Fish
Great White Shark
The ocean's most famous apex predator
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Monday, 5 October 2026Animals
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83 species in our guide are native to United States.
Fish
The ocean's most famous apex predator
Mammal
The white fox of the frozen tundra
Mammal
The widespread bear of the Northern Hemisphere
Mammal
The largest land carnivore, ruler of the Arctic
Mammal
North America's iconic brown bear
Reptile
The prehistoric lure-fishing giant of American rivers
Mammal
North America's adaptable forest bear
Fish
The colourful fly-fisher's favourite
Bird
North America's largest flying land bird
Mammal
The deep-diving seal giant
Mammal
The Arctic migrator and both-sex antlered deer
Mammal
The bugling giant of North American meadows
Mammal
The white whale of the Arctic
Bird
The fish-hunting raptor of coasts and lakes
Mammal
Nature's engineer of wetlands
Reptile
Common US pit viper with hourglass bands
Fish
Second-largest fish; gentle plankton feeder
Mammal
North America's adaptable wild cat
Bird
The fish-hunting raptor and national bird of the United States
Mammal
The fierce scavenger of the boreal north
Mammal
The big-eared deer of western North America
Mammal
The tool-using keystone of the kelp forest
Mammal
The gentle sea cow of warm coastal waters
Invertebrate
Venomous cobweb spider with a red hourglass
Fish
Torpedo-shaped reef ambush predator
Reptile
Largest rattlesnake of North America
Reptile
The armored survivor of the southern swamps
Mammal
North America's armoured digger
Fish
America's favourite freshwater game fish
Mammal
The Ice Age survivor of the Arctic
Mammal
The tundra rodent of myth
Mammal
The agile, barking acrobat of the coast
Bird
North America's ground bird
Reptile
North America's hinged turtle
Mammal
Mountain sheep with massive curling horns
Reptile
Familiar harmless snake of North American yards
Reptile
Brightly banded venomous elapid of the Southeast
Mammal
Sure-footed climber of North American peaks
Reptile
The pond slider of North America
Mammal
North America's pond-building rodent
Reptile
Horned rattlesnake that sidewinds across dunes
Bird
Aerial pirate with a scarlet throat pouch
Mammal
North America's weather-watching marmot
Mammal
The quilled climber of northern forests
Mammal
Colour-changing hare of northern forests
Mammal
The semi-aquatic mustelid
Invertebrate
The violin-marked spider of the American South
Mammal
North America's gliding rodent
Invertebrate
The Lyme disease vector of eastern forests
Bird
Bright yellow finch of North American fields
Mammal
Arboreal mustelid that can prey on porcupines
Mammal
North America's adaptable 'song dog'
Bird
The glossy black genius of the bird world
Reptile
Colour-changing lizard of southern US gardens
Reptile
Rock-dwelling desert lizard that inflates to wedge itself
Mammal
The wide-ranging big cat with many names
Bird
Drumming phantom of northern woods
Mammal
White horned climber of northern peaks
Invertebrate
Critically Endangered nacre snail of Pacific kelp
Invertebrate
Leathery giant of Pacific tidepools
Invertebrate
Largest octopus of the North Pacific
Invertebrate
The glossy black spider with the red hourglass
Mammal
The striped, cheek-stuffing squirrel of North America
Fish
The 100-year reproductive mystery that baffled scientists from Aristotle to the 21st century
Invertebrate
The swift swimming crab of Atlantic estuaries
Reptile
The venomous pit viper with a warning rattle
Reptile
The gentle, colorful beginner's pet snake
Invertebrate
The ancient living fossil with blue blood
Mammal
The black-and-white mammal with a chemical defence
Reptile
One of the few venomous lizards
Invertebrate
The long-lived clawed crustacean of cold seas
Mammal
North America's only marsupial
Amphibian
The color-changing tree frog of eastern forests
Bird
The bird that learns 200+ songs and sings through the night
Bird
North America's most familiar soaring hawk
Mammal
The world's most endangered marine mammal
Amphibian
The yellow-spotted salamander of eastern forests
Amphibian
A large, toxic toad turned invasive pest
Bird
The bright red songbird of North American gardens
Bird
The orange-breasted herald of spring
Amphibian
A stout, burrowing salamander of North America
Amphibian
The newt with a bright orange land stage
Amphibian
North America's giant, fully aquatic salamander
United States is home to 83 species in our guide, including Great White Shark, Arctic Fox, Brown Bear, Polar Bear, Grizzly Bear, and more. Each profile covers habitat, diet, and conservation status.
Browse the species below for answer-first guides with range maps, FAQs, and comparison pages. For broader context, see our Animals of North America region page.
Several species native to United States are listed as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Check individual profiles for current status and how to help.