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Identify an animal you saw

Start with what you saw and where. The tools below narrow the possibilities by state, color, pattern and size, using tags from our species guides, and show what official sources say about each animal's danger.

On this page
  1. Identification tools
  2. Browse by state
  3. What a photo can and cannot tell you

Identification tools

Browse by state

Each state page shows every animal of a group on the state's official list, with photos. Venomous species come first.

What a photo can and cannot tell you

Color, pattern and shape help you narrow down an animal, but they are not proof. Many harmless snakes resemble venomous ones, colors fade or darken with age and mood, and young animals often look different from adults. No identification tool, including this one, can confirm that an animal is safe.

Watch from a distance. Never pick up, prod or trap an animal to look closer. If someone is bitten or stung, call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.