Below you can find a complete list of South Atlantic Ocean animals. We currently track 90 animals in South Atlantic and are adding more every day!
The world’s deep oceans have been compared to a desert – vast expanses with comparatively little visible life. Yet, the world’s oceans, including the South Atlantic Ocean, are teaming with wild animals – docile, dangerous, and unique.
The South Atlantic Ocean borders the coasts of Africa and South America.
The area contains a variety of habitats ranging from warm tropical beaches to cold seafloor mountains and valleys that exist in total darkness.
Read on to learn about the rarest and unique wildlife to be found in the crashing waves and depths of the South Atlantic!
South Atlantic Animals Summary
What familiar and unusual animal species live in the South Atlantic? As with all of the world’s oceans, this saltwater environment is home to microscopic plankton, many species of fish, marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, and seals, sea turtles, birds, crustaceans, jellyfish, marine invertebrates, and more.
The variety does not end there, however. Colorful tropical fish and small sharks stalk coastal coral reefs. Huge whales, manta rays, and basking sharks open their mouths to feast on the smallest of creatures, plankton, and krill. Seagulls and their relatives fill the skies, while flightless penguins hunt from warm and cold shores.
The Official National Animal of the South Atlantic
The United Nations’ Law of the Sea Convention in 1982 limited “territorial waters” – those belonging to and controlled by a specific country – to twelve nautical miles from the coast. Therefore, the bulk of the South Atlantic does not belong to any country, so it does not have a national animal.
Where To Find The Top Wild Animals in the South Atlantic
On the seafloor, at the bottom of the South Atlantic, are shallow areas known as continental shelves. These areas are home to many types of fish. People even fish there. They catch varieties such as sardines, round and Brazillian sardinella, groupers, snappers, horse mackerel, hake, pilchard, anchovy, Argentine shortfin squid,
Near the coast, fishermen hunt other prey, including northern brown shrimp, perlemoen abalone, and American cupped oyster.
Ah, but perhaps you are not interested in deep-sea fishing but in wildlife watching. Perhaps the easiest way to view South Atlantic wildlife is to visit a beach along the coast of South America or Africa.
Sometimes, unusual and exotic animals even come ashore. For example, if you want to experience the magical moment when sea turtles drag themselves ashore to lay eggs or when the babies hatch en masse and make a run for the sea, head to the beaches of Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Guyana, French Guiana, or Suriname. You have to visit at just the right time to see green, leatherback, or olive ridley sea turtles.
You can also simply put on a pair of goggles and a snorkel and go swimming. Colorful fish, crabs, and other animals will be visible anywhere that the water is clear.
Are you interested in getting up-close and personal with the toothy grin of a great white shark? Travel to South Africa, where experienced guides will take you under the water in a protective shark cage.
The Most Dangerous Animals in the South Atlantic Today
When we talk about dangerous ocean animals, sharks often come readily to mind. Worldwide, the great white shark is responsible for the most shark attacks on people, and this is true of the South Atlantic as well. Brazil and South Africa are among the top ten countries for unprovoked shark attacks.
There are, however, other dangerous animals – ones that are very hard to see. For example, the Irukandji jellyfish, native to the waters of Australia, has been known to sting people swimming in the Atlantic Ocean. It is very small, its bell or “head” is less than an inch. Its stinging tentacles can be equally small or can be more than three feet in length. Their venom is very potent and deadly. According to one researcher, the sting is “100 times as potent as that of a cobra” bite.
Endangered Animals in the South Atlantic
The South Atlantic is home to a number of exotic and endangered species. The West Indian and West African manatees or sea cows are slow-moving herbivores that can be easily injured by speedboats. They are protected species and in danger of extinction.
There are also seal, sea lion, sea turtle, and whale species on the endangered species list. These, as well as dolphins and sea birds, may become entangled in fishing nets or strangled by human trash.
South Atlantic Ocean Animals
African Penguin
The only penguin species in Africa!
Albacore Tuna
The albacore is a very fast swimmer
Albatross
The largest wingspan of any bird in the world!
Anchovies
November 12th is celebrated as National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day
Angelfish
There are 70 different species!
Barracuda
Can grow to nearly 2 meters long!
Bird
Not all birds are able to fly!
Blue Whale
The largest animal on Earth
Bluefin Tuna
The bluefin is one of the largest fish in the world
Bonito Fish
May eat squid or other small invertebrate ocean life
Bottlenose Dolphin
Stays in groups from 15 to 2,000 in number!'
Bull Shark
Unpredictable and aggressive temperament!
Butterfly Fish
There are more than 100 different species!
Chimaera
Also called ghost shark
Clownfish
Also known as the anemonefish!
Colossal Squid
Can survive eating a single fish for months
Coral
Thought to be around 70,000 different species!
Crab
There are 93 different crab groups
Cuttlefish
Found throughout the world's oceans!
Dolphin
Can reach speeds of up to 25 mph!
Drum Fish
The drum fish makes a croaking sound with its swimming bladder!
Dusky Dolphin
Communicates using whistles, squeaks and clicks!
Eel
Eels can be a mere few inches long to 13 feet!
Elephant Seal
The largest species of seal in the world!
False Killer Whale
The false killer whale looks like a cross between a dolphin and orca!
Fangtooth
Has the largest teeth compared to body size of any known fish
Fin Whale
Found throughout ocean waters worldwide!
Fish
Respire through the gills on their heads!
Flounder
A flat fish found in the Atlantic and Pacific!
Fly
There are more than 240,000 different species!
Frigatebird
Found inhabiting tropical islands and coasts!
Great White Shark
Can grow to more than 8 meters long!
Grey Seal
One of the rarest species of seal on Earth
Hagfish
Can use slim to suffocate marine predators or escape capture
Hammerhead Shark
Found in coastal waters around the world!
Hermit Crab
There are over 500 different species!
Herring
People enjoy the taste of the oily fish in many different ways including pickled, smoked, salted, dried and fermented.
Horseshoe Crab
Changed little in over 500 million years!
Humboldt Penguin
Found on the South American coast!
Humpback Whale
There are thought to be 80,000 left in the wild!
Immortal Jellyfish
Excellent hitchhiker on long-trip cargo ships
Insects
There are an estimated 30 million species!
Jellyfish
Have tentacles around their mouths!
Killer Whale
Typically consumes over 200 kg of food a day!
King Crab
Can have a leg span of nearly 2 meters!
Krill
The krill is perhaps the most important animal in the marine ecosystem!
Lobster
Have been known to reach 100 years old!
Magellanic Penguin
Threatened by oil spills!
Manatee
Also known as the Sea Cow!
Manta Ray
Can grow up to 9m wide!
Minke Whale
There are two recognised species!
Moray Eel
Can grow to nearly 2 meters in length!
Nurse Shark
Commonly found in Central American waters!
Octopus
There are around 300 different species!
Oyster
Can process up to 10 litres of water an hour!
Penguin
Spends 75% of it's time hunting for food!
Pufferfish
The second most poisonous creature in the world!
Rockhopper Penguin
There are 3 different species!
Sardines
Schools of sardines can be miles long and are often visible from an airplane
Sawfish
Sawfish teeth keep growing as the fish gets older
Sea Lion
It's flippers allow it to walk on the land
Sea Slug
All sea slugs have both male and female sex organs
Sea Squirt
There are more than 3,000 known species!
Sea Turtle
Always return to the same beach to lay eggs!
Sea Urchin
Can live for up to 200 years!
Seahorse
Males give birth to up to 1,000 offspring!
Seal
There are 30 different species worldwide!
Shark
No shark species has any bones in their bodies
Shrimp
There are 2,000 different species worldwide!
Skipjack Tuna
The skipjack is the most commonly caught tuna in the world
Snail
There are nearly 1,000 different species!
Sperm Whale
Each tooth weighs 1kg!
Spiny Dogfish
Found in ocean waters worldwide!
Sponge
There are more than 9,000 known species!
Squid
Some species are known to have 10 arms!
Starfish
Has 2 stomachs to aid digestion!
Stingray
It's stinger is razor-sharp or serrated!
Tarpon
Its genus dates back to the Cretaceous period – 113 million years ago
Tiger Shark
The fourth biggest species of shark in the world!
Toadfish
Can be heard out of water
Tropicbird
Nests on tropical islands and cliffs!
Tuna
The tuna has a sleek body that enables it to swim quickly through the water
Wandering Albatross
Featured in “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”
Whale Shark
The largest species of fish in the world!
Wolffish
The wolffish has impressive canines with a powerful bite force!
Wrasse
There are more than 500 different species!
Yellowfin Tuna
The yellowfin forms schools with other tuna species
South Atlantic Ocean Animals List
- African Penguin
- Albacore Tuna
- Albatross
- Anchovies
- Angelfish
- Barnacle
- Barracuda
- Basking Shark
- Bird
- Blue Whale
- Bluefin Tuna
- Bonito Fish
- Bottlenose Dolphin
- Bull Shark
- Butterfly Fish
- Chimaera
- Clownfish
- Colossal Squid
- Coral
- Crab
- Cuttlefish
- Dolphin
- Drum Fish
- Dusky Dolphin
- Eel
- Elephant Seal
- False Killer Whale
- Fangtooth
- Fin Whale
- Fish
- Flounder
- Fly
- Frigatebird
- Great White Shark
- Grey Seal
- Hagfish
- Hammerhead Shark
- Hermit Crab
- Herring
- Horseshoe Crab
- Humboldt Penguin
- Humpback Whale
- Immortal Jellyfish
- Insects
- Jellyfish
- Killer Whale
- King Crab
- Krill
- Lobster
- Magellanic Penguin
- Manatee
- Manta Ray
- Minke Whale
- Moray Eel
- Nurse Shark
- Octopus
- Oyster
- Penguin
- Prawn
- Pufferfish
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Sardines
- Sawfish
- Sea Lion
- Sea Slug
- Sea Squirt
- Sea Turtle
- Sea Urchin
- Seahorse
- Seal
- Shark
- Shrimp
- Skipjack Tuna
- Snail
- Sperm Whale
- Spiny Dogfish
- Sponge
- Squid
- Starfish
- Stingray
- Tarpon
- Tiger Shark
- Toadfish
- Tropicbird
- Tuna
- Wandering Albatross
- Whale Shark
- Wolffish
- Wrasse
- Yellowfin Tuna
Animals in South Atlantic FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Where in the world is the South Atlantic located?
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world’s oceans. It fills the void between the Americas, Europe, and Africa. The South Atlantic Ocean, specifically, is the ocean between Africa and South America.
What animals live in the South Atlantic?
There are many, many species of fish. They range from tiny, colorful reef fish to massive sharks, such as the basking shark and the great white shark.
Whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions also call the South Atlantic home. These are all types of marine mammals.
There are also many sea birds. These include gulls, albatross, petrels, and their relatives as well as penguins. Did you know that some penguins live on warm African beaches?
We can’t forget sea turtles and invertebrates like shrimp, crabs, jellyfish, clams, and sea snails.
What is the rarest animal in the South Atlantic?
What is the rarest and most unusual animal of the South Atlantic? The spectacle porpoise is one of the most little-known whales in the world.
What is the most unique animal of the South Atlantic?
The most strange and exotic animals of the South Atlantic are tiny organisms that live around the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, such as the bathypelagic ctenophore or comb jelly.
