Michigan is one of the states in the Great Lakes region in the upper Midwestern United States. The state is divided into the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. The Lower Peninsula features fertile plains, rolling hills, and numerous lakes, including the iconic Great Lakes. The Upper Peninsula, on the other hand, is characterized by rugged cliffs, dense forests, and stunning waterfalls, thanks to the situation of the Huron Mountains. This varied landscape offers a great place for the state’s flora and fauna to prosper.
The state has 5 national parks, with the Isle Royale National Park and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore being two of the best options for getting a closer look at the state’s rich wildlife.
List of Different Types of Animals Found in Michigan
The list mainly includes animals native to Michigan. Some birds, fishes, and insects may have settled populations in the state.
Mammals
American Black Bear
Canada Lynx
Bobcat
Red Fox
Gray Fox
Coyote
Eastern Timber Wolf
Gray Wolf
White-tail Deer
Elk
Moose
American Bison
Woodchuck
Snow Shoe Hare
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
Striped Skunk
Raccoon
River Otter
Common Muskrat
Eastern Chipmunk
Least Chipmunk
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel
Southern Flying Squirrel
Star-nosed Mole
American Badger
American Beaver
Virginia Opossum
North American Porcupine
American Mink
American Ermine
American Marten
Least Weasel
Long-tailed Weasel
Indiana Bat
Big Brown Bat
Some animals, like the moose and elk, have been reintroduced in Michigan, with their numbers being steady. Wolverines, cougars, and woodland caribous are two mammals whose population has been extirpated from the state.
Birds
American Robin
Black-capped Chickadee
European Starling
Kirtland’s Warbler
Great Horned Owl
American Crow
Bobolink
Common Loon
Trumpeter Swan
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Sandhill Crane
Ring-billed Gull
Wood Duck
Reptiles
Spotted Turtle
Painted Turtle
Eastern Box Turtle
Common Snapping Turtle
Common Garter Snake
Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake
Timber Rattlesnake
Northern Water Snake
Eastern Hognose Snake
Eastern Milk Snake
Smooth Green Snake
Eastern Ribbon Snake
Northern Ring-necked Snake
Eastern Red-bellied Snake
Northern Brown Snake
Eastern Worm Snake
Eastern Smooth Earth Snake
Six-lined Racerunner
Common Five-lined Skink
Amphibians
Marbled Salamander
Small-mouth Salamander
Spotted Salamander
Eastern Newt
Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
American Bullfrog
American Toad
Fowler’s Toad
Gray Treefrog
Spring Peeper
Western Chorus Frog
Boreal Chorus Frog
Northern Green Frog
Wood Frog
Northern Leopard Frog
Fishes
Largemouth Bass
Small-mouth Bass
White Bass
Brook Trout
Channel Catfish
Flathead Catfish
Blue Catfish
Walleye
Bowfin
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Muskellunge
Longnose Gar
Spotted Gar
Bluegill
Freshwater Drum
White Crappie
Black Crappie
Sauger
Pink Salmon
Yellow Bullhead
Black Bullhead
Freshwater Drum
Redear Sunfish
Longear Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Green Sunfish
Warmouth
Longnose Sucker
Lake Sturgeon
Sea Lamprey
Insects And Invertebrates
Monarch Butterfly
Red Admiral
Paper Wasp
Murder Hornet
Smokey Brown Cockroaches
Green Stink Bug
Differential Grasshopper
Green Darner
Blue Dasher
Deer Ticks
Mosquitoes
Bed Bugs
Common House Fly
Black Widow Spider
Orb Weaver
Brown Recluse
European Garden Spider
State Animals of Michigan
State Fish
Brook Trout
State Bird
American Robin
State Game Mammal
White-Tailed Deer
State Reptile
Painted Turtle
FAQ
What are the most dangerous animals in Michigan?
Michigan has several deadly and venomous snakes and spiders like the eastern Massasauga, timber rattlesnake, black widow, and brown recluse. Ungulates like white-tailed deer and moose can also become quite threatening if provoked.
What are some of the rarest animals in Michigan?
Hundreds of native animals in Michigan are considered threatened or endangered by the State Government and, thus, are rarely seen. A few of these are the spotted turtle, marbled and small-mouth salamanders, and lake sturgeon.
What are some common invasive animals in Michigan?
Some common invasive animals threatening the state’s native wildlife include wild boars, nutria, Chinese mantis, spotted lanternfly, and zebra mussels.
What are some common nocturnal animals in Michigan?
Flying squirrels, bats, owls, raccoons, and coyotes are a few of the animals in Michigan you will likely encounter at night.
