Do you know the German word for cat? How about the strange and funny names some German animals have? Well we aim to give you as much information as you need about German animal vocabulary in this latest article.
Learning German related to animals is going to be a breeze with our translations and handy pronunciations you can listen to to help you practice sounding like a native speaker.
We’ll be looking at German vocabulary related to farm animals, exotic animals, common animals, German pets and their names and more!
Are you ready to learn what are animals called in German? Let’s get going!
What Is The National Animal Of Germany?
The national animal of Germany can be seen on the federal coat of arms and is a golden eagle. It’s often depicted as having black feathers and red feet. It’s also the national symbol of Germany and its national bird.
Why Is The Eagle The National Symbol of Germany?
Throughout history, an eagle has imbued the idea of supreme and divine status. An eagle also represents the vitality and the sun. Unfortunately, this particular black eagle is endangered in Germany and the rest of Europe.
What Are Native Animals Called In German?
Germany, being located in a temperate climate means they have a whole plethora of fauna for you to potentially see. Of course, like in any country, the majority of animals stay away from urban areas and are best seen while hiking or on road trips into the wilds of Germany.
Here are some common animals found in Germany along with their German animal names.
Chamois (Gämse)
Found in mountainous areas, gämse look a lot like goats and like goats, are hunted or farmed for their meat. Germans refer to this meat as a delicacy. In the wild, you may see them bounding up in the air as high as 19 feet and running at speeds around 30 miles per hour!
Red Fox (Roter Fuchs)
Red foxes have no qualms about where they live. You’ll find them in farmhouses, cities (even right downtown) or out in the countryside. If you’ve ever read The Fantastic Mr Fox, then you’ll know just how mischievous these creatures are. They can also be hunted for sport, although it’s not as popular an event as it is over in England.
Greater Horseshoe Bat (Große Hufeisennase)
The Greater Horseshoe Bat isn’t your typical bat. It’s the largest of its kind in Europe and lives longer than any other bat. Some have been recorded as aged over 30 years old! You may see them flying overhead at night anywhere throughout the country as they can live in numerous locations, even inside people’s roofs.
Bicolored Shrew (Zweifarbige Spitzmaus)
Appearing more like a spikeless hedgehog than anything else, the bicolored shrew is found in eastern, southern, and central Europe. It’s a nocturnal creature and you’re really only likely to come across one camping or on farmland.
European Badger (Europäischer Dachs)
Don’t let its cuteness fool you! Badgers no matter where they’re found are rather vicious creatures. They’re highly protective of their burrows and young. They hibernate during the winter so you’re most likely to see them in spring and autumn when they’re most actively looking for and scavenging for food.
Wild Boar (Wildschwein)
The wild boar is hunted for a sport in Germany. It can be a rather nasty beast should it choose to run at you. They can run fast and are known to gore people, so stay away from them if you can when you’re hiking though the German forests!
European Wildcat (Europäische Wildkatze)
The European wildcat is sort of like a large house cat, except it prefers to hunt larger mammals like rabbits. Definitely not friendly like a housecat, these will be a rare site to see out in the wild.
European Pine Marten (Europäischer Baummarder)
So cute! The European pine marten is related to badgers, weasels, otters, and minks. They are largely nocturnal so you’re unlikely to see one. They eat eggs and small creatures and live in burrows.
Fire Salamander (Feuersalamander)
Be careful! These guys release poison! Most poison is released near the head, but its entire body can release toxins as well which are harmful to humans, hence its name. The fire salamander is typically found in cool and wet high-altitude forests near a pond or stream. They look pretty, but don’t touch!
Alpine Ibex (Alpensteinbock)
The Ibex is essentially a wild mountain goat. They are easily seen in the mountain regions of Germany and don’t shy away from people. Males and females tend to live separately and the ones with horns are the males.
Which Animals In Germany Are Considered Endangered?
Besides Germany’s national bird, the black eagle, there are a few other animals that if you get to see them would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Here are three of the more critically endangered German animals.
Gray Wolf (Grauer Wolf)
Amazingly gray wolves returned to Germany in the 90s after being considered extinct for more than 100 years. A few dozen roam the lands wild and their numbers appear to be increasing, however, hunters remain the greatest threat to their continued existence.
Eurasian Otter (Eurasischer Fischotter)
The Eurasian otter was hunted to extinction but recently was reintroduced to the region. With continued pollution of their habitats though, it’s unclear if the efforts will work as their main food sources are being poisoned.
Danube Salmon (Donaulachs)
Home to the German Back Forest is the largest species of Salmon in Europe. With the potential to grow more than 5 feet long, they have been hunted to endangerment but other factors such as dams, deforestation and pollution are playing a role in their population decline as well.
Hilarious German Animal Names
So it turns out the Germans have an amazing sense of humor when it comes to naming some common German animals. For instance, can you guess which animal is spiky pig, little earth man or stink animal? Let’s find out!
1. Nose Bear
Real name: Anteater
Name in German: Der Nasenbär
2.Wash Bear
Real name: Raccoon
Name in German: Der Waschbär
3. Flutter Mouse
Real name: Bat
Name in German: die Fledermaus
4. Threatening Chicken
Real name: Turkey
Name in German: der Truthahn
6. Lazy Animal
Real name: Sloth
Name in German: das Faultier
7. Belt Animal
Real name: Armadillo
Name in German: das Gürteltier
8. Beak Animal
Real name: Platypus
Name in German: das Schnabeltier
9. Stink Animal
Real name: Skunk
Name in German: das Stinktier
10. Little Earth Man
Real name: Meerkat
Name in German: das Erdmännchen
11. River Horse
Real name: Hippo
Name in German: das Nilpferdd
12. Spike Pig
Real name: Porcupine
Name in German: das Stachelschwein
13.Water Pig
Real name: Capybara
Name in German: das Wasserschwein
Vocabulary List Of Common Animal Names In German
Let’s go over these lists we’ve made of different animal names in German and their meaning! Each vocabulary list of animals in German is divided into categories making it easier to learn the German word you’re looking for.
Zoo Animal Names In German
Who doesn’t love a zoo?! These are some of the more familiar zoo animal names in German that you may see at zoos across Germany.
Farm Animals in German
There are petting zoos and farms across Germany where you can stop in and enjoy farm life. Here are some farm animal names in German that you’ll be sure to recognize.
How To Say Pet Names In German
Ahh pets! You’ll be wanting to know these if you’re interested in buying a pet or visiting the home of someone who has a pet.
Jungle Animal Names In German
While Germany doesn’t have a jungle or a rainforest, you might be interested in what some of these animals are called anyways.
Bird Names In The German Language
Many people around the world love birds. While we didn’t include every bird name in German, we tried to include some common or interesting ones.
Sea Animals In German
Heading to the beach? Well, there are actually a few beaches in Northern Germany to check out where you may see some of these sea creatures.
German Animal Names For Insects
Dreaded or beloved insects… here is what some are called in German in case you see one and want to scream or point out how beautiful it is!
| English | German Translation | Pronunciation |
| ant | meise | |
| bee | Biene | |
| beetle | Käfer | |
| butterfly | Schmetterling | |
| caterpillar | Raupe | |
| fly | fliegen | |
| mosquito | Moskito | |
| spider | Spinne | |
| wasp | Wespe |
Continue Learning With The Ling App!
Now that you have the answer to your question; what are animals called in German? How would you like to keep learning with us?!
Right here on our language blog, we can help you learn to introduce yourself and also how to ask for directions in German too (just in case you get lost trying to find a local zoo).
But the best way to learn German is to have Ling App in your pocket with you everywhere you go! No matter your level of German (beginner, intermediate or advanced) Ling will help to improve your language skills so that you’ll sound like a native!
It only takes 10-15minutes of dedication a day and bonus -Ling has 60 languages to choose from!
Ling even has an AI chatbot that you can speak with and that will check your pronunciation so you know that you’ll sound just like a native German person, or whatever country’s language you’re trying to learn.
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