24 Zoo Animal Coloring Pages

You know, I’ve always had a dream of becoming a zookeeper. The only problem?

My parents won’t approve of it.

But hey, who needs to be a zookeeper when you can color your favorite zoo animals from the comfort of your own home?

That’s right—no sneezing, no runaway llamas, and absolutely no mysterious smells.

Just pure coloring bliss.

These zoo animal coloring pages is where you can turn lions pink, give zebras polka dots, or decide if a giraffe would look better in purple stripes.

You’ll find all your favorite wild critters ready to be filled with creativity—minus the feeding schedules and enclosure cleaning!

Zoo Animal Coloring Pages

Things To Keep in Mind While Coloring These Zoo Animals

1. The Color Blue is NOT Your Only Option

Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat: I know the ocean is blue. You know the ocean is blue.

My neighbor’s pet goldfish probably knows the ocean is blue. But does that mean every single thing in the ocean has to be blue? Absolutely not!

We’re not creating a documentary here. We’re coloring, and that means anything goes.

Sure, you could color your dolphin blue. But why not shake things up?

How about a neon green dolphin? Or a hot pink octopus?

These sea creatures aren’t going to swim away and complain to the art police.

You have the power of creativity here!

This is your undersea kingdom now, and in your ocean, dolphins wear stripes and sharks are bright orange.

2. Beware of Realistic Expectations

Look, I’ll admit it: I once spent a solid 20 minutes Googling “what color is a stingray, actually?” before realizing something important. This is coloring.

This is fun.

And if my stingray ends up looking like it’s on vacation in a tropical disco, that’s perfectly fine. You don’t need to stress over getting every sea creature “right.”

In fact, I’d argue that a rainbow-colored stingray is way more interesting than the real thing.

But if you do want to go for realism, I won’t stop you.

Just know that when it comes to ocean animals, there are some weird color schemes out there already. Look up the flamboyant cuttlefish.

This guy looks like someone handed a toddler a box of markers and said, “go crazy.” So even in nature, realism is relative.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Who knows? Maybe a purple jellyfish is exactly what the world’s been missing.

3. Sharks Aren’t Just Scary – They Can Be Cute!

Ah, sharks.

The ocean’s apex predator, and also the star of every nightmare I’ve ever had about swimming in deep water. But when you’re coloring them, it’s important to remember: sharks aren’t all business! In fact, you can make them downright adorable.

Give your shark a smile.

Add some cartoonish eyes. Heck, draw a little bowtie on him if you want. Suddenly, your Great White is less “Jaws” and more “Awws.”

This is one of the best parts about coloring ocean animals—you can take something terrifying and turn it into a friend.

Just remember to balance out the cute factor with the fact that this guy can still probably bite through a boat if needed. It’s all about respect.

4. Octopuses: The Wild Card

If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “I want to color something with eight arms that looks like a rubbery balloon,” well, first off, you have very specific desires.

But secondly, you’re in luck! The octopus is the perfect sea animal to go wild with.

Not only do they come in all sorts of colors in real life, but they can also change colors to blend into their environment—basically, they’re nature’s mood ring.

So, why not lean into that chameleon magic? You could color each of the octopus’s eight arms a different color.

Maybe give it a tie-dye look. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, make it glow-in-the-dark!

(Just kidding, please don’t use glow-in-the-dark crayons unless you have a really good vacuum.)

And here’s a bonus fact: octopuses are super smart.

So, while you’re coloring away, just imagine that the octopus is judging your work. No pressure.

5. Crabs: More Than Just Beach Bullies

You know crabs.

Those sideways-walking, claw-snapping creatures that lurk under rocks and make you nervous when you go to the beach.

But what if I told you crabs could be the fashion icons of your oceanic coloring masterpiece?

Think about it.

Crabs have this hard outer shell just begging to be decked out in style.

Give them polka dots!

Cover them in sparkles!

Make them the proud owner of a snazzy pair of sunglasses!

Who says a crab can’t be cool? Not me.

Pro-tip: Make sure you don’t get too caught up in realism here, because I can promise you, if you Google “crab species,” you’re going to end up in a rabbit hole of the world’s most bizarre crustaceans.

Some crabs look like sea aliens, and your coloring book might not be ready for that level of weirdness. Trust me.

6. Don’t Forget About the Little Guys

Sure, whales and sharks are the headliners of the ocean, but there are some other under-the-sea VIPs that deserve your attention. Starfish, for example.

They’re practically made for fun color patterns.

Who doesn’t love coloring something shaped like a star?

It’s like nature knew it would end up in coloring books one day.

Then there’s the sea turtle—a classic ocean creature that always seems to be smiling.

A turtle is another fantastic opportunity to get creative. You can make its shell into a mosaic of colors, or give it a surfer vibe with some cool beachy tones.

Just don’t forget to color a little pair of sunglasses on this guy too.

All the coolest turtles wear shades, right?

7. Finding Nemo Flashbacks Are Inevitable

I feel like I have to warn you—if you start coloring clownfish, you may experience flashbacks to “Finding Nemo.”

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

After all, “Finding Nemo” is a classic, and who wouldn’t want a chance to recreate those vibrant coral reef scenes?

But the real fun comes when you realize that you can color Nemo however you want! Orange and white stripes?

Sure, that’s what Disney did. But what about a purple and green clownfish?

Or maybe you make the clownfish neon yellow with polka dots.

The ocean is your playground, and let’s face it, Nemo’s dad is way too busy to be swimming over and criticizing your artistic choices.

8. Don’t Forget the Background

While you’re focusing on the sea creatures themselves, don’t forget that they need a home!

The ocean isn’t just a big blue expanse (though, yes, it’s mostly a big blue expanse).

There’s coral, seaweed, and all sorts of cool ocean floor scenery that can add an extra layer of creativity to your coloring pages.

Feel free to go wild with the underwater environment.

Who says your coral can’t be rainbow-colored?

Or that your seaweed can’t have a little sparkle?

And if you feel like tossing in a random treasure chest or a sunken pirate ship, go for it!

The ocean is a place of mystery, and your coloring book is no different.

9. The Ocean is Big—So Is Your Imagination

At the end of the day, the ocean is vast, unpredictable, and full of surprises—kind of like your imagination.

When you’re coloring these sea and ocean animal pages, let yourself embrace the unexpected.

If your dolphin ends up looking like it belongs at a carnival instead of the Atlantic, that’s a win.

If your crab ends up wearing sunglasses and throwing a beach party, congratulations—you’ve just unlocked peak coloring potential.

So, grab your crayons, markers, or whatever your coloring weapon of choice may be, and dive into the deep blue with a sense of adventure.

Because in your ocean, anything goes. And trust me, it’s way better than swimming with real sharks. (Unless they’re the cute, bowtie-wearing kind.)