GTA 6 animals in real life

American alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

In GTA 6: American Alligator, confirmed

Florida range: Found throughout Florida in large shallow lakes, marshes, ponds, swamps, rivers, creeks and canals, mostly in fresh water but sometimes in brackish or salt water.

Photo: Ianaré Sévi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

In GTA 6: Bobcat, confirmed

Florida range: Found throughout Florida as far south as Monroe County, in scrub, swamps and forests.

Photo: Russ, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Florida panther

Puma concolor coryi

In GTA 6: Cougar, confirmed

Florida range: The only breeding puma population east of the Mississippi River, now restricted to a single breeding population south of the Caloosahatchee River in South Florida.

Some taxonomists now treat the Florida panther as a population of the North American cougar, Puma concolor couguar, rather than a separate subspecies; we keep GTABase's Puma concolor coryi.

Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

White-tailed deer

Odocoileus virginianus

In GTA 6: Deer, confirmed

Florida range: Mainland Florida has its own subspecies, the Florida white-tailed deer, and the small Key deer lives only in the Florida Keys.

Photo: Ianaré Sévi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

In GTA 6: Duck, confirmed

Florida range: In North America the mallard winters south to the southern United States, which takes in Florida, and Florida is the only state that bans keeping mallards as pets or poultry.

Photo: Acarpentier, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

American eel

Anguilla rostrata

In GTA 6: Eel, confirmed

Florida range: A native freshwater fish of western, north central and peninsula drainages, from the Perdido River to the Everglades, and often found in Florida cave systems.

Rockstar's Leonida Keys screenshot shows an eel over a coral reef, which could be a moray rather than the freshwater American eel GTABase names; we keep GTABase's species.

Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

American flamingo

Phoenicopterus ruber

In GTA 6: Flamingo, confirmed

Florida range: Once abundant in South Florida and the Keys but largely wiped out by 1900, it is now an uncommon visitor, with a few small groups that may live there year round.

Photo: Wilfredor, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Moon jelly

Aurelia aurita

In GTA 6: Jellyfish, confirmed

Florida range: A common inhabitant along the shores of the Florida Panhandle.

GTABase gives no species and its placeholder photo shows a lion's mane jellyfish, a cold water species. Our choice is the moon jelly, common on Florida's coast.

Photo: W.carter, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Florida manatee

Trichechus manatus latirostris

In GTA 6: Manatee, confirmed

Florida range: Found mainly along the Florida coast, gathering at warm water refuges on the peninsula in winter, with large groups at Crystal River and Blue Spring.

GTABase gives only the genus Trichechus. Florida's manatee is the Florida subspecies of the West Indian manatee.

Photo: Reid, Jim P, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Giant manta ray

Mobula birostris

In GTA 6: Manta Ray, confirmed

Florida range: In the western Atlantic it ranges from South Carolina south to Brazil and Bermuda, which takes in Florida's ocean waters.

GTABase gives no species. Our choice is the giant manta ray, the manta of the western Atlantic.

Photo: Daniel Sasse, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Brown pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

In GTA 6: Pelican, confirmed

Florida range: A coastal bird of the Gulf coast including Florida, where Pelican Island became the first National Wildlife Refuge in 1903 to protect it.

Photo: Wolfgang Moroder, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Raccoon

Procyon lotor

In GTA 6: Raccoon, confirmed

Florida range: Common throughout all of Florida, in every kind of habitat from hardwood forests to urban areas.

Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Green sea turtle

Chelonia mydas

In GTA 6: Sea Turtle, confirmed

Florida range: Nests on Florida beaches, where nest numbers have been trending upward, and feeds in inshore and nearshore waters along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

American herring gull

Larus smithsonianus

In GTA 6: Seagull, confirmed

Florida range: A regular gull on Florida's state bird list, where the European herring gull is only an accidental visitor.

GTABase gives Larus argentatus, which now names the European herring gull, only an accidental visitor to Florida. The North American herring gull is listed as its own species, Larus smithsonianus, so we use that.

Photo: Chuck Homler d/b/a Focus On Wildlife, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Bull shark

Carcharhinus leucas

In GTA 6: Shark, confirmed

Florida range: Found in the Atlantic from Massachusetts to southern Brazil, which takes in Florida's coast, and bull sharks have been caught off the Florida Keys.

Photo: Albert Kok, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Corn snake

Pantherophis guttatus

In GTA 6: Snake, confirmed

Florida range: Found throughout mainland Florida in every county and throughout the Florida Keys.

Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Roseate spoonbill

Platalea ajaja

In GTA 6: Spoonbill, confirmed

Florida range: Locally common in Florida, from Florida Bay and the Everglades to Merritt Island on the Atlantic coast, and it has been nesting further north and inland in recent years.

Photo: JeffreyGammon, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

North Atlantic right whale

Eubalaena glacialis

In GTA 6: Whale, confirmed

Florida range: Each fall some right whales travel to their calving grounds in the shallow coastal waters off North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, down to below Cape Canaveral.

GTABase gives no species and its placeholder photo shows a humpback whale. Our choice is the North Atlantic right whale, because its calving grounds are off Florida's Atlantic coast.

Photo: NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

North American beaver

Castor canadensis

In GTA 6: Beaver, unverified

Florida range: Common in the Florida Panhandle and the northern third of the peninsula, except in coastal areas.

Photo: GlacierNPS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Florida black bear

Ursus americanus floridanus

In GTA 6: Black Bear, unverified

Florida range: Once found across all of mainland Florida, it now lives mainly in forests, scrub and forested wetlands, with about 4,000 bears estimated statewide in 2015.

GTABase only says "Bear". Florida's only bear is the Florida black bear, a subspecies of the American black bear, so it is our choice.

Photo: Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Red swamp crayfish

Procambarus clarkii

In GTA 6: Crayfish, unverified

Florida range: Native to the Gulf coastal plain from the Florida Panhandle to Mexico.

GTABase gives no species and Florida has many crayfish. Our choice is the red swamp crayfish, native to the Panhandle and the best known species.

Photo: Andrew C, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Common bottlenose dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

In GTA 6: Dolphin, unverified

Florida range: Found along the East Coast from Massachusetts to Florida and throughout the Gulf, with coastal stocks off northern and central Florida and a Sarasota Bay population studied for more than 50 years.

Photo: NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Red fox

Vulpes vulpes

In GTA 6: Fox, unverified

Florida range: Found in many parts of Florida, though probably native only to the northern Panhandle and released elsewhere, mostly by hunting clubs; it prefers uplands mixed with fields and pastures.

Photo: Gregory "Slobirdr" Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Southern leopard frog

Lithobates sphenocephalus

In GTA 6: Frog, unverified

Florida range: One of the most abundant frogs in Florida, found statewide except the northern Keys around shallow fresh water, including swamps, ponds, canals and ditches.

GTABase gives no species. Our choice: the southern leopard frog, one of Florida's most abundant frogs and found across the whole state.

Photo: Peter Paplanus, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Great blue heron

Ardea herodias

In GTA 6: Heron, unverified

Florida range: Lives across Florida, and an all white form known as the great white heron is found in South Florida and the Keys.

Photo: Dori, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gopher tortoise

Gopherus polyphemus

In GTA 6: Land Turtle, unverified

Florida range: Most numerous in north central Florida but found in every other part of the state except the southern tip, in dry habitats such as sandhills, scrub, flatwoods and coastal dunes; it is listed as threatened in Florida.

GTABase gives no species. The gopher tortoise is Florida's only native tortoise, so it is our choice.

Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

North American river otter

Lontra canadensis

In GTA 6: Otter, unverified

Florida range: Locally common statewide except the Keys, mostly in fresh water, primarily rivers and streams.

GTABase gives no species. This is Florida's only otter, so it is our choice.

Photo: GlacierNPS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Virginia opossum

Didelphis virginiana

In GTA 6: Possum, unverified

Florida range: Common throughout Florida in wooded or open areas near streams and swamps, and also in towns and suburbs.

GTABase gives no species. The Virginia opossum is the only opossum in North America north of Mexico, so it is our choice.

Photo: Cody Pope, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Striped skunk

Mephitis mephitis

In GTA 6: Skunk, unverified

Florida range: Common statewide except the Keys.

GTABase gives no species. Florida has two skunks, the striped skunk and the eastern spotted skunk; we chose the striped skunk.

Photo: Ryan Hodnett, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Eastern gray squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

In GTA 6: Squirrel, unverified

Florida range: One of the most common animals in all of Florida, in hardwood and pine forests and easily at home in towns and gardens.

Photo: Tom Friedel, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Red-bellied woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinus

In GTA 6: Woodpecker, unverified

Florida range: A common bird throughout mainland Florida, in open and swampy woods and in towns.

GTABase gives no species and its placeholder photo shows a red-headed woodpecker. Our choice is the red-bellied woodpecker, common throughout mainland Florida.

Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cane toad

Rhinella marina

In GTA 6: Cane Toad, confirmed

Florida range: Early releases in Florida failed, but an escape at Miami International Airport in 1957 and releases by animal dealers in 1963 and 1964 established it, and the state treats it as a threat to native wildlife and pets.

GTABase gives no species. Game Informer lists cane toads among Leonida's invasive animals, so we use Rhinella marina.

Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Green iguana

Iguana iguana

In GTA 6: Green Iguana, confirmed

Florida range: Invasive in South Florida, found along the east and Gulf coasts from Key West to Pinellas County; the first Keys populations arrived as stowaways on fruit ships from South America.

Photo: Ianaré Sévi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Wild pig (feral hog)

Sus scrofa

In GTA 6: Boar, unverified

Florida range: Brought by Spanish explorers in the 1500s and later imported from Germany and Russia, wild pigs now number an estimated 500,000 in Florida and harm ground nesting wildlife.

GTABase calls it a boar. Florida's wild boars are feral pigs of the same species, Sus scrofa, descended from domestic and imported stock.

Photo: Richard Bartz, Munich Makro Freak, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Rock pigeon

Columba livia

In GTA 6: Pigeon, confirmed

Florida range: Introduced to North America by people and now established in Florida.

GTABase gives no species. The rock pigeon is the feral city pigeon, so it is our choice.

Photo: Satdeep Gill, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Rhesus macaque

Macaca mulatta

In GTA 6: Rhesus Macaque, confirmed

Florida range: Released in the 1930s as a tourist attraction on a river island in Central Florida, the monkeys flourished and now live around Ocala and Silver Springs.

Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Whooping crane

Grus americana

In GTA 6: Whooping Crane, confirmed

Florida range: A non migratory flock was released near Kissimmee from 1993, but the Florida reintroduction has been halted and is considered a failure.

GTABase names the whooping crane but gives Grus canadensis, the scientific name of the sandhill crane (now Antigone canadensis). Rockstar's preview screenshot shows a white crane with a red crown, so we use the whooping crane, Grus americana. Florida's common wild crane is the sandhill crane.

Photo: Sandhillcrane, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nine-banded armadillo

Dasypus novemcinctus

In GTA 6: Armadillo, unverified

Florida range: Not originally a Florida animal: it spread in from Texas through the Panhandle and was released on the Atlantic coast, and now lives in uplands throughout Florida except the Keys and parts of the Everglades and Big Cypress swamp.

GTABase gives no species. The nine-banded armadillo is the only armadillo living wild in the United States, so it is our choice.

Photo: Hans Stieglitz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Brown rat

Rattus norvegicus

In GTA 6: Rat, unverified

Florida range: Brought in by people and now common statewide; the black rat is just as widespread in Florida.

GTABase gives no species. Florida has two common introduced rats; we chose the brown rat, which GTABase's placeholder photo also resembles.

Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Domestic cat

Felis catus

In GTA 6: Cat, confirmed

Photo: Terragio67, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Domestic dog

Canis lupus familiaris

In GTA 6: Dog, confirmed

Generic entry for in-game dogs of no named breed.

Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

German Shepherd

Canis lupus familiaris

In GTA 6: German Shepherd, confirmed

Photo: Hans Kemperman, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Australian Shepherd

Canis lupus familiaris

In GTA 6: Australian Shepherd, unverified

Photo: Gerrit Werner Sonka, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Chihuahua

Canis lupus familiaris

In GTA 6: Chihuahua, unverified

Photo: Hammytheperfect, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Domestic cattle

Bos taurus

In GTA 6: Cow, unverified

GTABase gives no breed, so we show generic domestic cattle.

Photo: Kim Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dobermann

Canis lupus familiaris

In GTA 6: Doberman, unverified

Photo: Carol Lara, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Labrador Retriever

Canis lupus familiaris

In GTA 6: Labrador, unverified

Photo: Dktue, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Rottweiler

Canis lupus familiaris

In GTA 6: Rottweiler, unverified

Photo: mar_qs, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons