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United States: Fauna

Total Number of Known Living Species: Over 366,000 Flora and Fauna

(Numbers are approximate due to various reporting methods by varied qualified organizations.)

  • Fauna: Exceeds 307,192 species – about 3.5% of the world’s ~8.7 million estimated animal species.
    • 164,000 insect species identified (could be as high as 300,000, still being identified)
    • Over 140,000 invertebrate species. (Scientists expect this may be as high as 200,000.)
    • 1,154 fish species (does not include US maritime waters).
    • Over 1,000 bird species (including migratory birds)
    • 311 reptile species
    • 432 mammal species
    • 295 amphibian species
    • 1,106 animal species are classified as threatened or endangered. (IUCN)
  • Fauna of Alaska: Over 23,700 species. 95% of Alaska’s animal species are invertebrates.  
  • Fauna of Hawaii: 16,549 species
    About 47% of Hawaii’s animal species are endemic, they exist nowhere else.
  • Fauna of Puerto Rico:
    The insect population of Puerto Rico has been drastically reduced since the 1970s, including 98% of the ground level population and 80% of the canopy population.