Wisconsin, the upper-midwestern US state, is famous for its dairy production, earning the nickname ‘Dairy Land.’ The state is also renowned for its striking natural beauty and varied topography, providing ample outdoor activity opportunities. Bordered by the Montreal River and Lake Superior in the north and Lake Michigan in the east, most of the state is covered in fertile plains, dense forests, and numerous freshwater lakes. In fact, the 15,000 lakes in the state make it a heaven for fishing.
The varied habitat allows the state to host rich native wildlife with places like the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and Natural Bridge State Park, allowing visitors to get closer to these wild inhabitants.
List of Different Types of Animals Found in Wisconsin
Mammals
White-tailed Deer
Moose
Elk
Eastern Coyote
Gray Wolf
American Black Bear
Bobcat
American Badger
Gray Fox
Red Fox
American Mink
Virginia Opossum
Striped Skunk
Common Raccoon
Gray Squirrel
American Red Squirrel
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Southern Flying Squirrel
Northern Flying Squirrel
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
Eastern Chipmunk
Muskrat
American Beaver
Eastern Mole
North American River Otter
Groundhog
North American Porcupine
Fisher
Big Brown Bat
Little Brown Bat
Hoary Bat
Eastern Pipistrelle Bat
Some species, like the American bison, and spotted skunk, has been extirpated.
Birds
American Robin
American Goldfinch
Northern Cardinal
American Crow
Blue Jay
Mourning Dove
Red-winged Blackbird
Bobolink
Black-capped chickadee
Long-eared Owl
Canadian Geese
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Reptiles
Common Snapping Turtle
Midland Painted Turtle
Common Map Turtle
Spiny Softshell Turtle
Butler’s Garter Snake
Common Garter Snake
Common Watersnake
Dekay’s Brown Snake
Eastern Fox Snake
Eastern Hognose Snake
Eastern Racer
Eastern Ribbon Snake
Milk Snake
Queen Snake
Red-Bellied Snake
Smooth Green Snake
Western Ribbon Snake
Timber Rattlesnake
Eastern Massasauga
Common Five-lined Skink
Six-Lined Racerunner
Slender Glass Lizard
Prairie Skink
Amphibians
American Bullfrog
Northern Leopard Frog
Green Frog
Spring Peeper
Gray Treefrog
Pickerel Frog
Boreal Chorus Frog
American toad
Four-toed Salamander
Eastern Tiger Salamander
Eastern Red-backed Salamander
Eastern Newt
Spotted Salamander
Marbled Salamander
Fishes
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Rock Bass
White Bass
Northern Pike
Walleye
Muskellunge
Channel Catfish
Flathead Catfish
Blue Catfish
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
White Crappie
Pumpkinseed
Bluegill
Green Sunfish
Redear Sunfish
Brook Trout
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Lake Trout
White Sucker
Golden Shiner
Black Bullhead
Brown Bullhead
Yellow Bullhead
Lake Sturgeon
Freshwater Drum
Insects and Invertebrates
Painted Lady Butterfly
Black Swallowtail Butterfly
Monarch Butterfly
Honey Bee
Bumble Bee
Ladybug
Carpenter Ant
Firefly
Mosquito
Common Housefly
Spur-throated Grasshopper
Spangled Skimmer
House Cricket
Paper Wasp
Bald-faced Hornet
Carpenter Bee
Boxelder Bug
Mayfly
Luna Moth
Walking Stick Insect
Silverfish
Northern Black Widow
Brown Recluse
Bold Jumper
State Animals of Wisconsin
State Animal
American Badger
State Wildlife Animal
White-tailed deer
State Domestic Animal
Dairy Cow
State Bird
American Robin
State Fish
Muskellunge
State Insect
Western Honey Bee
State Dog
American Water Spaniel
FAQ
What are the most dangerous animals in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin is home to the common deadly animals in most of the US, including predators like black bears, coyotes, and gray wolves. There are 2 venomous snakes – the Massasauga and timber rattlesnake, with the deadly black widow also being a state resident.
What are the rarest animals in Wisconsin?
There are quite a few animals that are considered threatened or endangered in the state of Wisconsin, making them reasonably rare to spot in the wild. These include the Massasauga rattlesnake, upland sandpiper, whooping crane, wood turtle, Blanchard’s cricket frog, and Karner blue butterfly.
Are there any invasive animals in Wisconsin?
Emerald ash borer and Asian longhorn beetle are two of the most common invasive insects affecting the local ecosystem. Like in the rest of the country, different types of carp living in the state’s waters are also invasive. Feral pigs are an example of invasive mammals.
Are there any animals only found in Wisconsin?
Though the state hosts a rich flora and fauna, no animals are endemic to Wisconsin. It means all the state’s native animals can be found elsewhere in the country and, in some cases, the world.
