35 Examples of Animals with Horns (A to Z List & Pictures)

Examples of animals with horns include Addax, Alpine Ibex, Water Buffalo, Eland, and Springbok.

Horns are found on many different animals around the world. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Horns can be used for defense against predators or they may just be ornamentation to attract mates.

Examples of Animals with Horns

1. Addax

The Addax is an antelope that lives in the Sahara desert. It has two long, twisted horns with sharp tips called “addaxes”.

The goal of the horns is to protect them from predators but they also help attract females during mating season. They can be white or gray and may grow up to 43 inches long.

Related Article: Do Addax Have Curly Horns?

2. Alpine Ibex

The Alpine Ibex is found in the Alps around Europe. They are able to climb sheer cliffs with their goat-like hooves and sharp claws. The male ibex have large horns that they use for fighting each other during mating season. Their horns can grow up to 80 cm long.

3. Asian Water Buffalo

The Asian water buffalo is a large bovid originating in Southeast Asia. They have very thick, smooth skin and can be black, gray, or brown with an orange patch on both shoulders. Males are particularly larger than females and sport long horns that curl up towards the front of their heads.

4. Bharal

The bharal is a type of ungulate that lives in the mountains of Asia. They are related to the deer and have two horns on their head. The horns can grow up to 31 inches long but are typically smaller. These animals use their horns for defense against predators such as wolves and leopards.

5. Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn sheep are found in the Rocky Mountains of North America. These animals have five-foot longhorns with a base circumference of four feet.

6. Black Rhino

Horns of the black rhinoceros are made out of keratin, which is the same material that hair and nails are made from. They have two horns that can grow up to 55 inches long.

The length of their horn helps them protect themselves against predators.

7. Blackbuck

The Blackbuck is an antelope that lives in India and Pakistan. It has a pair of horns on its head that curve backward. The horns are used for defense against predators but they also play a role in mating rituals. The males use their horns to butt each other during competitions to see who is stronger.

8. Bongo

The bongo is an antelope found in the eastern portion of Africa. They are known for their massive horns that can grow up to almost 30 inches long! Bongos live in herds and they use these large horned heads as a way to protect each other from predators.

9. Cape Buffalo

The Cape buffalo is a large animal that lives in the grasslands of Africa. It has two horns on its head and they are used for defense against predators.

10. Capra Ibex

A wild goat living in the Alps with long and curved horns.

11. Eland

The eland is a large antelope found in Africa. They are the second-largest antelope in the world and can weigh up to 700 pounds.

Elands have two horns that curve backward and measure up to 66 centimeters long. These horns are used for defense against predators as well as competing with other males for mates.

12. Gazelle

The gazelle is a small antelope that lives in Africa and the Middle East. They have two horns on their head that are used for defense against predators.

13. Gemsbok

The gemsbok is a large antelope found in Africa. It has two long, black horns that curve backward. The horns are used for defense against predators and as a tool for fighting rivals during mating season.

14. Giant Eland

The giant eland is the largest antelope in the world. They are found in Africa and have two impressive horns that can grow up to 4 feet long. These horns are used for defense against predators, but they can also be dangerous to the elands themselves.

15. Giraffes

The giraffe is the tallest land animal in the world. They have two “horns” on their head that are used for ornamentation to attract mates. Giraffe horns are technically not horns but “ossicones” because they’re covered in skin.

16. Hartebeest

The hartebeest is a large antelope found in Africa. They have two long horns that curve backward. The hartebeest uses its horns for defense against predators.

17. Hebridean Sheep

The Hebridean sheep is a breed of domestic sheep in Scotland. They have long slender horns and their face and legs are black or dark brown with white markings around the eyes, muzzle, belly, and lower leg.

18. Impala

The impala is a medium-sized antelope found in Africa. They are known for their impressive horns which can grow up to 37 inches long. The horns are used as a defense against predators, but they also play an important role in mating rituals.

19. Jackson Chameleon

The Jackson Chameleon is a small lizard found in Africa. It has two horns on its head that it uses for defense against predators.

20. Kudu

The kudu is a large antelope with long spiraling horns. It can stand up to 3 feet tall and weigh as much as 600 pounds.

21. Markhor

The markhor is a large species of wild goat that lives in the mountains of Central Asia. The males have long, twisted horns and impressive beards.

22. Mouflon

The mouflon is wild sheep with three types of horns. Males have large, curved horns Mouflon is a species of sheep that have large horns. They can vary in color from a light tan to brown and the males’ horns curve outwards then up, while females’ have straighter or backward-pointing horns.

23. Nubian Ibex

The Nubian Ibex is a goat that lives in the mountains of Africa. They are well-adapted to life in high altitudes and have long, curved horns which they use for defense against predators.

24. Nyala

Nyala is an antelope found in Africa. They are distinguished by their large, spiraled horns. The horns are used as a defense against predators and also play a role in mating rituals.

25. Roan Antelope

The roan antelope can be found in Africa and is known for its beautiful blue eyes. They have a thick, shaggy coat that can protect them from the harsh African weather conditions, including rainstorms and snowstorms.

26. Sable

In the wild, sable antelope have horns that can reach up to three feet in length. The male’s horns are normally longer than the female’s.

27. Saiga

They are found in Russia. They have a long, tubular nose which allows them to take in more oxygen than other antelopes. The males also use their horns for ritualized combat.

28. Scimitar Oryx

The scimitar oryx is a desert antelope that lives in the Sahara Desert of North Africa. The horns are long, flat, and sharp which helps them to protect themselves against predators.

29. Springbok

The springbok, a type of antelope found in southern Africa is famous for its unique way of fending off predators. When the animal feels threatened it will jump into the air and then slam back down on one or both its front knees.

30. Texas Longhorn Cattle

Several species of domestic cattle have horns, while others do not. Cattle without horns are called “naturally polled” cattle.

Perhaps the most popular cows with horns are the texas longhorns, named after their most distinctive feature: their long horns!

31. Waterbuck

The waterbuck is a large antelope found in Africa. They have two long, spiral horns that curve backward. These horns are used for defense against predators and can be quite dangerous.

32. White Rhino

The white rhinoceros is one of the largest land mammals in the world. They are easily recognized by their large, square horns. These horns can grow up to three feet long and weigh up to 60 pounds.

33. Wildebeest

The horns of the wildebeest are one of the most iconic features of this animal. The males use them for fighting with other males during the mating season. They can also be used as a tool to defend against predators.

34. Water Buffalo

Water buffalo are found in India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia. They use their horns to defend themselves against predators like wolves or lions.

35. Yak

Yak are a domesticated beast of burden used for meat, milk, wool, and farming. They are aclimatized to higher climates so they can work hard in conditions many other beasts of burden cannot.

Garreth

Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.