regions. |
| European eel | Anguilla anguilla | Europe (Atlantic & Mediterranean) | 100 cm (total length) | Long-lived migratory eel often in aquarium displays; conservation concern due to declining populations. |
| European polecat | Mustela putorius | Europe (UK, Germany) | 45 cm (total length) | Small mustelid occasionally kept in mammal houses for education about predators and pest control. |
| Ethiopian wolf | Canis simensis | Africa (Ethiopia) | 60 cm (shoulder height) | Highly endangered specialist predator held in targeted conservation programs and zoo partnerships for species survival. |
| European red squirrel | Sciurus vulgaris | Eurasia (UK, Russia) | 25 cm (head-body length) | Arboreal rodent common in small mammal exhibits; great for discussing invasive species (grey squirrel impacts). |
| European tree frog | Hyla arborea | Europe (France, Central Europe) | 6 cm (snout-vent length) | Small, colorful amphibian in many zoo amphibian houses; useful for outreach on wetland conservation and chytrid impacts. |
Descriptions
Elephant, African
Elephant, Asian
Eland
Emu
Emperor penguin
Emperor tamarin
Electric eel
Egyptian goose
Egyptian vulture
Egyptian tortoise
Egyptian cobra
Emperor scorpion
Emerald tree boa
Eurasian beaver
Eurasian eagle-owl
Eurasian lynx
Eurasian otter
Eurasian wolf
Eastern grey kangaroo
Eastern imperial eagle
Eastern quoll
Elk
European bison
European badger
European fallow deer
European hedgehog
European pond turtle
European rabbit
European eel
European polecat
Ethiopian wolf
European red squirrel
European tree frog