Here you’ll find 14 Big animals that start with I, organized from “Iberian ibex” to “Irrawaddy dolphin”. These entries cover large vertebrates—mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish—known for notable size or mass. Use this list for education, quick identification, and content research.

Big animals that start with I are large wild species whose common names begin with the letter I. For example, the Irrawaddy dolphin appears in Southeast Asian folklore and faces strong conservation interest.

Below you’ll find the table with Scientific name, Primary habitat, and Typical wild lifespan.

Scientific name: Shows the Latin binomial so you can confirm exact species and reduce name confusion across regions.

Primary habitat: Describe biome and typical region so you can locate where the animal lives in the wild.

Typical wild lifespan: Give average adult lifespan in years to help you compare longevity between species for study or planning.

Big animals that start with I

NameScientific nameTypical adult sizePrimary habitat
Indian elephantElephas maximus indicus3,500 kgforest and grassland, South & Southeast Asia
Indian rhinocerosRhinoceros unicornis2,200 kggrassland and floodplain, Indian subcontinent
Indian gharialGavialis gangeticus4.0 mriverine, South Asia
Indian pythonPython molurus3.0 mforest and grassland, South & Southeast Asia
Irrawaddy dolphinOrcaella brevirostris100 kg; 2.5 mestuaries and coastal rivers, South & Southeast Asia
Indus river dolphinPlatanista gangetica minor80 kg; 2.5 mriver, Indus basin (South Asia)
Indo‑Pacific bottlenose dolphinTursiops aduncus150 kg; 2.6 mcoastal waters, Indo‑Pacific
Indo‑Pacific sailfishIstiophorus platypterus2.5 mopen ocean, tropical Indo‑Pacific
Indian Ocean whitetip sharkCarcharhinus longimanus100 kg; 2.8 mopen tropical ocean, Indian Ocean
Indian sloth bearMelursus ursinus80 kgforest and scrub, Indian subcontinent
Indian wild assEquus hemionus khur250 kg; 2.5 mgrassland and desert, Indian subcontinent
Iberian ibexCapra pyrenaica80 kgmountain, Iberian Peninsula
Indonesian coelacanthLatimeria menadoensis80 kg; 1.6 mdeep marine slopes, Indonesia
Irish elkMegaloceros giganteus540 kg; 3.0 mPleistocene open woodlands and grasslands, Eurasia (extinct)

Descriptions

Indian elephant
Huge Asian elephant subspecies; clearly “big” by mass, social, iconic, and a keystone species in Asian ecosystems.
Indian rhinoceros
Large one‑horned rhino—massive body and thick skin; qualifies by weight and is famous for its armor‑like hide.
Indian gharial
Long‑snouted crocodilian that commonly reaches several metres in length; notable river predator and unmistakably “big” by length.
Indian python
Large constrictor snake often exceeding 2 metres; qualifies by length and can prey on sizeable mammals.
Irrawaddy dolphin
Stocky, blunt‑faced dolphin that commonly reaches over 2 m; qualifies by length and is well known around coastal rivers.
Indus river dolphin
Freshwater river dolphin often over 2 m long; clearly “big” for a freshwater cetacean and highly adapted to murky rivers.
Indo‑Pacific bottlenose dolphin
A robust bottlenose dolphin species commonly 2+ metres long; familiar, social, and qualifies by length and mass.
Indo‑Pacific sailfish
Fast, large billfish usually exceeding 2 metres in length; notable for its sail‑like dorsal fin and speed.
Indian Ocean whitetip shark
Pelagic shark often around 2–3 metres long; qualifies by length and is recognized by long, rounded fins.
Indian sloth bear
Medium‑large bear species often over 50 kg; qualifies by mass and is notable for shaggy fur and myrmecophagous diet.
Indian wild ass
Large wild equid endemic to India; body mass and length clearly meet “big” criteria, adapted to arid plains.
Iberian ibex
Mountain goat species with large males commonly over 50 kg; qualifies by mass and noted for dramatic horns and cliff‑habitat agility.
Indonesian coelacanth
Rare living coelacanth often weighing well over 50 kg; a large, ancient fish lineage—qualifies by mass even if length under 2 m.
Irish elk
Giant prehistoric deer famous for enormous antlers; clearly “big” by mass and height, now extinct.
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