What is Winnie-the-Pooh's species in A. A. Milne's original stories?

Winnie-the-Pooh is a teddy bear in A. A. Milne's original stories.

The character is based on Christopher Robin Milne's stuffed bear, which was originally called Edward Bear. Christopher later renamed the toy after Winnie, a real bear he saw at London Zoo, and Pooh, a swan he had encountered.

Milne's Pooh is not presented as an ordinary wild animal. He is an anthropomorphic teddy bear who talks, writes poems, visits friends and gets into adventures in the Forest. His toy-like identity is central to the relationship between the stories and Christopher Robin's real nursery toys.

Disney's adaptations retain the bear identity but usually write the name without hyphens as “Winnie the Pooh.” The red shirt and broader cartoon design are Disney features, not details that define the original literary character.