Johann Sperling (12 July 1603–12 August 1658) was a German physician, zoologist and physicist, deacon and Rektor of the University of Wittenberg.

He was among the first to practise zoology as a natural science, writing a first handbook about animals, Zoologia physica.

[1] Born in Zeuchfeld the son of the minister Paul Sperling and his wife Dorothea, he was educated from age 12 at Landesschule Schulpforta, graduating six years later.

From 2 June 1621 he studied at the faculty of philosophy of the University of Wittenberg, reaching the degree of magister on 27 September 1625.

Sperling's major work was the zoological book Zoologia physica which was published in 1661 after his death by Georg Kaspar Kirchmaier [de].