Everybody in ARK: Survival Ascended will have their own reasons for wanting to know the location for each creature on the island. But sometimes, a different creature with murderous intent finds them instead when they least expect it, because why wouldn’t it?
If you’re trying to figure where each of these beasts live on the island then you’ve come to the right place. That is, of course, if you’re looking for a quick solution. No, it’s too late, you can’t back out of the guide. You’ve already committed at this point, keep going to find out where all of the creatures live on the island!
There’s a good chance of you knowing what the creatures look like in ARK: Survival Ascended since not a lot has changed for the common ones you saw in the previous title. Instead, we’ll show you a heat map of where an abundance of each creature can be found.
Some other creatures will share the same region along with everybody else. These will be mentioned in the guide below as well!
Green means common while red translates to you having to relocate before something else finds you.
- Triceratops
- Parasaur
- Carbonemys and Lystrosaurus
- Oviraptor
- Pteranodon
- Moschops
- Ichthyornis
- Dodo
- Stegosaurus
- Dilophosaurus
- Sabertooth and Argentavis
- Allosaurus and Doedicurus
- Daeodon and Chalicotherium
- Megaloceros and Mammoth
- Kairuku and Direwolf
- Yutyrannus
- Carnotaurus and Alpha Carnotaurus
- Ankylosaurus
- Woolly Rhino
- Piranha and Coelacanth
- Dimorphodon
- Iguanadon
- Pachyrhinosaurus
- Meganeura
- Castoroides
- Brontosaurus
- Pelagornis
- Pulmonoscorpius
- Troodon
- Rex and Microraptor
- Spino and Therizinosaur
- Onyc and Araneo
- Dung Beetle
- Baryonyx and Kaprosuchus
- Paraceratherium and Titanoboa
- Beelzebufo and Phiomia
- Dimeterodon and Sarco
- Diplocaulus and Leech
- Giant Queen Bee
- Kentrosaurus
- Terror Bird and Diplodocus
- Raptor and Alpha Raptor
- Thylacoleo and Archaeopteryx
- Achatina
- Hesperpornis
- Trilobite
- Megalania
- Arthopluera
- Megalosaurus
- Equus and Pachyrhinosaurus
- Unicorn
- Mesopithecus
- Hyaenodon
- Megatherium
- Sabertooth Salmon
- Gallimimus
- Quetzal
- Tapejara
- Gigantopithecus and Dire Bear
- Yeti and Polar Bear
- Purlovia
- Procoptodon
- Manta and Ichtyosaurus
- Megalodon and Alpha Megalodon
- Cnidaria
- Electrophorus
- Basilosaurus and Mosasaurus
- Carcharodontosaurus and Giganotosaurus
- Rhyniognatha
- Tusotethis and Dunkleosteus
- Plesiosaur and Anglerfish
- Leedsichthys and Alpha Leedcihthys
- Titanomyrma
- Otter
- Ovis
- Pegomastax
- Compy
- Eurypterid and Ammonite
- Liopleurodon
Triceratops
Let’s start with the Triceratops since there’s plenty of them to go around. They’re more prevalent on Herbivore Island, that’s all the way to the southeast corner of the map.
Parasaur
The Parasaur is known for its recognizable arching head. You can find them in red, brown, green, or yellow.
More importantly, you can find them almost everywhere on the island, everywhere except the arctic region at least.
Carbonemys and Lystrosaurus
If you’re to forgive the crude description then you will understand that these creatures are just giant Snapping Turtles that don’t have an attitude. You’ll have more luck finding them in the Footpaw and the very bottom of The Southern Islets.
You’ll find Lystrosauruses alongside the Carbonemys while you’re exploring the southern half of the island. Their locations are just about the same.
Oviraptor
Since these guys live for the hunt you won’t be finding any of them along the shoreline. Your chances are better inland, try sticking close to the rivers where the rest of the inhabitants feed to increase your chances.
Pteranodon
The two best locations to start looking for these would be Herbivore Island to the bottom right of the map and The Redwood Forests.
Moschops
Your chances of finding Moschops will be better if you look for them at The Southern Islets. More of them will be near South Zone 1 and 2.
Ichthyornis
Same with the Moschops these too, can be seen along South Zone 1 and 2. Some can also be seen near The Footpaw and Weathertop.
Dodo
The entire shoreline is your best friend. You can go all the way to where the rivers empty into the ocean as well. A few pockets of Dodos can be seen inland too.
Stegosaurus
Find them in Herbivore Island to the bottom right of the map and breed them fast. The world needs more of these guys.
Dilophosaurus
They’re everywhere except for the arctic region. You can even find some at the foot of the volcano.
Sabertooth and Argentavis
The further north you go, the more of these you will see as they favor a colder climate. The Argentavis frequents the island on the upper right of the map.
Allosaurus and Doedicurus
You can find them on the upper half of the playable area. Just don’t go too far north, they don’t frequent the arctic that often.
Daeodon and Chalicotherium
All of them gather in the north. If the ice disappears wherever you’re going so will they.
Megaloceros and Mammoth
Just like everyone else with a thick coat, they too, will be in the northern region where all the ice is. The Megaloceros hang around The Red Peak too. That’s in the middle of the map.
Kairuku and Direwolf
How far north can you go in this game? The answer is yes. The once place you’ll find a Kairuku is by the upper left edge of the arctic region. Everywhere else is where the Direwolves will be.
Yutyrannus
They’re sitting on top of the volcano. The arctic region acts as their second home as well.
Carnotaurus and Alpha Carnotaurus
These are the places you should look out for if you don’t want to encounter both creatures early on. They can also spawn at the southern tip of The Footpaw at south zone 1.
This makes the area a difficult place to set up your defenses. There are four other decent places for your starting base though, check out our location guide for that one!
Ankylosaurus
You can find an Ankylosaurus over at The Red Peak and Herbivore Island.
Woolly Rhino
You’ve seen Ice Age before, and there’s only one place in the north of this island where there’s a lot of it.
Piranha and Coelacanth
The Piranha can be found in almost every river in the game. To increase your chances even more, stick to The Southern Islets.
For the Coelacanth, well it’s the same case with the Piranha. The big difference is you can find it even in the deep waters away from the shallows.
Dimorphodon
As you can see, they’re all over the place. You’ll have better luck looking for them however if you stick around The Writhing Swamps. That’s the green area underneath The Redwood Forest.
Iguanadon
An uncommon sighting, but you can still see a few of them over at the Southeastern Shores. That’s next to east zone 2.
Pachyrhinosaurus
Patchy can either be seen in The Redwood Forests or grazing at The Western Plains.
Meganeura
Hope you got bug spray, because these critters are everywhere! Everywhere you go, there’s a Meganeura, you might even be one yourself!
Castoroides
Just follow the rivers inland until they stop. You have a good chance of seeing a Castoroides once you see a group of beavers building a dam.
Brontosaurus
Quite rare but still difficult to miss if you’re just walking near the shores. A small group of them can be found inland as well in The Maw.
Pelagornis
Once you rediscover flight in this world you can roam around the edges of the map to find the Pelagornis.
Pulmonoscorpius
The Pulmonoscorpius will approach anything out of curiosity, that includes you. So watch where you’re going as you walk around south zone 2.
Troodon
They’re all around the island but you can find even more of them again inside The Redwood Forest.
Rex and Microraptor
You’ve seen Jurassic Park, you know well enough to stay away from this guy until very late. But if you can’t help yourself then you can find a handful of them in The Belly of The Beast. Microraptors can be spotted in this area too.
Spino and Therizinosaur
Stick close to the rivers of The Southeast Shores since that’s where they hang around more. You can find Therizinosaurs along this stretch of river as well.
Onyc and Araneo
Onycs will fly around in caves and will get aggressive when you get close enough. You’re gonna do it anyway so head on over to the caves at The Southern Islets.
Araneos reside in the same area as well, giving you two things to worry about while spelunking.
Dung Beetle
A scourge upon the living! If you’re headed for the caves then just follow your nostrils while you’re inside.
Baryonyx and Kaprosuchus
There’s a few handful of Baryonyx along The Writhing Swamps, same goes for the Kaprosuchus. Make the journey more interesting by going to The Belly of the Beast for both instead.
Paraceratherium and Titanoboa
This is what you take for mild fevers right? No? Well, into The Writhing Swamps you go then. That goes for both.
You get a bonus for the Titanoboa since they spawn frequently in south zone 2. Just in case you don’t want to go inland.
Beelzebufo and Phiomia
Stay close to the rivers of The Writhing Swamps if you want to find more of these noisemakers. The Phiomia can be found everywhere inland, everywhere except for The Redwood Forest.
Dimeterodon and Sarco
If it looks like a lizard made bigger then it’s going to hang around the river.
Diplocaulus and Leech
These shy boys can be seen wriggling around The Writhing Swamps. Spotting Leeches here is possible as well if you dive further into the river.
Giant Queen Bee
Their nests can be found on trees or around the walls of The Redwood Forests.
Kentrosaurus
You can find Kent by the northern section of the island. This section would include places like The Maw, The Grand Hills, The Frozen Tooth, Smuggler’s Pass and Far’s Peak.
Terror Bird and Diplodocus
What’s in a name? Well, you can find out once you go to The Belly of the Beast and The Shadow Road.
Moreover, The Redwood Forests are a good place to look too if you’re just looking for a Diplodocus.
Raptor and Alpha Raptor
Uncommon in the southern parts of the island. Improve your luck by heading to either Far’s Peak of The Grand Hills.
Thylacoleo and Archaeopteryx
They hang around at The Redwood Forests. They’ll have a better chance of spotting you first though. An Archaeopteryx can be seen in the same area as well since they enjoy the company of trees.
Achatina
These giant snails enjoy damp places like The Writhing Swamps. A small morsel of Achatinas are also available for gathering in The Redwood Forests.
Hesperpornis
You can find a Hesperpornis swimming in every river you see on the island. This includes the river that empties into the ocean up north as well.
Trilobite
If you’re waddling around the shores or shallow waters then there’s a high chance of you seeing one of these. Maybe even two!
Megalania
This is that song from that bullet hell game, right? Anyway, there’s four spots on the island where you can find a Megalania.
These places include The Redwood Forests, The Southern Islets, Southeastern Shores, and The Dead Island.
Arthopluera
Finding an Arthopluera will lead you into the caves of The Southern Islets. If you want to look at one without somebody else clawing your face off then go to south zone 2.
Megalosaurus
If you’re looking for a thrill, then go to The Belly of the Beast since they’re more common down there.
Equus and Pachyrhinosaurus
Again these giant zebras like to graze so their numbers are more concentrated on The Western Plains. That’s directly left of The Grand Hills. That applies just about the same for the Pachyrhinosaurus.
Unicorn
Maybe you never see these things these days because they never survived the flood? You still have a chance of seeing them up north and on The Dead Island though. That’s the isolated island on the upper right of the map.
Mesopithecus
There’s an abundance of these over at The Western Approach and The Southern Jungle. You can even spot them at the eastern side of the island as well.
Hyaenodon
Just like in The Lion King (the animated one), these guys hunt in packs. They’re not as dumb as you think though so be careful when you’re out exploring the north.
Megatherium
You have three places to search for this slow creature: The Redwood Forests, Winter’s Mouth, and Whitesky Peak.
Sabertooth Salmon
Sushi anyone? No? Well just in case you change your mind the rivers are you best friend. You can get a fresh catch almost everywhere. Just don’t go looking for them in The Writhing Swamps.
Gallimimus
They enjoy roaming around The Western Plains for food. You can also find them inside of The Redwood Forests.
Quetzal
A wild Quetzal will never stop flying. They make for great transport if you’re looking to move stuff around.
Keep an eye out the next time you’re up in the air since they’re almost everywhere and nowhere at the same time!
Tapejara
You can find Tapejaras living around cliffs, tall redwood forests, and other vertical environments.
Gigantopithecus and Dire Bear
Our ancestors wander around the forests of the island, eating berries off of bushes. While The Redwood Forests is your primary location, they still wander off sometimes.
If you’re lucky, you might even see them out on the beaches. The Dire Bears stay in the forests though.
Yeti and Polar Bear
Yetis are heavy hitters who have a large pool of health. You’re going to need heavy ordinance if you want to visit them in The Ice Wyrm’s Belly.
The Polar Bears wander inside of the belly as well. If you can’t find them there then try The Frozen Maw or The Throat of Borea.
Purlovia
The Purlovia likes to come straight from the underground. They will ambush you whenever you’re in The Belly of the Beast or anywhere in the north that has ice.
Procoptodon
A rare specimen, but not rare enough since you have four places to look. These would be The Red Peak, The Grand Hills, The Frozen Tooth, and Far’s Peak.
Manta and Ichtyosaurus
Swimming next to these things out in the ocean is enough reason for them to get aggressive. Go to the deep waters away from the shores and show them what a good time is.
Megalodon and Alpha Megalodon
That boat you’re in? It’s not big enough. They’ll come for you soon enough while you’re swimming around the deep waters so stay on your toes if you can.
Cnidaria
If you can’t feel your legs while swimming around the shallow waters then there’s a good chance that it’s these guys who did you in.
Electrophorus
They say that Eels taste pretty good. Find out if it’s true the next time you explore west zone 3. That’s where The Caverns of Lost Faith is located.
Basilosaurus and Mosasaurus
They’re pretty much in the same place where you can find a Megalodon. Try to tame one of these, if it lets out red cloud then its show time. You might even be lucky enough to attract a Mosasaurus!
Carcharodontosaurus and Giganotosaurus
The Carcharodontosaurus will attack everything on sight, because who’s going to stop it? You’ll find a few on The Frozen Fang or in The Belly of the Beast. Same goes for the Giganotosaurus.
Rhyniognatha
These creatures can be seen flying around The Writhing Swamps and the northern section of The Southern Islets.
Tusotethis and Dunkleosteus
If you can find it in more than one place, then that’s automatically a good thing. Try The Caverns of Lost Hope if you’re not having any luck elsewhere. Elsewhere translates to the deep waters.
Plesiosaur and Anglerfish
Same with the giant squid, this too, can be found in The Caverns of Lost Hope. They have a higher chance of being spotted in the deep waters as well. You can find the Anglerfish in the same area as well.
Leedsichthys and Alpha Leedcihthys
They enjoy roaming around the deep waters. Just don’t look for them over at the east side, they’re nonexistent over there.
Titanomyrma
These things will attack you in swarms everywhere you go. You’re only safe from them when you’re on a high enough place like the mountains.
Otter
They stick close to the water since that’s their natural habitat. There’s even more of them north of The Redwood Forests though.
Ovis
You know the drill, if the coat’s thick enough then it’s somewhere up in the arctic mountains. They like to come down every now and then to visit The Western Plains too.
Pegomastax
He pegged the what now? If you want to find out more then head on over to The Redwood Forests. The shorelines are an okay place to look around too.
Compy
If they won’t have any luck hunting inland, then they’ll eventually go to the beaches to bother you. The southeastern side of the island is a pretty good start if you don’t want to move in too much.
Eurypterid and Ammonite
You can find them on the ocean floor. Stay close to the seaweeds next time you go hunting for silica pearls.
Liopleurodon
You can find them swimming around the deep waters. If attacked, they’ll spin around and vanish almost instantly, so you better make your shots count.
Were you able to spot and catalog all the island creatures in ARK: Survival Ascended? Why not check All Unlockable Tekgrams next?
And that’s every island creature location in ARK: Survival Ascended. The rest of the alpha variants hang around in the same location as well. Just bring the right tools for the job and you’ll be right as rain!
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