What animals will be in GTA 6? A detailed guide to its wildlife
A detailed look at GTA 6 animals: land mammals, birds, reptiles, aquatic life and dog breeds, plus studying, pets, hunting and known locations.
GTA 6 will feature more than 170 animal species, including land mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and other aquatic life. Cougars, deer, raccoons, foxes, squirrels, alligators, iguanas, flamingos, manatees and sea turtles have already been shown. Published reports also name rhesus macaques, cane toads, armadillos, whales and jellyfish. A complete list of species has yet to be revealed, but GTA 6’s animals clearly extend beyond a few predators and dogs on city streets.
Game Informer gave the species count on September 29, 2026, in a report based on conversations with Rockstar. Official screenshots and videos let us examine some of the animals directly. Another important source is Famitsu’s interview with development lead Rob Nelson. He and the interviewer encountered a peacock during a presentation. Below, we examine these reports, detailed images and identifications made by the community, group by group. The game takes place in the fictional state of Leonida. Locations shown there include Kalaga National Park, the Grassrivers wetlands and the Leonida Keys.
How many animals will be in GTA 6?
The figure of more than 170 species covers the entire game, not a catalogue that has already been published. Game Informer’s openly available report gives only selected examples. Other outlets recount the full magazine feature: Console & PC Gaming reports more than 60 types of birds and more than 30 land mammals. These are groups within the overall fauna, so they should not be added to 170.
Lists containing a few dozen animals therefore do not contradict the much larger total. They reflect what each list’s author managed to spot in trailers, screenshots and presentations. The units being counted can also differ: a dog, a particular dog breed and an entry called “reef fish” do not represent three equivalent biological species.
The context of an image matters too. An animal might roam the game world, appear beside a character or feature in an in-game television commercial. We distinguish between these cases below. This remains an overview of known wildlife, rather than an attempt to fill all 170 entries with guesses.
Land animals: from cougars to squirrels and macaques
Kalaga National Park is especially rich in small details. A raccoon runs through the bottom-left corner of the motocross screenshot. In another image, with two armed men among trees, a fox is visible in the grass below and a squirrel is on a tree trunk to the right. In a wide view of a gorge, a cougar is on the right slope and deer are on the opposite side. It is easy to read such an image as a single landscape and miss several animals at once.
| Animal | What we know |
|---|---|
| Cougar, also called a Florida panther | Shown in official Kalaga images, on a slope above a road and near a forest pool |
| Deer | Visible by water and on wooded slopes; their exact in-game species names are not supplied |
| Raccoon | Clearly visible near motorcyclists in a Kalaga screenshot |
| Fox | Partly visible in the grass in the woodland image with armed men |
| Squirrel | On a tree trunk in the same image |
| Cats, including feral cats | Game Informer explicitly names feral cats; Rockstar Mag also examines a cat near an ATM in the second trailer |
| Rhesus macaque | Explicitly named in Game Informer’s open report; no location is given |
| Nine-banded armadillo | Named in Console & PC Gaming’s account of the full Game Informer feature |
We have not counted the cougar and Florida panther as two different animals shown in the game. Similar care is needed with deer. Fan analyses sometimes use the name Key deer, a deer native to the Florida Keys, but resemblance to the real animal does not establish its exact in-game name.
The most striking woodland scene shows cougars and deer on opposite sides of a pool. A smaller animal is close to the adult cat. Predators, potential prey and animals of different sizes share one image. A still screenshot, however, cannot establish how an encounter ends, whether the cougar hunts a deer or how young animals behave.
Macaques and armadillos broaden the familiar picture of animals in GTA. The monkeys are particularly notable: there is no need to invent a tropical island or rely on a zoo rumor to include them in the list. Game Informer’s open report on Leonida’s fauna names the rhesus macaque directly.
Birds: much of the variety remains unseen
Birds are easy to overlook because the bright flamingos command attention in the first trailer’s wetland scene. Other birds can be seen around them on the water, in the grass and in the sky. Their shapes, sizes and colors already show that they are not one flock of identical models.
Exact names are harder to establish. Rockstar Mag offers identifications in its frame-by-frame analysis, some with question marks. It is useful to distinguish a bird that is visible from how confidently it can be identified.
| Birds | Basis and certainty of identification |
|---|---|
| Flamingos | Clearly shown in the first trailer and named directly by Game Informer |
| Pelicans | Named directly by Game Informer; identifying a brown pelican in the footage is a more specific community interpretation |
| Herons and related birds | Several long-legged birds appear in the wetland scene; distinguishing exact species requires more work |
| Ducks | Visible on the water in the flamingo scene; analyses differ on the precise species |
| Anhingas | Rockstar Mag identifies some birds this way in the first trailer; Rockstar does not label them |
| Cormorants | Another identification Rockstar Mag makes from the wetland scene |
| Corvids | Rockstar Mag classifies the birds above a correctional facility in the second trailer this way |
| Geese | Rockstar Mag spots them on the water near a pier in the second trailer |
| Pigeons and gulls | Examined by Rockstar Mag among the animals in Rockstar’s official An Extended Look video |
| Peacock | Rob Nelson directly mentions an encounter during a presentation in his Famitsu interview |
The anhinga, also known as the snakebird, is a long-necked waterbird. Small differences between such birds and similar silhouettes make a detailed catalogue harder to compile than the trailer might suggest. Rockstar Mag calls the ducks in the first trailer mottled ducks. In another sequence, a television commercial within An Extended Look, its author suggests either a lesser scaup or a mottled duck. Birds appearing in that commercial do not yet confirm another duck species in the open world.
The peacock is notable for a different reason: its presence does not depend on interpreting a few pixels. Nelson reminded his interviewer of the bird they had encountered and said it was the first time he himself had seen one. That describes a particular moment in the presentation, but does not mean that peacocks must be rare or legendary.
Given the reported variety of birds, this part of a future catalogue could grow considerably. For now, many silhouettes lack a reliable species name, and precise search locations have not been published for most of the named birds.
Alligators, iguanas, snakes and toads
Alligators appear across several Rockstar releases. In the first trailer, one shares a wetland scene with birds, enters an area by a swimming pool and appears inside a store. Official Grassrivers screenshots show alligators in the water beside an airboat. Another image has armed people posing next to a dead animal.
These images show both wildlife and encounters between animals and human surroundings. They do not explain how often attacks happen, how much damage an alligator inflicts, its weak points or how to collect any spoils. If someone searches for a “GTA 6 crocodile,” the verified material in question shows an alligator. That name does not establish a separate confirmed crocodile species.
The green iguana is clearly shown in the Leonida Keys. In one image it lies in the middle of a street near pedestrians and a cyclist with a dog. In another it sits close to the camera on a tree by the water. It is a useful example of an animal that is not confined to remote woodland: it can be seen in an ordinary street scene.
Snakes also appear in published material. Our analysis of the launch trailer includes a shot of a man with a snake near a game controller. Rockstar Mag separately identifies a snake in the second trailer as a corn snake. That precise species identification belongs to the analyst; the scene does not prove that players can generally keep or buy a snake.
Unlike the snake in an unlabelled shot, the cane toad is named directly by Game Informer. It is an amphibian, so it should not disappear into a general list of reptiles. Along with green iguanas, feral cats and macaques, it is among the magazine’s examples of invasive fauna, animals that have spread beyond their natural range. Leonida reflects both the familiar image of Florida wildlife and this mixture of inhabitants.
Aquatic animals: far more than sharks
Several very different groups inhabit GTA 6’s waters. In an underwater Leonida Keys screenshot, a sea turtle swims near two divers. A long, eel-like fish appears on the left, with fish of different shapes and colors all around. Coral-like forms and sponges can be seen below and on the rocks. For these stationary organisms, a separate question remains: it has not been explained whether each counts toward the reported species total or an in-game study list.
| Animals | What is shown or reported |
|---|---|
| Manatees | Named directly by Game Informer; visible in clear water beside an airboat in An Extended Look |
| Dolphins | Identified by Rockstar Mag in a sea scene from the first trailer |
| Whales | Mentioned by Console & PC Gaming in its account of the full Game Informer feature, without species names |
| Sharks | Noted in analyses of the sea footage; the account of Game Informer mentions different shark species |
| Rays | Visible above an underwater swimmer in An Extended Look; identifying them specifically as manta rays remains disputed |
| Sea turtles | Clearly visible in an official underwater Leonida Keys image |
| Eel-like fish | Visible on the left in the same image; analyses use the names “moray” and “eel” |
| Reef fish | Several visibly different forms appear in the image, but there is no complete species list |
| Jellyfish | Named in Console & PC Gaming’s account of the full Game Informer feature |
Manatees can be seen in a brief segment of An Extended Look at around 17:10, when an airboat passes nearby. A few seconds later, the underwater sequence shows rays and schools of fish. These are different environments and scales of observation, from a large, slow-moving mammal to small silhouettes above a swimmer.
An animal’s presence underwater does not mean it can be caught with a rod. Sea turtles, manatees and dolphins are not fish at all. Even for fish, we still need to learn which are available to catch and which inhabit the underwater world without serving that role. No full list of catches, tackle and fishing locations has been published.
Dogs in GTA 6: breeds and interactions
Dogs appear beside passersby and in direct contact with the protagonist Jason. The clearest example occurs at about the two-minute mark in An Extended Look: PET, STUDY and SCOLD appear beside a dog. Here, the interface itself confirms these interactions.
Analyses identify several breeds, but Rockstar has not provided official labels for them. The breed list is therefore best read as the analysts’ identifications rather than a canine catalogue released by the developer.
| Breed identified by Rockstar Mag | Where it is identified |
|---|---|
| Chihuahua | On a beach in the first trailer |
| Doberman | Beside a person in the second trailer |
| Rottweiler | In an official Vice City screenshot |
| Australian Shepherd | Beside a cyclist in a Leonida Keys image; tentative identification |
| Staffordshire Terrier | In Jason’s interaction with a dog in An Extended Look |
| Labrador | On a beach in An Extended Look |
The analyst leaves some dogs without a definite breed. A new camera angle does not necessarily show a new breed. The same dog may be called a pit bull or a Staffordshire Terrier in different analyses. Without further verification, these identifications cannot be counted as two separate entries.
In city scenes, dogs also accompany pedestrians. Unlike a cougar in the woods or a ray at sea, such an encounter involves a nearby person. Petting someone else’s dog and having a permanent pet of your own, however, require different evidence.
Can you have pets in GTA 6?
Buying, taming and permanently keeping a pet have not yet been explained in detail. Known footage confirms animals beside people and an available interaction with a dog, but does not show whether players can choose a pet, house it, bring it along or give it commands.
The same applies to cats, iguanas and snakes. An animal in a home or in a character’s hands may belong to a particular scene. Turning it into a “how to get a pet” guide would require details on player actions and whether that animal persists between encounters.
Studying animals, the zoo and rare categories
The STUDY prompt beside a dog shows that interactions are not limited to petting or shooting. In its account of previews for content creators, iGrandTheftAuto reports on studying animals in the world and in a visitable zoo. The report does not explain how study results are saved or whether there is a separate catalogue that players can fill. The outlet also cautions that some descriptions were passed on from participants’ memories and might need clarification. This is a report about previews, not our own playthrough.
Game Informer’s open report separately supports the idea of special discovery: some animals fall into the Rare, Discoverable and Legendary categories. The terms suggest rare, discoverable and legendary animals, but the exact distinctions have not been revealed. The magazine gives no names for hidden creatures, encounter conditions or rewards.
A comparison with Red Dead Redemption 2 has some basis here: Game Informer itself discusses how Rockstar developed its animal work across the Red Dead series. That does not mean every detail of the older system carries over to GTA 6. Three-star pelts, perfect shots, bait, clothing crafting and mandatory catalogue photographs cannot be added by analogy.
Another location connected to the zoo should not be confused with it. We have already examined the Vice City Oceanarium sign on the site. The oceanarium’s name can be read in an official screenshot, but the image does not reveal its exhibits or establish that it is the zoo mentioned in preview reports.
Hunting and fishing: what is known
Hunting imagery is unmistakable in the official material: people carrying guns in a forest, a dead alligator beside an airboat and an alligator hanging behind an armed man. These scenes establish the theme, but are not hunting instructions in themselves.
Based on accounts of a preview, iGrandTheftAuto reports that hunting may earn money through an acquaintance connected to Jason. The report we read does not explain the buyer’s name, which animals are accepted, how a carcass is processed or the prices paid. It is too early to promise a particular weapon, trap or valuable pelt.
Fishing also has direct verbal support: Rob Nelson says in his Famitsu interview that he enjoys the activity. In an official image Jason holds a fishing rod on a boat. iGrandTheftAuto additionally reports that caught fish can be released back into the water. This short description does not make all the modes and conditions of fishing clear.
A detailed hunting guide would need to explain tracking, weapon choice, collecting prey and earning money. A fishing guide would need to cover tackle, catchable species and technique. We do not yet have a reliable set of those instructions. This wildlife overview shows the animals for which such answers still need checking.
Fur, feathers and animal movement
Variety is not simply a matter of model count. Game Informer separately mentions iridescence, bioluminescence, translucency, different feather types and new hair and fur systems. These are visual properties. Bioluminescence, for example, is light produced by a living organism. The open report does not specify which animal in the game will demonstrate it.
In its account of the full feature, Console & PC Gaming describes fur that gets wet, dirty and matted, variations in color and texture, and distinct movement for aquatic creatures. Such details should not be turned into a hunting rule: fur reacting to water says nothing yet about the value of a kill or the quality of a pelt.
Official scenes show animals in varied situations: at a watering place, near vehicles, among people, in groups and underwater. Their reactions to players and the rules of hunting are not explained in detail in these materials.
Where to find animals: locations shown so far
Official collections covering Leonida’s regions offer general bearings. An image in a collection for a particular location connects an animal to the environment shown, but does not give us a fixed spawn point on the map.
| Environment shown | Animals visible in related material |
|---|---|
| Kalaga National Park | Cougars, deer, a raccoon, fox, squirrel and birds |
| Grassrivers | Alligators and wetland birds |
| Leonida Keys | Iguanas and a dog in a street scene; a turtle and fish in an underwater image |
| City and coast | Dogs beside people; birds and marine animals in trailer analyses |
A detailed animal map will need both observation points and search areas. An animal seen by water will not necessarily appear at precisely that point on every visit. We will need to check time of day, weather, story access and whether animals reappear after leaving. The effect of GTA 6 weather on particular animals has not been described well enough to present such conditions as instructions.
Finding a particular animal will require its distinguishing features, habitat, encounter conditions and study method. A detailed map and individual entries could connect those facts to available actions and, for huntable animals, to prey and its uses. Official footage currently offers only a starting point for such a guide. It cannot replace in-game verification of routes.
Which animal lists still raise questions?
Expanded catalogues include beavers, black bears, otters, opossums, skunks, cows, frogs, tortoises, crayfish and individual birds such as woodpeckers or whooping cranes. GTABase, for example, has pages for the bear, otter and beaver. But the pages we checked have no supporting screenshots and do not identify a primary source for their detailed descriptions. We do not add these names to the main list merely because a page exists. Rockstar Mag also suggests there may be a rat beneath a vending machine in the extended presentation. For now, that is the author’s identification of a small urban animal.
Animals appearing in a television commercial within An Extended Look form another group. A nature segment on a TV shows rabbits, pig-like animals, deer-like animals, a squirrel, a small yellow bird and butterflies. Analyses also mention bison. Context matters: this is content playing on a television in a room, not a demonstration of finding those animals in the open world. The yellow bird does not become a confirmed canary solely because of its color.
Taken together, GTA 6’s animals already suggest a much wider world than one wetland landscape, from a squirrel on a tree and an iguana in the street to manatees beneath an airboat and rays above a swimmer. The main gap now concerns the catalogue’s full contents and detailed rules for encounters, rather than variety itself. Those are the facts needed to turn this overview into an accurate guide to each animal.
Sources
- Game Informer: more than 170 animal species, an openly available report naming animals, surface features and special categories.
- Rockstar Games: official screenshots, animals of Kalaga, Grassrivers and the Leonida Keys.
- Rockstar Games: official videos, trailers and An Extended Look showing the dog interaction menu, aquatic life and in-game commercials.
- Famitsu: Rob Nelson interview, fishing and a peacock encountered during a presentation.
- Rockstar Mag: frame-by-frame animal catalogue, the author’s identifications of birds, dogs and other animals with images.
- Rockstar Mag: additions following the extended presentation, further identifications and animals from a television commercial.
- Console & PC Gaming: account of the full Game Informer feature, additional numbers, animals and fur details. We have not treated the full, paid Game Informer feature as an original source we read.
- iGrandTheftAuto: accounts of creator previews, studying animals, the zoo, hunting and fishing, with a caveat about reports given from memory.
- GTABase: animal catalogue, used to compare extended lists; a page without sufficient supporting evidence is not labelled as confirmation here.
- Rockstar Games: launch trailer, scene with a man holding a snake.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology: anhinga guide, biological background on the real bird, not proof that it appears in GTA 6.
