Animals in Arizona

Arizona boasts of one of the most diverse wildlife as the state has almost all types of habitats – be it the hot and dry plains of the Sonoran Desert or the mountainous terrains of its alpine peaks. It occupies 3rd place for being the most biodiverse state in the US, after California and Texas.

Numerous state parks allow humankind to get closer to its rich flora and fauna, with the Lost Dutchman, Catalina, and Kartchner Caverns being only a few.

It is impossible to list all the animals in this state in one place – so here is a list of most animals found in Arizona. Several rodents, snakes, frogs, and toads are actually invasive species.

List of Different Types of Animals That Live in Arizona

Mammals

Coyote
Gray Fox
Bobcat
Cougar
Black Bear
Collared Peccary
White-tailed Deer
Mule Deer
Elk
Pronghorn
Bighorn Sheep
Ringtail
Raccoon
Spotted Skunk
Western Spotted Skunk
Striped Skunk
Western Hog-nosed Skunk
Black-footed Ferret
Arizona Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Cactus Deer Mouse
Deer Mouse
Arizona Pocket Mouse
Arizona Woodrat
Arizona Shrew
Pack Rat
Kangaroo Rat
Woodrat
Merriam’s Kangaroo Rat
Antelope Ground Squirrel
Round-Tailed Ground Squirrel
Rock Squirrel
Arizona Gray Squirrel
Rock Squirrel
Desert Cottontail
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
Desert Pocket Gopher
Yellow-faced Pocket Gopher
Plains Pocket Gopher
Botta’s Pocket Gopher
Mexican Free-tailed Bat
Western Pipistrelle
Pallid Bat
Hoary Bat
Townsend’s Big-eared Bat
Big Brown Bat
California Leaf-nosed Bat
Western Red Bat
Yellow Bat
Western Mastiff Bat
Long-legged Myotis
California Myotis
Arizona Myotis
Western Small-footed Myotis

Birds

Northern Mockingbird
Peregrine Falcon
Cactus Wren
Mourning Dove
Barn Owl
Anna’s Hummingbird
Lesser Nighthawk
Common Poorwill
Osprey
Ferruginous Hawk
Red-Tailed Hawk
House Finch

Reptiles

Gila Monster
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Arizona Black Rattlesnake
Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake
Sidewinder
Desert Kingsnake
Sonoran Whipsnake
Desert Glossy Snake
Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake
Threadsnake
Long-nosed Snake
Western Hognose Snake
Regal Ringneck Snake
Sonoran Gopher Snake
Desert Iguana
Sonoran Collared Lizard
Chuckwalla
Desert Spiny Lizard
Eastern Collared Lizard
Greater Earless Lizard
Regal Horned Lizard
Lesser Earless Lizard
Desert Night Lizard
Ornate Tree Lizard
Desert Horned Lizard
Western Fence Lizard
Western Banded Gecko
Sonoran Desert Tortoise
Desert Box Turtle
Sonoran Mud Turtle
Common Snapping Turtle
Painted Turtle
Red-eared Slider
Western Skink
Leaf-toed Gecko
Sonoran Long-nosed Snake

Amphibians

Arizona Toad
Red-spotted Toad
Couch’s Spadefoot Toad
Great Plains Toad
Sonoran Desert Toad
Woodhouse’s Toad
Green Toad
Western Narrow-mouthed Toad
Mexican Burrowing Toad
Plains Spadefoot Toad
Mexican Spadefoot Toad
Canyon Tree Frog
Lowland Leopard Frog
Arizona Tree Frog
Northern Leopard Frog
Chiricahua Leopard Frog
Northern Green Frog
Bullfrog
American Bullfrog
Western Chorus Frog
Crawfish Frog
Southwestern Leopard Frog
Great Basin Spadefoot
Northern Cricket Frog
Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Canyon Treefrog
Western Barking Frog
Mexican Treefrog
Tarahumara Frog

Fishes

Apache Trout
Mexican Stoneroller
Desert Sucker
Bluehead Sucker
Bluegill
Little Colorado River Sucker
Zuni Bluehead Sucker
Yaqui Sucker
Flannelmouth Sucker
Sonora Sucker
Desert Pupfish
Beautiful Shiner
Santa Cruz Pupfish
Rio Sonoyta Pupfish
Pacific Tenpounder or Machete
Yaqui Longfin Dace
Speckled Dace
Spikedace
Virgin Spinedace
Little Colorado River Spinedace
Sonora Chub
Roundtail Chub
Humpback Chub
Headwater Chub
Yaqui Chub
Bonytail Chub
Gila Chub
Virgin Chub
Yaqui Catfish
Chanel Catfish
Gila Trout
Yaqui Topminnow
Gila Topminnow
Colorado Pikeminnow
Loach Minnow
Razorback Sucker
Striped Mullet
Woundfin

Insects and Invertebrates

Southern Black Widow
Western Desert Tarantula
Desert Hairy Scorpion
Sonoran Desert Centipede
Giant Desert Millipede
Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion
Vinegaroon (Whip Scorpion)
Desert Millipede
Arizona Bark Scorpion
Harvester Ant
Carpenter Ant
Velvet Ant (Cow Killer)
Arizona Desert Beetle
Giant Saguaro Cactus Beetle
Palo Verde Beetle
Praying Mantis
Western Honey Bee
Jerusalem Cricket
Sonoran Desert Cicada
Velvet Mesquite Bug
White-lined Sphinx Moth
Giant Swallowtail Butterfly
Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly
Painted Lady Butterfly
Monarch Butterfly

State Animals of Alabama

State Mammal	Ringtail
State Bird	Cactus Wren
State Reptile	Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake
State Dinosaur	Sonorasaurus
State Amphibian	Arizona Tree Frog
State Fish	Apache Trout
State Butterfly	Two-tailed Swallowtail

FAQ

1. What are the most dangerous animals in Arizona?

When it comes to Arizona, the smaller animals are the ones to look out for. It is home to the most venous insects and snakes, deadly enough to kill a human, like the Southern black widow, Western desert tarantula, Arizona bark scorpion, and several rattlesnakes. The Gila monster is another animal that can pose a considerable threat to humans.

2. What are some of the rarest animals in arizona?

In today’s world, an animal becomes rare when its population becomes threatened due to habitat loss or other human activity like excessive hunting. Arizona also has several species already listed and Threatened or Endangered by the IUCN. These include the Mexican gray wolf, black-footed ferret, Arizona ridge-nosed rattlesnake, and all the chub fish species.

3. What animals in Arizona burrow in the ground?

Arizona is home to many burrowing animals, including multiple species of pocket gophers, squirrels, rats, mice, and ferrets.

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