They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And while it’s true that beauty is indeed subjective, there’s no denying that the following 14 animals are some of the most beautiful in the world.
Here’s our take on the 14 most beautiful animals in the world.
- White Peacock
- Blue Morpho Butterfly
- Siberian Husky
- Orca
- White Bengal Tiger
- Poison Dart Frog
- Hummingbird
- White Swan
- Mandarin Fish
- Scarlet Macaw
- Friesian horse
- Snowy Owl
- Lion
- Chameleon
I’ll tell you all about these majestic creatures in this article and show you what they look like so you can see their beauty firsthand.
1. White Peacock
When you think of beauty in the animal kingdom, the first thing that comes to mind is the Peacock. Although the default blue and green Peacock is beautiful in its own right, for this list, I’ve chosen the white Peacock.
The white Peacock, despite its monotone color, has a striking appearance. It shares physical and instinctive characteristics with its more colorful brethren – It’ll still reveal its train when attempting to court a mate or ward off predators.
However, its feathers are entirely white due to a Lecusim, a term that refers to various conditions that can cause the loss of pigmentation, resulting in a white or pale look. It’s not uncommon in the animal kingdom.
While it is a disadvantageous genetic condition (it causes feathers to weaken), in this case, it gives the white Peacock a unique, almost improved look.
The rarity and stunning beauty of this animal make it a treat to witness in person.
2. Blue Morpho Butterfly
Butterflies possess innate beauty. If you think about it, they’re one of the few insects we avoid hurting because of how naturally beautiful and innocent-looking they are.
The Blue Morpho butterfly is one of the most beautiful among its species. Its large wingspan can range anywhere from 5 to 8 inches, allowing it to show off its beautiful blue color.
Perhaps this butterfly’s charm can be owed to its vivid blue, which is the rarest color in nature. When was the last time you saw a blue plant or animal?
Interestingly, the Blue Morpho isn’t truly ‘blue’ either, meaning that it doesn’t have blue pigment on its skin. It manages to sport a blue color on its wings by reflecting light off multiple thin layers of scales.
3. Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky – native to north Siberia – makes our list with its striking facial features and powerful, wolf-like physique. Siberian Huskies are medium-sized dogs and were originally bred to pull sleds, which means that over the generations, they’ve developed extraordinary strength, endurance, and athleticism.
The dog’s fluffy, thick double coat is meant to offer it protection against the harsh Siberian cold. As such, Siberian Huskies usually don’t do too well in hotter climates.
Their coat is usually white and brown, and their eyes a light blue. Other common color combinations exist.
Today, Siberian Huskies are one of the more popular dog breeds and make excellent house pets. Not only are they strong and intelligent, but they’re also very loyal and super-friendly.
4. Orca
The Orca, also commonly referred to as the killer whale, is the largest among the dolphin family. A single adult Orca can weigh as much as 6 tons. It’s an apex predator and pretty much uncontested under the waters.
While the Orca is a very beautiful ocean creature, what truly stands out about it is its sheer intelligence.
Orcas are the most intelligent sea animal and can thus form complex hunting strategies. There have been well-documented cases of Orcas coordinating during hunts to catch prey that would otherwise be able to escape.
They even hunt great white sharks.
5. White Bengal Tiger
Native to northeast India and the regions nearby, the White Bengal Tiger is a symbol of unmatched power and beauty. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not albinoism that causes it to differ from the standard Bengal Tiger in appearance; it has to do with genetics.
The White Bengal Tiger inherits a recessive gene that causes it to not produce the orange pigment responsible for giving its skin and coat its natural color. Both parents must have this gene for the offspring to be born as a white tiger.
This is a type of leucism similar to the one we saw in the white Peacock above.
For some unexplicit reason, the White Bengal Tiger also grows slightly larger and heavier than its orange peers.
Unfortunately, the White Bengal Tiger is endangered due to excessive poaching and loss of habitat. The rarity and value of its white coat make it a prime target for poachers.
6. Poison Dart Frog
Poison Dart Frogs are little multicolored frogs native to southern America. Even though they’re tiny, their poison ranks amongst the deadliest on Earth. Their colorful appearance is intended to ward predators off by indicating toxicity.
There is considerable variance in how poisonous a random dart frog can be. Some of the less poisonous ones could leave you with swelling or a rash if you’re lucky. The more poisonous ones, such as the golden dart frog, have enough poison to kill several adult men.
Either way, you should avoid getting too close. Their beauty is best observed at a distance.
By the way, they’re called ‘dart frogs’ because natives used to use their poison to cover the tip of their darts and arrows to increase the likelihood of a kill.
7. Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are tiny birds (they’re usually no longer than 3-5 inches) that flutter their wings rapidly! They can flutter their wings up to 80 times per second. And they have such incredible control over their wings that they can suspend themselves in the air as if they were stationary.
Hummingbirds may be small, but that only adds to their beauty. They have bright feathers with vivid colors.
Hummingbirds have a long, pointy beak that they use to suck the nectar out of flowers. They need frequent meals to not starve since they have a very fast metabolism relative to their body mass. The presence of hummingbirds indicates a thriving ecosystem with plenty of food around.
8. White Swan
A symbol of grace and elegance, the white Swan is yet another avian that makes it on our list. You can find swans in freshwater habitats such as ponds and lakes. Their long necks and effortless movement have made them the subject of much admiration both in historical and modern times.
The Swan’s inherent beauty and elegance are most apparent when it engages in a mating dance. Both swans follow each other’s movement, displaying harmony you wouldn’t expect from the animal kingdom.
If you haven’t watched Swans’ mating dance yet, I highly recommend you do.
9. Mandarin Fish
Mandarin fish are considered the most beautiful saltwater fish, and it doesn’t take much to figure out why.
The colorful Mandarin fish resides in the deep corals of the Pacific Ocean. It prefers to keep to itself under cover of the ocean rocks during the daytime – when predators are active and danger is high – and comes out during the night.
It sports a deep blue, along with some orange and yellow – an exciting combination, particularly for an underwater species.
And – unlike the Blue Morpho Butterfly – the Mandarin Fish is actually blue: it’s one of the very few animals in nature that produce a blue pigment.
The fish is highly sought after by fishermen, divers, and seafood enthusiasts alike.
10. Scarlet Macaw
The Scarlet Macaw is a medium to large-sized bird native to the lush rainforests of South America. They’re best known for their beautiful plumage – bright red, with some yellow, blue, and green mixed in around the edges of their wings and tails as well.
Macaws are very popular house pets these days. They’re not only very pleasing to look at, but they’re also highly intelligent and capable of offering engaging and fun interaction to their owners.
A parrot, the Scarlet Macaw can replicate human speech fairly well, which makes things all the more interesting when owning one as a pet.
11. Friesian horse
The Friesian horse hails from Friesland, the Netherlands. It’s thought to be among the oldest horse breeds alive today. The Friesian horse has a unique black coat, which isn’t typical of horses, and really makes it stand out.
Additionally, Freisian horses are strong, muscular, and bulky, but also surprisingly athletic and nimble, which complements their natural beauty perfectly.
They’re friendly, loyal, well-tempered, and have the ability to keep their cool under stressful situations – all valuable qualities to have in a horse.
Fresian horses are relatively rare in the US, but they make up a sizeable portion of the Netherlands’ horse population. Overall, they aren’t doing too bad for a breed that almost once went extinct!
12. Snowy Owl
If you’ve been around owls before, you’ll know that they’re absolutely adorable! They have a round, puffy body and large, curious eyes.
The Snowy Owl is no different! It’s native to the coldest regions of the northern hemisphere and has a ton of fluffy feathers on its body to help insulate it against the freezing cold.
Out in the wild, they are powerful hunters. Their sharp talons allow them to snatch small-sized prey with ease.
Unfortunately, their numbers have been dwindling, and there are now only an estimated 30,000 Snowy Owls left worldwide.
13. Lion
The king of the jungle – and everyone’s favorite cat – the Lion symbolizes power, confidence, and leadership. The Lion’s incredible muscular physique and huge mane truly make it worthy of being ranked among the most beautiful animals in the world.
While Lions are apex predators, they have a complex social structure and live in groups called prides. They hunt cooperatively, share their meals, and protect each other against threats (Although there really isn’t much that poses a threat to them – other lions and packs of hyenas, perhaps.)
14. Chameleon
A very popular reptile, the Chameleon is known for its ability to change color to fit in with its surroundings and be better camouflaged from predators. They also change color to attract mates.
Chameleons can take on a wide range of colors: pink, green, brown, yellow, orange, and more. They are no doubt very beautiful animals, especially when they take on an unusual color.
