12 Animals That Are Long and Skinny

If you are a fan of biology, you understand that animals can differ in size even from the same species. You can therefore know about the physical characteristics of a particular family of animals but confuse their identity due to similarities.

This is why biologists take time to categorize animals by all the characteristics they can pick out. Lucky for you, you do not have to go through an entire encyclopedia to learn about these size differences.

Here is a list of long and skinny animals, either domesticated or wild.

1. Pike

The pike is a predatory fish found in the fresh waters of North America, Siberia, Asia, and Western Europe. This fish is skinny and extended with a torpedo-like body, a pointed head, and razor-sharp teeth.

They can grow up to 6 feet long while weighing only 17.5 pounds, making them appear long and skinny. Their grey color allows them to camouflage when hunting small fish or even their own.

2. Polecat

The physical appearance of the polecat appeals to animal enthusiasts with its pale underside, dark brown color, and dark masks around the face. These animals are distant cousins of the ferrets in Europe because they have long and skinny bodies.

They are night hunters that grow to around 27 inches and weigh approximately 0.5 pounds.

You will, however, feel uncomfortable getting closer to these animals because of the pungent smell they release to repel predators and other animals.

3. Meerkats

Meerkats are popularly displayed on TV programs about wildlife. These animals live in colonies in various deserts across the world.

This mongoose species is a long and skinny body structure and is native to southern Africa. These animals are about 1 foot long when standing on two feet and weigh less than a pound.

People should, however, not keep them as pets regardless of their furry bodies looking appealing.

4. Stoat

Stoats are long and skinny animals spread in various habitats in the Northern Hemisphere. Stoats are close relatives of the weasels because of their similar physical features.

An adult stoat can only reach a maximum of 1 foot in length and weigh around 260 grams. They are carnivorous animals that frequently feed even though they never gain weight.

5. Ferret

Ferrets are some of the long and skinny animals people want to pet, and some do it. These animals are spread out in Europe, America, and North Africa.

Adult ferrets can only amass 5 pounds weight at 18 inches. Even though they are domesticated, they tend to burrow in the wild to hide from predators.

They should, however, be kept away from children because they like biting people.

6. Great Egret

The great egret is a predatory bird known for its long skinny body, slim legs, and neck. Great egrets are also funny-looking and inhabit various habitats worldwide but dominate tropical environments.

These birds stand at 3.3 feet long with a wingspan of over 67 inches. Their diet consists of aquatic creatures and eats frogs, snakes, and fish.

7. Eels

The name “eel” is enough to get people scared, considering the claims that it shocks people with electricity. Eels look like snakes and may appear ferocious but are fish.

Only a few species of eels electrocute people, so you should not be scared. Eels have a long and skinny snake-like appearance and can vary from 20 inches to 9 feet.

They also weigh less than they look, with adults reaching around 40 pounds.

8. Weasel

Weasels are also members of the Mustela genus alongside ferrets and polecats. They have long and skinny bodies with short legs.

They are entirely carnivorous and live in farmlands, open fields, and woody zones near water sources. Adults grow to around 12 inches long and weigh roughly 350 grams.

They are primarily active at night, and people consider them pets because of their opportunist nature.

9. Needlefish

Needlefish, also known as the Belonidae, is a marine creature with razor-sharp teeth and long jaws. The name could be misleading for an animal that does not look quite appealing.

These fish can grow over 5 feet long, weighing about 10 pounds. They are commonly found in western Atlantic regions, but they have been spotted in freshwater bodies like creeks and streams.

They hop out of the water at higher speeds of 37mp/h, which allows them to catch their prey at the water surface.

10. Long-tailed salamander

Long-tailed salamanders are primarily yellow but usually change to orange, red, or brown. They also have irregular dashes and dots on the entire body and tails.

They have long and slender bodies with large eyes and stout limbs. They can grow to around 8 inches with most of their length in their tails.

They natively inhabit various parts of New York, northern and southern Alabama. You can find them in caves, creek beds, ponds, and streams.

11. Snakes

There are over 3000 known snake species globally and are all characterized by their slender and limbless bodies. Snakes tend to have a proportional body to weight ratio for survival.

However, there are significant disparities in body sizes across different species. The longest snake in the world is the articulated python, which is 20ft 6 in long, while the smallest is the Barbados thread snake, which is only 4.1 inches long.

12. Thorius Arboreus

Source: snl.no

The thorius arboreus is a salamander species endemic to Mexico. This long and skinny animal has adapted to living in small pools or water-filled holes.

This body type benefits this animal because it reduces the surface area and maximizes energy conservation. It can only grow to around 18 millimetres.

Its low metabolism allows the animal to survive on less food considering the habitat restrictions.