Animals of Arda

Arda holds a wide variety of animals [1] in the world of Middle-earth and Undying Lands of Valinor.

Badgers were mammalian creatures that lived in Middle-earth. They reside in the northern areas where folks knew them as expert ground burrowers. The Badger Folk was a hidden and mythical class of Badgers described in Hobbit poetry in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. One verse narrates how the Badger-folk chief, whose name was Badger-brock, caught Tom Bombadil. But the badger lets him go, as Tom threatens him of his enchanting spells. Samwise Gamgee mentioned as they walk across Moria, that there must be great masses of dwarves of old, all working hard as badgers, for five centuries to create its glory, especially building with dense stone.

In the video game Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game, Badgers dwell throughout Eriador and in the Shire. In the Middle-earth Role Playing Game, Badgers dwell all over Rhovanion.

Bats were big, winged animals wandering in the woods of Middle-earth. Many of them participate in the food chain of the forests. But some of its kind was wickedly created as modified vampires and used as weapons in armies of evil. Bats fought alongside Wargs and Orcs during the Battle of Five Armies. They soared high above in masses, inducing darkness during daylight. During the First Age, a massive bat named Thuringwethil serves as the Dark Lord Sauron's scout, showing itself as an enormous bat with monstrous finger-like wings. It was unclear if the beast was sentient or if it only thinks like a natural animal. When the Dwarves and Bilbo Baggins crossed Mirkwood, they put out their fire at nightfall to avoid drawing countless moths, usually sought by large dark bats. Cwildred is the Gnomish word for bat. Gnomish belongs to Tolkien's invented languages, a formerly devised version of the Elvish language.

In The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey by Peter Jackson, enormous bats pursue the wizard Radagast the Brown in Dol Guldur, when he found the Necromancer.

In the Lord of the Rings Battle for Middle-earth, the Cave bats, which is a more massive type of bats, have been included with the Goblin forces. In the Lord of the Rings Online, many of the caves all over Middle-earth have bats lurking in them, most in Moria. These bats are the Merrevail's usual companions.

Bears were great, fierce creatures in Middle-earth. These animals could speak to Beornings or Bear-folk, who were Shape-shifters and can take the shape of a Bear or Man. When Beorn takes the form of a bear, he can converse in the language of the bears, thus bears maintain their kind's specific tongue. Bears were massive, bulky, hairy beasts walking on four legs but can stand on two legs to threaten their foe. They were innate hunters with sharp sight, with a delicate sense of smell, and great sharp teeth. Gandalf mentioned as they stayed in the house of Beorn, that there were all sorts of bears in different sizes.

Some were small, huge, regular, and majestic bears, each of them danced in the forests from twilight to sunrise. Bears were natural inhabitants of Wilderland, the land in the middle of Mirkwood and Misty Mountains, in which they survive through hunting. Bears were fierce beasts but not meat-eaters. They usually hunt their favorite meal, which is honey. Wilderland bees are huge and two times the size of the common bee. Bears have thick, strong hide, apparently an essential characteristic or evolution to withstand the stings from their choice of food. Several bears were friends with the Beornings, and some may be in goodwill with the Men of the Mountains. A group of bears has helped Beorn in the pursuit of an assembly of Warg-riders of Goblin-town. However, Beorn also mentioned vicious bears, possibly bears who have joined the forces of the Orcs and Wargs from Wilderland. As they communicate using the language of the bears, as well as help others or join evil armies, the bears were considered intelligent to some extent.

Birds were familiar animals thriving in Arda, unique for their flair in flight. They belong to the Kelvar (Arda's free, natural beings, similar to Fauna) and began their existence in the Spring of Arda. Many of the birds were simple creatures, but some were sentient.

• Great Eagles lived on Thangorodrim and moved to the Crissaegrim, located in the Beleriand, in the First Age. They were considered the greatest of the birds and usually delivered messages for Manwë.
• Ravens and Thrushes reside in the vicinity of the Lonely Mountain.
• Crebain were birds of Dunland helping the forces of darkness.
• Hawks were great birds that wandered all over Middle-earth. When the dark birds Crebain followed the Fellowship of the Ring, they also noticed one hawk and considered it another spy of their foes, as Saruman commissioned the hawks to keep an eye on them.

• Kirinki were tiny birds with high-pitched sounds.

• Nightingales
• The Swans of Ulmo

• Eagles [2]
• Gwaihir
• Landroval
• Meneldor
• Thorondor
• Ravens
• Roäc
• Carc

Foxes were quadruped, natural canines that resided close to the forests and landscape of the Shire's nearby regions. They were harmless, usually fending for themselves, keeping away from Hobbits and Men. A known reference of the foxes was when Frodo and his Hobbit friends slumbered in the forests when they departed from the Shire. It described that the fox thought it strange to find Hobbits sleeping in there. Still, the fox did not linger to know more. The fox was perceptive and seemingly sentient, but it could also be a manner of characterizing the fox. And so it's unclear if all of Middle-earth's foxes were intelligent. Afterward, the Hobbits met a fox again, but it's not clear if it's a different fox or the one they have met before.

Deers were another quadruped mammals that lived in the Middle-earth, referenced in the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. They have varying colors, such as white and red. The inhabitants of Middle-earth hunted them for their meat, except for the Bear-folk, who were non-carnivorous. The Hobbit referenced the deers as the Elves' usual load carriers. The Deers were also adored by Nessa the Vala, and they always accompany her wherever she goes. While journeying across Mirkwood, Thorin and his party encountered a deer, which sprang through the forest. They again met a deer, which was white like frost. The Dwarves shot at it repeatedly until they run out of arrows, then it disappeared soon after.

Horses were prominent companion creatures of Men and Elves, carrying them in travel and war. Ever since the First Age, the people of Middle-earth have always used horses and even ponies, a smaller creature who was of the same family as the horse.

Rabbits were little, plump creatures found all over Middle-earth, also called hares and conies to the Hobbits. The inhabitants of Middle-earth hunted them for their meat, except for the Bear-folk.

In the film the Two Towers by Peter Jackson, Gollum found a pair of rabbits (this was before an army of Haradrim passed on the area, riding an Oliphaunt). Sam took the rabbits and boiled them to a stew. Because of this, Gollum threw a fit. In the Hobbit, An Unexpected Journey, the Rhosgobel Rabbits (a unique and enormous kind of rabbits from Rhosgobel) hauled the sleigh of the wizard Radagast. [3] They were speedy and even exceeded the Wargs and Wolves of Gundabad, who were chasing them.

Cats were little, quadruped felines common in Arda, usually kept in the homes of the inhabitants of Bree as well as the Shire. Because of their sharp eyes and quick reflexes, many raised cats as secret observers and hunting companions.

In the Third Age, Gondor's Queen Berúthiel raised ten cats, the chief of them was white, and the rest were black. The black felines served as her spies to the Men of Gondor, although the men later found out that the creatures were watching them. Meanwhile, the white cat watched over the nine black ones. She successfully kept it a secret from the rest of the cats, as the white cat was the best among them. When they banished Berúthiel from Gondor, her feline companions left with her.

According to the initial versions of Tolkien's mythology, there was a Prince of Cats named Tevildo, a diabolical follower of Melko. He appeared as a big black cat wearing a golden neckband. Later on, this creature turned out to be Sauron. However, in Beren and Lúthien, Tevildo becomes a different persona from Sauron.

Dogs were quadruped animals, often kept as pets and companions of the peoples of Middle-earth. They were of the same family as Werewolves and wolves. In the Third Age, Beorn the Bear-folk kept some dogs who can stand on two legs and use their front legs as hands. They could prepare for meals, hold objects, and able to speak. The Hobbit named Farmer Maggot also raised dogs named Wolf, Grip, and Fang, which protected his fields. Huan, the renowned hound during the First Age, was intelligent and capable of speaking. He accompanied the Elf Lords Celegorm and then Luthien afterward.

Fish were water creatures living in the vast sea, springs, lakes, and rivers. The people of Middle-earth had always caught them as food. Gollum often feasted on them raw, while the Hobbits like Sam Gamgee fancied them cooked. Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins looked on when Gollum caught fish from the Forbidden Pool after Faramir and the Rangers of Ithilien took them as prisoners. Gollum exclaimed that raw fish was sweet and juicy.

Boars were natural pigs that wandered Middle-earth. Their protruding incisors can shove with force, and therefore can be useful during battle. The majestic Boar of Everholt, which dwells within Firien Wood, was Middle-earth's most well-known boar. Rohan's King Folca sought after it, ultimately killing the beast. But in doing so, Folca died with injuries that the majestic boar inflicted on him.

In the movie trilogy of the Hobbit, directed by Peter Jackson, a great boar carried Dáin II Ironfoot during the beginning of the Battle of the Five Armies.

Wolves were quadruped, wild beasts that inhabited Arda from the First Age. There were many types of wolves living in the Middle-earth, aside from the primeval Gray Wolves, the other sub-classes were Dogs, White Wolves, Wargs, and Werewolves. The inhabitants of the Middle-earth kept the Gray Wolves as companions, as they often work together, thus bringing the canine class of Dogs. Meanwhile, Werewolves came from Gray Wolves when diabolical beings took over them and served evil forces. Wargs were a massive, smart group of wolves and original companions of the forces of darkness. These fierce beasts branched from the family of wolves.

Meanwhile, the White Wolves of the regions of the North were enigmatic beasts with undetermined roots. Most of Arda's animals, such as transport creatures, crows, bats, oliphaunts, and the wolves, had no direct connection from evil powers. Yet these creatures became instruments of darkness in several points in history. The wicked wolves, such as Draugluin and Carcharoth, were simple wolves taken over by the shadow of Morgoth in the First Age. The Wargs originated from them soon after.

It was unclear if the wolves began their existence just like the rest of the animals of Middle-earth, or if it was Morgoth who made them. In the First Age, the one instance they served Morgoth was in the War of Wrath. Many of the wolves perished, although some endured and escaped. In the Third Age, wolves inhabited Angmar and vowed their allegiance to the Witch-king. It was unclear if they were only captured and taken over, or if they willingly united with the forces of Angmar. They joined in most clashes versus Arnor and survived to dwell in Angmar upon its last downfall. In the fall of Sauron, wolves eventually endured and thrived from then on.

Sauron also appeared as a ferocious wolf-like beast called Wolf-Sauron. He used this form to challenge Huan the Hound of Valinor when he came to the Isle of Werewolves, which was also called Tol-in-Gaurhoth. There was a prophecy that Huan's downfall would be on a battle with the strongest of all wolf. Hence, Sauron devised to use the form of a wolf to overcome Huan. But the hound defeated Sauron, as Wolf-Sauron is not the strongest of wolves. It was Carcharoth, the wolf of Angband. With the power of Lúthien and the bravery of Huan, they subdued Sauron. He abandoned his keep in the Isle of Werewolves and escaped as a vampire towards the forests of Dorthonoin. He only appeared again at the end of the War of Wrath.

In Tolkien's book, the Fellowship of the Ring encountered wolves when they descended from Caradhras at nightfall. Gandalf called them Hounds of Sauron when the wolves started to charge. Later, when the battle ended, the wizard said that those were not usual wolves as they never left marks, and not one body remained. In the War of the Ring, the wizard Saruman maintained wolves in Isengard. Gandalf also noticed the wolves of Saruman when he was on top of Orthanc as Saruman's captive. In the movie trilogy of Peter Jackson, they featured Wargs in the Two Towers film. The beasts charged at the people escaping from Edoras to Helm's Deep. They also eliminate some of the warriors of Rohan, therefore reducing their outnumbered forces. Afterward, the Wargs left for Isengard. They featured this battle in the film, but this is not in the writings of Tolkien.

In the Lord of the Rings Battle for Middle-earth (Second Edition: Rise of the Witch-king), [4] Dire wolves fight for the forces of Angmar. Angmar's army also has a skill called Shade of the Wolf. This power brings out the spirit of a Were-wolf in the battle.

Pinnipeds and Cetaceans also live in Arda, and these animals were followers of Ulmo and Uin.

The distinctive crows called Crebain (Craban in singular) were a massive class of crows that inhabit the lands of Dunland and Fangorn Woods.

Fell beasts were enormous, flying beings of the Nazgul. Their other names were Nazgûl-birds and Hell-Hawks.

The Great Eagles were heralds of Manwë Súlimo, chief of the Valar. They have always been a great help to the inhabitants of Middle-earth and regularly fought against the forces of darkness.

The Great Spiders were massive eight-legged creatures inhabiting Mirkwood's north area. They were wicked, ill-natured, and preferred to reside in shadowy, dangerous dwellings often influenced by dark forces.

The Kine of Araw was a great ox that resided close to the Sea of Rhûn.

Kirinki was a small bird that originated in Numenor.

Mearas were an extraordinary class of wild horses. They exceed common horses in intellect, agility, and power. In the Third Age, the wizard Gandalf rode the Lord of the Mearas named Shadowfax.

Mûmakil, with their alternate name Oliphaunt, were giant elephant carriers of the Haradrim.

Wargs were massive, fierce creatures that resemble wolves. They fought and served the Orcs in many battles.

1. ^Animals and Other Creatures.
2. ^The Golden Eagle.
3. ^What Kind of Rabbits Did Radagast Use To Pull His Sleigh?
4. ^The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle-earth II.