22 Pokemon That Exist In Real Life

As time passes, we are learning more and more about how far and wide the Pokemon world reaches. Regions across each game introduce new Pokemon, with a grand total of over 1,000 as of the release of Scarlet and Violet. With such a large number of Pokemon, it's no wonder many are based on real-life animals.

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You might not notice it at first, but many Pokemon have a counterpart that exists in our world; the same Pokemon you know and love may not be so fictional after all! Keep reading to see the real-world comparisons of your favorite Pokemon.

Updated January 22nd, 2025, by Noura Costany: In 2025, we had to add a few more Pokemon to our list, relishing that as we gain more Pokemon, they will reflect real animals more and more.

22 Dewgong Is A Dugong

Aquatic Buddies

There are more similarities between Dewgong and a Dugong than the spelling of their names. They are both aquatic mammals (Dewgong has fur) with streamlined bodies. Of course, there are numerous differences as well; Dewgong is a carnivore, while Dugongs are herbivores.

Dewgong is an Ice-Water type Pokemon, whereas dugongs prefer warmer coastal waters. This is one of the few instances where the real-life version is much larger than the Pokemon. Dewgongs are about five feet seven inches in length and weigh around 260 pounds, while Dugongs are around ten feet long and weigh close to 1,000 pounds.

21 Notcowl Is A Great Horned Owl

Flying Friends

This one's a no-brainer. Not only do Noctowls and Great Horned Owls resemble each other, but the word 'owl' is also right there in Noctowl's name. The two share many features, including silent flight, phenomenally good night vision, and the ability to rotate their necks farther than humans. Noctowl can rotate their heads 180 degrees, but a great horned owl can rotate their necks 270 degrees!

The most noticeable difference between these two is size. The great horned owl only stands about two feet tall, while Noctowl stands over five feet tall.

20 Qwilfish Is A Blowfish

Swimming Spikes

Qwilfish's type is Water-Poison, which, coincidentally, is the same type as the real-life blowfish. (Okay, real-life animals don't have Pokemon types, but it's as similar as it gets.) The flip side of that coin is that the blowfish inflates itself, like Qwilfish, causing spikes to protrude from its body. The blowfish is also one of the most poisonous animals on Earth.

In size and weight, the puffer fish and Qwilfish are comparable. We should all feel lucky that a blowfish can't shoot its toxic spikes like Qwilfish can.

19 Pelipper Is A Pelican

Big Beaked Birds

A large bird with a huge pouch under its beak? Check. Yeah, that's a pelican. The Pelipper's Pokedex description tells of a kind-hearted animal that protects small animals by carrying them in their beak pouch and is referred to as the messenger of the skies.

Real-life Pelippers, pelicans, are extremely aggressive birds that will attempt to carry off small animals, and sometimes babies, although they don't do this to protect them, as a Pelipper would. Pelicans and Pelipper are about the same size; however, Pelippers weigh about three times more than the largest pelican.

18 Arbok Is A King Cobra

Slippery Snakes

Arbok was part of the first generation of Pokemon and is clearly influenced by the real-life King Cobra. It's right there in the name - Arbok spelled backward is Kobra. Subtle, huh? Arbok is quite a bit larger than a King Cobra, and a lot heavier.

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Despite being physically larger, it could be argued that, to a human, an Arbok isn't that much deadlier than a Cobra. Both are poisonous, both can spit caustic substances, swallow their prey, and coil their body to deliver a more powerful blow.

17 Poliwag Is A Translucent Tadpole

Squirming Tadpoles

Knowing that Poliwag's species is "tadpole Pokemon" is enough information to conclude that Poliwag is a tadpole. However, we can go a step further and say that Poliwag is a translucent tadpole. Even the swirl on its chest matches.

The translucent tadpole is a Costa Rican amphibian, which is usually aquatic. It's unknown why the translucent tadpole is transparent, but they're adorable nonetheless.

16 Toucannon Is A Toucan

Epic Birds

Even the most inexperienced Pokemon trainer should be able to recognize this Pokemon's identity with ease. Toucannon's name doesn't attempt to mask its identity since it is a real-life animal in plain sight!

The Pokemon Toucannon is undoubtedly based on a Toucan, given its colorful elongated beak and bird-like appearance. There was no attempt to give this Pokemon a distinct look, since its real-life doppelganger is near-identical.

15 Drowzee Is A Malayan Tapir

Drowsy Tapirs

You might guess that Drowzee is based on the anteater, and you could be correct. However, it would be more accurate to say that Drowzee is based on the Malayan Tapir.

The population of the Tapir is dwindling, which is why many may not have heard of this animal. This real-life Pokemon has an origin that dates back approximately 50 million years and can be found in Southeastern Asia and parts of Malaysia.

14 Butterfree Is A Butterfly

Free As A Bug

The combination of the words 'free' and 'butterfly' forms the name Butterfree. This is one of the easiest Pokemon to spot that exists in real life. The size of the Pokemon was enlarged to fit with the game, but there's no mistaking that this Pokemon is based on a butterfly.

There are countless types of butterflies with different shapes and wing patterns. Instead of picking a specific type, Butterfree has a general design, allowing your imagination to run wild.

13 Psyduck Is A Platypus

Wide Bill And Webbed Feet

Judging by its name, it would make sense if Psyduck was labeled a Psychic/Water-type Pokemon. Many mistakenly think that this Pokemon is closest to a duck, but in actuality, its real-life counterpart is a platypus.

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The bill is the clearest indicator of this similarity and the webbed feet. The color lines up nicer than that of a duck, even though it is in the name. Psyduck is unmistakably a platypus, and the creators of Pokemon didn't try hard to disguise it.