Red Dead Redemption 2 animal locations: Where to find every species in the Wild West

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Whether you're on the hunt or completing your compendium, here's where to find every Red Dead Redemption 2 animal species

Trying to find all of the Red Dead Redemption 2 animal locations is a big old task, especially given that Rockstar put so many different creatures in their Western world that they had to include a compendium in the game so players had any chance of keeping track of them. For any budding hunters scouring the plains of Red Dead Redemption 2 to find particular wildlife, we're here to act as your guide and direct you to the appropriate locations. We've got all the information required to track down these animals, but then it's your decision to study them from afar, or stalk your prey and harvest them for their pelts.

We should explain that this guide isn't intended to be an exhaustive list of every Red Dead Redemption 2 animal location available, but more a suggestion of the areas you're most likely to encounter each of the creatures in question. Some of them are found in many locations, and at the end of the day they're animals so move around the place anyway – if you're struggling to find them, revisit the location later or try somewhere else. This guide just covers the general animals in the game, so if it's legendary animals you're hunting then check out our Red Dead Redemption 2 legendary animals guide or watch the video below.

Warning: Two of the animals (Booby and Parrot) have only been found during Chapter 5 in a spoilerific location, so be careful when reading on – but make sure you don't miss them when the time comes. 

Alligator

The bayou areas surrounding Saint Denis are teeming with alligators, so look for them along the Kamassa River and Lagras.

Armadillo

New Austin is the place to look for armadillos, especially around Cholla Springs and the town of Armadillo – who knew?

Badger

Badgers can be found all over the map, but are most prevalent in the area west of the Kamassa River in Lemoyne. Other good places to look are Tall Trees northeast of Aurora Basin, and the area north of Bacchus Station near Donner Falls.

Bat

The elusive bats can be found in a few specific locations – look on the north side of Aurora Basin in Tall Trees, Bolger Glade southeast of Rhodes, or the northwest side of Elysian Pool southwest of Annesburg.

Bear

Bears regularly pop up in a few locations, so try one of these but make sure you're well armed first! Tall Trees, north of Lower Montana River around the S in 'Trees' on the map; west of Wallace Station in the north of West Elizabeth; Dakota River east of Window Rock; and north of O'Creagh's Run in Grizzlies East.

Beaver

To track down a beaver, look around the south side of Owanjila near Strawberry, north of Lake Isabella in west Ambarino, or along the Kamassa River directly west of Van Horn Trading Post.

Bison

If you're hunting bison, the Great Plains of Blackwater is a great place to look. You can also try along the rail line heading north through The Heartlands or the Heartland Overflow in New Hanover.

Black Bear

Black bears are dotted around a few locations, so take a look east of Aurora Basin in Tall Trees or along the Little Creek River to the north of West Elizabeth.

Blue Jay

This small bird can be found in many areas, but if you're struggling to locate one then check around Caliban's Seat and along the nearby Dakota River, southwest of Valentine.

Boar

If you need to find a boar, there are concentrations of them in the area around Bolger Glade southeast of Rhodes, and Bluewater Marsh north of Saint Denis.

Booby

So far this rare bird has only been spotted in Guarma, an area you access during Chapter 5. This location is not available indefinitely, so make sure you grab one while you can.

Buck

There's no shortage of bucks around the map, but if you're still unable to find one then the area north of Rhodes, or the Cumberland Forest, should have you covered.

Bull

There are a few handy spots to look if you're seeking a bull – near Little Creek River in West Elizabeth by the word 'Little'; northeast of the Heartland Oil Fields in New Hanover; and the north end of the town in Saint Denis.

Bullfrog

The bullfrog is another resident of marshy river areas, so look along the Kamassa River west of Saint Denis or visit Bluewater Marsh to the north.

Cardinal

Another small bird that's found in many locations, but search around Caliban's Seat in New Hanover or along the Dakota River to the west or south from there and you should spot one.

Chicken

Chickens can be found as livestock in many towns, so if you've not already got one then take a look in Blackwater, Valentine, or east Saint Denis.

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Iain Wilson
Iain Wilson
Guides Editor

Iain originally joined Future in 2012 to write guides for CVG, PSM3, and Xbox World, before moving on to join GamesRadar in 2013 as Guides Editor. His words have also appeared in OPM, OXM, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, and SFX. He is better known to many as ‘Mr Trophy’, due to his slightly unhealthy obsession with amassing intangible PlayStation silverware, and he now has over 1,000 Platinum pots weighing down the shelves of his virtual award cabinet. He does not care for Xbox Achievements.