Meet All 12 Animals in the Ice Age Movie

Written by Heather Hall
Updated: July 13, 2023
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Ice Age is a 2002 animated film directed by Chris Wedge and Carlos Saldanha. The movie follows the adventures of three animals – Manny, an elderly mammoth; Sid, an energetic sloth; and Diego, a saber-toothed tiger – as they work together to reunite a human infant with its family. Along their journey, the trio encounters several other creatures from the ice age, such as woolly mammoths, rhinos, aardvarks, and more! With plenty of laughs along the way and some heartwarming moments, Ice Age will surely be enjoyed by viewers of all ages.

Saber-Toothed Squirrel

Squirrel plush toy from Cartoon

Scrat was a character made popular in the Ice Age movies.


Image: Pixiemoments photography, Shutterstock

©Pixiemoments photography/Shutterstock.com

Scrat was a saber-toothed squirrel in the time of the Ice Age, and he took his prized acorn with him everywhere he went. He went on a search to find more acorns and nuts, but then he encountered another saber-tooth squirrel, Scratte, who stole his heart. Despite that, he eventually returned to his beloved acorn. Later, Scrat got frozen in a block of ice and amazingly survived for twenty thousand years before washing up on a tropical beach. When he did, he lost the acorn and instead found a coconut, which he treated like his acorn. However, he accidentally caused a volcanic cataclysm when he tried to store it.

Animals in the Ice Age Movie: Marauchenias

The Marauchenias, which are also known as Freaky Mammals, were huge animals that lived during the ice age. They had stout bodies, tiny ears, long slender necks and legs, thick three-toed feet, and long tails. One of their most distinguishing features was their short trunks which they used to carry objects such as branches. The freaky mammals usually traveled in groups, and when threatened, they could move quickly because of their long legs. Generally, these animals were golden yellow in color. However, some were different shades of brown due to where they came from.

Palaeotheriums

Palaeotherium magnum Cuvier, vintage photo. From the Universe and Humanity, 1910.

Palaeotheriums are an extinct genus of primitive hoofed mammals that existed during the Eocene epoch, which spanned from 56 to 33.9 million years ago.

©Morphart Creation/Shutterstock.com

The Start family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Start, who were minor characters who complained about the heat as they sat on cracking and thinning ice.

Palaeotheriums are an extinct genus of primitive hoofed mammals that existed during the Eocene epoch, which spanned from 56 to 33.9 million years ago. They were part of a larger group called “palaeotheres” and were close relatives of horses and tapirs. Palaeotheriums were about the size of a sheep or goat, with short legs and long front claws used for digging up tubers and roots. Their bodies had thick fur, which may have provided insulation against the cold European conditions during this period. Although they are not prominently featured in the Ice Age movies, Palaeotheriums provides an interesting glimpse into what animals looked like millions of years ago!

Animals in the Ice Age Movie: Glyptodon

Glyptodon was genus of large, heavily armored mammals of the subfamily Glyptodontinae, relatives of armadillos, that lived during the Pleistocene epoch, isolated on white background with clipping path

The Glyptodons lived primarily in South America until they went extinct about 10 thousand years ago due to climate change.

©YuRi Photolife/Shutterstock.com

Glyptodons, also known as Glyptos for short, are an extinct species of shelled creatures that resemble modern-day turtles and armadillos. They were around during the Ice Age era and would have roamed the lands in search of food. These large animals had four stout legs, which helped them move quickly across the land. Their stubby necks gave them a unique appearance as compared to other prehistoric creatures from the same period. In addition to their shell-like armor, they also had horns on top of their heads which were used for protection against predators. The Glyptodons lived primarily in South America until they went extinct about 10 thousand years ago due to climate change and human hunting. Glyptos from the Ice Age movie are Sal, Eddie, Stu, and Billy.

Aardvark

Aardvark in Masai Mara

Aardvarks aren’t extinct but were featured in the Ice Age movie.

©COULANGES/Shutterstock.com

During the Ice Age, anteaters were part of the group of animals that migrated southward, away from the once-warm forests and valleys. They found a valley with naturally-occurring pools and water slides. However, they quickly left as they learned it would soon flood over. Fortunately, the anteaters managed to escape the valley and find new homes. Aardvarks from the Ice Age movie include James, Father Aardvark, James’s brother, Mother Aardvark, Johnny, Cindy, and Geotopian Aardvark.

Mammoth

Woolly mammoth

The most famous mammoth from the Ice Age Movie is Manfred, known as Manny.

©Dotted Yeti/Shutterstock.com

Mammoths were large, four-legged, woolly creatures that usually traveled in herds, although some went solo. With their small ears, short tails, and large sizes, mammoths had few predators apart from humans. They used their size and strength to protect themselves from danger and used their tusks to gather vegetation and fruit from under the ice and snow. Mammoths also used their trunks for many things, such as to get food, comfort others, and fight back against predators. A sign of affection between mammoths was for them to lock their trunks together. These creatures had parents who looked after them until they were teenagers and then were allowed some independence.

The most famous mammoth from the Ice Age Movie is Manfred, known as Manny. He is the show’s protagonist and is grumpy at the start of the first film but becomes warm and loving by the end.

Other mammoths include Ellie, Mannie’s second wife, and Peaches, their daughter. When Peaches grows up, she marries Julian. A group of teenage mammoths includes Ethan, Katie, Meghan, Buddy, and Steffie, who have many adventures. There is also an honorable mention to Manny’s first wife and son, who were deceased.

Sloth

Baby Brown throated Three toed sloth in the mangrove, Caribbean, Costa Rica

Famous sloths from the Ice Age Movie include the protagonist, Sidney, or Sid for short.

©Damsea/Shutterstock.com

Sloths were medium-sized mammals that lived in trees, using their sharp claws to climb. They were herbivores with flat teeth, a round nose, and two round eyes on either side of their head. Additionally, they had four limbs for climbing and a short tail. To survive the cold of the ice ages, they migrated south and filled their cheeks with food such as turnips. Sloths moved slowly but could quickly find safety in the trees when needed. Males had thicker necks than females.

Famous sloths from the Ice Age Movie include the protagonist, Sidney, or Sid for short. His family abandoned him, and he became best friends with Manny and Diego. We also see Sylvia and her father. Sid’s original family, including his grandmother, are also characters. Other sloths include Jennifer, Rachel, Rose, and Francine. In the movie Ice Age: Collision Course, the main character is Brooke, a ground sloth.

Animals in the Ice Age Movie: Rhino

Rhino, Dust, Running, Charge

Rhinos aren’t extinct but were featured in the Ice Age movie.

©Corrie Barnard/Shutterstock.com

Rhinos had thick, leathery skin, strong legs, and stubby feet with three toes. Uniquely, rhinos had horns with two-pointed (or one large, flat horn with two dull ends). They traveled in large groups and could run quickly when necessary. Rhinos also migrated south for the winter with the other ice-age animals, abandoning the frozen landscapes they lived in before. Rhinos from the Ice Age Movie include Frank, Carl, and Carl’s Grandma.

Neanderthal

Primeval Caveman Wearing Animal Skin Holds Stone Tipped Spear Looks Around, Explores Prehistoric Forest in a Hunt for Animal Prey. Neanderthal Going Hunting in the Jungle

Famous Neanderthals from the Ice Age movie include the protagonist Roshan and his tribe.

©iStock.com/gorodenkoff

A Neanderthal is an extinct species of archaic humans that inhabited Europe and parts of western Asia from about 400,000 years ago until their extinction approximately 40,000 years ago. They are closely related to modern humans and were one of several early human groups living in the Pleistocene epoch. Famous Neanderthals from the Ice Age movie include the protagonist Roshan and his tribe. We also see Runar, Nadia, Albert Einstein, and Santa as minor characters.

Saber-Toothed Tiger

Saber-toothed tiger

Saber-toothed tigers had powerful jaws that allowed them to take down prey as large as mammoths.

©Rom-diz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons – License

A saber-toothed tiger, also known as a Smilodon, was an extinct species of a large cat with long protruding canine teeth. These animals lived during the Ice Age and were found in many parts of North America and South America. Their powerful jaws allowed them to take down large prey such as mammoths, bison, and horses. Saber-toothed tigers are now extinct due to climate change caused by the end of the last ice age, around 11000 years ago. The Ice Age movie features a saber-toothed tiger named Diego, who is voiced by actor Denis Leary and serves as one of the main protagonists in the film. We also see Shira, Soto, Zeke, and Oscar.

Scimitar-Toothed Cat

Scimitar Cat, homotherium serum, Sabre-toothed Cat became extinct 10 000 years ago, Museum Exhibit, Beringia Museum, Yukon, Canada

In Ice Age, Lenny is a scimitar-toothed cat that was part of a pack led by Soto.

©slowmotiongli/Shutterstock.com

A Scimitar-toothed cat is an extinct species of large carnivore that lived during the Pleistocene epoch. These cats were closely related to modern lions and tigers, and they had long, curved canine teeth, which gave them their name. They were formidable predators in their environment, preying on other animals such as horses, camels, bison, muskoxen, and mammoths. In Ice Age, Lenny is a scimitar-toothed cat that was part of a pack led by Soto.

Dodo

Stuffed dodo bird, an extinct flightless bird from Mauritius, east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

Dodo were flightless birds native to the island of Mauritius.


Image: The Art of Pics, Shutterstock

©The Art of Pics/Shutterstock.com

A Dodo bird is a type of extinct flightless bird that was native to the island of Mauritius. Its large, bulky body could weigh up to 23 pounds, making it one of the heaviest birds known. The species became extinct due to human activity, such as hunting and the destruction of its habitat. In Ice Age, we see a dodo named Dab, a minor villain, and several other unnamed dodos that know Tae Kwon Dodo.

Summary of All 12 Animals in the Ice Age Movie

Only one is fictitious and eight are extinct. Here are some of the animals from the Ice Age Movies.

AnimalDescription
1Saber-Toothed SquirrelThis is a fictitious animal created for the movie
2MaraucheniasAn extinct, large, long-necked and long-limbed, three-toed ungulate in the order Litopterna
3PalaeotheriumsThe extinct Palaeotheriums were about the size of a sheep or goat, covered in thick fur, with short legs and long front claws used for digging up tubers and roots
4GlyptodonAn extinct species of shelled creatures that resemble modern-day turtles and armadillos
5AardvarkThis native of sub-Saharan Africa looks like a pig with a long snout but is actually related to elephants
6MammothExtinct large, four-legged, woolly elephant-like animals with extra-long tusks that usually traveled in herds
7SlothSlow-moving, tree-dwelling mammals with long claws, a round noses, and round eyes on the sides of their faces
8RhinoRhinos have thick, leathery skin, strong legs, two pointed horns, and stubby feet with three toes
9NeanderthalAn extinct species of archaic humans
10Saber-Toothed TigerAlso known as a Smilodon, was an extinct species of a large cat with long protruding canine teeth
11Scimitar-Toothed CatAn extinct species of large carnivore that lived during the Pleistocene epoch – closely related to modern lions and tigers – had long, curved canine teeth
12DodoA type of extinct flightless bird that was native to the island of Mauritius – one of the heaviest birds known

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Zoriana Zaitseva/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Heather Hall is a writer at A-Z Animals, where her primary focus is on plants and animals. Heather has been writing and editing since 2012 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture. As a resident of the Pacific Northwest, Heather enjoys hiking, gardening, and trail running through the mountains with her dogs.

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