Top 10 real-world animals in Minecraft 

Minecraft's mobs come in various shapes, sizes, and designs. Some creatures are a creation of Mojang, while others take inspiration from animals found in the real world. On the subject of animals, many of those found in the beloved sandbox game operate much as they do in real life, though some have benefits that players will only find in-game.

Many of Minecraft's animals can be incredibly beneficial, and it's only reasonable that players seek them out as a result. From obtaining free items and getting assistance in battle to simply being used as transportation, the animal kingdom is ready and able to assist players on their adventures.

Note: This list is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer

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Ranking the best Minecraft animals that can also be found in real life

10) Turtles

Much like in our own world, turtles in Minecraft take quite some time to breed and mature. They love nothing more than spending time in the ocean. For the most part, these animals don't offer too many benefits during ordinary gameplay, but they do have one major upside when it comes to players who want to explore aquatic locales.

Specifically, when a baby turtle matures, it drops scute. This can be used to create a turtle shell helmet, which provides players with the ability to breathe underwater for an additional 10 seconds. These helmets can also be used to create a Potion of the Turtle Master.

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9) Chickens

When it comes to food and material drops, chickens are an excellent animal to seek out in Minecraft. Not only do they lay eggs, but players can farm them to acquire other goodies like raw chicken and feathers. Even better, acquiring more chickens is as simple as throwing an egg or feeding two chickens crop seeds.

Thanks to their versatility and ease of breeding, chickens are one of the best mobs to farm in the early game to keep a player stocked with food and feathers.

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8) Pigs

There's a lot to like about pigs in Minecraft. They're an excellent source of pork chops, which can be a great food source at any point in the game. Furthermore, these animals can serve as one of the earliest forms of transportation if players saddle them and then equip and use a carrot on a stick.

Sure, pigs may be far from the fastest land animals to ride in Minecraft, but being able to ride them at all is a plus. This is particularly true early on in the game.

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7) Cows

Cows are sources of both leather and beef in Minecraft, so it's hard not to appreciate them. Though there are certainly better animal mobs in the beloved sandbox game, a good cow farm can set players up with just about all the leather and beef they need as long as they also have a productive wheat farm in place.

With enough wheat, players will always be able to breed more cows and harvest their beef and leather as needed. Leather does tend to get obsoleted as players progress through the game, but beef is always a highly reliable food source.

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6) Sheep

Plenty of Minecraft fans likely see a sheep and think "wool production," but the usefulness of this mob isn't just tied to its ability to be sheared for its wooly coat. Killing sheep also causes them to drop mutton, which is arguably the best meat-based food item in the entire vanilla game.

Since this is the case, and given that they can be easily bred with wheat, it's not a bad idea to create a farm of sheep early on for an abundance of wool and food for the road ahead.

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5) Cats/Ocelots

Minecraft's various cats can be found roaming villages, while ocelots make their home in jungle biomes. Once they have a tasty snack of raw fish, they can be tamed by a player and have a few very useful benefits. Not only do these felines occasionally provide items to players after they sleep in a bed, but they also ward away some of the most annoying mobs in the game.

To be specific, creepers and phantoms are terrified of cats, making these furry friends incredibly useful for avoiding danger.

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4) Axolotls

Axolotls are cute little critters both in Minecraft and the real world, but they have some great benefits for players in the game world in particular. Although axolotls typically attack other aquatic mobs on their own, they can also assist players in combat underwater.

When an axolotl gives players a hand with aquatic combat, they're capable of bestowing the Regeneration status effect to restore a player's health over time.

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3) Camels

One of Minecraft's most recent additions, courtesy of the Trails & Tales update, camels have proven to be quite useful as a form of transport. Sure, they may not be as fast as some animal mobs, but they have the ability to step over blocks like fences without the use of a carpet block. Even better, these creatures can be saddled and carry two players at once.

Moreover, players can breed these mobs with cactus blocks. This makes it quite easy to create a stable of camels since cacti can be grown so easily. Plus, camels are so tall that they can keep their riders safe from many different melee-centric hostile mobs.

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2) Horses

There are plenty of ways to traverse the surface of Minecraft worlds, and a well-bred horse is one of the best ways to do so. If players don't want to travel via the likes of other rideable mobs or minecarts, a horse can be incredibly dependable and help players move at a rapid clip.

Even better, horses can be outfitted with various types of armor to prevent them from taking large amounts of damage from nearby hostile mobs.

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1) Wolves

Wolves came to Minecraft in the game's earliest days, and they've been one of the most helpful animals ever since. Once players have tamed a wolf with some tasty bones, they can become one of the most steadfast allies as a player adventures through their world.

These animal mobs are a huge help in battle, especially when players keep multiple in their entourage. Fans will just need to be sure to feed their wolves to keep them in full health for the battles ahead.