Summary

• Avatar films have incredible world-building and introduce a wide variety of animals and creatures on the alien planet Pandora.
• Direhorses, Ikran, Toruk, and other creatures play a significant role in the story, including aiding characters in transportation and battle.
• The diverse range of creatures in Avatar showcases the creativity and attention to detail in creating unique ecosystems for the franchise.

James Cameron's Avatar films have been widely praised for incredible world-building, innovative storytelling, and incredibly realistic CGI, and this is perhaps best seen in the wide variety of animals and creatures introduced on Pandora. Avatar and its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, both developed the lore of the alien planet Pandora and its dominant species, the Na'vi. In addition to the Na'vi, dozens of creatures were brought to life on screen.

Outside the previous and Avatar movies, some additional animals and creatures have been featured in video games and live shows associated with the Avatar franchise. However, this list looks at all the creatures introduced in the mainline films. Jake Sully and his adopted family have had numerous interactions with the wildlife that brings Pandora to life and enriches the story, so here is an introduction to each of those creatures that populate the landscape.

30 Direhorse

Direhorses may include the word horse in their name, but many things separate these creatures from their namesake. For a start, direhorses are roughly the size of an elephant, which is more convenient for the Na'Vi riders who tower over humans. They have six legs and like many other creatures on Pandora, they have the neural whip which allows them to connect to other living things like their herd or a Na'vi rider. Direhorses are also nectarivores, feeding on plants and sap and occasionally insects found in the plants they feed from.

Direhorses are frequently used by the Omatikaya clan to travel and cover long distances. Jake Sully learns to harness the connection with the creatures of Pandora by first connecting with and riding on direhorses. Unlike the banshees that form a unique bond with their rider, direhorses can be used by other riders than their primary owner.

29 Ikran (Mountain Banshee)

The mountain banshee or Ikran natively are large dragon-like creature that can fly and soar through the skies at great speed. The Ikran are used by many of the different Na'vi clans as they are some of the most versatile and reliable forms of traveling on Pandora and they are used in aerial hunting and even during wartime. For the Omatikaya, bonding with an Ikran is a necessary rite of age to becoming an adult member of the clan. Once bonded, Ikran remain loyal to only their rider for the rest of their lives. The mountain banshee is primarily seen in the Hallelujah Mountains.

28 Dorado Verde

The Dorado Verde is another species of banshee found on Pandora primarily among the tropical islands. The Dorado Verde are the smallest of the banshee species which means they are not capable of carrying an adult Na'vi and don't serve as mounts. Due to their elongated sharpened jaw which somewhat resembles a beak and the fin-like flaps that are present on their legs and tail, they are adept at hunting fish from the water. These creatures are somewhat akin to earth seagulls in their choice of habitat and food.

27 Toruk (Great Leonopteryx)

The Great Leonopteryx is the apex predator of the Pandoran sky thanks to its tremendous size and considerable agility. Referred to as Toruk by the Na'vi which translates to "last shadow," this creature is the source of much lore and legend for the Omatikaya clan thanks to their interconnected history. Throughout the history of the Na'vi, only five Na'vi managed to bond with a Toruk and each was hailed as a hero and leader of the clan. Jake Sully manages to become the sixth person in history to accomplish this feat, and the first in more than four or five generations.

26 Angstik (Hammerhead Titanothere)

The hammerhead titanothere is a large herbivore found in the forests of Pandora. Their namesake hammerhead appendage allows them to clear through forests with ease and fight off potential predators. This creature also possesses armored plates that cover much of its front half, but the hindquarters remain largely exposed. The hammerhead titanothere, which is one of the most powerful creatures in Pandora, is also easily agitated and provoked and will charge at perceived threats to protect itself, and its herd.

25 Hexapede

As a small land herbivore, the hexapede is often prey to larger more aggressive creatures on Pandora. However, their great speed, agility, and the rate at which they breed ensures that they do not go extinct despite their predators. Hexapedes are somewhat similar to gazelles on Earth, but they are plentiful across many different biomes of Pandora including forests, deserts, mountains, and subarctic tundras.

24 Prolemuris

The prolemuris can be found swinging through the trees and forests of Pandora. These creatures are similar to Earth apes and monkeys and likewise represent a sort of evolutionary link between many of the other creatures on Pandora and the Na'vi. Up to this point, every creature mentioned has had six limbs or appendages, two long antennae, and two pairs of eyes. The prolemuris has a single pair of eyes and a single antennae and despite the presence of six extended appendages, the prolemuris has just two arms extending from its body before they split into two forearms.

23 Thanator

The Thanator is one of the most intimidating and imposing land creatures found on Pandora and may well be the apex predator on land. It has impressive musculature and shares much in common with Earth creatures like panthers and lions who tend to prey on any other land animals both larger and smaller than itself. The thanator is a creature that strikes fear into the brave warrior race of Na'vi because of its considerable strength and prowess which allow it to stalk and hunt down its prey with considerable ease and speed.

They have long sensors found around their skulls, armored plates along their bodies, and long sharp teeth that make them a fierce and adept predator. Jake Sully comes face to face with a thanator in Avatar and barely escapes by jumping from a cliff edge into a body of water below. The creatures are incredibly fierce, but towards to end of Avatar when their home is being threatened, a thanator offers itself up as a mount to Neytiri, and they form a bond, so these creatures can be somewhat tamed.

22 Viperwolf

The viperwolf is an impressive predator despite its smaller size. Similar to a hyena on Earth, viperwolfs are pack predators that travel with a hunting party and find prey before attacking en masse. However, viperwolfs also possess an opposable thumb on each foot that allows them to climb trees and move swiftly across a variety of terrains. Due to their predatory nature and their tendency to travel in packs, other predators on Pandora tend to avoid attacking viperwolfs.

21 Woodsprite

The woodsprite is a seed of the tree of life, but it possesses sentience and autonomy as these jellyfish-like creatures are used in communicating and interpreting the will of Eywa. They connect the creatures and living beings of Pandora with the mother tree and help to unite life on Pandora. Just as Neytiri intends to lose an arrow into Jake Sully's avatar, a woodsprite rests on the tip of the arrow which tells her to stop what she is doing. Then a whole swathe of woodsprites come and rest on Jake, a sign that forces Neytiri to take him to her home and seek further guidance and ultimately train him as one of their clan.