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Animals in South America

South America is home to extraordinary rainforest, wetland and mountain wildlife. This collection gathers 69 WARN guides to animals found in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and wider Neotropical ecosystems.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated

This collection links to 69 sourced WARN guides with conservation status, key facts, threats, FAQs and references.

Boa constrictor with brown saddle markings coiled around a tree branch

Least Concern

Boa Constrictor

Boa constrictor

The boa constrictor (Boa constrictor) is a large, heavy-bodied, non-venomous snake native to tropical forests, savannas, and deserts across Central and South America. It typically reaches 2 to 3 m and weighs around 10 to 15 kg, killing prey not with venom but by coiling around it and squeezing until it can no longer breathe.

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Smooth limbless caecilian resembling a large earthworm crawling across damp soil

Least Concern

Caecilian

Gymnophiona

Caecilians are a group of limbless, worm-like amphibians that live mostly hidden in damp soil and leaf litter across the tropics of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. They range from a few centimeters to over 1.5 m (5 ft) long, have tiny or skin-covered eyes, and rely on a pair of sensory tentacles to find prey underground.

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Large brown warty cane toad sitting on damp soil at night

Least Concern

Cane Toad

Rhinella marina

The cane toad is a large, warty terrestrial toad native to the Americas, reaching up to 1 kg (2.2 lb). It secretes a powerful toxin from glands on its shoulders and is famous as a destructive invasive species in Australia, where it was introduced in 1935.

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Capuchin monkey in tropical forest

Least Concern

Capuchin Monkey

Cebus capucinus

The capuchin is a small, highly intelligent New World monkey found in the tropical forests of Central America and northwest South America. Weighing about 3 to 4 kg and measuring roughly half a metre in body length, it is an agile tree-dweller that uses its prehensile tail for balance.

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Long dark electric eel swimming through murky freshwater near submerged plants

Least Concern

Electric Eel

Electrophorus electricus

The electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) is a freshwater fish of South America famous for generating powerful electric shocks to stun prey and defend itself. Despite the name it is not a true eel but a knifefish, growing up to 2.5 m long and weighing around 20 kg.

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Tiny translucent glass frog on a leaf with internal organs visible through its skin

Least Concern

Glass Frog

Hyalinobatrachium valerioi

Glass frogs are small tree frogs of Central and South American rainforests, famous for the translucent skin on their bellies that reveals their internal organs and beating heart. They are nocturnal, arboreal, and care for their eggs on leaves above streams.

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Great horned owl with prominent ear tufts and yellow eyes perched in a forest at dusk

Least Concern

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

The great horned owl is a large, powerful owl found throughout the Americas, named for the tufts of feathers on its head that look like horns or ears. A fierce nocturnal predator with crushing talons, it hunts a wide range of prey, even skunks and other raptors.

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Hoatzin with spiky crest, blue facial skin and chestnut-and-buff plumage perched on a branch over a tropical river

Least Concern — but confined to Amazon and Orinoco wetlands that are being cleared

Hoatzin

Opisthocomus hoazin (Müller, 1776) — family Opisthocomidae

The hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) is a pheasant-sized bird of Amazon and Orinoco wetlands that digests leaves through foregut fermentation like a ruminant; chicks bear functional wing claws for climbing, and adults are weak fliers tied to riverside forest.

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Howler monkey in tropical tree canopy

Least Concern

Howler Monkey

Alouatta spp.

The howler monkey is a large, leaf-eating New World primate famous for having one of the loudest calls of any land animal in the Americas. Living in the tropical forests of Central and South America, it weighs around 5 to 10 kg and spends almost its whole life high in the canopy.

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Kinkajou with golden fur clinging to a rainforest branch

Least Concern — but taken for the pet trade and bushmeat

Kinkajou

Potos flavus (Schreber, 1774) — family Procyonidae

The kinkajou (Potos flavus) is a nocturnal Central and South American rainforest mammal in the raccoon family, one of only two carnivorans with a fully prehensile tail, feeding mainly on fruit and nectar and acting as an incidental pollinator.

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Largemouth bass with open mouth near lily pads

Least Concern

Largemouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides

The largemouth bass is a top predator in North American lakes and rivers, named for a jaw extending past the eye. Prized by anglers worldwide, it strikes lures aggressively, grows to 10 kg (22 lb) in rich waters, and has been stocked on every continent except Antarctica for sport fishing.

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Common marmoset with white ear tufts clinging to a tree trunk in Atlantic Forest edge habitat

Varies by species — pygmy marmoset Vulnerable; many callitrichids threatened by pet trade and habitat loss

Marmoset

Family Callitrichidae — marmosets and tamarins (genera Callithrix, Cebuella, Mico and others)

Marmosets are small New World monkeys in the family Callitrichidae of Central and South America; the pygmy marmoset (Cebuella) at about 100 g is the smallest monkey alive, and the group is heavily traded as pets despite complex social and dietary needs.

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American mink with dark brown fur standing on a riverbank among reeds at the edge of slow-moving water

Least Concern in native North America — invasive and ecologically destructive across much of Europe

Mink

Neogale vison (Schreber, 1777) — family Mustelidae

The American mink (Neogale vison) is a semi-aquatic mustelid listed Least Concern in native North America but invasive across Europe after fur-farm escapes, where it devastated water vole populations and displaced the Critically Endangered European mink.

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Muskrat with dense brown fur and scaly tail swimming through reeds in a freshwater marsh

Least Concern natively — invasive and EU-listed across much of Europe

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus (Linnaeus, 1766) — family Cricetidae

The muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) is a large semiaquatic rodent native to North American wetlands and listed Least Concern there; introduced to Europe from 1905 for fur farming, it burrows into dikes and river banks and is an EU-listed invasive species.

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Nutria with coarse brown fur and orange incisors feeding on wetland vegetation at the edge of a reed bed

Least Concern in native South America — among the world's worst invasive mammals elsewhere

Nutria

Myocastor coypus (Molina, 1782) — family Myocastoridae

The nutria or coypu (Myocastor coypus) is a large semiaquatic rodent Least Concern in native South America but listed among the world's worst invasive species after fur-farm escapes — it destroys wetlands, undermines banks and was eradicated from Britain by 1989.

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Peregrine falcon perched on a cliff ledge with slate-grey back and barred chest

Least Concern

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is a crow-sized bird of prey found on every continent except Antarctica, making it one of the most widespread birds in the world. It hunts other birds in mid-air and is the fastest animal on the planet, reaching over 380 km/h (240 mph) in a hunting dive.

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Golden poison dart frog on a wet rainforest leaf

Varies by species — several Endangered or Critically Endangered

Poison Dart Frog

Family Dendrobatidae (Cope, 1865) — around 200 species

Poison dart frogs are around 200 species of small brightly coloured frogs in the family Dendrobatidae, found in Central and South American rainforests; their toxins are absorbed from a diet of alkaloid-carrying invertebrates, so captive-bred individuals are entirely harmless.

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Barn swallow with glossy blue back, red throat and long forked tail perched on a wooden fence beside an open barn doorway

Least Concern — widespread migrant; long-term declines linked to farmland and insect loss

Swallow

Hirundo rustica (Linnaeus, 1758) — family Hirundinidae

The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is a long-distance migrant that breeds across the Northern Hemisphere and winters in Africa, South Asia or South America; in Britain it nests in mud cups under eaves and barns and feeds entirely on flying insects caught in agile aerial pursuit.

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An adult male Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) soars with wings fully spread against a clear blue sky near Farellones, Chile, displaying its distinctive black plumage, white neck ruff, and bare orange-yellow head.

Varies by species: Andean Condor — Vulnerable (IUCN); California Condor — Critically Endangered (IUCN)

Condor

Vultur gryphus (Andean) / Gymnogyps californianus (California)

Condors are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere: the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN with roughly 6,700 mature individuals remaining, while the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is Critically Endangered but recovering, with approximately 607 birds alive as of 2025 thanks to an intensive captive-breeding and reintroduction programme that saved it from a low of just 22 birds in 1982.

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Hawksbill turtle on coral reef

Critically Endangered

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata

The hawksbill is a small sea turtle of tropical coral reefs worldwide, named for its narrow, bird-like beak. It grows to about 0.9 m (3 ft) and 45 to 90 kg, feeds mainly on sponges, and can swim at up to 24 km/h (15 mph).

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A giant otter surfacing in a dark Amazon river, its sleek brown body and the distinctive cream-coloured throat patch visible above the water, whiskers spread and head raised alertly

Endangered (IUCN, 2021) — locally extinct or Critically Endangered across much of its former range

Giant Otter

Pteronura brasiliensis

A giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is the world's longest otter, a fish-eating, highly social mammal of South American rivers that grows up to 1.8 metres long and lives in family groups; it is classified as Endangered by the IUCN.

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A golden lion tamarin with a flame-coloured silky coat and a dark face framed by a lion-like mane, perched on a mossy branch in dense Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

Endangered (conservation comeback)

Golden Lion Tamarin

Leontopithecus rosalia

A golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) is a small, endangered New World monkey with a bright reddish-gold coat and a lion-like mane, native only to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil.

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A pink-hued adult Amazon river dolphin (boto) surfacing in a tea-coloured Amazon tributary, showing its long slender beak, bulging melon forehead and low ridged back instead of a tall dorsal fin.

Endangered (IUCN, 2018) — assessed as one species with three subspecies

Pink River Dolphin

Inia geoffrensis

A pink river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), also called the boto or Amazon river dolphin, is a freshwater toothed whale native to the Amazon and Orinoco river systems of South America. It is the largest river dolphin, named for the pink colouring adults often develop, and is classed as Endangered by the IUCN.

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Fin whale surfacing with asymmetric jaw in cold ocean waters

Vulnerable

Fin Whale

Balaenoptera physalus

The fin whale is the second-largest animal on Earth after the blue whale, reaching 25 m (82 ft) and 70 tonnes with an asymmetric jaw colouring. A fast baleen whale capable of 40 km/h bursts, it filters krill and small fish and is listed Vulnerable after decades of commercial whaling.

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Galápagos giant tortoise on volcanic rock facing the camera

Vulnerable — recovered from ~3,000 animals to around 60,000

Galápagos Tortoise

Chelonoidis niger species complex (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) — 12 surviving species

The Galápagos tortoise is the world's largest tortoise, reaching over 400 kg and living beyond 100 years; hunted from an estimated 200,000 animals down to about 3,000 by the 1970s, captive breeding and invasive-species removal have since recovered the population to around 60,000.

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A Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) standing alert in open grassland at Encontro das Águas State Park, Brazil, showing its characteristic long tubular snout, bushy tail, and bold black-and-white shoulder stripe.

Vulnerable

Giant Anteater

Myrmecophaga tridactyla

The giant anteater is a large, toothless mammal of Central and South America listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with populations declining by at least 30% over the past three generations due to habitat loss, fire, and road mortality.

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A massive grey-and-white Harpy Eagle perched on a rainforest branch, its double-pointed black crest raised, fixing the camera with dark eyes above a hooked beak and enormous yellow talons gripping the bark.

Vulnerable (IUCN, 2021) — declining

Harpy Eagle

Harpia harpyja

A Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is the largest and most powerful bird of prey in the Americas, a rainforest eagle that hunts tree-dwelling mammals such as sloths and monkeys from the canopy of Central and South America; the IUCN classifies it as Vulnerable.

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A cobalt-blue Hyacinth Macaw perched on a palm branch in the Brazilian Pantanal, its bright yellow eye-ring and lower-beak marking vivid against deep blue plumage as it grips an acuri palm nut in its massive black beak.

Vulnerable (IUCN) — locally reassessed as Endangered in Brazil after the 2020 Pantanal fires

Hyacinth Macaw

Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus

A Hyacinth Macaw is the world's largest flying parrot — a roughly one-metre-long, cobalt-blue bird from central South America, especially Brazil's Pantanal, that uses its powerful beak to crack hard palm nuts; it is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

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Spectacled bear in cloud forest sanctuary in South America

Vulnerable

Spectacled Bear

Tremarctos ornatus (F. Cuvier, 1825)

The spectacled bear is South America's only bear species and the last surviving short-faced bear; the IUCN lists it as Vulnerable, threatened by deforestation, conflict with farmers, and the illegal wildlife trade.

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A wild jaguar (Panthera onca) with golden, rosette-patterned fur standing on a riverbank in the Brazilian Pantanal, its broad, powerful head and muscular jaw turned toward the camera in soft morning light.

Near Threatened globally — but Endangered or Critically Endangered across most regional populations outside Amazonia

Jaguar

Panthera onca

A jaguar (Panthera onca) is a large spotted big cat native to the Americas — the largest cat on the continent and the third-largest in the world — known for the strongest bite of any big cat and a habit of killing prey by piercing the skull.

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A maned wolf standing alert in tall golden Cerrado grassland, showing its long black stilt-like legs, reddish-orange coat, large erect ears, and dark mane along the back of the neck.

Near Threatened (IUCN, 2015) — declining Cerrado habitat

Maned Wolf

Chrysocyon brachyurus

A maned wolf is the tallest wild canid in the world, a long-legged, reddish-coated omnivore native to the grasslands of central South America — especially Brazil's Cerrado — that despite its name is neither a true wolf nor a fox but the only species in the genus Chrysocyon.

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A domestic alpaca with dense fleece and upright ears standing in a high-altitude Andean pasture against a mountain backdrop.

Domesticated — wild ancestor vicuña Least Concern

Alpaca

Vicugna pacos (Linnaeus, 1758)

The alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated Andean camelid kept for its fine fleece; descended from the vicuña, it has been farmed for over 6,000 years in Peru, Bolivia and neighbouring countries.

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A silver freshwater angelfish with tall fins and dark vertical bars swimming among green aquarium plants.

Domesticated aquarium fish; wild type widespread in the Amazon basin

Angelfish

Pterophyllum scalare (Lichtenstein, 1823) — freshwater angelfish, family Cichlidae

Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) are tall Amazonian cichlids kept worldwide in aquariums; the many 'varieties' are line-bred colour and fin forms of one species, needing a tall planted tank of 110+ litres and calm tankmates.

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A nine-banded armadillo foraging on leaf-littered ground, showing its leathery banded bony shell, long pointed snout, sturdy digging claws and tapering armoured tail.

Varies; nine-banded armadillo Least Concern (IUCN)

Armadillo

Dasypus novemcinctus and relatives (order Cingulata)

An armadillo is a small to medium New World mammal of the order Cingulata, protected by a distinctive shell of bony plates covered in leathery skin. Around 20 species live across the Americas, digging burrows and feeding mainly on insects, grubs and other invertebrates.

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A brown bear standing on a riverbank during salmon season, water dripping from its fur, forested mountains behind.

Varies by species (Vulnerable to Least Concern)

Bear

Family Ursidae — 8 living species across North America, South America, Europe and Asia

Bears are eight living species in the family Ursidae across North America, South America, Europe and Asia; conservation status ranges from abundant (American black bear) to Vulnerable (polar bear, sun bear) to dependent on intensive protection (giant panda).

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A spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) lunges upward out of murky brown water with its jaws open wide, displaying rows of teeth and its distinctive scaly hide.

Least Concern (IUCN) — varies by species

Caiman

Caiman crocodilus and relatives (subfamily Caimaninae)

Caimans are freshwater crocodilians native to Central and South America, with the spectacled caiman being the world's most numerous crocodilian — estimated at over one million mature individuals by the IUCN and listed as Least Concern.

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A capybara, the world's largest rodent, resting at the edge of a tropical wetland in South America, its barrel-shaped brown body, blunt squared muzzle, small ears and partially webbed feet visible as it sits half-submerged among floating vegetation.

Least Concern (IUCN, 2016) — but locally hunted and traded

Capybara

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

A capybara is the world's largest rodent, a semi-aquatic, plant-eating mammal native to South America that can weigh up to about 65 kilograms (140 pounds) and lives in social groups near rivers, lakes and wetlands.

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A domestic cat (Felis catus) with alert upright ears resting in soft daylight

Domesticated — Not Evaluated (IUCN)

Cat

Felis catus (Linnaeus, 1758)

A cat (Felis catus) is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal descended from the African wildcat; kept worldwide as a companion animal, it is an obligate carnivore that typically lives about 12–18 years and exists in dozens of recognised breeds, though most pet cats are non-pedigreed domestic shorthairs.

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A grey long-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) perched on a wooden ledge, showing its characteristic large rounded ears, dense soft fur, and bushy tail

Wild chinchillas Endangered; common as pets

Chinchilla

Chinchilla (genus)

A chinchilla is a small, soft-furred rodent of the genus Chinchilla, native to the Andes mountains of South America. Famous for the densest fur of any land mammal, both wild species are Endangered, yet chinchillas are also bred and kept worldwide as long-lived, dust-bathing pets.

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A tawny cougar with a long tail standing on a rocky outcrop in mountain scrubland, looking alertly across its territory.

Least Concern (IUCN, 2014)

Cougar

Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771)

The cougar (Puma concolor) — also known as puma or mountain lion — is a large solitary cat native to the Americas, listed as Least Concern by the IUCN; it is the most widespread wild cat in the Western Hemisphere but faces habitat loss and human conflict in many regions.

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A friendly mixed-breed (mongrel) dog with a white-and-ginger coat, photographed outdoors

Domesticated — Not Evaluated (IUCN)

Dog

Canis lupus familiaris (Linnaeus, 1758)

A dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated mammal descended from the grey wolf, kept worldwide as a companion, working, and assistance animal; it is the same species across every breed, from the Chihuahua to the Great Dane.

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A massive olive-green Green Anaconda with black oval blotches coiled at the edge of a slow-moving Amazon wetland, its eyes and nostrils set high on the head as it lies half-submerged in dark water

Least Concern (IUCN 2021) — but newly split species means parts of its range are unassessed

Green Anaconda

Eunectes murinus

A Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) is a large, non-venomous, semi-aquatic constrictor snake from tropical South America that is the heaviest snake in the world, killing prey by coiling and squeezing rather than biting.

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Two domestic guinea pigs with smooth coats sharing fresh vegetables on hay bedding in a spacious indoor enclosure.

Domesticated — not assessed; wild Cavia aperea Least Concern

Guinea Pig

Cavia porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758)

The guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) is a domesticated South American rodent that must live with companions, needs daily vitamin C and spacious enclosures — not solitary confinement in small hutches.

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A European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) resting in an open grassy field at Marken, Netherlands, showing its characteristic tawny-grey fur, long black-tipped ears, and large amber eye

Least Concern — most species (IUCN); some regional populations declining

Hare

Lepus spp. (European hare: Lepus europaeus)

Hares (genus Lepus, ~32 species) are large, fast-running lagomorphs found across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, most classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, though European hare populations have declined significantly since the 1960s due to agricultural intensification.

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A small iridescent green hummingbird hovering at a red tubular flower, its wings blurred by rapid motion and its slender bill probing for nectar.

Varies by species; most Least Concern, some Critically Endangered (IUCN)

Hummingbird

Family Trochilidae

A hummingbird is a very small, nectar-feeding bird in the family Trochilidae, found only in the Americas. With more than 360 species, they are the world's smallest birds and the only ones able to hover and fly backwards, beating their wings up to around 50 or more times a second.

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A humpback whale breaching clear of the ocean surface, its long white-edged pectoral fins outstretched and knobbly head streaming water, against a blue sea and sky.

Least Concern globally (recovering) — but several subpopulations remain Endangered

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a large filter-feeding baleen whale found in oceans worldwide, known for its long pectoral fins, acrobatic breaching, and the complex songs sung by males during the breeding season.

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A large green iguana perched on a branch in the sun, showing its row of dorsal spines, loose throat dewlap and banded tail.

Least Concern (green iguana); other iguana species threatened

Iguana

Iguana iguana

An iguana is a large, mostly herbivorous, tree-dwelling lizard of the Americas. The familiar green iguana (Iguana iguana) reaches about 1.7 metres including its long tail, sports a spiny crest and throat dewlap, and is listed as Least Concern, though several other iguana species are endangered.

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A domestic llama with a long neck and dense wool standing on a high-altitude Andean trail with mountains in the background.

Domesticated — wild ancestor guanaco Least Concern

Llama

Lama glama (Linnaeus, 1758)

The llama (Lama glama) is a domesticated Andean camelid bred for 5,000+ years as a pack animal and fibre source; descended from the guanaco, roughly seven million llamas support highland communities in Peru and Bolivia.

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A scarlet macaw (Ara macao) with vivid red, yellow and blue plumage perched against green rainforest foliage.

Varies by species: Least Concern to Extinct in the Wild (several Critically Endangered)

Macaw

Tribe Arini (true macaws) — ~18 species across 6 genera: Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Primolius, Orthopsittaca, Diopsittaca (family Psittacidae)

Macaws are large, long-tailed tropical parrots native to Central and South America; status varies by species, with several — including the blue-throated and Spix's macaws — Critically Endangered or Extinct in the Wild due to the illegal pet trade and deforestation.

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A West Indian manatee gliding through clear shallow water with algae on its grey wrinkled skin.

Varies by species (Vulnerable to Endangered)

Manatee

Trichechus manatus, T. inunguis and T. senegalensis — three living species

Manatees are plant-eating sirenians with three species in the Americas and West Africa — slow-moving mammals threatened by boat collisions, habitat loss and pollution, with IUCN status from Vulnerable to Endangered.

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Two Japanese macaques (snow monkeys, Macaca fuscata) resting in a steaming hot spring in winter, snow dusting their thick fur.

Varies by species (Least Concern to Critically Endangered)

Monkey

Infraorder Simiiformes — ~260+ species in families Cebidae, Callitrichidae, Cercopithecidae and others

Monkeys are tailed simian primates of the Americas, Africa and Asia — roughly 260+ species with forward-facing eyes, grasping hands and complex social groups. They are distinct from tailless apes; status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, and most species are protected from international trade.

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An ocelot with a golden coat marked by black rosettes and spots, walking along a forest floor in dappled tropical light.

Least Concern (IUCN, 2014)

Ocelot

Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1758)

The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a spotted wild cat of the Americas, listed as Least Concern by the IUCN but declining locally due to habitat loss and historical over-trapping; a small population persists in southern Texas.

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A colourful parrot perched on a branch, showing curved beak, bright plumage and an alert, intelligent expression.

Varies by species (Least Concern to Critically Endangered)

Parrot

Order Psittaciformes — ~400 species in families Psittacidae, Psittaculidae and Cacatuidae

Parrots are tropical and subtropical Psittaciformes — about 400 species including macaws, cockatoos and budgerigars — known for intelligence and longevity; many are threatened by habitat loss and illegal trade, with status ranging from Least Concern to Critically Endangered.

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A red-bellied piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) photographed in profile, showing its distinctive silver-flecked body and vivid orange-red underside, with aquatic vegetation in the background.

Least Concern (IUCN) — species-level status varies across the genus

Piranha

Pygocentrus nattereri (and relatives in subfamily Serrasalminae)

The piranha is a freshwater fish native to South American river systems, most abundant in the Amazon basin, where it serves as both predator and scavenger; the red-bellied piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri) is rated Least Concern by the IUCN but faces growing pressure from deforestation, dam construction, and mercury pollution across its range.

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A porcupine with its back covered in long black-and-white quills, foraging on the ground at the edge of woodland.

Varies by species; most Least Concern (IUCN)

Porcupine

Hystricidae (Old World) & Erethizontidae (New World)

A porcupine is a large herbivorous rodent covered in sharp quills — stiffened, modified hairs that defend it from predators. About 30 species exist in two distantly related families: Old World porcupines of Africa, Asia and Europe, and tree-climbing New World porcupines of the Americas.

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Harbour porpoise surfacing in calm coastal water

Family page — includes the vaquita, the most endangered marine mammal

Porpoise

Family Phocoenidae — seven species, including Phocoena phocoena

Porpoises are a separate family from dolphins, with blunt beakless heads, triangular dorsal fins and spade-shaped teeth; the family includes the vaquita, the most endangered marine mammal in the world.

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A western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) coiled on lichen-covered rock in its natural habitat, showing the characteristic diamond-pattern scales along its back

Varies by species (Least Concern to Endangered)

Rattlesnake

Genera Crotalus and Sistrurus — ~36 species in the Americas

Rattlesnakes are American pit vipers (~36 species) with tail rattles and heat-sensing pits — venomous rodent controllers whose status varies from Least Concern to Endangered.

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A green sea turtle gliding over a coral reef in clear tropical water, front flippers extended mid-stroke

Varies by species (Vulnerable to Critically Endangered)

Sea Turtle

Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae (superfamily Chelonioidea)

Sea turtles are a group of seven species of large, long-lived marine reptiles whose conservation status ranges from Least Concern to Critically Endangered, with most species threatened by fishing bycatch, egg poaching, plastic pollution and coastal development.

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A live white-toothed shrew (family Soricidae) with a long pointed snout and velvety brown fur foraging among leaf litter and grass.

Varies by species; most Least Concern (IUCN)

Shrew

Soricidae

A shrew is a small insect-eating mammal of the family Soricidae, with a long pointed snout, tiny eyes and velvety fur. Though mouse-like, shrews are not rodents but relatives of moles and hedgehogs, and are known for their extremely high metabolism and near-constant feeding.

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A striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) walks through snow in a natural outdoor setting, its distinctive black fur and broad white stripes clearly visible.

Least Concern (IUCN)

Skunk

Mephitis mephitis (striped skunk); Family Mephitidae

The skunk (family Mephitidae) is a small-to-medium omnivorous mammal found throughout the Americas, best known for its powerful sulphur-compound defensive spray, which it can aim accurately at threats up to six metres away.

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A brown-throated three-toed sloth hanging upside down from a tree branch by long curved claws, its shaggy grey-brown fur tinged faintly green with algae and its rounded face wearing a characteristic gentle expression, set against rainforest canopy foliage.

Mixed across species: most Least Concern; maned sloth Endangered; pygmy three-toed sloth Critically Endangered

Sloth

Bradypus & Choloepus spp.

A sloth is a slow-moving, leaf-eating mammal that lives hanging upside down in the trees of Central and South American rainforests. There are six living species in two groups, the three-toed sloths (Bradypus) and two-toed sloths (Choloepus), and they are the slowest mammals on Earth.

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A flattened, disc-shaped stingray gliding just above a sandy seabed, its broad pectoral fins rippling like wings and a long, slender tail trailing behind.

Varies by species; many threatened by overfishing

Stingray

Order Myliobatiformes

A stingray is a flat-bodied cartilaginous fish in the order Myliobatiformes, related to sharks. Its broad pectoral fins form a disc that flaps for swimming, and most species carry a venomous, barbed tail spine used only for defence. Most are bottom-dwelling ambush predators of shellfish.

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An adult mute swan gliding on calm water with its neck curved into an elegant S-shape, wings slightly arched and orange-and-black bill held downward.

Most species Least Concern (IUCN)

Swan

Cygnus

A swan is a large, long-necked waterbird of the genus Cygnus and the biggest member of the duck and goose family. There are six living species worldwide. Swans feed mainly on aquatic plants, form strong, often lifelong pair bonds, and are renowned for their graceful appearance.

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A South American tapir (Tapirus terrestris) standing among green shrubs and vegetation in Encontro das Águas State Park, Brazil, photographed in the wild with no enclosure visible

Endangered to Vulnerable (all four species threatened)

Tapir

Family Tapiridae — 4 living species in Asia and the Americas

Tapirs are four threatened species of forest herbivore in Asia and the Americas — all Endangered or Vulnerable — serving as seed dispersers; WARN covers the Malayan tapir in detail.

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A close-up photograph of a Galapagos giant tortoise resting on sandy ground, showing its heavily scaled legs, wrinkled neck skin, and large domed shell in sharp detail.

Varies by species — many Critically Endangered (IUCN)

Tortoise

Family Testudinidae

Tortoises (family Testudinidae) are fully terrestrial reptiles found across warm regions worldwide; over 86% of species are threatened or extinct, driven by illegal trade, habitat loss, and the pet industry.

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A keel-billed toucan perched on a rainforest branch, its glossy black body offset by a yellow throat and a huge multicoloured bill with green, orange, red and blue markings.

Varies by species; most Least Concern, several Near Threatened or Vulnerable (IUCN)

Toucan

Family Ramphastidae

A toucan is a brightly coloured, fruit-eating rainforest bird of the family Ramphastidae, native to Central and South America. Around 40 species exist, all recognised by an enormous yet lightweight bill used for feeding, display and heat regulation. They are important seed dispersers in tropical forests.

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A bald uakari (Cacajao calvus) with its distinctive vivid red face and chestnut-brown shaggy fur, sitting on the ground against a pale wall.

Least Concern (IUCN 2024) — varies by species

Uakari

Cacajao calvus (bald uakari); genus Cacajao

The bald uakari (Cacajao calvus) is a short-tailed, crimson-faced primate found exclusively in the seasonally flooded forests of the western Amazon; its fiery red face signals health to potential mates and makes it one of the most distinctive monkeys in South America.

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A vulture with a bald, unfeathered head and broad dark wings perched beside an animal carcass on dry open ground

Varies; many Old World vultures Critically Endangered

Vulture

Old World vultures (family Accipitridae) and New World vultures (family Cathartidae)

A vulture is a large scavenging bird of prey that feeds mainly on carrion. There are two unrelated groups: Old World vultures of Africa, Asia and Europe, and New World vultures of the Americas, which evolved similar features independently. Most have a bald head and soar to find food.

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A great spotted woodpecker clinging vertically to a tree trunk, its black-and-white plumage and red rump visible, with its stiff tail braced against the bark and bill poised to strike.

Varies by species; most Least Concern

Woodpecker

Picidae

A woodpecker is a tree-climbing bird of the family Picidae, with around 240 species worldwide. It uses a chisel-like bill to drum and excavate wood, aided by a shock-absorbing skull, gripping zygodactyl feet, a stiff propping tail and a long, barbed tongue for extracting insects.

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Animals in South America: FAQs

What animals live in South America?

South America is home to jaguars, macaws, monkeys, sloths, tapirs, capybaras, giant otters, anacondas, caimans, parrots and many other rainforest and wetland species.

What threatens South American wildlife?

Major threats include deforestation, fires, illegal mining, wildlife trafficking, habitat fragmentation, hunting, infrastructure expansion and climate-linked ecosystem change.

Why is the Amazon important for animals?

The Amazon supports one of the richest wildlife communities on Earth, regulates regional climate and holds connected habitats many wide-ranging species need to survive.