{"id":39719,"date":"2024-07-01T12:39:19","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T10:39:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/35da80a3-94bb-4bbe-a222-1808fd0591c0"},"modified":"2024-07-01T14:27:36","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T12:27:36","slug":"17-animals-beginning-with-h","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/17-animals-beginning-with-h\/","title":{"rendered":"17 animals beginning with ‘H’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Discover 17 animals beginning with H\u00a0– which ones have we forgotten? Let us know… <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Monday, 01 July 2024 at 10:39 AM<\/p>

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From the very slimy hagfish to the majestic – and strange-looking – harpy eagle there\u2019s a diverse array of fascinating creatures whose names start with the letter ‘H’.<\/p>

17 animals starting with ‘H’<\/h2>

Hagfish<\/h3>
Hagfish are, probably, the slimiest animal<\/a>\u00a0in the world – and they can use their \u00a0slime<\/a>\u00a0for lethal purposes.<\/p>
One of the weirdest animals in the world<\/a>, these eel-shaped, jawless fish possess specialised slime glands that have two types of cell: mucous cells that release mucin and thread\u00a0 cells<\/a>\u00a0that exude skeins (loosely coiled fibres) of protein around 15cm long. When mixed in seawater, the mucins and skeins create a copious amount of slime incredibly quickly.<\/p>
Hare<\/h3>
Rabbit vs hare: what’s the difference?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
\u00a0Horned viper<\/h3>
$\"Animals$
Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The named \u2018horned viper\u2019 can be used to describe a couple of different viper species. In Europe, it refers to\u00a0Vipera ammodytes<\/em>, which is also known by variety of names including long-nosed viper, nose-horned viper and sand viper. It is sometimes described as the most dangerous snake in Europe.\u00a0<\/p>
The deadliest snakes in the world: Meet the world’s most venomous snakes and their lethal bite<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Hercules beetle<\/h3>
$\"A$
A male Hercules beetle. \u00a9 Robert Oelman\/Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The largest beetle in the world<\/a> (by total length), the male Hercules beetle can reach up to 19cm in length \u2013 thanks to its impressive long horns, which are used to battle other males. The species is found in southern Mexico, central America and the Caribbean, and South America.<\/p>
How big are beetles?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Harlequin ladybird<\/h3>
$\"Front$
Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis). \u00a9 Gilles San Martin<\/figcaption><\/figure>
A very varied species, the Harlequin ladybird was introduced in many places as a control for aphids. It has since become very invasive, and became established in the Britain in 2004. It will eat the eggs and larvae of other ladybirds<\/a>, and outcompete them for food.<\/p>
Should we should be scared of harlequin ladybirds?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Harpy eagle\u00a0<\/h3>
Getty video<\/figcaption><\/figure>
One of the largest raptors in the world, the harpy eagle<\/a> is native to Central and South America. Its rear talons are the same size of the claws of a grizzly bear<\/a>, allowing the bird to lift and carry prey their own weight.\u00a0<\/p>
Harbour porpoise\u00a0<\/h3>
$\"Harbour$
Harbour porpoise – Phocoena – \u00a9 WDC\/Nicola Hodgins<\/figcaption><\/figure>
A relatively small cetacean, the harbour porpoise<\/a> was once called the \u2018puffing pig\u2019 thanks to the \u2018chuff\u2019 noise it makes as it breathes. It has a high metabolic rate, and in the cold waters around the UK, it needs to feed continuously day and night.<\/p>
Hammerhead shark\u00a0<\/h3>
$\"\"$
Great hammerhead shark, sphyrna mokkaran, South Bimini, Bahamas, Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
So-named for their unusually shaped heads, the hammerhead sharks prey on other fish \u2013 particularly stingrays, which they are able to detect buried in the sand. We named it one of the weirdest sharks in the world <\/a>.<\/p>
Hoatzin<\/h3>
$\"Hoatzin$
Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
This strange-looking bird is also nicknamed the \u2018stink bird\u2019<\/a> as it smells! It has a diet of leaves, and it ferments these leaves in its gullet and crops, making it smell of manure. It is the national bird of Guyana, where it is called the Canje pheasant.\u00a0We named it one of the weirdest birds in the world<\/a>.<\/p>
Hellbender<\/h3>
$\"\"$
Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Growing up to 73cm in length, the hellbender is both the largest salamander and the largest amphibian in North America. It is fully aquatic, usually living beneath large rocks to provide protection from potential predators.\u00a0<\/p>
Huntsman spider<\/h3>
$\"Huntsman$
images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Renowned for the large size and fast speed, huntsman spiders can be differentiated from other spiders by the way in which their front legs extend forward. The largest is the giant huntsman spider, which is also the largest spider in diameter in the world<\/a>.<\/p>
House martin<\/h3>
$\"An$
Oliver Smart<\/figcaption><\/figure>
One of the UK\u2019s summer visitors, house martins<\/a> are closely associated with humans, creating mud nests in the eaves of our houses \u2013 sometimes reusing their previous nests. <\/p>
Hedgehog<\/h3>
$\"A$
Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
One of Britain\u2019s favourite mammals, hedgehogs<\/a> are brown in colour and stocky, with short spikes, small ears, with bellies close to the ground and a short tail.<\/p>
Hippo<\/h3>
$\"Is$
Is the hippo Africa’s most dangerous animal<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The second largest animal on land after the elephant<\/a>, the Hippopotamus or hippo<\/a> is a fascinating species which is most powerful \u2013 and dangerous – in water.\u00a0\u00a0Male hippos weigh 1,600\u20133,200kg, and females 650\u20132,350kg.<\/p>
Hummingbird<\/h3>
$\"\"$
A hummingbird in Castara Bay on the Caribbean island of Tobago<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The world\u2019s smallest\u00a0 migrating bird<\/a>, catching sight of a tiny colourful hummingbird<\/a> is an incredible wildlife spectacle.<\/p>
Named after the humming noise their wings make in flight, there are over 350 known hummingbird species. The hummingbird is the only bird species which can fly backwards which comes in handy when feeding on the nectar<\/a> of plants and insects.<\/p>
Horse<\/h3>
$\"\"$
Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
A horse <\/a>is a domesticated hoofed, plant-eating, mammal that is used for riding, driving and equestrian sport<\/a>. They range in heights from the smallest horse breed, the Falabella<\/a>, which stands just 68cm to 86cm high, to the largest horse breed<\/a>, the majestic shire which stands a whole metre higher at an average of \u00a0173cm high. <\/p>
Horse vs pony: what’s the difference<\/a><\/li>
Donkey vs horse: what’s the difference?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Hinny<\/h3>
$\"\"$ <\/figure>
A hinny is produced when a horse stallion mates with a donkey mare. \u00a0They\u00a0look\u00a0more like horse-like, but very similar to mules<\/a> which is produced when a donkey stallion mates with a mare<\/a> – a female horse.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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