Animals on planet Earth enjoy a unique position on its ecological cycle and if not for them Mankind would also not be able to survive.
Comprising more than two million species they bring color and beauty with some of them not very pleasant to the eye but they all profess a distinctive flavor which enables them all to share the world with us.
Animals that Start with E
Taking a few of them popular or not who share a common identity, the beginning of their names with the letter “E” we pick some we think would be interesting to note here.
1) EAGLE
There are more than sixty species of eagles spread around the world from the Bald Eagle in the American continent, one of the largest flying predators in the skies of our planet to the smaller relatives of them in the African and Asian continents.
The Bald and the Golden Eagle are the only two species traversing the skies of North America and Canada and have a unique place in the history of these two countries.
They have the sharpest of eyes and can observe prey from hundreds of meters above and dive at high speed and lift up in one swooping action unknown to the prey itself.
The speed with which they dive and snatch prey off either water or land is a sight many wildlife photographers have captured through their lenses and have kept us in awe.
2) ELEPHANT
Growing to more than thirteen feet tall and the largest mammals, the three elephant species roaming the Earth identified by the biological name Elephantidae are further more precisely named as “Loxodonto Africana” the African Bush elephant, “Loxodonto Cyclotis” the African Forest elephant and “Elephas Maximus” the Asian elephant.
Weighing around twelve thousand pounds their long trunk is very important to them as they smell, wash themselves, drink water, and it also helps in picking up food and bringing it into their mouths.
The mouths have teeth to chew the food, which are generally herbs as they are herbivorous and whilst the males are gifted with two majestic looking tusks which help them to tear up tree trunks and also as a defensive weapon against possible intruders to the group or predators of which there are none, except a foolish canine who would attempt to attack them.
3) ERMINE
An animal with a defensive color change possibility for the winter months and the warmer months from being white for the former and brown for the latter, and which lives in burrows.
This unique change camouflages it from possible predators and it’s name more precisely defines its fur color and with the front feet smaller than the hind which enables it to balance and dig up the ground looking for food.
It has paws with claws making digging possible and also if needed as a defensive weapon and it is always very alert to what goes on in the surroundings by keeping its sharp eyes and ears open to any possible attack.
4) EMPEROR PENGUIN
The continent of Antarctica which is barren and with vast stretches of ice some a mile or so deep into the ocean is home to thousands of Emperor Penguins who have adapted well to their surroundings which is as cold as it could get anywhere else on the face of our Earth.
Emperor Penguin chicks by habit huddle together to give them some warmth when their parents are out hunting for food which is generally small fish, squid and other sea food they could get around this vast expanse of snow covered water.
Being the largest among all other species of penguins they are easily recognizable with their yellow breasts, orange ear patches, the blue grey neck and the smart black cap.
5) ELK
They have large impressive antlers and are bigger than the common deer we would find around us and like all hoofed brethren of their kind are called “ungulates” after the Latin word for hoofs.
They live wild on the western mountainous areas of the North American continent and are herbivorous and find their food from bushes and other foliage edible to them.
They are the largest land animals in North America and males could weigh between 300 to 330 kilograms and with their large antlers could be a formidable opponent for any who intrudes into their domain.
6) ELEPHANT SHREW
They have resemblance to many other animals than to shrews, though named as one. They look like a miniature form of an elephant with an elongated nose.
They also look like a toy antelope, a very small anteater or even a rodent and hence could be referred to as a very eccentric looking animals living on Earth.
They would scurry along and hide the moment they sense any danger and are very fast footed and are very peculiar queer mammals too.
7) ELEPHANT SEAL
The Southern Elephant seals make their home around the islands and coasts of the Southern hemisphere whilst the Northern Elephant seals live around Pacific coast of the United States and Mexico.
Of the two, the latter species could be a bit smaller in size compared to it’s brethren and the Peninsula Valdes in Argentina is home to the fourth largest colony of Elephant seals and it is growing.
Their main source of food is available around them and that being sea food they are contented and live a very flourishing life around it in the deep sea.
8) ELAND
Revered in mythology by some South African tribes this ox like antelope is the world’s largest and is the most depicted animal in ancient rock carvings in the eastern part of this great continent.
It’s large size also makes it slower than most other African antelopes but maintains high endurance over most which enables it to keep a long and paced trot and could easily jump over an eight foot fence with much ease.
The horns are common to both male and females which are elegantly spiral giving them a very smart and majestic look with the mail having a tuft of beautiful black fur growing down below it neck with also the male having some hair on its forehead to give it that elegant male smartness as the animal ages.
9) EEL
Having the ability to live in sea and fresh water these slimy animals are hunted for food by many people around the world and they are just like land snakes but without scales generally, and with a long tapering body though some species have been found to have scales.
They are very flexible and extremely mobile and their over one hundred vertebrae allow them to move through quickly to avoid pursuing prey.
10) ELECTRIC EEL
Growing up to nearly two and a half meters in length it could incapacitate any large animal or human through about 28feet of still water with 500 volts of electric shock which makes it a formidable animal to contend with if one is to hunt them down.
Surfacing for a breadth of air in around ten minute gaps they feed on small fish and love the muddy and calm part of waters.
11) ECHINODERM
Very symmetrical in design they are also called star fish for its five equally segmented body, just like one with each part having its own internal organs.
Intake of food is from the underside and excreta are pushed out from the top with no heart, brain or eyes they have only a sensitive underside.
12) ECHIDNA
Endemic to New Guinea and Australia they eat ants and termites and are identified with anteaters but are not related ts them and has spiny spikes on its body as defensive weaponry.
It is their long sticky tongue that helps them to pick up food embedded with logs and such crevices.
13) EASTERN MOLE
A very shy mammal rarely seen but active at dusk and dawn and are mostly underground and with a long snout they are hunters of small prey.
The eyes are hidden and they have sharp claws in the fore and hind legs which they use for hunting and digging burrows.
14) EASTERN COUGAR
Mostly found in North America with a coat color which is a distinctively tan they have had many names given to them and some of them are Puma, Mountain Lion, Panther and of course what it is finally identified as a Cougar.
15) EARTHWORM
They are grouped into nearly 4,400 species and with 2,700 different kinds in their very large family and could grow up to about twelve feet in length, though most are only eight to ten inches long.
They are also called many names and have very smooth bodies and are devoid of lungs or gills and breathe through their skin.