13 of the Most Beautiful Animals in the World

Reviewed and approved by the biologist Samuel Sanchez

Written by Laura Morales Negrin

Last update: 22 December, 2022

To define an animal, you can use many different parameters. In this case, we’re going to focus on their beauty, bringing you some of the most beautiful animals in the world.

The diversity that exists on our planet makes it impossible to bring you even a tiny percentage of them. There’s no doubt that each of them has some peculiarity that makes them charming, and beauty is so subjective that it’s impossible to cover it completely. So, in these lines, we’ll show you only a small sample of the beauty we can see in the animal kingdom.

13 of the most beautiful animals in the world

Birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates: animal beauty distributed among many genera and species. Will you agree with our selection?

1. Swans

Surely nearly everyone is aware of the story of the ugly duckling that became a swan. This story is key to pointing out the beauty of these waterfowl from the Anatidae family, as their majesty in literary works represents maturation and growth towards something perfect.

Although it’s that, when it’s born, it isn’t anywhere near as beautiful as it is as an adult, even from young it’s still adorable. After the development of its plumage, the elegance it gives off as it grows makes it worthy of being on the list of the most beautiful animals in the world.

The swan’s white body and slender bearing captivate even the most hardened people.

2. The Friesian horse

The Friesian horse (Equus ferus caballus) originates from the Netherlands and is one of the oldest domestic equine breeds. In addition to its figure, this animal is imposing because of its very shiny dark black coat. Its bearing is elegant, making it an extremely beautiful animal.

3. Macaws

The exoticism that macaws give off makes them one of the most beautiful animals in the world. This is due to the vivid colors of their plumage, which can be crimson red, yellow, green, orange, and various combinations of these.

These animals, which belong to the Psittacidae family, require a lot of care if you decide to share your life with one of them. What’s more, one of the tips that experts always give is not to have just one specimen, but at least two, as they’re very sociable animals that get stressed and carry out self-harm when they aren’t in company.

4. Albino peacocks

All peacocks are beautiful birds. However, if you look at an albino peacock, it takes beauty one step further. It is true that they aren’t very common animals, but that only increases their attractiveness.

The white plumage of this peacock is due to a genetic mutation.

5. Polar bears

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is another of our beautiful animals, and they have such elegance as adults and look so sweet as cubs. Unfortunately, these native mammals of the Arctic Circle are disappearing, especially through habitat destruction and hunting. The melting of the poles makes it increasingly difficult for them to carry out their life cycle.

6. Chameleons

Changing beauty: this is how the common chameleon and the rest of the representatives of its group (Chamaeleonidae) could be defined. The chromatophores that they have in their body, that is, the pigment cells that allow their color change, give these reptiles the possibility of modifying their appearance and, therefore, their beauty.

Chameleons change color according to their mood.

7. The Siberian Husky

This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful dogs, and it couldn’t be missing from the list of the most beautiful animals in the world. Its dense, soft coat and penetrating gaze captivate everyone who looks at them. This dog is living proof of the kinship of domestic specimens with wolves.

8. Eagles

If one word could define an eagle in flight, it’s “majestic”. This very large, strong bird of prey can measure up to 2.5 meters in wingspan (8.2 feet). As a curiosity, it should be noted that an eagle’s sight is one of the best in the animal world.

9. White Bengal tigers

The imposing presence of this white feline doesn’t take away its beauty. Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) are already an animal worthy of admiration, but if, due to certain genetic mutations, they’re born white, then they’re simply stunning.

10. Dolphins

Nobody would be surprised that we’ve included dolphins (Delphinidae) on our list of the most beautiful animals in the world. Their beauty isn’t only limited to their physical appearance. They have so many other characteristics, such as their intelligence, as well as the way they symbolize freedom. All of these things together truly do make them one of the most beautiful and admired living beings.

11. Lynx

The lynx (genus Lynx) is one of the most beautiful wild cats that exist. In their features, you can see the sweetness of domestic cats, only in a much larger size. Within its genus there are 4 different species, the Iberian lynx being one of the most threatened felines in the world.

12. The glasswing butterfly

The glasswing butterfly (Greta oto) is one of the strangest and, at the same time, beautiful insects on the planet. This is because the tissue on its wings has brown edges, but the rest is transparent. This characteristic means that, depending on where it poses, its color “varies”, as it’ll blend in with the background. This is a very useful quality when it comes to camouflage.

13. Mandarin fish

This aquatic specimen is called a Mandarin fish (Synchiropus splendidus) because it’s reminiscent of the legendary Chinese dragons. Its vivid colors, with electric blue, make this animal a wonderful sight for those who are lucky enough to meet one of them.

The beauty of these animals is unquestionable, and that’s why they’re on this list. However, there’s no doubt that the beauty of the animal kingdom is infinitely more extensive, and so there’s a lot of ground left to explore.