61 Animals Native to North America (A to Z List +Pictures)

Animals that are native to North America include American Alligator, American Bison, Bald Eagle, Beaver, and Grizzly Bear.

North America is home to a diverse range of animals, many of which are native to the continent. From towering grizzly bears and majestic bald eagles to tiny songbirds and timid deer, there is no shortage of interesting creatures in North America.

Each has its own unique story to tell, and together they make up an important part of the continent’s natural heritage.

Examples of Animals that are Native to North America

1. American Alligator

The American alligator is a native to North America that inhabits freshwater habitats in the southeastern United States. Alligators are considered reptiles and are ectothermic, which means they rely on their environment to regulate their body temperature.

American alligators can reach up to 13 feet in length and weigh nearly 500 pounds. They are opportunistic predators that feed on a variety of prey items, including fish, turtles, snakes, mammals, and birds.

2. American Bison

The American Bison is a species that is native to North America. They are a part of the bovine family, which also includes cattle and goats.

American Bison are typically found in open grasslands and woodlands. There were once millions of them across the continent, but their populations have declined drastically in recent years.

Related Article: Do Bison Symbolize Kindness?

3. American Horseshoe Crab

The horseshoe crab is a primitive arthropod that has been around for over 450 million years. They are found in coastal areas all over the world, but they are native to North America. There are four species of horseshoe crabs, but the only one that is found in Pennsylvania is the Atlantic Horseshoe Crab.

4. Arizona Bark Scorpion

The bark scorpion is a small, but a deadly creature that is found in the southwestern United States. These scorpions are native to North America and can be found in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas. While they are not the only venomous scorpion in the US, they are the most dangerous.

5. Armadillo

Armadillos are small mammals that are native to North America. They have a hard outer shell that helps protect them from predators. Armadillos are insectivores, and they use their long claws to dig for food. While they are not commonly seen in most parts of the country, armadillos can be found in some areas of the South.

Related Article: Do Armadillos Eat Avocados?

6. Bald Eagle

Bald Eagles are one of the most well-known and recognized birds in North America. These raptors are well known for their characteristic white head and tail feathers.

Bald Eagles are native to North America and can be found in a variety of habitats across the continent. While they are typically found near water, Bald Eagles can also be seen in forested areas and even in cities.

7. Beavers

Beavers are one of the many animals that are native to North America. They are known for their dam-building abilities and their characteristic flat tail. Beavers live in colonies and work together to build dams and lodges.

They are also proficient swimmers and divers. Beaver populations were once common throughout North America, but they have been depleted in many areas due to hunting and loss of habitat.

8. Beluga

Beluga whales are one of the most iconic species of whale and are native to North America. They are easily recognizable by their characteristic black and white coloration. These whales can grow up to be quite large, and they are known for their playful behavior.

9. Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn sheep are native to North America and can be found throughout western Canada and the United States. They are the largest of all wild sheep in North America, with males averaging 150 pounds and females averaging 120 pounds. Bighorn sheep are well-adapted to high altitudes and thrive in rugged terrain.

10. Black Bear

Black bears are the smallest and most common bears in North America. They can be found in many different habitats, including forests, swamps, and mountains.

Black bears are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They mainly eat insects, fruits, and berries, but they will also eat meat if they can find it.

11. Black-tailed Jackrabbit

The black-tailed jackrabbit is native to North America and can be found in different habitats such as grasslands, deserts, and scrublands. They are the largest hare in North America and have a black tail and long ears. These rabbits are herbivores and eat different types of vegetation.

12. Prairie Dog

The black-tailed prairie dog is a rodent that is native to North America. These animals are social creatures and live in colonies of up to 100 individuals. Prairie dogs are herbivores and eat a variety of plants, including grasses, herbs, and leaves. They also gnaw on tree bark for the moisture it provides.

13. Buffalo

Buffalo historically inhabited a wide range of grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands in central North America, from Mexico to the northern part of Canada. They were a nomadic species that had a symbiotic relationship with Native Americans for more than 10,000 years.

Read Also: What Eats Buffalo?

14. Canada Goose

The Canada goose is one of the most common types of waterfowl native to North America, and a familiar sight in many cities and towns across the continent. It can be found as far north as Alaska and as far south as Mexico.

15. Caribou

Also known as reindeer, the caribou is a deer-like animal. In North America, it can be found in Canada and Alaska. It has been an important source of food for many native peoples, including the Caribou Inuit, the Mackenzie Valley Eskimo, and the Gwich’in.

16. Coati

A member of the raccoon family, a coati’s hands and feet are designed for gripping branches. The tail is long and has a white tip at the end. Coatis have flexible ankles which allow them to descend trees headfirst.

17. Collared Peccary

The collared peccary, or javelina, is a strange-looking animal that you’re unlikely to mistake for anything else. Light brown in color on top and creamy white on its belly, the collared peccary has a dark band of fur around its neck and another across its shoulders.

18. Cougar

Bipedal hunters of the wild, cougars are solitary creatures who live in the forests and mountains of North America. They have a strong, muscular body that helps them to bring down prey animals twice their size. Their fur is tawny or grayish, sometimes with dark brown spots.

19. Dall Sheep

Also known as the mountain sheep, this species is native to North America. Dall sheep are large animals that can weigh up to 150 pounds (70kg) and reach heights of three feet (1 meter).

They have white coats with black spots in the summertime, but during the winter their fur turns a light gray color.

20. Deer Mouse

A deer mouse is a small rodent, classified in the genus Peromyscus. This genus contains over forty species, distributed mainly across North America, although they also have a foothold in Cuba.

Each of these species is often found close to human settlements and farms, where they are likely to take up residence in houses or barns.

21. Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail rabbit was introduced from the Eastern Hemisphere in 1859. It is a very adaptable animal and may now be found throughout most of North America. The eastern cottontail has been living with people for over a hundred years.

22. Eastern Moose

Largest of the true deer species, moose are well-adapted to forest life. They can browse on trees and shrubs that grow at heights unreachable by other herbivores.

Related Article: Do Eastern Moose Have Antlers?

23. Flying Squirrel

The flying squirrel sleeps in a den all winter and emerges when it is warm. It can glide from tree to tree, gliding on its loose skin.

Related Article: Can Flying Squirrel Fly?

24. Gila Monster

Native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, this venomous lizard is the only species of its kind found in North America. It lives in desert scrublands, often near rocky outcroppings, where it spends much of its time under rocks or fallen logs. The Gila monster feeds on small mammals, birds, insects – even other reptiles.

25. Gray Squirrel

The grey squirrel is a native of North America. It can be found all across the United States and southern Canada, from the East Coast to the West Coast, and as far north as Alaska.

26. Gray Wolf

The gray wolf once ranged across North America, Eurasia, and much of the world. It is thought to have evolved from an ancestral species known as Canis lupus arctos, which lived in Europe 600,000 years ago.

27. Grizzly Bear

Animals Native to North America – Grizzly Bear The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) is a subspecies of brown bear (U. arctos) that generally lives in the uplands of western North America.

Grizzly bears are normally solitary, active animals, but in coastal areas, the grizzly congregates alongside streams, lakes, rivers, and ponds during the salmon spawn

28. Groundhog

The groundhog, a rodent known for its propensity to emerge from its burrow on February 2 each year and scout around to determine if spring has arrived, is a common inhabitant of the woodlands and meadows of North America.

29. Hellbender

The hellbender, also known as the hellbender salamander or giant siren, is one of North America’s largest amphibians.

Although it is the continent’s largest aquatic salamander, today this species is found in fewer than 20% of its historic range.

30. Jaguar

The jaguar is a large cat native to Central and North America. It lives in many types of forests but prefers areas with dense underbrush for stalking prey. The jaguar can grow up to six feet long (not including its tail) and weighs between 150 and 250 pounds.

31. Luna Moth

These spectacular moths are the largest in North America, measuring over 4 inches from wingtip to wingtip. Their larvae feed on foliage such as sweetgum and cherry trees.

32. Moose

The moose is a large animal with an enormous set of antlers from which it gets its name. It is considered to be the largest member of the deer family and can grow to almost seven feet tall at the shoulder.

Contrary to popular belief, a Moose’s antlers never stop growing. The antlers sprout each spring from a pedicle on the moose’s head and are covered in a soft fur-like material known as “velvet”.

33. Mountain Lion

The Mountain Lion is also known as a Cougar, Panther, or Catamount. It is native to all of North America with the exception of the Yukon and Northwest Territories. They are solitary hunters who live in mountain forests and can range in color from tawny to grayish brown.

More Animals Native to North America

Chris

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