This list includes 24 Big animals that start with M, from “Mako shark” to “Mute swan”. It covers large wild species—mammals, birds, reptiles and fish—defined by typical adult mass or length. Use this list for education, quick reference, classroom projects, or content creation.
Big animals that start with M are large wild species whose common names begin with the letter M and are measured by adult mass or length. For example, the mako shark is famed for its speed and long migrations.
Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Primary habitat (biome and region), and Typical wild lifespan (years).
Common name: The everyday name you see; you use it to quickly identify and reference each species.
Scientific name: The Latin binomial ensures precise identification across languages and regions, helping you confirm exact species.
Primary habitat (biome and region): Shows the species’ main ecosystem and general geographic area, so you can contextualize where it lives.
Typical wild lifespan (years): Gives a realistic age range for wild individuals, useful for life history comparisons and educational notes.
Big animals that start with M
| Name | Scientific name | Typical adult size (mass or length) | Primary habitat (biome + region) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moose | Alces alces | 200–700 kg | Boreal forest — Northern Hemisphere (North America, Eurasia) |
| Muskox | Ovibos moschatus | 180–400 kg | Arctic tundra — Arctic regions (Greenland, Canada, Alaska) |
| Mule deer | Odocoileus hemionus | 50–150 kg | Temperate forest & grassland — North America |
| Markhor | Capra falconeri | 50–110 kg | Montane/rocky — Central & South Asia (Himalayas, Karakoram) |
| Malayan tapir | Tapirus indicus | 250–320 kg | Tropical rainforest — Southeast Asia |
| Mountain tapir | Tapirus pinchaque | 150–250 kg | Montane cloud forest — Northern Andes (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) |
| Mountain gorilla | Gorilla beringei | 140–220 kg | Montane forest — Virunga Mountains & Bwindi (Central Africa) |
| Mediterranean monk seal | Monachus monachus | 200–300 kg | Coastal caves & rocky shorelines — Mediterranean Sea |
| Manatee | Trichechus manatus | 400–590 kg | Warm coastal & freshwater — Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Americas |
| Minke whale | Balaenoptera acutorostrata | 7–10 m | Open ocean — Global temperate & polar seas |
| Megamouth shark | Megachasma pelagios | 4.5–5.5 m | Pelagic ocean — Tropical & temperate seas worldwide |
| Mako shark | Isurus oxyrinchus | 2.5–4.0 m | Pelagic ocean — Worldwide temperate & tropical seas |
| Mekong giant catfish | Pangasianodon gigas | 200–300 kg | Large rivers — Mekong Basin, Southeast Asia |
| Manta ray | Mobula birostris | 4–7 m (wingspan) | Pelagic tropical & subtropical — Worldwide |
| Marabou stork | Leptoptilos crumenifer | 4–9 kg | Savanna & wetlands — Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Mute swan | Cygnus olor | 6–12 kg | Wetlands & lakes — Europe (introduced worldwide) |
| Morelet’s crocodile | Crocodylus moreletii | 1.5–3.5 m | Freshwater wetlands & rivers — Mexico & Central America |
| Mugger crocodile | Crocodylus palustris | 2.0–4.0 m | Freshwater rivers & lakes — South Asia (Indian subcontinent) |
| Mountain bongo | Tragelaphus eurycerus | 200–300 kg | Montane forest — Central/East Africa (Kenya region) |
| Mountain nyala | Tragelaphus buxtoni | 200–300 kg | Montane forest — Ethiopian Highlands |
| Marsh deer | Blastocerus dichotomus | 100–200 kg | Wetlands & marshes — South America (Pantanal, Amazon basin) |
| Mountain zebra | Equus zebra | 240–360 kg | Montane grassland — Southern Africa |
| Mola | Mola mola | 250–1,000 kg | Pelagic temperate & tropical ocean — Worldwide |
| Melon-headed whale | Peponocephala electra | 2.4–2.8 m | Offshore tropical & subtropical waters — Worldwide |
Descriptions
Moose
The moose is the largest deer (200–700 kg), lives in boreal forests and wetlands, typically 15–25 years in the wild, and is famous for huge palmate antlers and strong swimming ability.
Muskox
Muskoxen are shaggy Arctic grazers weighing 180–400 kg, live 12–20 years, travel in protective herds and are adapted to extreme cold with dense underwool.
Mule deer
The mule deer ranges widely across North America, typically 50–150 kg and 9–13 years in the wild, and is known for its large ears and bounding gait.
Markhor
The markhor is a spiral-horned mountain goat (50–110 kg), lives about 12–15 years in the wild, and inhabits steep rocky terrain where males display impressive corkscrew horns.
Malayan tapir
The Malayan tapir is a large, pig-like browser of tropical forests weighing 250–320 kg, can live 25–30 years, and is recognizable by its distinctive black-and-white saddle pattern.
Mountain tapir
The mountain tapir is a smaller, woolly tapir of Andean cloud forests (150–250 kg), often lives 25–30 years, and is highly threatened by habitat loss.
Mountain gorilla
Mountain gorillas are large apes (140–220 kg), typically live 35–40 years in the wild, form tight social groups, and are critically endangered but protected by intensive conservation.
Mediterranean monk seal
The Mediterranean monk seal is a rare, large pinniped (200–300 kg), lives around 20–25 years, haunts coastal caves, and is one of the world’s most endangered seal species.
Manatee
The manatee is a slow-moving, herbivorous marine mammal (400–590 kg), often lives ~40 years in the wild, grazes seagrass and freshwater plants, and is vulnerable to boat strikes.
Minke whale
Minke whales are relatively small baleen whales (7–10 m), live ~30–50 years, are widespread in temperate and polar waters and are known for curious, solitary behavior.
Megamouth shark
The megamouth shark is a deep-water, filter-feeding shark (4.5–5.5 m) with poorly known natural history and an uncertain lifespan due to rare sightings.
Mako shark
The shortfin mako is a fast, muscular shark (2.5–4.0 m) with a typical lifespan around 20–30 years, known for high-speed bursts and powerful predatory bursts.
Mekong giant catfish
The Mekong giant catfish is a huge freshwater fish often 200–300 kg and can live decades in the wild (reported up to ~60 years), but is critically endangered from overfishing and habitat change.
Manta ray
The giant manta is a broad-winged filter feeder with a 4–7 m wingspan, may live 20–50 years, cruises coastal and offshore waters and visits cleaning stations and plankton blooms.
Marabou stork
The marabou stork is a large scavenging bird (4–9 kg) with a wingspan over 2.5 m, often lives 20–25 years in the wild, and is a familiar sight at carcasses and landfills.
Mute swan
The mute swan is a heavy waterbird (6–12 kg) with a wingspan >2 m, typically 10–20 years in the wild, and is known for territorial pairs and graceful swimming.
Morelet’s crocodile
Morelet’s crocodile is a medium-sized crocodile reaching 1.5–3.5 m, often lives several decades in the wild, and inhabits freshwater swamps and lagoons.
Mugger crocodile
The mugger crocodile (2.0–4.0 m) is a broad-snouted freshwater predator, can live multiple decades (often 40+ years), and occupies rivers, lakes and marshes.
Mountain bongo
The mountain bongo is a striking, large forest antelope (200–300 kg), typically 12–20 years in the wild, extremely rare and restricted to montane forests.
Mountain nyala
The mountain nyala is an endangered highland antelope (200–300 kg), lives around 15–20 years, and is endemic to Ethiopia’s remote mountain forests.
Marsh deer
The marsh deer is a tall, swamp-adapted cervid (100–200 kg), typically 12–15 years in the wild, and relies on seasonal wetlands across South America.
Mountain zebra
The mountain zebra is a compact wild horse (240–360 kg), often 20–25 years in the wild, adapted to rocky slopes and high-elevation grasslands with distinctive striping.
Mola
The mola (ocean sunfish) is a massive, laterally compressed fish often 250–1,000 kg and up to ~3 m across, may live a decade or more, and basks at the surface to warm and host birds that remove parasites.
Melon-headed whale
The melon-headed whale is a small oceanic dolphin (2.4–2.8 m), typically lives ~20–30 years, moves in large social groups and is often seen offshore in tropical seas.