| Animal | Symbol | Meaning |
| Dolphin |  |
Kind, salvation, wisdom, happiness, playfulness, prudent, capable of deep emotion, and happy. |
| Dove |  |
Cross-world communication, spirit messenger, peace, gentleness, love. |
| Dragon |  |
Longevity, richness, prosperity, infinity, wisdom, power, fiery, mythic. |
| Dragonfly |  |
Flighty and carefree, strong imagination, higher aspirations, lightness, joy, transformation. |
| Duck |  |
Water energy, helper of seers, affectionate, community oriented, can clearly see/deal with emotions. |
| Eagle |  |
Divine spirit, sacrifice, connection to creator, intelligence, renewal, courage, illumination of spirit, healing, creation, freedom, and risk-taker. |
| Elephant |  |
Strength, power, affection, loyalty, royalty, wisdom, reliability, sense of history, pride. |
| Elk |  |
Strength, agility, pride, majestic, independence, purification, nobility, sensual. |
| Falcon |  |
New beginnings, adventure, passionate, leadership, rising above, guardianship, superiority, prophecy. |
| Fish |  |
Graceful, slyness, open-minded, quick to change one’s mind, fertility, good luck, happiness. |
| Flamingo |  |
Heart healing, psychic, people person, flirtatious, colorful, open, power of illusion. |
| Fox |  |
Cunning, agility, quick-witted, diplomacy, wildness, feminine magic of camouflage, shape-shifting and invisibility. |
| Frog |  |
Water, cleansing, rebirth, sensitivity, medicine, hidden beauty, peace, adaptability, metamorphosis. |
| Gazelle |  |
Awareness, speed, grace, eagerness, lightness, overcomes vulnerability, alert. |
| Giraffe |  |
Intelligence, intuition, attaining the unreachable, sees the future, elegance, cleverness, beauty. |
| Goat |  |
Surefootedness, stubbornness, independence, diligence, in the moment, aloofness, virility, sturdiness. |
| Goose |  |
Self-demanding, reliable, prudent, rigid, vigilance, parenthood, productive, teamwork, fellowship. |
| Gorilla |  |
Family-oriented, intelligence, strength, environmental protector, keeps peace through aggression. |
| Grasshopper |  |
Good luck, abundance, forward, progressive, virtuous, forward thinking, creative. |
| Grouse |  |
Personal power, enlightenment. |
| Hawk |  |
Messenger, intuition, victory, healing, nobility, recollection, cleansing, visionary power, and guardianship. |
| Heron/Egret |  |
Aggressive, self-determined, self-reliant, multi-tasking, balanced, calm, present, independent. |
| Hippopotamus |  |
Power, creation, imagination, healing, birth, mother-fury, protection of family, emotion depth. |
| Horse |  |
Freedom, stamina, mobility, the land, travel, power, freedom, grace, nobility. |
| Hummingbird |  |
Messenger, timelessness, healing, warrior, energy, vitality, infinity, affection, playfulness. |
| Jaguar |  |
Chaos, shape-shifter, aggressiveness, power, confidence, manifestation, breath. |
| Kangaroo |  |
Forward, balance, creative, stamina, leaping away from danger, nurturing, generous. |
| Lion |  |
Family, strength, energy, courage, guardian, protector, ferocity, authority. |
| Lizard |  |
Conservation, vision, self-protection, hidden defenses, shrewdness, variation. |
| Llama |  |
Comforting to others, secure, responsible, strength, adaptation, hard work, curiosity. |
| Lynx |  |
Keeper of secrets, guardian, listener, guide, aware, intuitive, unconventional. |
| Meerkat |  |
Community, precise vision, good boundaries, lively, courageous, intuition, heart energy. |
| Mole |  |
Sensitivity, guidance, searching, extended senses, underworld, hidden treasure, digger. |
| Mongoose |  |
Good boundaries, good defense, courage, cleansing, heart-forward, rebellious, impulsive, authentic. |
| Monkey |  |
Ability to change the environment, health, success, light and dark, communication, swiftness, energy. |
| Moose |  |
Headstrong, longevity, steadfastness, wisdom, self-esteem, primal feminine energy, crown chakra. |
| Mouse |  |
Innocence, scrutiny, order, organizer, eye for details, grounded, super-aware, temerity. |
| Octopus |  |
Intelligence, camouflage, nocturnal. |
| Opossum |  |
Smart, clever, sensible, grounded, group-minded, proper use of deception, strategic, surprising. |
| Ostrich |  |
Grounded, practical, avoidant, spiritual truth, understands denial, truth and justice. |
| Otter |  |
Playful, friendly, dynamic, joy, helpfulness, sharing, love of young, sensibility without suspicion. |
| Owl |  |
Wisdom, deception, intuition, insight, messenger, mystery, freedom, secrets, stealth, vision. |
| Ox |  |
Sacrifice, chastity, faith, humble, self-denial, enduring, strong, magical. |
| Panther |  |
Protection, hidden emotions, introspection, caution, careful decisions, multi-dimensional, dark and light. |
| Parrot |  |
Communication, beauty, guide for wisdom, mockery, language, prophecy, verbosity, promise. |
| Peacock |  |
Immortality, dignity, self-confidence, self-esteem, knowledge, refinement, beauty, sexuality, pride. |
| Pelican |  |
Resilient, unselfish, rising above, friendliness, responsible, safety, camaraderie, bounty. |
| Penguin |  |
Self-discipline, order, purpose, community-minded, grace, self-confidence, spiritual. |
| Porcupine |  |
Innocence, companionship, trust, curious, imagination, good-natured, non-interference. |
| Prairie Dog |  |
Swiftness, industrious, constructive, preparedness, common goals, retreat, family, digger. |
| Puma |  |
Companion on journeys to other worlds, grace, silent power |
| Quail |  |
Group-work, team play, creator of harmony and group tolerance, protectiveness (especially toward children) |
| Rabbit |  |
Fertility, artistic, in motion, hyper vigilant, joyful, lives by own wits, steps through fear. |
| Raccoon |  |
Curiosity, disguise, explorer, secret, night vision, cleanliness, dexterity, seeker. |
| Ram |  |
Stoic, sensitive, persevering, curious, imaginative, new beginnings, change, life force. |
| Rat |  |
Fertility, stealth, scavenging, intelligence, enjoys luxury, intelligent, wealth, success, drive. |
| Raven |  |
Magical, introspective, self-realized, courageous, transformational, messenger, psychic, divination. |
| Rhinoceros |  |
Wisdom, solitary, insightful, solid, good judgment, paradox, stamina, freedom, longevity. |
| Roadrunner |  |
Mental agility, speed, opportunistic, multi-tasking, energy, busy, accomplishment. |
| Rooster |  |
Persistence, honesty, strength, flamboyant, upward reaching, eager, cocky, watchful. |
| Salmon |  |
Proud, intense, confident, wisdom, inspiration, can swim upstream, rebirth, determined, spiritual desire. |
| Scorpion |  |
Transforming, strong, inspiring, chaotic, passionate, altered perception, death and rebirth, seduction. |
| Seagull |  |
Versatility, loud, easy-going nature, creativity, laziness, resourceful, opportunistic, freedom. |
| Seahorse |  |
Confidence and grace |
| Seal |  |
Love, longing, dilemma, active imagination, creativity, protection during change, dreamer, good luck. |
| Shark |  |
Prowess, perpetual motion, hunter, survival, warning signs, workaholic, savior, guardian, superiority. |
| Skunk |  |
Reputation, presence, strength, demands respect, sensual, steady, pacifism, taking your time. |
| Snail |  |
Protective, aware, solitary, tender nature, androgyny, healing, sensitivity, time and cycles. |
| Snake |  |
Impulsive, primal energy, shrewdness, rebirth, transformation, initiation, and wisdom. |
| Spider |  |
Balance, wisdom, creativity, communication, networker, cyclical, crafty, fate, protection. |
| Squirrel |  |
Planner, gatherer, preparedness, awareness, sociable, playful, energy, prudence, resourceful. |
| Stag |  |
Lord of the forest, masculine power of regeneration, signs. |
| Swan |  |
Grace, balance and innocence, soul, love, beauty, elegance, transformation, dreams. |
| Tiger |  |
Strength, valor, power, energy, devotion, tactful, royal, illuminated, unpredictable. |
| Toad |  |
Inner strength, luck, self-examination. |
| Turkey |  |
Generosity, life-giver, sharer, abundance, blessings, pride, virility, sacrifice. |
| Turtle |  |
Nurturer, shy, protecting, patience, strength, innocence, endurance, longevity. |
| Unicorn |  |
Purity, innocence, dreamer, personal power, gentle, spiritual vision, other realms, faith, healing. |
| Weasel |  |
Strength, energy, ingenuity, stealth, wild, ferocious, aggressive, commanding. |
| Whale |  |
Wisdom, provider, intelligence, kindness, deeper awareness, nurturing, navigator, communication. |
| Wolf |  |
Loyalty, perseverance, success, intuition, spirit, appetite for freedom, can be a loner. |
| Woodpecker |  |
Sensitive, protective, devotion, prophecy, progress, determination, balance, communication. |
| Zebra |  |
Clarity, motion, individuality, balance, illusion, instinct, free, wild, communal, playful, social. |
Compiled and edited by Kathy Weiser/Legends of America, with expanded meanings and additions, Kevin Kaiser. Updated March 2017.
Native American Totem Pole, 1895
Sources:
Hodge, Frederick Webb; Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico; Smithsonian Institution; 1910
Manataka American Indian Council
Mystic Familiar
Shaman Links
Also See:
Legends, Myths & Tales of Native Americans
Native American Symbols, Pictographs & Petroglyphs
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