Map

Florida Wildlife & Marine Life

From gentle manatees to ancient alligators, Florida's waterways teem with incredible creatures. Explore our species guides or use the identifier to figure out what you spotted.

🔍 Launch Species Identifier
Conservation Status Guide (what do the badges mean?)
Least ConcernPopulation stable. Not facing extinction risk at present.
Near ThreatenedClose to qualifying for a threatened category or likely to in the near future.
VulnerableFacing a high risk of extinction in the wild without conservation action.
ThreatenedFlorida-specific classification — under legal protection from FWC.
EndangeredFacing a very high risk of extinction. Active recovery programs required.
Invasive SpeciesNot an IUCN category — a Florida-specific alert. Non-native species causing ecological harm. Report sightings to FWC.
Not EvaluatedHas not yet been formally assessed against IUCN criteria.

Featured Species

Largemouth Bass
fish freshwater

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides

Least Concern

Florida's most popular game fish. The Florida strain grows larger than any other bass subspecies, wi...
West Indian Manatee
mammal freshwater

West Indian Manatee

Trichechus manatus

Vulnerable

Florida's gentle giants. These herbivorous marine mammals can weigh up to 3,500 pounds and live 60+ ...
American Alligator
reptile freshwater

American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

Least Concern

An ancient predator that has survived for 200 million years. Florida has an estimated 1.3 million al...
Common Snook
fish saltwater

Common Snook

Centropomus undecimalis

Not Evaluated

Florida's premier inshore sportfish. A powerful fighter with a distinctive black lateral line. Found...
Osprey
bird freshwater

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

Least Concern

The fish hawk. One of the most widespread raptors in the world, and a common sight over Florida's wa...

All Species (66 total — showing 61 additional)

Red Drum (Redfish)
fish

Red Drum (Redfish)

Sciaenops ocellatus

Least Concern
Florida Gar
fish

Florida Gar

Lepisosteus platyrhincus

Least Concern
American Crocodile
reptile

American Crocodile

Crocodylus acutus

Vulnerable
Great Blue Heron
bird

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

Least Concern
Atlantic Tarpon
fish

Atlantic Tarpon

Megalops atlanticus

Vulnerable
Roseate Spoonbill
bird

Roseate Spoonbill

Platalea ajaja

Least Concern
Florida Softshell Turtle
reptile

Florida Softshell Turtle

Apalone ferox

Least Concern
Red Lionfish (Invasive)
fish

Red Lionfish (Invasive)

Pterois volitans

Invasive Species
Burmese Python (Invasive)
reptile

Burmese Python (Invasive)

Python bivittatus

Invasive Species
Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin
mammal

Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Least Concern
Goliath Grouper
fish

Goliath Grouper

Epinephelus itajara

Vulnerable
Black Crappie (Speckled Perch)
fish

Black Crappie (Speckled Perch)

Pomoxis nigromaculatus

Least Concern
Butterfly Peacock Bass
fish

Butterfly Peacock Bass

Cichla ocellaris

Least Concern
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
reptile

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Caretta caretta

Vulnerable
Anhinga (Snakebird)
bird

Anhinga (Snakebird)

Anhinga anhinga

Least Concern
Spotted Seatrout
fish

Spotted Seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

Least Concern
Bull Shark
fish

Bull Shark

Carcharhinus leucas

Near Threatened
Bald Eagle
bird

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Least Concern
Florida Panther
mammal

Florida Panther

Puma concolor coryi

Endangered
Wood Stork
bird

Wood Stork

Mycteria americana

Least Concern
Green Iguana
reptile

Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

Invasive
Gopher Tortoise
reptile

Gopher Tortoise

Gopherus polyphemus

Vulnerable
Great Barracuda
fish

Great Barracuda

Sphyraena barracuda

Least Concern
Brown Pelican
bird

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

Least Concern
Sandhill Crane
bird

Sandhill Crane

Antigone pratensis

Least Concern
North American River Otter
mammal

North American River Otter

Lontra canadensis

Least Concern
Nurse Shark
fish

Nurse Shark

Ginglymostoma cirratum

Vulnerable
Cobia
fish

Cobia

Rachycentron canadum

Least Concern
Diamondback Terrapin
reptile

Diamondback Terrapin

Malaclemys terrapin

Vulnerable
Florida Black Bear
mammal

Florida Black Bear

Ursus americanus floridanus

Least Concern
Bluegill
fish

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

Least Concern
Mangrove Snapper
fish

Mangrove Snapper

Lutjanus griseus

Least Concern
Whiting
fish

Whiting

Menticirrhus americanus

Least Concern
Florida Pompano
fish

Florida Pompano

Trachinotus carolinus

Least Concern
Gulf Flounder
fish

Gulf Flounder

Paralichthys albigutta

Least Concern
Channel Catfish
fish

Channel Catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

Least Concern
Sheepshead
fish

Sheepshead

Archosargus probatocephalus

Least Concern
Black Drum
fish

Black Drum

Pogonias cromis

Least Concern
Spanish Mackerel
fish

Spanish Mackerel

Scomberomorus maculatus

Least Concern
Atlantic Sailfish
fish

Atlantic Sailfish

Istiophorus albicans

Least Concern
Mahi-Mahi
fish

Mahi-Mahi

Coryphaena hippurus

Least Concern
Permit
fish

Permit

Trachinotus falcatus

Least Concern
Bonefish
fish

Bonefish

Albula vulpes

Near Threatened
Greater Amberjack
fish

Greater Amberjack

Seriola dumerili

Least Concern
Wahoo
fish

Wahoo

Acanthocybium solandri

Least Concern
Swordfish
fish

Swordfish

Xiphias gladius

Least Concern
Blue Marlin
fish

Blue Marlin

Makaira nigricans

Vulnerable
Yellowfin Tuna
fish

Yellowfin Tuna

Thunnus albacares

Near Threatened
Bluefish
fish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

Least Concern
Striped Mullet
fish

Striped Mullet

Mugil cephalus

Least Concern
American Shad
fish

American Shad

Alosa sapidissima

Least Concern
Gulf Sturgeon
fish

Gulf Sturgeon

Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi

Threatened
Suwannee Bass
fish

Suwannee Bass

Micropterus notius

Near Threatened
Redbreast Sunfish
fish

Redbreast Sunfish

Lepomis auritus

Least Concern
Yellowtail Snapper
fish

Yellowtail Snapper

Ocyurus chrysurus

Least Concern
Mutton Snapper
fish

Mutton Snapper

Lutjanus analis

Near Threatened
Red Snapper
fish

Red Snapper

Lutjanus campechanus

Vulnerable
Pilchard
fish

Pilchard

Harengula jaguana

Least Concern
Pinfish
fish

Pinfish

Lagodon rhomboides

Least Concern
Golden Shiner
fish

Golden Shiner

Notemigonus crysoleucas

Least Concern
Sand Flea
fish

Sand Flea

Emerita talpoida

Not Evaluated