List of Middle-earth animals

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Fell beasts[edit]

Main article: Nazgûl § Steeds




Great Eagles[edit]

Main article: Eagle (Middle-earth)


Great Spiders[edit]

The Hobbit describes a colony of sapient and over-sized spiders in the northern parts of Mirkwood at the end of the Third Age. The Elves of Thranduil's realm tried unsuccessfully to exterminate them. During the events of the book, Thorin's company of Dwarves was captured by spiders and enmeshed in webs; however, Bilbo Baggins managed to free them with the aid of his sword Sting and his magic ring.[6]

The Lord of the Rings adds that these spiders were of the brood of Shelob, who in turn was a child of Ungoliant, and that they inhabited southern regions of Mirkwood as well.[7] It also suggests that the spiders appeared after the Shadow fell on Mirkwood around T.A. 1050.[8]

Kine of Araw[edit]

White oxen that lived near the inland Sea of Rhûn, called thus by the men of Gondor, who associated them with the Vala Oromë or Araw, "the huntsman of the Valar".[9] Vorondil the Hunter fashioned a horn for blowing from one of these beasts, which became an heirloom of the Stewards of Gondor.[10] This horn eventually came to Boromir and was cloven when he fell during the War of the Ring.

The Kine of Araw have been compared to aurochs.[11]





They descend from Felaróf, who was tamed by the first King of Rohan, Eorl the Young, and perhaps ultimately from Nahar, horse of the Vala Oromë. Ever since, they have been the mounts of the King and Princes of Rohan alone. During the War of the Ring, however, Gandalf the White's friendship with Shadowfax, lord of the Mearas, led to Shadowfax allowing Gandalf to ride him into the very end of the Third Age. King Theoden's mount, Snowmane, was also one of the Mearas.



The creatures are described in The Two Towers. Samwise Gamgee expresses a desire to see one and tells of Hobbit-lore of their being "big as a house" (see below). Later, Sam then sees one as big as a "moving hill." Tolkien writes that Sam's "fear and wonder" may have enlarged the animal in his eyes.

Employed as a beast of burden by the natives of Harad, the Haradrim, the mûmakil were also used in battle during the wars of the Third Age. In the War of the Ring, they were used by troops in Ithilien and in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, much like war elephants of the real world. In battle, they carried tower-like structures (corresponding to howdahs), bearing Haradrim archers. These beasts had skin so thick, it was almost impenetrable - making them almost invulnerable to arrows. The only known way to kill one was to shoot it in the eye. Also, as with real elephants, horses (other than the Haradrim's own) refused to go near them, making them effective against enemy cavalry.



In the film version of The Two Towers and The Return of the King, the mûmak is shown as a giant elephant (mounted men are no higher than its shin) with two tusks on the upper jaw and two on the lower jaw.


Main article: Warg

A race of wolves that was particularly evil-natured and often allied with orcs. Tolkien took the name from the Old Norse word vargr (for "wolf"). Sometimes described as "demonic wolves", they appear in The Lay of Leithian, The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring.

Individual birds[edit]




Main article: Gwaihir





The Lord of Eagles in the First Age, said in The Silmarillion to be the "mightiest of all birds that have ever been", with a wingspan of thirty fathoms (54.9 meters, or 180 feet) and a beak of gold.[15][16] His name translates from Sindarin, an Elven tongue devised by Tolkien, as 'King of Eagles';[17] its cognate form in Quenya, another Elven language, is Sorontar.[17][18] He led the eagles during most of their appearances in The Silmarillion, and has a significant role of his own.

Thorondor first enters the narrative when he helped the Elven-prince Fingon rescue his kinsman Maedhros from imprisonment upon Thangorodrim.[15] After the Dagor Bragollach, he saved Fingolfin's body from defilement by his slayer Morgoth, giving the Dark Lord a scar on his face and carrying the Elven-king's corpse to the Encircling Mountains north of Gondolin, where it was buried by Turgon.[19] Shortly afterwards, Thorondor espied Húrin and Huor at the feet of the Mountains, and sent two of his servants to fetch them and bear to Gondolin, fulfilling thus the intentions of the Vala Ulmo.[19] Thorondor and two other eagles rescued Lúthien and the wounded Beren from the doors of Angband during their Quest of the Silmaril, taking them to Doriath.[20]

Individual horses and ponies[edit]


The horse of Legolas. He is the grey horse given to Legolas by the Riders of Rohan in The Two Towers. Gimli also rides on him by sitting behind Legolas. They ride in the traditional Elven way without a saddle. They travel on Arod for much of their journey until they reach Minas Tirith, including the journey on the Paths of the Dead and the march to Pelargir. The epilogue to The Lord of the Rings (published in The History of Middle-earth, volume IX, Sauron Defeated) has Sam saying that "Legolas let his horse run back free to Rohan from Isengard", presumably after the war, when Legolas and Gimli left the rest of the Company to visit Aglarond and Fangorn.




The horse ridden by Glorfindel when he meets Strider and the Hobbits shortly before they arrive at Rivendell. Asfaloth (meaning "Foam Flower" in Sindarin) carries Frodo alone to the Ford of Bruinen.




A pony bought, for the exorbitant price of twelve silver pennies, by Barliman Butterbur, the innkeeper at the Prancing Pony in Bree, for Frodo Baggins and his companions, to replace the ponies that had been stolen from the inn's stables during their stay there. Butterbur purchased Bill from Bill Ferny, who was in league with the spies who stole the other ponies. Ferny was a cruel man who had mistreated Bill, but in the hobbits' service Bill became a fatter and happier pony. He was named 'Bill' by Sam Gamgee shortly after the party left Bree.

Bill became acquainted with elvish horses in Rivendell, to his advantage: he left Rivendell much wiser, and healthier and happier.

He accompanied the Fellowship of the Ring from Rivendell to the doors of Moria, but had to be left behind there because the company could not take a pony through the mines of Moria. An attack by the Watcher in the Water left the Company thinking he was slain by said beast; or wolves. Being a wise pony by this point, he managed to survive on his own and make his way back to Bree. There, he was nursed back to health at the Prancing Pony, until he eventually was reunited with Sam on his return journey to the Shire. Bill's old master, Bill Ferny, had been set by "the Chief" (Lotho Sackville-Baggins) to watch the gate at the Brandywine bridge into the Shire, and after he was cowed into submission and sent off by the hobbits, Bill the Pony caught him a kick just as he disappeared into the darkness. Sam took the pony back to Hobbiton. Bill was Sam's steed forevermore taking him where Sam needed.


Brego is a horse of Rohan ridden by Aragorn in Peter Jackson’s film adaptations of The Two Towers and The Return of the King. He was originally Théodred's horse. Aragorn first meets him in the stables at Edoras; he is "half-mad," and two of the Rohirrim are struggling to bring him under control. Aragorn calms him by speaking Elvish to him, and then tells Éowyn to set him free, since he senses that Brego has "seen enough of war." After Aragorn’s fall in the skirmish with the Warg riders, Brego finds him and carries him to Helm's Deep. Aragorn continues to ride Brego until their arrival at the door to the Paths of the Dead, at which point Brego and Arod bolt due to fear.

He is a non-canonical character; in Tolkien’s writings, the name Brego refers only to the second King of Rohan. This is alluded to in the film version of The Two Towers when Aragorn, speaking in Elvish to Brego at Edoras, tells him, "Your name is kingly."



Fatty Lumpkin[edit]





Eorl vowed to avenge his father, commanding the horse to serve him as weregild for his father. Eorl named the horse Felaróf (meaning "very valiant, very strong" in the Anglo-Saxon poetic vocabulary)[21] and rode him without bit or bridle. They took part in the Battle of the Field of Celebrant. Felaróf was buried in Eorl's burial mound.[22]






A horse of Rohan, sire of Snowmane. Lightfoot is mentioned on the inscription on Snowmane's grave (Snowmane's Howe).








A horse of Rohan, the chief of the Mearas. Like the other mearas, Shadowfax was a grey or silver stallion and could understand the speech of Men. He was seemingly fearless. He could run faster than any other horse in Middle-earth. No one except Gandalf could ride Shadowfax, and he was given to Gandalf by King Théoden. He would not tolerate a bridle or saddle, and carried Gandalf by his own choice. His name means Shadow-mane (Old Norse fax meaning "mane"); the same element appears in the names of the horses Skinfaxi and Hrímfaxi in Norse Mythology.

Shadowfax also carried the halfling Pippin at Gandalf's request.



See Bumpkin.


The horse of King Théoden of Rohan; he had been foaled by Lightfoot. Snowmane accompanied Théoden to the Battle of the Hornburg, and was ridden on the final charge out of the fortress. At the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, however, Snowmane was pierced by a black dart, causing him to fall and crush Théoden beneath him. He was buried with honour on the field of battle; his grave, known as Snowmane's Howe, bore the inscription:

Faithful servant yet master's bane
Lightfoot's foal, swift Snowmane.






See Bumpkin.


See Bumpkin.




See Bumpkin.

Other individual animals[edit]


Main article: Carcharoth








Huan, also known as the Hound of Valinor, was a great hound. In The Silmarillion, Tolkien describes him as being approximately the same size as a small horse.

Huan was given to Celegorm, one of the Sons of Fëanor, by the Vala Oromë the Hunter. Huan accompanied Celegorm on his huntings. When the Noldor under Fëanor rebelled, Huan went to Middle-earth with his master. For this reason, he fell under the Doom of Mandos.

Huan had been granted special powers by the Valar, and was allowed to speak three times. It was also prophesied that he would be killed by the greatest wolf that ever lived.


Huan felt pity for Lúthien, and often sought her out. Speaking for the first time, he told her of a way to escape, and then accompanied her to Tol-in-Gaurhoth to rescue Beren. He killed all of Sauron's werewolves until Sauron himself came out, taking the shape of the greatest wolf that had ever lived up to that point (Sauron was as aware as any of Huan's destiny, and ultimately sought in vain to artificially bring about his death). Huan nevertheless managed to defeat him, and Sauron was forced to flee. Huan returned to his master, who had been exiled from Nargothrond by Orodreth.

On their way to Himring Celegorm, Curufin and Huan came across Beren and Lúthien in the north of Doriath. Curufin tried to kill Lúthien, but Huan turned against his master, defending Beren and Lúthien, and drove Celegorm and Curufin away. Speaking for the second time, Huan told Beren and Lúthien of his plan to gain entrance to Angband, bringing them the corpses of the werewolf Draugluin and the bat Thuringwethil, Sauron's messenger. Through magic Beren and Lúthien took the shapes of these beasts and went to Angband in this disguise, while Huan hunted in the wild.


Tolkien wrote he was either a beast-shaped Maia or a common animal that had been told to speak by the Valar.[13]

Queen Berúthiel's cats[edit]

Main article: Queen Berúthiel

Cats used as spies by the Black Númenórean Queen Berúthiel.


Main article: Shelob



Main article: Ungoliant


Watcher in the Water[edit]

Main article: Watcher in the Water


See also[edit]


  14. ^ Morgoth's Ring, p. 138.
  16. ^ The Lost Road, "Quenta Silmarillion", §97
  17. ^ a b The Etymologies, entries THORON-, TĀ-
  20. ^ The Silmarillion, "Of Beren and Lúthien", p. 182

External links[edit]
