Animals start from J

Are you ready to go on a ride with us discovering all the animals whose initials are from the alphabet “J.” Well we are as much excited as you are, but let me tell you first we are not giving you the basic information on these animals, but the interesting facts associated with each of them. Let’s dip in:

List of Animals start from J

1. Jaguar
2. Jackal
3. Jackrabbit
4. Jay
5. Jellyfish
6. Jabiru
7. Jaguarundi
8. Jerboa
9. Jungle fowl
10. Japanese Macaque

Jaguar:

Well, we all love the jaguar-printed shirts and jackets but have you ever wondered that Jaguar is on number three in the list of largest cats in the world. In America, it is the largest cat. Jaguar is native to Southern, Northern, and Central America. According to the IUCN red list of endangered species, jaguar is one of those animals who are highly endangered, and the obvious underlying reasons are habitat loss, human hunting, and Illegal trade for the skin and teeth. Jaguars can live for twelve to fifteen years in their natural habitat.

The jaguar print is in the rose-shape and is also termed as “Rosettes.” Most of the cat species are usually afraid of the water but its a unique trait of jaguars that they are marvellous swimmers, and do not hesitate from the water. 

Jackal:

We often confuse jackals with the coyotes but that’s not our fault because jackals are closely knitted with coyotes, foxes, wild dogs, and wolves. In fact if you want to describe a jackal you can explain them as a hybrid species of Fox and German shepherd. Because they have a similar small face, plushy legs and tail , long snout, and triangular ears. Though jackals are the animals of prey, there are several other animals that act as their predators and that is why jackals can only live for eight to nine years in bewilderness. However, in captivity they can live for longer periods, as in sixteen years.

Most jackals show the most activity at dawn and dusk, however there are some species that are truly nocturnal like the one with side stripes. Jackals have a marvelous speed for running and can easily run sixteen kilometers per hour. They can run at such a fast pace because of their fused leg bones, and remarkably huge feet. Though jackals are monogamous, they often tend to hunt in packs.

Jackrabbit:

Their name may confuse you as they are not rabbits but they actually fall in the hare family. But, they are closely related to rabbits. Jackrabbits are medium sized mammals with relatively large ears that are easily noticeable from a distance. Their habitat includes farms, grasslands, open fields etc. Jackrabbits are native to Northern Central America. They possess small sized black/white tails, black markings on the back on their brown furred skin,the ear tips are also black. Like all other hares and rabbits, jack rabbits are herbivores and their main feed includes plants, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, and fruit buds. Their main predators include jackals, coyotes, foxes, owls, hawks, and wolves. 

Jay:

You may be surprised when you know that jays belong to the crow family but as compared to the crows, they are medium-sized. Jays are colorful birds and create a lot of noise. Jays are native to America and Eurasia, and there are almost forty types of jays found in the world. Jays are hesitant birds and like to fly in packs, it’s hard to spot them but you can have an idea about their presence because of their shrieking calls. They inhabit woodlands, and thick forests. Their nests are cup-shaped, and they are omnivorous in nature as they eat all kinds of fruits, seeds, other bird’s eggs etc. Jays also play an important role in the oak tree pollination, as they hide almost five thousand acorns each year, which they tend to consume in harsher seasons like winters.

Jellyfish:

It is the most strange fact that jellyfishes are one of those creatures that are most ancient on this planet. They were even present here before the dinosaurs, and the most intriguing fact is that they don’t have any bones. That is why it is very hard to find their fossils. There are almost ten thousand species of jellyfish present across the oceans globally. Jellyfish are very mysterious creatures, most of them are transparent, others are colored, while some of them are even bioluminescent.

However, do not get fooled by its name, because they are not actually fish, as they are invertebrates which means they have no bones. In addition, jellyfish do not have any brain, or nerves, but they do have tentacles on their arms which have stinging cells. These stinging cells are used as weapons and aid them in paralyzing their prey and also as a defensive measure.  

Jabiru:

Jabirus are most commonly found in Paraguay, and Brazil. It is amazing that they are only members of the Jabiru genus. Their name is derived from a Guarani language, and jabiru means “The one with a swollen neck.” In America, you’ll find Jabirus to be the tallest flying bird. Jbairus mostly have a white plumage with featherless head, and neck. They also possess a featherless red pouch at the bottom of their neck. Like most birds, females are smaller than the males.

They mostly inhabit tropical rainforests and can be easily found near the rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams. Jabirus are activists in the wild as they munch upon dead fish, so they play an important role in maintaining the quality of the water, and they also help in minimizing the disease spread.

Jaguarundi:

These are normal cats but due to their smaller ears and round head they look similar to a weasel. They are most commonly found in Brazil, Southern and Central America, and Florida.

They also have a longer, more cylindrical body than other cats. Jaguarundis are closest relatives to Pumas, and there are two main species of Jaguarundis, the one is morph-brown in color, and the other one is pale-red that gives more tangy and orangish hues. They can survive both in open and closed habitats, and survive on small rodents, sme reptiles, fish, frogs, rabbits, chicken, and turkey. They are most active during the day, and even though they are excellent in climbing and swimming, you’ll usually spot them on the ground.

Jerboa:

Jerboas are mammals, small in size, belonging to the rodent family. There are almost forty species of Jerboa, and they love to jump. Their size and color varies with the species, however each species is gifted by nature as they have skins according to their environment which help them in camouflaging. Their overall skin is usually brown, golden but their tails have white marks on the ends. Jerboas resemble most mice, and they also have larger eyes and some of them have huge ears or small ears.

Jungle fowl:

Jungle fowls look exactly like chickens, and are in fact the ancestors of the domestic chicken. They are most commonly found in South Eastern Asia. Jungle Fowls can live unto twenty-five years and they inhabit moist lands like rainforests, agricultural lands, farms, shrubs, mangroves, and near the plantations. They inhabit such areas because they have a variety of food options available in such areas.

In comparison to the domestic chicken, jungle fowls are small in size and have a brighter plumage than the former. Males are normally bigger in size, their plumage is also more colorful than them. Males fowls have golden feathers on their necks and on the backs, whereas the tail contains mostly black plumage which shines in the sunlight giving purple and green hues.

Japanese Macaque:

As its name suggests, this monkey is native to Japan and is of medium-size. You have often seen them in documentaries where you can see monkeys bathing in hot springs. Yes! Those monkeys are Japanese Macaque. These monkeys are found in snowy regions and thereby also known as “Snowy monkeys.” These monkeys are extremely adaptable and can inhabit to any kind of environment.