Power Ranger Animal ID Changes

UPDATED 7/10/23
The change of one animal to another from the original Super Sentai to Power Rangers may not be a big deal to some people and to others it is an outrage. I think it is interesting to look at these changes and why they could have occurred.

While they are not exactly animals, these were the first 'creature' name changes. For the Thunderzords of the second season of "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," three of the zords were given names that were not of their original intention. Called a Griffin, the Yellow Ranger's Thunderzord was actually a Kirin in Dairanger, a mythical creature best known in Japan and to Americans, it is the name of a beer. It is understandably the change was made because most Americans, especially children are unfamiliar with this creature. The Blue Ranger's Unicorn was actually a Pegasus, perhaps this change was made because the Saban company thought a Pegasus was too feminine or maybe they wanted a horned-creature to go alongside the Blue Ranger's previous zord, the Triceratops. And the strangest change was the Pink Ranger's Firebird, which was a Phoenix. Wouldn't we know what that was? Anyhoo, in Mystic Force, Phoenix was used.

Speaking about Mairanger, MagiFairy was changed to a sprite, which was mentioned just once in the series. Garuda and Phoenix stayed, but many suppose 'Fairy' was not used to be compared with Disney's own 'Fairies' or maybe be construed with the negative gay slang term.In Gekiranger, the Gazelle became the Antelope, which in the Spanish dub of Jungle Fury, it was called a Gazelle.

Disney's people probably didn't do their research or have a zoologist. Gazelle to left and Antelope to right.

Now, this is the reason I started this post. The most controversial being the change of Go-Onger's Birca, an Orca to a shark for RPM. It hasn't been called a shark on the show as of yet but the zord and Ranger have been called a shark on the toys. The major difference is the shape of the tail. It runs horizontal in an orca and vertical in a shark. They probably substituted "shark" for "orca" because it's more recognizable and because it's easy to pass off one for the other.

Go-Onger's Carrigator, based on an Alligator, has become Croczord or Croc Carrier. Crocodiles have longer snouts than Alligators, Alligators have flatter ones too. The zord has a flat snout like an Alligator but I suppose it is long enough to be mistaken for a Crocodile. I guess Bandai or Disney didn't really researched and called it whatever they wanted. Doesn't matter, just interesting to mention.

Whole Chart:

• Mammoth (Zyuranger) = Mastodon (MMPR)
• Kirin (Dairanger) = Griffin Thunderzord
• Pegasus (Dairanger) = Unicorn Thunderzord
• Phoenix (Dairanger) = Firebird Thunderzord
• Dragon as Gingalcon (Gingaman) = Condor (Lost Galaxy)
• Kabuto as Gorai Beetle (Hurricanger) = Crimson Insectizord (Ninja Storm)
• Kuwagata as Gorai Stag (Hurricanger) = Navy Beetlezord (Ninja Storm)
• Condor as Tri Condor (Hurricanger) = Ninja Firebird (Ninja Storm)
• Tupuxuara as Top Galer (Abaranger) = Dragon as Dragozord (Dino Thunder)
• Magi Fairy = Mystic Sprite
• Geki Gazelle = Antelope (Jungle Fury)
• Condor as Speedor (Go-Onger) = Eagle as Eagle Racer (RPM)
• German Shepard as Gunpherd = Wolf as Wolf Cruiser
• Orca as Birca = Shark
• Aligator as Carrigator = Crocodile as Croc Carrier
• Young Rooster as Toripter = Falcon (toy) and mentioned as a 'flying Chicken' and as 'Chicken Zord' in a call sheet but no official name.
• Monkey = Ape Folding Zord
• Kabuto Origami = Bettlezord
• Squid Ebi origami = Octozord
• scarlet Sauropoda Kyoryumaru = Sharkzord
• Kabuto Header = Beetle Zord (Land Brothers)
• Tyranno Header = Dino Zord
• OtomoNin Magoimaru (carp) = Piranha Zord (Ninja Steel)
• Rhino Beetle = Mantis (Beast Morphers)
• Stag beetle = Scarab 
• Miragaia = Stegozord (Dino Fury)
• Swordfish = Shark (Cosmic Fury)