This list includes 25 Zoo animals that start with H, from “Hamadryas baboon” to “Hyacinth macaw”. Many are charismatic, brightly colored, or socially complex species used for education, conservation, and public engagement.
Zoo animals that start with H are species with common names beginning with H, commonly kept in zoos. The hamadryas baboon was revered in ancient Egypt and often appears in historical art.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Region of origin, and Typical adult size (cm).
Common name: The familiar name helps you identify species quickly and match them with zoo signs or classroom lists.
Scientific name: The binomial Latin name lets you look up precise species information and avoid common-name confusion.
Region of origin: Indicates the continent or countries where the species naturally occurs, useful for biogeography and display context.
Typical adult size (cm): Gives average adult length or height in centimeters, noting whether measurements are head-to-tail or shoulder.
Zoo animals that start with H
| Common name | Scientific name | Region of origin | Typical adult size (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamadryas baboon | Papio hamadryas | Africa — Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia; Asia — Saudi Arabia, Yemen | 60 cm (body length) |
| Harris’s hawk | Parabuteo unicinctus | North & South America — USA to Argentina | 46 cm (total length) |
| Harpy eagle | Harpia harpyja | Central & South America — Panama to Brazil | 86 cm (total length) |
| Harp seal | Pagophilus groenlandicus | North Atlantic & Arctic — Greenland, Canada | 140 cm (total length) |
| Harbor seal | Phoca vitulina | Northern Hemisphere — North Atlantic & Pacific coasts | 150 cm (total length) |
| Hartmann’s mountain zebra | Equus zebra hartmannae | Africa — Namibia, Angola | 240 cm (head-body length) |
| Hawksbill turtle | Eretmochelys imbricata | Tropical oceans — Caribbean, Indo‑Pacific | 90 cm (carapace length) |
| Hermann’s tortoise | Testudo hermanni | Europe — Mediterranean (Spain to Turkey) | 18 cm (carapace length) |
| Humboldt penguin | Spheniscus humboldti | South America — Peru, Chile | 65 cm (total length) |
| Hyacinth macaw | Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus | South America — Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay | 100 cm (total length) |
| Hippopotamus | Hippopotamus amphibius | Africa — Sub‑Saharan rivers and lakes | 350 cm (body length) |
| Hamerkop | Scopus umbretta | Africa — Sub‑Saharan Africa | 46 cm (total length) |
| Helmeted guineafowl | Numida meleagris | Africa — Sub‑Saharan Africa | 53 cm (total length) |
| Hoatzin | Opisthocomus hoazin | South America — Amazon basin | 65 cm (total length) |
| Hoopoe | Upupa epops | Europe, Africa, Asia — Palearctic region | 25 cm (total length) |
| Hoffmann’s two‑toed sloth | Choloepus hoffmanni | Central & South America — Honduras to Bolivia | 60 cm (body length) |
| Hog deer | Axis porcinus | Asia — Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia | 110 cm (body length) |
| Hooded vulture | Necrosyrtes monachus | Africa — Sub‑Saharan Africa | 70 cm (total length) |
| Hooded seal | Cystophora cristata | North Atlantic & Arctic seas | 240 cm (total length) |
| Hartebeest | Alcelaphus buselaphus | Africa — Sub‑Saharan grasslands | 240 cm (head-body length) |
| Horn shark | Heterodontus francisci | Eastern Pacific — California to Mexico | 120 cm (total length) |
| Horseshoe crab | Limulus polyphemus | Atlantic — East Coast North America, Gulf of Mexico | 35 cm (carapace width) |
| Hognose snake | Heterodon platirhinos | North America — USA, Canada | 75 cm (total length) |
| Honey badger | Mellivora capensis | Africa & Asia — Sub‑Saharan Africa, SW Asia | 70 cm (body length) |
| Harlequin duck | Histrionicus histrionicus | North America & Eurasia — Rocky coastal waters | 40 cm (total length) |
Descriptions
Hamadryas baboon
Social, distinctive “badge” male mane; kept in zoos for behavioral studies and education about primate social systems and conservation.
Harris’s hawk
Cooperative hunting raptor often used in educational flying displays; common in raptor collections for outreach and falconry demonstrations.
Harpy eagle
Impressive rainforest predator with massive talons; exhibited for conservation awareness of tropical forest ecosystems and raptor ecology.
Harp seal
Arctic pinniped shown in marine centers for education on climate change and marine mammal rehab; known for white pups and deep dives.
Harbor seal
Common coastal seal in many marine exhibits; valued for visitor encounters, education, and rehabilitation programs.
Hartmann’s mountain zebra
Distinctively striped mountain zebra subspecies; kept for conservation, education about African habitats, and ungulate display.
Hawksbill turtle
Critically endangered sea turtle in aquariums and rescue centers; used to teach about marine conservation and illegal wildlife trade.
Hermann’s tortoise
Small Mediterranean tortoise common in herpetology collections; used for education on reptile care and habitat conservation.
Humboldt penguin
Popular coastal seabird in zoo and aquarium exhibits; important for education about fisheries, conservation, and nesting biology.
Hyacinth macaw
Largest parrot species, striking blue plumage; kept for education, nutrition research, and conservation breeding.
Hippopotamus
Massive semi-aquatic mammal commonly exhibited for conservation and outreach about river ecosystems and megafauna behavior.
Hamerkop
Unusual stork‑like bird with a shaggy crest; exhibited for behavioral displays and to illustrate unique nest-building ecology.
Helmeted guineafowl
Familiar farm and aviary bird often in zoo collections; used in educational mixed-species exhibits and predator-prey demonstrations.
Hoatzin
Strange leaf-eating bird with clawed chicks; kept in some aviaries for education about avian evolution and tropical ecology.
Hoopoe
Iconic crested bird found in many aviaries; popular for education on beak specialization and migratory behavior.
Hoffmann’s two‑toed sloth
Slow-moving arboreal mammal in many zoos; used to teach about rainforest ecology, unique physiology, and conservation.
Hog deer
Small, stocky deer kept in conservation and educational exhibits; illustrates Asian wetland and grassland ecology.
Hooded vulture
Scavenging raptor kept in vulture conservation programs and educational collections to teach about ecosystem services and decline from poisoning.
Hooded seal
Arctic seal species occasionally in marine centers; useful for education on ice‑dependent mammals and marine conservation.
Hartebeest
Large African antelope found in many safari and zoo collections; used for conservation messaging about grassland ecosystems.
Horn shark
Small, bottom-dwelling shark often in public aquaria; used to teach about shark diversity, behavior, and temperate reef ecosystems.
Horseshoe crab
Ancient arthropod commonly displayed in touch tanks and education programs to explain evolution and biomedical importance.
Hognose snake
Famous for dramatic defensive displays; commonly kept in herpetarium exhibits for education about snake behavior and ecology.
Honey badger
Bold, tenacious carnivore held in some collections for education about mammal adaptations and conservation of small predators.
Harlequin duck
Vibrant sea duck occasionally in waterfowl or coastal exhibits; used to illustrate migratory and coastal ecosystem biology.