Leonida is going to be crowded with life. In its September 29 cover story, Game Informer revealed that Grand Theft Auto VI will feature more than 170 animal species across land, air and sea, and that some of them have never appeared in a Rockstar game before.
The news builds on the weather details from the same feature, which we covered in our GTA 6 weather system article. Here is what we know about the animals.
Image coming soon: Wildlife in Leonida in GTA 6
The Numbers: 170+ Species
Game Informer reports that Leonida contains over 170 species. The breakdown includes:
- More than 60 types of birds
- More than 30 land mammals
- Many fish, reptiles and other creatures
Rockstar says the goal was to reflect Florida’s diverse ecosystem faithfully. According to Michael Kane, the studio’s vice president of dynamic art, the wildlife spans urban and rural areas, aquatic life in both inland waters and the ocean, and wetland habitats such as swamps and the Everglades.
Image coming soon: Swamp wildlife in Leonida, GTA 6's version of the Everglades
Confirmed Animals So Far
Not every species has been named, but reports from the cover story list the following.
Native Florida wildlife:
- Manatees
- Flamingos
- Pelicans
- Alligators
Invasive and exotic animals:
- Green iguanas
- Cane toads
- Feral cats
- Rhesus macaque monkeys
Marine life:
- Sharks
- Whales
- Rays
- Turtles
- Jellyfish
Game Informer describes a mix of native, exotic and outright invasive species, which mirrors the real Florida. Yes, Florida really does have wild monkeys, and Rockstar has included them.
Image coming soon: Lucia scuba diving among marine life in GTA 6
Rare, Discoverable and Legendary Animals
One of the biggest gameplay-related details is an animal rarity system. Some creatures are categorized as Rare, Discoverable or Legendary, and players can track them. This echoes the system Rockstar used in Red Dead Redemption 2, where hunters could study animals and hunt down hard-to-find Legendary ones.
Rockstar hasn’t revealed which animals fall into each category. The studio appears to be keeping those identities secret on purpose, so finding them is a surprise. Expect the community to start hunting for them as soon as the game launches.
If you are new to the series, a Legendary animal in RDR2 was a unique, harder-to-find creature that rewarded players for exploring remote areas. We don’t yet know what the rewards are in GTA 6.
How the Animals Look and Behave
Rockstar says it has pushed the visuals of its animals further than before. Reported details include:
- Bioluminescence, iridescence and translucency: Some animals, particularly those in the water, show these effects.
- Feathers and fur: A new system covers feather types, hair and coats. Fur reportedly reacts to interaction with people.
- Dirt and water: The studio is simulating dirt matting and clumping, including when animals get wet, plus variation in color and coat.
- Distinct movement: Marine animals reportedly move in ways that fit their species.
These details tie into the weather system. Wind that ripples water and storms that soak the landscape give the wildlife systems more to react to, though Rockstar hasn’t explained exactly how the two connect.
Image coming soon: Detailed animal fur and feathers in GTA 6
Where You’ll Find Them
The Everglades-style swamps, coastal waters and rural areas are the obvious homes for most wildlife. Our Locations hub lists the regions announced so far, including Grassriver Marshlands and the Leonida Keys. Neither page confirms specific animals there, because Rockstar hasn’t tied species to regions yet. For scale, read our map size breakdown.
Does Wildlife Affect Gameplay?
This is the main open question. Rockstar has confirmed tracking and rarity tiers, but not whether you can hunt animals, how they behave around people, or how they respond to danger. Some outlets have speculated that animals could hunt, flee or feed in RDR2 style, but Rockstar hasn’t confirmed that for GTA 6. Treat those ideas as speculation until the studio says more.
It also isn’t known whether animals feed into missions, collectibles or Online. One outlet’s headline also mentioned a zoo on the map, but we couldn’t verify it with Rockstar or Game Informer, so we are not treating it as confirmed.
What We Don’t Know Yet
- The full species list
- Which animals are Rare, Discoverable or Legendary
- How tracking works
- Whether animals can be hunted, tamed or photographed
- How wildlife changes during storms and hurricanes
Image coming soon: Panoramic view of Leonida in GTA 6
What to Expect Next
GTA 6 launches November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with pre-loading starting November 12. LOVE magazine’s GTA 6 issue arrives October 5, so more details could follow. We will update this article as Rockstar shares more.
For more on what Rockstar has revealed so far, see our Vice City starter guide and our September 2026 news roundup.
Related: Weather System · Locations · Everything We Know · News