Below you can find a complete list of Greenlandic animals. We currently track 159 animals in Greenland and are adding more every day!
Greenland enjoys a unique landscape. For starters, it’s the world’s largest island, and though geographically linked to North America, the region is part of Scandinavia’s political and cultural milieu.
Greenland Wildlife Overview
Greenland is a famous misnomer as 79 percent of it is covered in ice. Yet, despite its lack of arable land, the region has more biodiversity than many people might assume. About 700 insects inhabit the island, and its waters are teeming with marine life.
However, due to a frigid climate and challenging topography, Greenland doesn’t have many terrestrial mammals. But the ones that survive on the glacial stronghold are memorable and unique, including polar bears, reindeer, muskox, Arctic foxes, Arctic wolves, collared lemmings, and lest we forget to mention, Greenlandic sled dogs, the hometown canines.
In the surrounding waters, whales are still relatively plentiful, and Inuit communities can sustenance-hunt the ocean behemoths, in addition to walruses, seals, and porpoises. Moreover, commercial fishing is a vital spoke in Greenland’s economic wheel. Shrimp, cod, halibut, and salmon are the most common catch.
Approximately 230 avian species spend part of the year in Greenland, but only 30 live regionally year-round. Sea eagles and sparrows are both plentiful, as are fulmars.
The Official National Animal of Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous territory under the Kingdom of Denmark. As such, it doesn’t have an official national animal. But polar bears are a prominent part of Greenland’s wildlife, so the iconic bears are the territory’s unofficial national animal.
Where To Find Wild Animals in Greenland
The Northeast Greenland National Park is the best place to spot wild animals on the island. At 375,000 square miles, it’s the world’s largest national park. Established in the 1970s and expanded in the 1980s, the Northeast is larger than 166 countries! It’s also the northernmost national park on the planet.
The Most Dangerous Animals in Greenland Today
Greenland is unique in that it has very few dangerous animals. By far, polar bears are the most lethal, and everyone should avoid confrontations at all costs. The giant bears have been known to kill humans with a single paw swipe. Rabid foxes are also a problem in the summer, and walruses have been known to attack humans under certain circumstances.
Other than the three species cited, Greenland is relatively free of dangerous animals.
Endangered and Extinct Animals in Greenland
Several of Greenland’s animal species are on the IUCN’s Red List and in danger of becoming extinct, including:
- Hooded seal — Vulnerable
- Reindeer — Vulnerable
- North Atlantic right whale — Critically Endangered
- Blue whale — Endangered
- Fin whale — Vulnerable
- Sperm whale — Vulnerable
Extinct Arctic animals, like the great auk, a prehistoric precursor to the penguin, and woolly mammoths once occupied Greenland.
Greenlandic Animals
American Coonhound
Easygoing and people-friendly!
American Eel
Don't eat raw eel! Their blood is poisonous to humans when consumed raw.
Ant
First evolved 100 million years ago!
Arctic Char
Arctic char is the northern-most fish; no other fish lives anywhere further north!
Arctic Fox
Extremely thick winter fur!
Arctic Hare
Eats berries found in the snow!
Arctic Wolf
Incredibly versatile and adaptive!
Atlantic Cod
One of the most popular food fishes in the world
Aurochs
Extinct ancestor of all domesticated cattle!
Bat
Detects prey using echolocation!
Bea-Tzu
The Bea-Tzu has a fast-growing coat
Beabull
An excellent companion for cats!
Bear
There are 8 different species!
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs feed for 4-12 minutes.
Bee
Rock paintings of bees date back 15,000 years
Beetle
There are more than 350,000 different species
Bird
Not all birds are able to fly!
Biscuit Beetle
The biscuit beetle form a symbiotic relationship with yeast
Bison
Largest mammal in North America!
Black Widow Spider
They typically prey on insects!
Brown-banded Cockroach
Females glue egg cases to furniture
Brown Dog Tick
Can live its entire life indoors
Butterfly
There are thought to be up 17,500 species!
Camel Cricket
The camel crickets that are found in the USA are light brown in color. They also have dark streaks all over their body.
Caribou
Males and females grow antlers
Cat
May have been domesticated up to 10,000 years ago.
Caterpillar
The larvae of a moth or butterfly!
Catfish
There are nearly 3,000 different species!
Chestnut-Sided Warbler
They inhabit regrowing forests
Chicken
First domesticated more than 10,000 years ago!
Cockroach
Dated to be around 300 million years old!
Codling Moth
Pupae are able to undergo diapause to survive poor fruit yield years and winter.
Common Furniture Beetle
The common furniture beetle feeds exclusively on wood
Common House Spider
House spiders have the ability to eat most insects in a home.
Common Loon
Also known as the Great Northern Diver
Common Raven
A group of ravens is called an unkindness or a conspiracy.
Cormorant
They can fly 35 mph and dive 150 feet below water.
Cow
There are nearly 1.5 billion worldwide!
Crab
There are 93 different crab groups
Crane
Many are critically endangered species!
Deer
There are around 40 different species!
Dog
First domesticated in South-East Asia!
Dog Tick
Dog ticks feed on dogs and other mammals
Doxle
Doxles have long floppy ears
Dragonfly
It's larvae are carnivorous!
Duck
Rows of tiny plates line their teeth!
Eagle
Has exceptional eyesight!
Earthworm
They are hermaphrodites, which means they have male and female organs
Eider
Eiders are sexually dimorphic, with males being larger and more colorful.
Ermine
A very bold and ferocious predator!
Flea
Adult fleas can jump up to 7 inches in the air
Fly
There are more than 240,000 different species!
Fox
Only 12 species are considered "true foxes"
Freshwater Eel
Freshwater eels are actually catadromous, meaning they migrate to saltwater to spawn
Fruit Fly
Fruit flies are among the most common research animals in the world
German Cockroach
The most common type of urban roach
Glass Lizard
Can grow up to 4ft long!
Glowworm
Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!
Goose
There are 29 different species!
Grasshopper
There are 11,000 known species!
Greenland Dog
Strong and speedy breed of dog!
Grey Heron
Male grey herons are picky about their mates. They'll reject a female that they don't fancy.
Grizzly Bear
Less than 10% make it into adulthood
Gypsy Moth
One of the most invasive species in the world
Hamster
Able to run as quickly backwards as forwards!
Harbor Porpoise
Surprisingly, not a dolphin!
Hare
Can reach speeds of over 50 mph!
Hawk Moth Caterpillar
Many hawk moth caterpillars eat toxins from plants, but don’t sequester them the way milkweed butterflies do. Most toxins are excreted.
Heron
Inhabits wetlands around the world!
Highland Cattle
Natively found in the Scottish Highlands!
Honey Bee
There are only 8 recognized species!
Hooded Seal
Hooded seal pups are called bluebacks because the color of the fur on their back is blue-gray. This pretty color made people want to make fur coats out of them and made them a target for hunters.
Horse
Has evolved over 50 million years!
Housefly
The fly has no teeth
Human
Thought to have orignated 200,000 years ago!
Ichthyostega
Ichthyostega was one of the first aquatic animals to venture on land
Insects
There are an estimated 30 million species!
King Eider
The species name, spectabilis, is Latin for “showy” or “remarkable,” referencing the attractiveness of the adult male’s plumage.
Kingfisher
Inhabits wetlands and woodlands worldwide!
Ladybug
There are more than 5,000 species worldwide!
Leech
Has 10 pairs of eyes!
Lemming
Does not hibernate during the bitter Arctic winter!
Lizard
There are around 5,000 different species!
Lone Star Tick
Only females have the ‘lone star’ marking
Long-Eared Owl
Ear tufts make it look bigger!
Mallard
With an appropriate tail wind, the mallard can travel hundreds of miles a day
Mealybug
They have a symbiotic relationship with ants.
Millipede
Some species have a poisonous bite!
Mink
The mink can swim up to 100 feet underwater.
Mole
Primarily hunts and feeds on Earthworms!
Mongrel
Has characteristics of two or more breeds!
Moose
Renews it's enormous antlers every year!
Mosquito
Only the female mosquito actually sucks blood
Moth
There are 250,000 different species!
Mountain Lion
Has no real natural predators!
Mouse
Found on every continent on Earth!
Mule
The offspring of a horse and donkey parents!
Muskox
Muskox have several physical characteristics that allow them to survive in the Arctic climate.
Nematode
Nematodes range in size from 1/10 of an inch to 28 feet long
Opossum
Thought to be immune to certain snake venom!
Orb Weaver
Females are about four times the size of males
Otter
There are 13 different species worldwide
Owl
The owl can rotate its head some 270 degrees
Panther
Prefers to hunt at night than during the day!
Pheasant
Females lay between 8 and 12 eggs per clutch!
Pigeon
They can find their way back to their nests from up to 1300 miles away.
Pika
Found in mountainous regions and rocky areas
Pink Salmon
The smallest of the North American salmon
Polar Bear
Could be extinct within the next 30 years!
Puffin
Can remain in the water for up to 2 minutes!
Quail
Inhabits woodland and forest areas worldwide!
Raccoon
Known to wash their food before eating it!
Rat
Omnivores that eat anything!
Reindeer
Also known as the Caribou
Rodents
The capybara, the world’s largest rodent, likes to be in and around bodies of water. Because of this, the Catholic Church in South America decided that it was a fish, and people were allowed to eat it during Lent and First Fridays.
Rooster
Will mate with the entire flock!
Ruddy Turnstone
They flip over stones to find prey
Salamander
There are more than 700 different species!
Sand Crab
The sand crab burrows beneath the sand with its tail
Sea Eagle
The sea eagle tends to mate for life with a single partner
Shrew
The spinal column of the shrew Scutisorex somereni is so strong and reinforced that it can support the weight of an adult human.
Shrimp
There are 2,000 different species worldwide!
Skink Lizard
Some skinks lay eggs in some habitats while giving birth to skinklets in other habitats.
Skunk
Also known as the Polecat!
Smokybrown Cockroach
Has up to 45 eggs per egg case
Snail
There are nearly 1,000 different species!
Snake
There are around 4,000 known species worldwide
Snorkie
Snorkies are known for their funny, attention-getting antics.
Snowy Owl
One of the largest owl species in the world!
Spadefoot Toad
They spend most of their time underground!
Sparrow
There are 140 different species!
Squirrel
Small rodents found in woodlands worldwide!
Stag Beetle
The stag beetle consumes rotting and decaying wood when it is in the larva stage.
Stick Insect
There are more than 3,000 different species!
Stoat
Average adults weigh about 200 grams!
Swan
Populations have been affected by pollution!
Tarantula Hawk
Tarantula hawks are excellent pollinators, especially for milkweed.
Tick
They inject hosts with a chemical that stops them from feeling the pain of the bite
Tiger Beetle
The adult tiger beetle is one of the fastest land insects in the world
Torkie
The Torkie is alert and very vocal so it makes a great watchdog.
Turtles
Some species of aquatic turtles can get up to 70 percent of their oxygen through their butt.
Vinegaroon
Vinegaroons can spray 19 times before the glands are depleted
Vulture
There are 30 different species worldwide!
Wasp
There are around 75,000 recognised species!
Weasel
The smallest carnivorous mammal in the world!
White-Tailed Eagle
It is one of the biggest birds of prey.
Wolf
Thought to date back more than 300,000 years!
Wolf Spider
Carnivorous arachnid that hunts its prey.
Woodlouse
This animal can roll up into a ball
Woodpecker
There are 200 different species!
Woodrat
Pack rats love shiny objects and will steal your jewelry.
Worm
Doesn’t have eyes.
Xeme (Sabine’s Gull)
They follow after seals and whales to eat their scraps.
Yoranian
These dogs are very intelligent and are great with children.
Greenlandic Animals List
- American Coonhound
- American Eel
- Anomalocaris
- Ant
- Arctic Char
- Arctic Fox
- Arctic Hare
- Arctic Wolf
- Atlantic Cod
- Aurochs
- Bat
- Bea-Tzu
- Beabull
- Bear
- Bed Bugs
- Bee
- Beetle
- Bird
- Biscuit Beetle
- Bison
- Black Widow Spider
- Brown-banded Cockroach
- Brown Dog Tick
- Butterfly
- Camel Cricket
- Caribou
- Cat
- Caterpillar
- Catfish
- Chestnut-Sided Warbler
- Chicken
- Cockroach
- Codling Moth
- Common Furniture Beetle
- Common House Spider
- Common Loon
- Common Raven
- Cormorant
- Cow
- Crab
- Crane
- Cuckoo
- Deer
- Dog
- Dog Tick
- Doxle
- Dragonfly
- Duck
- Eagle
- Earthworm
- Eider
- Ermine
- Flea
- Fly
- Fox
- Freshwater Eel
- Fruit Fly
- German Cockroach
- Glass Lizard
- Glowworm
- Goose
- Grasshopper
- Greenland Dog
- Grey Heron
- Grizzly Bear
- Gypsy Moth
- Hamster
- Harbor Porpoise
- Hare
- Hawk Moth Caterpillar
- Heron
- Highland Cattle
- Honey Bee
- Hooded Seal
- Horse
- Housefly
- Human
- Ichthyostega
- Insects
- King Eider
- Kingfisher
- Ladybug
- Leech
- Lemming
- Lizard
- Lone Star Tick
- Long-Eared Owl
- Mallard
- Mealybug
- Millipede
- Mink
- Mole
- Mongrel
- Moose
- Mosquito
- Moth
- Mountain Lion
- Mouse
- Mule
- Muskox
- Nematode
- Opossum
- Orb Weaver
- Otter
- Owl
- Panther
- Pheasant
- Phytosaurs
- Pigeon
- Pika
- Pike Fish
- Pink Salmon
- Polar Bear
- Puffin
- Quail
- Raccoon
- Rat
- Reindeer
- Rodents
- Rooster
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Salamander
- Sand Crab
- Sea Eagle
- Shrew
- Shrimp
- Skink Lizard
- Skunk
- Smokybrown Cockroach
- Snail
- Snake
- Snorkie
- Snowy Owl
- Spadefoot Toad
- Sparrow
- Squirrel
- Stag Beetle
- Stick Insect
- Stoat
- Swallowtail Butterfly
- Swan
- Tarantula Hawk
- Tick
- Tiger Beetle
- Torkie
- Turtles
- Vinegaroon
- Vulture
- Wasp
- Weasel
- White-Tailed Eagle
- Wolf
- Wolf Spider
- Woodlouse
- Woodpecker
- Woodrat
- Worm
- Xeme (Sabine’s Gull)
- Yoranian
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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is the Most Common Animal in Greenland?
Researchers currently don’t have reliable counts. However, educated guesses point to either reindeer or Arctic hares as the most common animal in Greenland. Although, one of the 700 insect populations may outnumber both mammal species.
Are There Dangerous Animals in Greenland?
Yes, polar bears live in Greenland, and they rank among the most dangerous animals in the world. The gigantic bears can kill humans with just one “punch.”
Does Greenland Have Indigenous Animals?
Approximately 26 mammals are indigenous to Greenland and its surrounding waters. Although reindeer have decent populations in the region, they’re not native species. Instead, caribou arrived with Europeans who colonized the island.
Arctic hares, Arctic foxes, and musk oxen are indigenous to the region, as our several types of whales.
Does Greenland Have a Zoo?
Greenland doesn’t have a formal zoo. However, people book guided wildlife tours, which many consider being a superior and more humane “zoo” experience.
