Mammal
Honey Badger
The world's most fearless animal
Least Concern animals
324 species in the guide are widespread and abundant, with no immediate threat. Each profile leads with a direct answer to the most-searched questions.
What "Least Concern" means
Least Concern (LC) is the IUCN's lowest-risk category, assigned to widespread, abundant species that have been evaluated and found not to be threatened. It does not mean a species faces no pressures — only that it is not currently at risk of extinction.
Conservation categories follow the IUCN Red List. See the conservation hub for how every status compares.
Mammal
Arctic Fox
The white fox of the frozen tundra
Mammal
Japanese Macaque
The hot-spring snow monkey of Japan
Mammal
Gray Wolf
The ancestor of the domestic dog
Bird
Southern Cassowary
The world's most dangerous bird
Mammal
Brown Bear
The widespread bear of the Northern Hemisphere
Mammal
Grizzly Bear
North America's iconic brown bear
Invertebrate
Octopus
The shape-shifting genius of the sea
Mammal
Leopard Seal
Antarctica's apex predator
Mammal
American Black Bear
North America's adaptable forest bear
Fish
Rainbow Trout
The colourful fly-fisher's favourite
Mammal
Bottlenose Dolphin
One of the ocean's most intelligent animals
Mammal
Northern Elephant Seal
The deep-diving seal giant
Mammal
Elk
The bugling giant of North American meadows
Mammal
Common Squirrel Monkey
The tiny big-brained monkey of the Amazon
Mammal
Red-necked Wallaby
The rusty-shouldered grazer of eastern Australia
Reptile
Black Mamba
Africa's fast and feared elapid snake
Mammal
Red Deer
The roaring stag of Eurasian woodlands
Bird
Scarlet Macaw
Iconic red-and-blue rainforest parrot
Bird
Flamingo
The pink filter-feeder that stands on one leg
Mammal
Eurasian Lynx
The tufted forest hunter of Europe and Asia
Mammal
Wild Boar
The ancestor of the domestic pig
Fish
Channel Catfish
North America's whiskered bottom feeder
Bird
Osprey
The fish-hunting raptor of coasts and lakes
Reptile
Inland Taipan
World's most venomous snake by lab toxicity
Mammal
Humpback Whale
The acrobatic singer of the seas
Mammal
Banded Mongoose
The cobra's agile rival
Mammal
North American Beaver
Nature's engineer of wetlands
Reptile
Copperhead
Common US pit viper with hourglass bands
Mammal
Sloth
The slowest mammal on Earth
Fish
Clownfish
The reef fish that lives among stinging tentacles
Mammal
Fennec Fox
The tiny desert fox with enormous ears
Mammal
Wildebeest
The gnu of the great migration
Mammal
Bobcat
North America's adaptable wild cat
Bird
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Australia's loud crested parrot
Mammal
Sugar Glider
Nocturnal gliding marsupial of eucalypt forests
Bird
Bald Eagle
The fish-hunting raptor and national bird of the United States
Reptile
Bearded Dragon
The friendly desert lizard and favorite pet reptile
Mammal
Wolverine
The fierce scavenger of the boreal north
Mammal
Olive Baboon
Africa's adaptable monkey
Bird
Canada Goose
The honking V-formation flyer
Mammal
Mule Deer
The big-eared deer of western North America
Reptile
Reticulated Python
World's longest snake
Mammal
Aardvark
Africa's ant-eating oddity
Mammal
Capuchin Monkey
The clever New World monkey
Bird
Peach-faced Lovebird
Africa's pocket parrot that bonds for life
Mammal
Short-beaked Echidna
Spiny egg-laying anteater of Australia
Invertebrate
Black Widow
Venomous cobweb spider with a red hourglass
Invertebrate
Jellyfish
The ancient, brainless drifter of the seas
Mammal
Howler Monkey
The loudest land animal in the Americas
Bird
Emu
Australia's flightless giant
Mammal
Ocelot
The spotted cat of the Americas
Bird
Common Pheasant
The ring-necked game bird of field and forest
Fish
Great Barracuda
Torpedo-shaped reef ambush predator
Reptile
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Largest rattlesnake of North America
Mammal
Red Fox
The most widespread wild carnivore on Earth
Reptile
American Alligator
The armored survivor of the southern swamps
Reptile
Chameleon
The color-changing lizard with 360-degree eyes
Bird
Sandhill Crane
North America's dancing crane
Mammal
Nine-Banded Armadillo
North America's armoured digger
Mammal
Caracal
The tufted hunter of Africa and Asia
Mammal
Serval
Africa's long-legged pounce specialist
Fish
Largemouth Bass
America's favourite freshwater game fish
Mammal
Pronghorn
Fastest land mammal in the Americas
Reptile
Puff Adder
Heavy African viper linked to many snakebites
Bird
Common Loon
Iconic diving bird of northern lakes
Mammal
Raccoon
The masked, clever-handed night raider
Bird
Peacock
The dazzling showman of the bird world
Mammal
Muskox
The Ice Age survivor of the Arctic
Mammal
Brown Lemming
The tundra rodent of myth
Bird
Brown Pelican
The plunge-diving fisher
Mammal
Warthog
Africa's tusked savanna pig
Bird
Common Kestrel
Hovering falcon of fields and roadsides
Bird
Blue-footed Booby
Plunge-diving seabird with vivid blue feet
Reptile
Gaboon Viper
Heavy rainforest viper with huge fangs
Reptile
Saltwater Crocodile
The largest living reptile and most powerful bite on Earth
Mammal
Sea Lion
The agile, barking acrobat of the coast
Mammal
Narwhal
The tusked unicorn of the sea
Reptile
Spectacled Caiman
The common crocodilian of the Americas
Mammal
Grey Seal
The horse-faced seal of the Atlantic
Bird
Wild Turkey
North America's ground bird
Mammal
Golden Jackal
The adaptable wild dog of Europe and Asia
Reptile
Tuatara
Living-fossil reptile unique to New Zealand
Reptile
Nile Monitor
Large African water monitor and egg predator
Mammal
Bighorn Sheep
Mountain sheep with massive curling horns
Bird
House Sparrow
Ubiquitous sparrow of towns and farms
Reptile
Common Garter Snake
Familiar harmless snake of North American yards
Fish
Weedy Seadragon
Australia's colourful weedy seadragon
Mammal
Red Kangaroo
The largest marsupial and a powerful hopper
Invertebrate
Tarantula
The large, hairy spider with a gentle reputation
Mammal
Black-tailed Prairie Dog
The keystone burrower of the plains
Reptile
Eastern Coral Snake
Brightly banded venomous elapid of the Southeast
Mammal
Mountain Goat
Sure-footed climber of North American peaks
Fish
Goblin Shark
Deep-sea shark with a protrusible jaw
Mammal
Meerkat
The cooperative sentinel of the Kalahari
Fish
Goldfish
The world's most popular pet fish
Mammal
Springbok
South Africa's pronking antelope
Bird
White Stork
Europe's chimney-nesting messenger
Reptile
Painted Turtle
The pond slider of North America
Mammal
Minke Whale
The smallest and most abundant rorqual
Mammal
Muskrat
North America's pond-building rodent
Reptile
Sidewinder
Horned rattlesnake that sidewinds across dunes
Bird
Magnificent Frigatebird
Aerial pirate with a scarlet throat pouch
Bird
Superb Lyrebird
Master mimic of Australian forests
Reptile
Veiled Chameleon
Tall-casqued chameleon of the Arabian Peninsula
Fish
Oarfish
World's longest bony fish
Mammal
Groundhog
North America's weather-watching marmot
Bird
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Europe's drumming carpenter
Mammal
North American Porcupine
The quilled climber of northern forests
Insect
Leafcutter Ant
Ant farmers that cut leaves to grow fungus
Mammal
Snowshoe Hare
Colour-changing hare of northern forests
Reptile
Boomslang
Arboreal African snake with potent venom
Bird
Barn Owl
The ghostly, heart-faced night hunter
Mammal
American Mink
The semi-aquatic mustelid
Bird
Grey Heron
The patient wetland hunter
Reptile
Blue-tongued Skink
Stocky Australian skink with a blue tongue
Bird
Northern Goshawk
Powerful forest hawk of the north
Bird
Blue Tit
Acrobatic garden tit of Europe
Mammal
Vicuña
Wild Andean camelid with ultrafine wool
Reptile
Green Basilisk
Jesus Christ lizard that runs on water
Mammal
Pine Marten
The agile forest mustelid
Bird
Barn Swallow
Fork-tailed aerial insectivore of farms
Reptile
Thorny Devil
Spiky desert lizard that drinks via skin channels
Bird
Great Tit
Bold black-capped tit of Eurasian gardens
Mammal
Guanaco
Wild South American camelid ancestor of the llama
Reptile
Green Sea Turtle
The gentle, long-lived grazer of tropical seas
Mammal
White-tailed Deer
The Americas' most familiar deer
Mammal
Harbor Seal
The shy, spotted true seal of northern coasts
Mammal
Northern Flying Squirrel
North America's gliding rodent
Bird
Ostrich
The largest and fastest bird on land
Bird
European Robin
Britain's beloved red-breasted garden bird
Mammal
Stoat
The ermine in winter white
Amphibian
Smooth Newt
Widespread European pond newt
Bird
American Goldfinch
Bright yellow finch of North American fields
Mammal
Fisher
Arboreal mustelid that can prey on porcupines
Bird
Nightingale
Famed nocturnal songster of European spring
Insect
Army Ant
Nomadic swarm-raiding ants of the Neotropics
Mammal
Aardwolf
Termite-eating hyena relative of African plains
Mammal
Blackbuck
Spirally horned antelope of the Indian plains
Mammal
Coyote
North America's adaptable 'song dog'
Bird
Crow
The glossy black genius of the bird world
Mammal
Common Shrew
The tiny insectivore with a fierce appetite
Reptile
Green Anole
Colour-changing lizard of southern US gardens
Mammal
Bat-eared Fox
Huge-eared fox that listens for insects
Mammal
Nilgai
Largest Asian antelope, also called blue bull
Amphibian
Poison Dart Frog
Tiny, brilliantly colored, and among the most toxic animals alive
Mammal
Squirrel
The agile, tree-climbing rodent of parks and woods
Mammal
Mouse
The world's most widespread small rodent
Bird
Magpie
The bold, brilliant problem-solver of the crow family
Insect
Ladybug
The spotted beetle gardeners love
Reptile
Chuckwalla
Rock-dwelling desert lizard that inflates to wedge itself
Mammal
Kirk's Dik-dik
Tiny antelope that whistles when alarmed
Mammal
Otter
The playful, water-loving member of the weasel family
Amphibian
Mudpuppy
Fully aquatic salamander with external gills
Mammal
Bat
The only mammals capable of true flight
Mammal
Capybara
The world's largest rodent
Mammal
Rat
The clever, adaptable rodent that lives everywhere humans do
Bird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
A tiny hovering bird with a blazing throat
Bird
Pigeon
The city bird with an extraordinary sense of direction
Fish
Atlantic Salmon
The fish that swims upriver to spawn
Insect
Ant
The tireless team-working insect
Insect
Indian Stick Insect
Master of twig camouflage
Mammal
Camel
The desert traveler that thrives without water
Bird
Swan
The graceful giant of lakes and rivers
Reptile
Nile Crocodile
Africa's largest and most formidable predator of the rivers
Mammal
Cougar
The wide-ranging big cat with many names
Bird
Blackbird
The glossy garden thrush with a golden song
Fish
Red-bellied Piranha
The sharp-toothed fish of the Amazon
Insect
Orchid Mantis
The Southeast Asian insect that mimics a flower to lure and ambush prey
Invertebrate
Giant House Spider
Britain's large but harmless funnel-weaving house spider
Reptile
Green Anaconda
The heaviest snake in the world
Mammal
Moose
The largest member of the deer family
Mammal
Badger
The striped night-digger of British woodlands
Fish
Koi
The ornamental carp of garden ponds
Reptile
Boa Constrictor
The powerful constricting snake of the Americas
Bird
Northern Harrier
Owl-faced hawk of North American marshes
Bird
Roseate Spoonbill
Pink wader with a sweeping spoon bill
Bird
American White Ibis
Red-billed white wader of the Southeast
Bird
Wood Stork
Tactile-fishing stork of southern swamps
Bird
Jabiru
Giant stork of Neotropical wetlands
Bird
Satin Bowerbird
Blue-black architect of forest bowers
Bird
Northern Gannet
Plunge-diving giant of Atlantic cliffs
Bird
Common Murre
Pear-egg diver of northern sea cliffs
Bird
Willow Ptarmigan
Snow-white grouse of Arctic willows
Bird
Ruffed Grouse
Drumming phantom of northern woods
Bird
Grey Partridge
Stubble-dwelling partridge of old farmlands
Bird
Common Chaffinch
Pink-breasted songbird of European woods
Bird
Common Starling
Speckled invader of global cityscapes
Bird
Common Swift
Screaming aerialist of summer rooftops
Mammal
Guereza Colobus
Black-and-white leaf monkey of African canopy
Mammal
Vervet Monkey
Alarm-calling savanna primate of Africa
Mammal
European Polecat
Wild ancestor of the domestic ferret
Mammal
Nine-banded Armadillo
Armoured digger marching through the Americas
Mammal
Collared Peccary
Collared herd animal of American scrublands
Mammal
Dall Sheep
White horned climber of northern peaks
Mammal
Klipspringer
Rubber-hoofed dancer of African kopjes
Mammal
Long-nosed Bandicoot
Nocturnal digger of Australian leaf litter
Reptile
Coastal Taipan
Lightning-fast elapid of Australian cane fields
Reptile
Emerald Tree Boa
Emerald coil of the Amazon canopy
Reptile
Green Tree Python
Lime-green python of Papuan rainforests
Reptile
Panther Chameleon
Locale-coloured chameleon of Madagascar
Amphibian
Surinam Toad
Flat frog that grows babies in its back
Amphibian
Spring Peeper
Thumb-sized herald of eastern spring
Amphibian
Pacific Tree Frog
West Coast chorus frog behind the movie ribbit
Fish
Megamouth Shark
Deep-sea filter ghost discovered in 1976
Fish
Cookiecutter Shark
Bioluminescent plug-biter of the deep
Fish
Lanternfish
Bioluminescent commuter of the twilight zone
Fish
Viperfish
Fang-faced ambusher of the abyss
Fish
Gulper Eel
Pelican-jawed phantom of the abyss
Invertebrate
Sea Cucumber
Soft recycler of tropical reef sediments
Invertebrate
Sand Dollar
Buried flower of Atlantic sand flats
Invertebrate
Gumboot Chiton
Leathery giant of Pacific tidepools
Invertebrate
Feather Star
Filter-feeding crinoid that walks on cirri
Invertebrate
Brittle Star
Arm-dropping filter feeder of Atlantic gravel
Invertebrate
Box Jellyfish
Cube-shaped killer of Australian shallows
Invertebrate
Moon Jellyfish
Glass-disc drifter of harbours worldwide
Invertebrate
Pistol Shrimp
Cavitation snapper of reef burrows
Invertebrate
Japanese Spider Crab
Record-span scavenger of Pacific depths
Invertebrate
Vampire Squid
Detritus-eating cape of the oxygen minimum zone
Invertebrate
Dumbo Octopus
Fin-flapping octopus of the abyssal plain
Invertebrate
Giant Pacific Octopus
Largest octopus of the North Pacific
Invertebrate
Water Bear
Near-indestructible moss dweller under the microscope
Invertebrate
Velvet Worm
Slime-shooting living fossil of leaf litter
Invertebrate
Sea Angel
Shell-less winged hunter of polar seas
Invertebrate
Crown-of-thorns Starfish
Spiny coral scourge of Indo-Pacific reefs
Insect
Carpenter Bee
Wood-boring giant bee of eastern gardens
Fish
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
The warm-blooded ocean speedster
Insect
Mosquito
The tiny insect with an outsized impact
Insect
Bumblebee
The fuzzy, hard-working pollinator of meadows and gardens
Invertebrate
Sea Bunny
The tiny nudibranch that went viral for looking like a miniature rabbit
Mammal
Spotted Hyena
The social, powerful hunter of the African savanna
Fish
Swordfish
The ocean hunter armed with a sword
Fish
Stingray
The flat-bodied ray with a venomous tail
Fish
Electric Eel
The fish that generates powerful electric shocks
Insect
Wasp
The yellow-and-black predator and scavenger of summer
Invertebrate
Cuttlefish
The color-changing master of camouflage
Invertebrate
Black Widow Spider
The glossy black spider with the red hourglass
Mammal
Wombat
The powerful Australian digger famous for cube-shaped droppings
Mammal
Chipmunk
The striped, cheek-stuffing squirrel of North America
Amphibian
American Bullfrog
North America's largest and loudest frog
Bird
Toco Toucan
The rainforest bird with the giant colorful bill
Fish
Blue Tang
The bright blue reef fish from Finding Nemo
Fish
Guppy
The colorful beginner's aquarium fish
Insect
Firefly
The glowing beetle of warm summer nights
Insect
Asian Giant Hornet
The world's largest hornet
Invertebrate
Starfish
The five-armed drifter that regrows its limbs
Invertebrate
Blue Crab
The swift swimming crab of Atlantic estuaries
Invertebrate
Peacock Mantis Shrimp
The reef brawler with the fastest punch in nature
Invertebrate
Coral
The tiny reef-building animals of tropical seas
Reptile
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
The venomous pit viper with a warning rattle
Reptile
Corn Snake
The gentle, colorful beginner's pet snake
Reptile
Snapping Turtle
The powerful-jawed freshwater turtle of North America
Fish
Moray Eel
The reef-dwelling eel with hidden jaws
Insect
Cicada
The loud summer singer with a long underground youth
Invertebrate
Jumping Spider
The big-eyed spider that pounces on its prey
Reptile
Frilled Lizard
The lizard that flares a dramatic neck frill
Reptile
Asian Water Monitor
One of the largest lizards in the world
Mammal
Vampire Bat
The only mammal that lives entirely on blood
Mammal
Skunk
The black-and-white mammal with a chemical defence
Amphibian
Common Toad
The warty garden toad of Europe
Bird
Budgerigar
The little Australian parakeet and world's most popular pet bird
Bird
Peregrine Falcon
The fastest animal on the planet
Fish
Pufferfish
The fish that inflates into a spiky ball
Insect
Praying Mantis
The patient ambush predator with folded arms
Insect
Termite
The colony-building recycler of dead wood
Insect
Housefly
The familiar fly found wherever people live
Invertebrate
Giant Squid
The elusive deep-sea giant with enormous eyes
Invertebrate
Chambered Nautilus
The living-fossil cephalopod in a spiral shell
Invertebrate
Centipede
The fast, venomous predator with many legs
Reptile
Leopard Gecko
The spotted desert gecko and beginner-friendly pet
Reptile
Garter Snake
One of North America's most common and widespread snakes
Reptile
Adder
Britain's only venomous snake
Bird
Golden Eagle
One of the largest and fastest birds of prey
Insect
Dung Beetle
The strong beetle that rolls balls of dung
Insect
Luna Moth
The large, pale-green silk moth with long tails
Invertebrate
American Lobster
The long-lived clawed crustacean of cold seas
Invertebrate
Millipede
The slow, many-legged recycler of the forest floor
Mammal
Weasel
Britain's smallest carnivore, built for chasing prey into burrows
Mammal
Opossum
North America's only marsupial
Amphibian
Red-Eyed Tree Frog
The bright-eyed icon of the rainforest canopy
Amphibian
Gray Tree Frog
The color-changing tree frog of eastern forests
Bird
Common Kingfisher
A jewel-colored diver of rivers and streams
Bird
Northern Mockingbird
The bird that learns 200+ songs and sings through the night
Insect
Dragonfly
The agile aerial hunter of ponds and streams
Insect
Flea
The wingless parasite famous for jumping
Reptile
Green Iguana
The large tree-dwelling lizard of the tropics
Amphibian
African Clawed Frog
The fully aquatic lab and pet frog
Amphibian
Oriental Fire-bellied Toad
The green toad with a warning-red belly
Amphibian
Tomato Frog
The plump, bright-red frog of Madagascar
Bird
Red-tailed Hawk
North America's most familiar soaring hawk
Bird
Common Raven
One of the world's most intelligent birds
Fish
Anglerfish
The deep-sea hunter with a glowing lure
Invertebrate
Emperor Scorpion
The large, glowing arachnid with a stinging tail
Mammal
Hare
The long-legged sprinter of open fields
Amphibian
Spotted Salamander
The yellow-spotted salamander of eastern forests
Bird
Cockatiel
The crested Australian parrot known for whistling
Bird
Mallard
The familiar wild duck found around the world
Insect
Grasshopper
The jumping insect of fields and meadows
Invertebrate
Hermit Crab
The crustacean that wears borrowed shells
Mammal
Mole
The tunnelling insectivore behind every molehill
Bird
Great Horned Owl
The powerful nocturnal hunter with feathered tufts
Bird
Blue Jay
The bold, noisy blue songbird of North America
Amphibian
Cane Toad
A large, toxic toad turned invasive pest
Amphibian
Caecilian
The limbless, burrowing amphibians
Bird
Northern Cardinal
The bright red songbird of North American gardens
Bird
American Robin
The orange-breasted herald of spring
Insect
Rhinoceros Beetle
One of the strongest animals for its size
Invertebrate
Garden Snail
The slow, shell-carrying garden mollusk
Insect
Cockroach
The hardy survivor that lives almost anywhere
Invertebrate
Sea Urchin
The spiny ball that grazes the seabed
Mammal
Impala
The acrobatic leaper of the African savanna
Amphibian
Fire Salamander
The black-and-yellow salamander of European forests
Insect
Cricket
The chirping insect of warm evenings
Invertebrate
Earthworm
The soil engineer that enriches the earth
Amphibian
Glass Frog
The frog with see-through skin
Amphibian
Tiger Salamander
A stout, burrowing salamander of North America
Mammal
Ibex
The mountain climber with sweeping ridged horns
Amphibian
Wood Frog
The frog that freezes solid to survive winter
Amphibian
Eastern Newt
The newt with a bright orange land stage
Insect
Yellowjacket
The bold black-and-yellow social wasp
Bird
Quail
The small, secretive ground bird of fields and grassland
Bird
Ibis
The long-billed wading bird of marsh and river
Mammal
Xerus
The African ground squirrel that shades itself with its tail
Fish
X-ray Tetra
The see-through fish of the Amazon
Frequently asked questions
What does "Least Concern" mean?
Least Concern (LC) is the IUCN's lowest-risk category, assigned to widespread, abundant species that have been evaluated and found not to be threatened. It does not mean a species faces no pressures — only that it is not currently at risk of extinction.
Which animals are Least Concern?
The Global Animal Guide lists 324 species as Least Concern, including Honey Badger, Arctic Fox, Japanese Macaque, Gray Wolf, Southern Cassowary. See the full list below.