Here you’ll find 31 African animals that start with M, organized from “Maccoa duck” to “Multimammate mouse”. They range from seabirds and small rodents to large mammals, useful for study, classroom use, and field reference.
African animals that start with M are a diverse set of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians found across the continent. For example, the meerkat became a cultural icon after popular documentaries.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Primary habitat(s) & region, Typical lifespan (wild), and Conservation status.
Common name: The everyday name for each species, so you can quickly recognize and search for animals.
Scientific name: The accepted binomial gives precise identification and helps you locate scientific information about the species.
Primary habitat(s) & region: Shows broad habitat types and main African ranges to help you understand where each species lives.
Typical lifespan (wild): Gives usual life expectancy in the wild so you can compare species’ longevity.
Conservation status: Lists IUCN categories or equivalent to show how threatened each species is in the wild.
African animals that start with M
| Name | Scientific name | Primary habitat(s) & region | Typical lifespan (wild) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandrill | Mandrillus sphinx | Rainforest, woodland, Central Africa, West Africa | 20 |
| Meerkat | Suricata suricatta | Desert, grassland, Southern Africa | 10 |
| Marabou stork | Leptoptilos crumenifer | Wetland, savanna, Sub-Saharan Africa | 25 |
| Manatee | Trichechus senegalensis | Riverine, estuary, coastal, West Africa | 40 |
| Manta ray | Mobula birostris | Marine, coastal, tropical Atlantic & Indian Ocean coasts (African coasts) | 40 |
| Mountain zebra | Equus zebra | Montane grassland, Southern Africa | 20 |
| Mountain reedbuck | Redunca fulvorufula | Montane grassland, East & Southern Africa | 10 |
| Meller’s chameleon | Trioceros melleri | Forest, woodland, East & Southeast Africa | 8 |
| Meller’s mongoose | Rhynchogale melleri | Forest, woodland, Central & East Africa | 10 |
| Marsh mongoose | Atilax paludinosus | Wetland, riverine, savanna, Sub-Saharan Africa | 10 |
| Maccoa duck | Oxyura maccoa | Freshwater lakes and wetlands, East & Southern Africa | 10 |
| Malachite kingfisher | Corythornis cristatus | Wetland, riverine, Sub-Saharan Africa | 6 |
| Mangrove kingfisher | Halcyon senegaloides | Mangrove, coastal, West & East Africa | 8 |
| Multimammate mouse | Mastomys natalensis | Grassland, savanna, agricultural, Sub-Saharan Africa | 1-2 |
| Mozambique tilapia | Oreochromis mossambicus | Freshwater, brackish, coastal, Southern Africa | 8 |
| Madagascar hissing cockroach | Gromphadorhina portentosa | Forest leaf litter, Madagascar | 3 |
| Madagascar ruffed lemur | Varecia variegata | Rainforest, eastern Madagascar | 15 |
| Madagascar teal | Anas bernieri | Coastal wetlands, Madagascar | 10 |
| Mountain nyala | Tragelaphus buxtoni | Montane forest and grassland, Ethiopia (Ethiopian Highlands) | 12 |
| Martial eagle | Polemaetus bellicosus | Savanna, open woodland, Sub-Saharan Africa | 20 |
| Masked weaver | Ploceus velatus | Savanna, woodland, Southern & East Africa | 4 |
| Mbu puffer | Tetraodon mbu | Freshwater rivers and lakes, Congo Basin | 10 |
| Marsh owl | Asio capensis | Grassland, wetland, savanna, Sub-Saharan Africa | 10 |
| Moroccan locust | Dociostaurus maroccanus | Grassland, semi-arid, North Africa | 1 |
| Mediterranean gecko | Hemidactylus turcicus | Urban, rocky, Mediterranean coast, North Africa | 5 |
| Mountain wagtail | Motacilla clara | Riverine, montane, East & Southern Africa | 6 |
| Masked booby | Sula dactylatra | Marine, coastal, tropical waters around Africa | 20 |
| Meller’s duck | Anas melleri | Freshwater wetlands, Madagascar | 10 |
| Mudskipper | Periophthalmus barbarus | Coastal, intertidal, mangrove, West & West-Central Africa | 3 |
| Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | Wetland, marshes, Sub-Saharan & North Africa | 5 |
| Montagu’s harrier | Circus pygargus | Open countryside, grassland; winters in Sub-Saharan Africa | 10 |
Descriptions
Mandrill
Vibrant, large primate with a colorful face and rump, living in dense forests in sizeable social groups.
Meerkat
Small, social mongoose famous for sentry behavior and cooperative pup-rearing in arid landscapes.
Marabou stork
Huge scavenging stork with a bald head and massive bill, often seen near water and human settlements.
Manatee
Slow-moving aquatic herbivore that grazes on seagrass and freshwater plants in West African waterways.
Manta ray
Large, graceful filter-feeding ray often seen near African coasts, known for wide wings and acrobatic breaches.
Mountain zebra
Sturdy zebra adapted to rocky, mountainous grasslands of southern Africa with distinctive striping.
Mountain reedbuck
Small antelope of high-altitude grasslands, typically found in isolated mountain pockets.
Meller’s chameleon
Large, slow-moving chameleon with a casque-like head, often found clinging to branches in forest edges.
Meller’s mongoose
Little-known, nocturnal mongoose that hunts insects and small vertebrates in forest habitats.
Marsh mongoose
Semi-aquatic mongoose that forages along rivers and marshes for crustaceans, fish and frogs.
Maccoa duck
Stiff-tailed diving duck with compact body and distinctive breeding plumage in males.
Malachite kingfisher
Tiny, brilliantly colored kingfisher that hovers or perches above water before plunging for small fish.
Mangrove kingfisher
Medium kingfisher that hunts from perches in mangroves and estuaries, often near tidal creeks.
Multimammate mouse
Common small rodent known for large litters and many nipples; thrives in fields, savanna and villages.
Mozambique tilapia
Hardy cichlid native to southern African rivers and lakes, important in local fisheries and aquaculture.
Madagascar hissing cockroach
Large, wingless cockroach famed for loud hissing; a detritivore of Malagasy forests.
Madagascar ruffed lemur
Fluffy, loud lemur with a ruffed mane that plays a key role dispersing seeds in rainforests.
Madagascar teal
Rare, shy dabbling duck endemic to Madagascar’s marshes, lagoons and coastal wetlands.
Mountain nyala
Endemic, endangered spiral-horned antelope adapted to high-altitude Ethiopian habitats.
Martial eagle
Powerful large eagle that preys on mammals and birds; known for impressive strength and broad wingspan.
Masked weaver
Noisy, colonial bird celebrated for intricate woven nests and bright male breeding colors.
Mbu puffer
Large freshwater pufferfish from central Africa with a rounded body and strong beak-like jaws.
Marsh owl
Nocturnal, ground-roosting owl of marshes and open grasslands with characteristic ear tufts.
Moroccan locust
Annual grasshopper species known for episodic swarms that can damage crops across North Africa.
Mediterranean gecko
Small nocturnal gecko commonly seen on walls and cliffs across North Africa’s Mediterranean coast.
Mountain wagtail
Slim, active wagtail found along fast-flowing streams in highland and forested regions.
Masked booby
Large seabird that nests on islands and plunges for fish, recognized by a dark facial mask.
Meller’s duck
Endemic Malagasy duck that resembles a mallard but is shy and restricted to forested wetlands.
Mudskipper
Amphibious fish that “walks” on mudflats, breathes air and feeds on invertebrates in mangroves.
Moorhen
Medium waterbird with a red frontal shield, common on ponds and marshy edges across Africa.
Montagu’s harrier
Agile harrier that breeds in Eurasia and winters across Africa, hunting small birds and mammals.