You can tell a lot about a culture by the creatures it reveres. In Native American traditions, animals often hold roles that go far beyond fur and feathers. Each one reflects a relationship with nature and spirit. In this list, we share with you 10 fascinating animals that have long held symbolic power in Native American storytelling.

Thunderbird

What kind of spirit can lift a whale into the clouds? For the Lakota, Ojibwe, and Kwakwakaʼwakw, that would be the Thunderbird. Its wings bring thunder, its eyes flash lightning, and its role as a sky guardian runs deep. It’s a protector that presents itself.

Horned Serpent

The Horned Serpent—respected in Cherokee and Sioux myth—glowed quietly, pulsing in underground rivers and sacred caves. Its antlers curved toward mystery. Sometimes, it vanished completely. But when it appeared, warnings were given, or paths were reshaped forever.

Coyote

Coyote isn’t your average legend. It’s wild and endlessly unpredictable. In Navajo and Southwestern traditions, it reshapes the world by sparking fire and stirring chaos. Those stories are warnings and teachings wrapped in humor, which shows how mischief can still carry meaning.

White Buffalo

Hope can walk softly in white. The birth of a white buffalo carries spiritual weight for the Lakota, believed to signal change or divine presence. Said to shift colors and linked to the sacred White Buffalo Calf Woman, this creature is rare and deeply revered across generations.

Water Panther (Mishipeshu)

The Ojibwe and Algonquian feared what lived below: a horned, scale-covered beast with feline grace and lethal power. Known to swirl whirlpools and guard treasure, Mishipeshu sometimes clashed with the mighty Thunderbird, a stormy duel between water and sky no human dared interrupt.

Raven

In Tlingit and Haida mythology, Raven is no ordinary creature. It shaped the world through cleverness and disruption, witnessing creation and sparking it into motion. The sky broke open, the sun moved across it, and order shifted, all through Raven’s trickery.

Deer Woman

Many stories from the Lakota, Omaha, and Southeastern tribes tell of a beautiful woman with the feet of a deer. She draws men in, sometimes punishing, sometimes warning. Yet, in other stories, she shelters women and protects the vulnerable. Her presence is a dual force of danger and care in one.

Dogman (Shunka Warakin)

Something howled across the plains, and it wasn’t a wolf. In Lakota and Iowa tales, the Dogman (a terrifying blend of hyena and wolf) attacked suddenly and vanished just as fast. Often tied to shapeshifters or spiritual signs, it was remembered in hushed tones and cautionary tales.

Great Turtle

In Northeastern traditions, including those of the Lenape and Haudenosaunee, Earth began on the back of a giant turtle. Many still call the land Turtle Island. Its shell, with 13 sections, mirrors moon cycles. This turtle carried a world into being.

Sasquatch

You won’t hear branches snap or leaves shift. Sasquatch moves like a breath through the trees. In stories from the Salish and Pacific Northwest, it’s a towering figure: part guardian, part mystery. It leaves no tracks, and yet, its presence is deeply felt where nature needs watching.