Every Animal in the Bible with References (NLT)

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Updated on May 05, 2022

You'll find lions, leopards, and bears (although no tigers), along with nearly 100 other animals, insects, and non-human creatures, mentioned throughout the Old and New Testaments. And while dogs figure prominently in several passages, interestingly there is not one mention of a domestic cat in the entire canon of Scripture.

Animals in the Bible

Animals are spoken of frequently in the Bible, both literally (as in the creation account and the story of Noah's ark) and symbolically (as in the Lion of the Tribe of Judah).
The Bible stresses that all animals are created by God and sustained by Him.
God placed the care of animals into human hands (Genesis 1:26–28; Psalm 8:6–8).

According to the Law of Moses, there were both clean and unclean animals in the Bible. Only clean animals could be eaten as food (Leviticus 20:25–26). Certain animals were to be dedicated to the Lord (Exodus 13:1–2) and used in Israel's sacrificial system (Leviticus 1:1–2; 27:9–13).

Animal names vary from one translation to another, and sometimes these creatures are difficult to identify. Nevertheless, we've put together a comprehensive list of what we believe are all the animal sightings in the Bible, based on the New Living Translation (NLT), with scriptural references.

All the Animals in the Bible From A to Z

Addax (a light-colored, antelope native to the Saharan Desert) - Deuteronomy 14:5
Ant - Proverbs 6:6 and 30:25
Antelope - Deuteronomy 14:5, Isaiah 51:20
Ape - 1 Kings 10:22
Bald Locust - Leviticus 11:22
Barn Owl - Leviticus 11:18
Bat - Leviticus 11:19, Isaiah 2:20
Bear - 1 Samuel 17:34-37, 2 Kings 2:24, Isaiah 11:7, Daniel 7:5, Revelation 13:2
Bee - Judges 14:8
Behemoth (a monstrous and mighty land animal; some scholars say it's a mythical monster of ancient literature, while others think it could be a possible reference to a dinosaur) - Job 40:15
Buzzard - Isaiah 34:15
Camel - Genesis 24:10, Leviticus 11:4, Isaiah 30:6, and Matthew 3:4, 19:24, and 23:24
Chameleon (a type of lizard with the ability to change color rapidly) - Leviticus 11:30
Cobra - Isaiah 11:8
Cormorant (a large black water bird) - Leviticus 11:17
Cow - Isaiah 11:7, Daniel 4:25, Luke 14:5
Crane (a type of bird) - Isaiah 38:14
Cricket - Leviticus 11:22
Deer - Deuteronomy 12:15, 14:5
Dog - Judges 7:5, 1 Kings 21:23–24, Ecclesiastes 9:4, Matthew 15:26-27, Luke 16:21, 2 Peter 2:22, Revelation 22:15

Donkey - Numbers 22:21–41, Isaiah 1:3 and 30:6, John 12:14
Dove - Genesis 8:8, 2 Kings 6:25, Matthew 3:16 and 10:16, John 2:16.
Dragon (a monstrous land or sea creature.) - Isaiah 30:7
Eagle - Exodus 19:4, Isaiah 40:31, Ezekiel 1:10, Daniel 7:4, Revelation 4:7 and 12:14
Eagle Owl - Leviticus 11:16
Egyptian Vulture - Leviticus 11:18
Falcon - Leviticus 11:14
Fish - Exodus 7:18, Jonah 1:17, Matthew 14:17 and 17:27, Luke 24:42, John 21:9
Flea - 1 Samuel 24:14 and 26:20
Fly - Ecclesiastes 10:1
Fox - Judges 15:4, Nehemiah 4:3, Matthew 8:20, Luke 13:32
Frog - Exodus 8:2, Revelation 16:13
Gazelle - Deuteronomy 12:15 and 14:5
Gecko - Leviticus 11:30
Gnat - Exodus 8:16, Matthew 23:24
Goat - 1 Samuel 17:34, Genesis 15:9 and 37:31, Daniel 8:5, Leviticus 16:7, Matthew 25:33
Grasshopper - Leviticus 11:22
Great Fish (whale) - Jonah 1:17
Great Owl - Leviticus 11:17
Hare - Leviticus 11:6
Hawk - Leviticus 11:16, Job 39:26
Heron - Leviticus 11:19
Hoopoe (an unclean bird of unknown origin) - Leviticus 11:19

Horse - 1 Kings 4:26, 2 Kings 2:11, Revelation 6:2-8 and 19:14
Hyena - Isaiah 34:14
Hyrax (either a small fish or a small, gopher-like animal known as a rock badger) - Leviticus 11:5
Kite (a bird of prey.) - Leviticus 11:14
Lamb - Genesis 4:2, 1 Samuel 17:34
Leech - Proverbs 30:15
Leopard - Isaiah 11:6, Jeremiah 13:23, Daniel 7:6, Revelation 13:2
Leviathan - (could be an earthly creature like a crocodile, a mythical sea monster of ancient literature, or a reference to dinosaurs.) Isaiah 27:1, Psalms 74:14, Job 41:1
Lion - Judges 14:8, 1 Kings 13:24, Isaiah 30:6 and 65:25, Daniel 6:7, Ezekiel 1:10, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 4:7 and 13:2
Lizard (common sand lizard) - Leviticus 11:30
Locust - Exodus 10:4, Leviticus 11:22, Joel 1:4, Matthew 3:4, Revelation 9:3
Maggot - Isaiah 14:11, Mark 9:48, Job 7:5, 17:14, and 21:26
Mole Rat - Leviticus 11:29
Monitor Lizard - Leviticus 11:30
Moth - Matthew 6:19, Isaiah 50:9 and 51:8
Mountain Sheep - Deuteronomy 14:5
Mourning Dove - Isaiah 38:14

Mule - 2 Samuel 18:9, 1 Kings 1:38
Ostrich - Lamentations 4:3
Owl (tawny, little, short-eared, great-horned, desert.) - Leviticus 11:17, Isaiah 34:15, Psalms 102:6
Ox - 1 Samuel 11:7, 2 Samuel 6:6, 1 Kings 19:20–21, Job 40:15, Isaiah 1:3, Ezekiel 1:10
Partridge - 1 Samuel 26:20
Peacock - 1 Kings 10:22
Pig - Leviticus 11:7, Deuteronomy 14:8, Proverbs 11:22, Isaiah 65:4 and 66:3, Matthew 7:6 and 8:31, 2 Peter 2:22
Pigeon - Genesis 15:9, Luke 2:24
Quail - Exodus 16:13, Numbers 11:31
Ram - Genesis 15:9, Exodus 25:5.
Rat - Leviticus 11:29
Raven - Genesis 8:7, Leviticus 11:15, 1 Kings 17:4
Rodent - Isaiah 2:20
Roe Deer - Deuteronomy 14:5
Rooster - Matthew 26:34
Scorpion - 1 Kings 12:11 and 12:14, Luke 10:19, Revelation 9:3, 9:5, and 9:10.
Seagull - Leviticus 11:16
Serpent - Genesis 3:1, Revelation 12:9
Sheep - Exodus 12:5, 1 Samuel 17:34, Matthew 25:33, Luke 15:4, John 10:7
Short-eared Owl - Leviticus 11:16
Snail - Psalms 58:8
Snake - Exodus 4:3, Numbers 21:9, Proverbs 23:32, Isaiah 11:8, 30:6, and 59:5

Sparrow - Matthew 10:31
Spider - Isaiah 59:5
Stork - Leviticus 11:19
Swallow - Isaiah 38:14
Turtledove - Genesis 15:9, Luke 2:24
Viper (a poisonous snake, adder) - Isaiah 30:6, Proverbs 23:32
Vulture (griffon, carrion, bearded, and black) - Leviticus 11:13
Wild Goat - Deuteronomy 14:5
Wild Ox - Numbers 23:22
Wolf - Isaiah 11:6, Matthew 7:15
Worm - Isaiah 66:24, Jonah 4:7