Being the 3rd largest continent in the world, it is not surprising that North America is home to many diverse species. The sheer variety in habitats includes grasslands, forests, swamps, mountains, deserts, tundra, seas, and oceans. North America is simultaneously home to species like the cold-loving polar bear and the rattlesnakes that thrive in the deserts.
Canada, the northernmost part of North America, is primarily cold, with many animals living in snowy conditions. Still, places with slightly higher temperatures, like temperate forests and grasslands, exist. The central part of North America, the United States, has the most variety of biomes, including deserts, swamps, and mountains. Mexico, the southern part of North America, tends to be hot with places like deserts and rainforests.
List of Animals Native to North America
Mammals
- Abert’s Squirrel
- American Beaver
- American Bison
- American Black Bear
- American Marten
- American Mink
- American Red Squirrel
- Antelope Jackrabbit
- Arctic Wolf
- Bighorn Sheep
- Black-Footed Ferret
- Black-Tailed Jackrabbit
- Black-Tailed Prairie Dog
- Bobcat
- Brown Bear
- California Leaf-nosed Bat
- Canada Lynx
- Caribou
- Cottontail Rabbit
- Cougar
- Coyote
- Crawford’s Gray Shrew
- Dall Sheep
- Desert Bighorn Ship
- Desert Cottontail
- Desert Horned Lizard
- Desert Kangaroo Rat
- Eastern Chipmunk
- Eastern Gray Squirrel
- Eastern Moose
- Eastern Moose
- Elk
- European Water Vole
- Fisher
- Fox Squirrel
- Giant Kangaroo Rat
- Gray Fox
- Gray Wolf
- Grizzly Bear
- Groundhog
- Harris’s Antelope Squirrel
- Hawaiian Monk Seal
- Jaguar
- Jaguarundi
- Key Deer
- Kit Fox
- Little Brown Bat
- Mountain Goat
- Mountain Goat
- Mule Deer
- Mule Deer
- Muskrat
- Muskrat
- Nine-banded Armadillo
- North American Beaver
- North American Manatee
- North American Porcupine
- North American River Otter
- Northern Flying Squirrel
- Ocelot
- Peccary
- Pocket Gopher
- Polar Bear
- Pronghorn
- Raccoon
- Red Fox
- Red Wolf
- Ringtail
- Snowshoe Hare
- Stoat
- Striped Skunk
- Swift Fox
- Virginia Opossum
- Weasel
- White-tailed Deer
- Wolf
- Wolverine
Amphibians
- American Bullfrog
- Hellbender
Birds
- American Crow
- American Kestrel
- American Robin
- Bald Eagle
- Burrowing Owl
- California Condor
- Canada Goose
- Costa’s Hummingbird
- Gambel’s Quail
- Great Horned Owl
- Greater Prairie Chicken
- Greater Roadrunner
- Greater Sage Grouse
- Long-billed Curlew
- Northern Mockingbird
Invertebrates
- Arizona Bark Scorpion
- Atlantic Horseshoe Crab
- Giant Hairy Scorpion
Reptiles
- Alligator Snapping Turtle
- American Alligator
- Armadillo Girdled Lizard
- Gila Monster
- Mojave Rattlesnake
- Western Banded Gecko
- Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Insects
- Black Widow Spider
- Luna Moth
- Monarch Butterfly
Fish
- Bull shark
- Great White Shark
- Kingsnake
Threats faced by Animals living in North America
Until the introduction of the 1973 Endangered Species Act in the US and the Canada Wildlife Act in Canada, several species were brought near extinction due to the expansion of urban areas. Notable species nearly wiped out were the bison in the United States and the local population of Canadian beavers, which were rendered extinct.
Nowadays, despite protections being in place, several species are still close to extinction due to the growing human population and the degradation of natural habitats. These include the red wolf, the North American manatee, the California condor, and the Hawaiian monk seal.
FAQs
Q. What are some of the most deadliest animals living in North America? A. Grizzly bear, American bison, American alligator, Arizona bark scorpion, Black Widow spider, Mojave rattlesnake, Bull shark
Q. What is the fastest animal on land in North America? A. The pronghorn; reaching maximum speeds of 60 mph
Q. What is the largest animal living in North America? A. The American alligator; ranging from 9.8 to 15 feet in length
Q. Which animals are found in the deserts of North America? A. Desert cottontail, Desert bighorn sheep, Desert horned lizard, Desert kangaroo rat
Q. Which animals inhabit the forests of North America? A. Canada lynx, Snowshoe hare, American black bear
Q. What are the most endangered animals in North America? A. O’ahu tree snail, Red wolf, Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, Rabbs’ fringe-limbed treefrog
Q. Which animals live in the tundra regions? A. Arctic fox, Arctic wolf, Polar bear
Q. What is the rarest animal in North America? A. Black-footed Ferret
