Animals in Missouri

Missouri, a state in the Midwestern United States, boasts diverse geography featuring rolling plains, fertile farmland, dense forests, and meandering rivers. The state is bisected by the Missouri River and bordered by the Mississippi River. The state offers varied habitats, including hills, prairies, and waterways, that make it home to hundreds of wildlife species.

The Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge and the Mark Twain National Forest are great places for wildlife watching, especially birds, deer, and smaller predators. Katy Trail State Park and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge are excellent to look for aquatic mammals, as well as terrestrial mammals and birds.

Despite hundreds of fascinating wildlife species, Missouri’s State Animal is a domesticated horse – the Missouri Mule.

Animals in Missouri (MO)

List of Different Types of Animals Found in Missouri

All the animals listed below are native to the state, while some may even be endemic.

Mammals

Birds

Reptiles

Amphibians

Fishes

  • Striped Bass
  • Largemouth Bass
  • Smallmouth Bass
  • White Bass
  • Fathead Minnow
  • Lamprey
  • Mooneye
  • American Eel
  • Channel Catfish
  • Flathead Catfish
  • Bluegill
  • Walleye
  • Paddlefish
  • Longnose Gar
  • Bowfin
  • Herring
  • Northern Pike
  • Rainbow Trout
  • Trout-perch
  • Yellow Perch
  • White Crappie
  • Black Crappie
  • Redear Sunfish
  • Pumpkinseed
  • Sauger
  • Saugeye
  • Northern Pike
  • Muskellunge

Insects and Invertebrates

  • Monarch Butterfly
  • Black Swallowtail
  • Guinea Paper Wasp
  • Honeybee
  • Boxelder Bug
  • Clover Mite
  • Camel Cricket
  • Common Black Ground Beetle
  • Field Cricket
  • Harvestmen
  • Grand Daddy Long-leg Spiders
  • Ladybugs
  • Centipede
  • Millipede
  • Stick Insects
  • Stink Bug
  • Ticks
  • Common House Spider
  • Yellow Garden Spiders
  • Northern Black Widow
  • Brown Recluse

Mollusks and Crustaceans

  • Stagnant Pond Snail
  • Common Tadpole Snail
  • Three-whorled Ram’s Horn
  • Pearl Mussel
  • Asiatic Clam
  • Filter Mussel
  • Striped Forest Snail
  • White-lipped Forest Snail
  • Crustaceans
  • Big Creek Crayfish
  • Shrimp Crayfish
  • St. Francis River Crayfish
State Animals of Missouri

State Animals of Missouri

State AnimalMissouri Mule
State Aquatic AnimalPaddlefish
State BirdEastern Bluebird
State Game BirdBobwhite Quail
State Endangered SpeciesHellbender Salamander
State ReptileThree-toed Box Turtle
State AmphibianAmerican Bullfrog
State FishChannel Catfish
State InsectHoneybee
State InvertebrateCrayfish
State HorseMissouri Fox Trotter

FAQ

What are the most dangerous animals in Missouri?

Michigan has several deadly and venomous snakes and spiders like the copperhead, cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake, black widow, and brown recluse. Large predators like black bears and coyotes can also become quite threatening.

Ticks are also another cause of concern as they may carry Lyme Disease.

What are the rarest animals in Missouri?

The hellbender, Townsend’s big-eared bat, alligator snapping turtle, least tern bird, and red-headed woodpecker are some of the rarest animals because their population is threatened by habitat loss and human activities.

What are some common nocturnal animals in Missouri?

Bats, flying squirrels, owls, raccoons, skunks, opossums, coyotes, and beavers are a few of the animals in Missouri you will likely encounter at night.

What are some common invasive species in Missouri?

Typical invasive animals in the state include common carp, emerald ash borer, and zebra mussels. Mammals like wild hogs and nutrias were also introduced in the state.

More on Animals in This State

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