Minecraft’s 2025 “Spring to Life” update is here, and with it comes a vibrant wave of wildlife diversity that adds color, realism, and depth to your blocky adventures. From frosty biomes to sun-scorched deserts, the Overworld is teeming with 19 new animal variants, all with unique appearances, behaviors, and biome-specific traits.
If you’re a builder, explorer, or just someone who loves to discover new mobs, these animal variants will change the way you interact with Minecraft’s ecosystem. Let’s dive into the details and explore what’s new, where to find them, and how they impact your gameplay.
Why Animal Variants Matter in Minecraft
Animal variants aren’t just cosmetic. They help make each biome feel distinct and alive. Instead of seeing the same cow, pig, or chicken across the world, you’ll now encounter animals adapted to their environment, much like in real life.
These changes also affect farming, breeding, and exploration. Some variants might be better suited to certain climates, or drop different resources. It all contributes to a more dynamic and immersive survival experience.
🐄 New Cow Variants (2)
Minecraft now includes two new cow types that spawn based on the biome temperature.
1. Cold Cow
- Biome: Snowy Tundra, Ice Plains, Taiga
- Appearance: Shaggy coat, icy horns
- Behavior: Slightly slower, can survive freezing temperatures
This chilly bovine is the perfect companion for frosty survivalists. Cold cows also have a higher chance to spawn near igloos and snowy villages.
2. Warm Cow
- Biome: Desert, Savanna, Badlands
- Appearance: Sandy brown fur, smaller horns
- Behavior: Moves faster in hot areas, resistant to heat damage
Warm cows give the desert biomes a richer ecosystem and fit visually with sandstone villages and dry savannas.
🐖 New Pig Variants (2)
Pigs now come with region-specific looks and behaviors.
3. Cold Pig
- Biome: Snowy biomes
- Appearance: Fluffier with a bluish-pink tint
- Behavior: Resistant to powder snow damage
Cold pigs add character to frozen forests and snowy plains. They’re also more docile, often found wandering in herds.
4. Warm Pig
- Biome: Desert, Savanna
- Appearance: Rusty-orange coat
- Behavior: Can go longer without food
Their resourceful nature makes them ideal for dry biomes where food and water are scarce.
🐔 New Chicken Variants (2)
No more generic chickens across every biome!
5. Cold Chicken
- Biome: Taiga, Ice Spikes
- Appearance: White feathers with blue tips
- Behavior: Lays eggs less frequently but with higher chance of hatching twins
Perfect for players farming in cold zones who want efficient egg production.
6. Warm Chicken
- Biome: Savanna, Desert
- Appearance: Golden feathers, smaller comb
- Behavior: Faster runners, immune to cactus damage
Warm chickens are speedy and thrive in harsh environments.
🐑 New Sheep Spawning Behavior (2 Notable Variants)
Though technically not new mobs, sheep have been tweaked in 2025 to reflect their biomes better.
7. Cold Biome Sheep
- Appearance: Black wool
- Behavior: Spawns more commonly in snowy areas
8. Warm Biome Sheep
- Appearance: Brown wool
- Behavior: Higher spawn rate in warm biomes like deserts and savannas
This subtle touch adds realism to sheep breeding and wool farming.
🐺 New Wolf Fur Variants (3)
Wolves now have biome-specific coats, adding personality and visual distinction.
9. Snow Wolf
- Biome: Ice Plains, Snowy Mountains
- Appearance: White coat, icy blue eyes
- Behavior: Quieter footsteps, more stealthy
10. Forest Wolf
- Biome: Dark Forest, Birch Forest
- Appearance: Gray fur with black streaks
- Behavior: More protective when near villages
11. Savanna Wolf
- Biome: Savanna
- Appearance: Sandy fur, golden eyes
- Behavior: Day-active and faster sprinting
🦊 New Fox Types (2)
Foxes also received new coats based on where they live.
12. Arctic Fox (Revamped)
- Biome: Snowy Tundra
- Update: Now has fluffier fur and slower movement
13. Desert Fox (New)
- Biome: Desert
- Appearance: Slim build, tan coloring
- Behavior: Sleeps under cacti, nocturnal
🐴 Horse Variants & Wild Herds (3)
Wild horses now vary by biome too, and new herding behaviors were introduced.
14. Mountain Horse
- Biome: Extreme Hills
- Appearance: Shorter legs, sure-footed
- Behavior: Better at climbing
15. Desert Steed
- Biome: Badlands, Desert
- Appearance: Thinner, faster
- Behavior: Doesn’t need water as often
16. Snowy Draft Horse
- Biome: Snowy Taiga
- Appearance: Large, strong, thick-coated
- Behavior: Can carry more if saddled
🐻 Bear Cub Addition (1)
17. Bear Cubs
- Biome: Taiga, Grove
- Behavior: Spawns near adult bears, playful
- Impact: Adds cuteness and realism; adult bears become more protective
🦙 Llama Fur Patterns (2)
Llamas now have extra regional designs, adding variety to mountain trade routes.
18. Alpine Llama
- Biome: Snowy Mountains
- Appearance: White coat with gray spots
19. Mesa Llama
- Biome: Badlands
- Appearance: Red-tinted wool, warmer nose markings
How to Find All 19 New Variants
Exploration is key. Here are a few tips:
- Use Explorer Maps to find villages in new biomes.
- Breed animals in cold or warm biomes to unlock regional variants.
- Look for new structures like Desert Ranches or Taiga Cottages that house biome-specific animals.
These changes encourage players to travel further, build biome-specific farms, and engage in more strategic breeding.
Final Thoughts: A Wilder, More Immersive Minecraft
Minecraft’s 2025 update shows just how far the game has come from its humble beginnings. These 19 new animal variants might seem like small additions—but they dramatically expand the world-building potential, player immersion, and environmental storytelling of every single biome.
Whether you’re a builder seeking themed farms, an adventurer exploring distant lands, or a survivalist chasing realism, these mobs enrich your game in new and exciting ways.
So grab your map, saddle your horse (maybe a new variant!), and start exploring the wild side of Minecraft’s latest update.