Here you’ll find 22 mammals that start with J, organized from “Jaguar” to “Jungle cat”. These species include big cats, bats, rodents, and primates, useful for classroom lists and wildlife reference.
Mammals that start with J are species whose common names begin with the letter J. Notably, the jaguar ranks among the largest New World cats and appears in many indigenous myths.
Below you’ll find the table with common name, scientific name, habitat, and average size (cm).
Common name: The everyday name you see, helping you quickly recognize species and match them to field guides or lists.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial gives precise identification so you avoid confusion between similar common names and find global taxonomic records.
Habitat: Simple habitat categories show where each species typically lives, helping you locate them in maps or field guides.
Average size (cm): An approximate adult length in centimeters lets you compare species size quickly for study or presentation.
Mammals that start with J
| Common name | Scientific name | Habitat | Average size (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaguar | Panthera onca | forest | 148.50 |
| Jaguarundi | Herpailurus yagouaroundi | forest | 65.00 |
| Javelina | Pecari tajacu | shrubland | 105.00 |
| Japanese macaque | Macaca fuscata | forest | 57.00 |
| Japanese serow | Capricornis crispus | forest | 100.00 |
| Japanese weasel | Mustela itatsi | forest | 28.00 |
| Japanese marten | Martes melampus | forest | 52.50 |
| Japanese dormouse | Glirulus japonicus | forest | 13.50 |
| Javan rhinoceros | Rhinoceros sondaicus | forest | 350.00 |
| Javan gibbon | Hylobates moloch | forest | 52.50 |
| Javan slow loris | Nycticebus javanicus | forest | 24.00 |
| Javan rusa | Rusa timorensis | grassland/savanna | 105.00 |
| Jungle cat | Prionailurus chaus | grassland/savanna | 75.00 |
| Japanese badger | Meles anakuma | forest | 62.50 |
| Japanese pipistrelle | Pipistrellus abramus | urban | 4.50 |
| Jamaican fruit bat | Artibeus jamaicensis | forest | 8.00 |
| Jentink’s duiker | Cephalophus jentinki | forest | 97.50 |
| Javan ferret-badger | Melogale orientalis | forest | 38.50 |
| Japanese giant flying squirrel | Petaurista leucogenys | forest | 50.00 |
| Jamaican coney | Geocapromys brownii | forest | 35.00 |
| Jamaican red bat | Lasiurus degelidus | forest | 8.00 |
| Jerdon’s palm civet | Gracilimus jerdoni | forest | 40.00 |
Descriptions
Jaguar
Large spotted big cat of the Americas; lives in tropical forests and wetlands, excellent swimmer, and Vulnerable due to habitat loss and hunting.
Jaguarundi
Slim, weasel-like wild cat from Central and South America found in forests and scrub; variable coat colors and often secretive.
Javelina
Also called collared peccary, a pig-like ungulate of the Americas that lives in dry scrub and thorn forests; social herds and adaptable, sometimes hunted.
Japanese macaque
Also the “snow monkey,” native to Japan’s forests and mountains; famous for hot-spring bathing and complex social groups.
Japanese serow
Stocky, goat-like ungulate endemic to Japan’s mountain forests; territorial and protected as a national symbol.
Japanese weasel
Small, slender mustelid native to Japan’s woodlands and farmlands; agile predator of rodents and insects.
Japanese marten
Forest-dwelling member of the marten family found in Japan; omnivorous and arboreal with a long bushy tail.
Japanese dormouse
Tiny nocturnal rodent endemic to Japan’s forests; slow-moving, arboreal, and hibernates in winter.
Javan rhinoceros
One of the world’s rarest large mammals, now confined to a single Indonesian park; solitary browser and Critically Endangered.
Javan gibbon
Also called the silvery gibbon, an arboreal ape endemic to Java’s forests; sings duets and is Endangered from habitat loss.
Javan slow loris
Nocturnal, slow-moving primate with a toxic bite, endemic to Java’s forests and threatened by pet trade and deforestation.
Javan rusa
Medium-sized deer introduced widely in Southeast Asia and islands; browsers in grasslands and open forests.
Jungle cat
Medium wild cat of Asia and parts of Africa favoring wetlands and tall grass; long-legged and excellent hunter of rodents and birds.
Japanese badger
Native to Japan, this stocky omnivore lives in forests and agricultural areas, digging burrows and foraging for invertebrates.
Japanese pipistrelle
Small common bat across East Asia; roosts in buildings and trees, and feeds on flying insects at dusk.
Jamaican fruit bat
Large New World fruit bat found throughout the Caribbean and Central America; important seed disperser in tropical forests.
Jentink’s duiker
A large, secretive forest antelope of West Africa; prefers dense rainforest and is Vulnerable due to hunting and habitat loss.
Javan ferret-badger
Small nocturnal mustelid endemic to Java, living in forests and gardens; omnivorous and often hunted locally.
Japanese giant flying squirrel
Large gliding rodent of Japan’s forests with a long tail; nocturnal and feeds on leaves, fruits, and bark.
Jamaican coney
Also called the Jamaican hutia, a small herbivorous rodent native to Jamaica’s forests; Near Threatened from habitat loss and introduced predators.
Jamaican red bat
Endemic Jamaican tree-roosting bat with reddish fur; insectivorous and little-known, reliant on forested habitats.
Jerdon’s palm civet
Small civet from India’s forests, insectivorous and recently described; has a slender body and nocturnal habits.