Discover 10 animals that start with the letter 'K'.
Can you think of more? Let us know what we have missed...
Animals that begin with 'K'
Kangaroo
The kangaroo must be one of Australia's most iconic species. Did you know kangaroos usually hop at about 25kph, though they can reach 70kph over short distances, covering as much as 9m in a single hop? Would def be a contender for long jump at the animal Olympics.
Kangaroo mouse
Closely related to the kangaroo rat (below) the tiny kangaroo mouse hops around on its strong long hind legs - hence its name.
Kangaroo rat
If you see one of these standing on its hind legs it's easy to see how it got its name. These small rodents, from America, have short forelimbs and long hind limbs. They can also leap like their namesake. Thanks to its hind legs these rodents can leap up to nine feet high.
Killer whale
Despite being called whales, killer whales are actually belong to the dolphin family Delphinidae. They have a distinctive appearance, a large black body, a white underside, a white patch above and behind the eye, ‘saddle patch’ behind the dorsal fin.
King cobra
The king cobra is the world’s longest venomous snake, at an impressive four metres on average, with a maximum record of 5.85 metres.
Like the Indian cobra, the regally named king cobra holds a special cultural significance in the Indian subcontinent. It is regarded as the national reptile of India, but despite this is unfortunately threatened by both habitat destruction and poaching for use in traditional Chinese medicine. Killing a king cobra is a serious offence in India with imprisonment of up to six years!
Kingfisher
Did you know there are over 100 species of kingfisher worldwide? However, only the common kingfisher,Alcedo atthis, breeds in the UK. With its stunning azure and copper plumage, the kingfisher is an unmistakable bird when spotted, even if it's only glimpsed as it flies by. Additionally, it has a very distinctive call.
King penguin
The King penguin,Aptenodytes patagonicus is the second largest species ofpenguinafter theemperor penguin. King penguins are known for forming enormous colonies of up to 100,000 breeding pairs.
King vulture
This large scavenger bird lives between southernMexico and northernArgentina and is the only surviving member of theSarcoramphusgenus.
Koala
With its fluffy ears, grey-brown fur and large leathery nose, the koala is one of the world’s most famous marsupials.Although a famous species from Australia, this distinctive mammal is actually only found on eastern and south-eastern regions of the country – Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and ACT.
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon is the world's largest living lizard and is endemic to Indonesia, in the World Heritage-listed Komodo National Park and neighbouring Flores, where it is anapex predator.
Looking for ideas about animals starting with other letters of the alphabet?
Whether you're stuck on a crossword clue, setting a quiz or just curious, check out our guides to animals beginning with every letter of the alphabet.
