The Legendary Animals migrated from Red Dead Redemption 2’s single-player to Online. There are 16 Legendary Animals in the single-player setting, and Red Dead Online puts that number to shame.
Legendary Animals in Red Dead Online are divided by their color, and there are four categories: Dark, Light, Red, and Blonde Patterned, and in each category, there are around ten animals. Some animals appear based on missions from Harriet Davenport; others appear in the world and are not connected to missions. Based on experience, the ones not connected to missions are random chance spawns and may or may not appear in their territories.
Where do Legendary Animals spawn in Red Dead Online?
Legendary Animal spawns are a random encounter, much like Moonshiner blockades or assisting strangers. Not much is understood about the spawn mechanics for Legendary Animals, other than they are very rare. There is evidence that they are connected to both time and weather, as regular animal spawns are.
Legendary Animal spawns are bugged for many players. Higher-level Naturalists are supposed to get the Animal Attraction skill page at level 15. The skill is supposed to increase the chance of Legendary Animal spawns around the player. However, it seems to be broken, and most Naturalists level 15 or higher have not seen any since reaching that level (we included).
Map of Legendary Animals location
After reaching rank five, Harriet gives you a map, which is similar to the single-player version. The animal spawns are different. The spawns listed on this map are the random ones. Just traveling to the area with the map does not guarantee an animal spawn.
A Reddit user with better luck than we’ve had compiled a map of the Legendary Animals. Some animals are PS4 exclusive, and from our experience, the locations differ from the Redditor’s map.
The well-known Collector’s Map from Jean Ropke has a map for Legendary Animals. It also includes some that are not yet in the game, that we know of those that have been excluded until we can verify their locations.
Legendary Animal Pheromones
From the moment you take the Naturalist role, you’re able to get Legendary Animal Pheromones from Harriet (at a ridiculous price). These do not function as bait and will not force a Legendary Animal to spawn in an area like herbivore or carnivore bait. It should be used when one has already spawned to find it.
Legendary Animals: Dark
- Katata Elk – Cumberland Forest
- Night Beaver – Mission Based, Brandywine Drop
- Onyx Wolf – Between Cortorra Springs and Wapiti Reservation
- Rutle Horn Ram – Mission Based, North Cholla Springs (PS4 Exclusive)
- Sapa Cougar – Mission Based, Rio Bravo
- Tatanka Bison – Heartland Overflow
- Teca Alligator – Lannahechee River
Legendary Animals: Light
- Cogi Boar – Bluewater Marsh
- Gabbro Horn Ram – Rio Bravo (PS4 Exclusive)
- Iguga Cougar – Southeast Great Plains, south of Blackwater
- Inahme Elk – Mission Based, in Spider Gorge.
- Moon Beaver – Elysian Pool
- Moonstone Wolf – North of Cumberland Forest by Fort Wallace, Mission Based
- Winyan Bison – Lake Isabella
Legendary Animals: Red and Blond
- Emerald Wolf – Around Moonstone Pond and O’Creagh’s Run
- Ozula Elk – Cholla Springs
- Sun Alligator – East of Lagras
- Wakpa Boar – Stillwater Creek
- Zizi Beaver – Owanjila
Legendary Animals: Patterned
- Chalk Horn Ram – Calumet Ravine (PS4 Exclusive)
- Cross Fox – Mission Based, near Saint Denis
- Icahi Boar – Mission Based, between Thieves’ Landing and MacFarland’s Ranch
- Marble Fox – Between Coulter and Cairn Lake.
- Maza Cougar – Southwest corner of the map in New Austin.
- Ota Fox – West of Roads by the lake.
