GTA 6 launches on November 19, 2026, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar has packed Leonida with wildlife. Animals appear in every trailer, the screenshot drops, and the Extended Look that premiered on August 27.
The biggest reveal came on September 29, 2026. Game Informer’s cover story says the game has over 170 animal species across land, air, and sea. Several of those species have never appeared in a Rockstar game. Rockstar still hasn’t published a full roster, so most lists online mix official confirmations with fan guesses.
This guide sorts every animal by evidence: named by Rockstar, seen in official footage, or identified by the community.
How many animals are in GTA 6?
Rockstar’s official count is over 170 species. According to VICE’s summary of the cover story, that breaks down into 60+ bird types and 30+ land mammals, plus fish and reptiles with no specific count.
At the time of writing, only a few dozen species can be identified. Most of the 170 remain unseen.
Animals Rockstar has confirmed by name
Rockstar named these through Game Informer. They are the safest entries on any list.
| Animal | Type | Native or invasive |
|---|---|---|
| American alligator | Reptile | Native |
| Manatee | Mammal | Native |
| Flamingo | Bird | Native |
| Pelican | Bird | Native |
| Green iguana | Reptile | Invasive |
| Cane toad | Amphibian | Invasive |
| Feral cat | Mammal | Invasive |
| Rhesus macaque | Mammal | Invasive |
The invasive species follow real Florida ecology. Iguanas and cane toads are common pests in South Florida, and a wild rhesus macaque colony really does live around Silver Springs. Rockstar is modeling Florida’s actual problem species, not just postcard wildlife.
The cover story also mentions several shark types, whales, rays, sea turtles and jellyfish, according to VICE’s summary.
Animals spotted in official trailers and screenshots
These animals are visible in Rockstar’s own footage. However, the exact species names come from fan analysis, mainly the GTAForums fauna thread led by user PauloJz.
Trailer 1 (December 5, 2023)
- Herring gull: in the opening shot
- Loggerhead sea turtle: swimming toward the beach at 0:11
- Miniature pinscher: running on the beach with its owner at 0:22
- Bottlenose dolphin, brown pelican, flamingo: in the coastal and Keys shots
- Mottled duck and roseate spoonbill: in the wetland frames
- American alligator: including the one wandering into a convenience store
- West Indian manatee and wild pig: identified in frame-by-frame breakdowns
Trailer 2 and screenshots (May 6, 2025)
- Iguana: walking toward Jason’s house in the second shot
- Raccoon: digging through a trash can while Brian scolds Jason
- Bodega cat: cleaning itself on an ATM while Jason buys beer
- Pet python: inside Jason and Lucia’s house
- Great white shark: barely visible under the water at a marina
- Florida panther and deer: a panther stalks deer in a Mount Kalaga screenshot
- Heron or spoonbill and nutria or muskrat: in the alligator screenshot, species unclear
Extended Look (August 27, 2026)
- Pit bull: Jason passes a dog in an apartment hallway. The prompts read Pet, Scold, or Study.
Petting the dog triggers a small halo icon. That icon could tie into a morality system, much like the reactions shown in the GTA 6 HUD. Rockstar hasn’t explained it yet.
Rare, Discoverable and Legendary animals
Game Informer confirms three tracking tiers: Rare, Discoverable and Legendary. Players can track animals in these tiers, but Rockstar is keeping their identities secret.
The Study prompt from the Extended Look suggests a Red Dead Redemption 2 style compendium. RDR2 logged a species once you studied it, and GTA 6 may work the same way. Rockstar hasn’t shown the menu, so treat that as likely, not confirmed.
Animal rendering also gets an upgrade. Fur can get wet, dirty or matted. Some species show iridescence, translucency or bioluminescence, and sea creatures get their own movement animations.
Popular claims that aren’t confirmed
Many “47 animals” lists online add species without any footage behind them.
- Buffalo: These appear on a TV ad in the Extended Look, but the clip is reused Red Dead Redemption 2 footage. They are not confirmed for GTA 6.
- Aquarium: This comes from leaks only. VICE does list a zoo among the activities, though, and a zoo could join the activities you can spend money on.
- Hunting and fishing: A screenshot shows a man on an ATV with a scoped rifle watching deer, but Rockstar hasn’t described hunting. None of the confirmed GTA 6 weapons are tied to a hunting system, and fishing gets no mention.
- Owning pets: NPC pets clearly exist. Rockstar hasn’t confirmed whether Jason or Lucia can adopt one.
- Specific dog breeds: Chihuahuas, Dobermans, German Shepherds and Rottweilers appear on many lists. None of them is tied to a specific trailer or screenshot.
Where to find wildlife in Leonida
The footage points to three wildlife hotspots:
- Grassrivers wetlands (GTA 6’s version of the Everglades): alligators, wading birds and flamingos
- Leonida Keys: sea turtles, dolphins and manatees
- Mount Kalaga National Park: deer and panthers
Urban animals like raccoons, pigeons and bodega cats fill Vice City itself. Leonida is roughly twice the size of Los Santos, so the GTA 6 vs GTA 5 jump in species is just as large. GTA 5 had only a few dozen animals.
Wrapping up
Rockstar has shown only a small slice of its 170+ species. The Legendary tier is still a secret, and the rest will surface after November 19.
Until launch, trust the eight animals Rockstar named and the ones visible in official footage. Treat species-level IDs as strong fan work, not fact.
Rockstar confirms over 170 species. That includes 60+ bird types and 30+ land mammals, according to Game Informer’s September 2026 cover story.
Yes. Game Informer confirms Rare, Discoverable and Legendary tiers that players can track. Rockstar hasn’t revealed which animals belong to them.
Yes. The Extended Look shows Jason petting a pit bull through a Pet, Scold, or Study prompt.
Neither is confirmed. A screenshot shows an armed man watching deer, but Rockstar hasn’t described a hunting system.
Yes. Rhesus macaques are one of four invasive species Rockstar named, alongside green iguanas, cane toads and feral cats.
