por Some of the main Ecuadorian animals They are the spectacled bear, the jaguar, the pygmy marmoset, the pink dolphin or the jaguar. Ecuador’s biological diversity is incredibly varied.
Ecuador is one of the countries with the least distance in relation to the Sun, which is why the rays hit with greater intensity. This is why it has a tropical climate with a wide biodiversity.
Most representative animals of Ecuador
1. Condor of the Andes
This species of bird can be found throughout the entire Andes mountain range: from Venezuela to Argentina. There is no other non-marine bird with a greater wingspan than the condor of the Andes. Currently, it is in a near threatened status.
2. Spectacled Bear
This bear is also recognized as the Andean, frontino or South American bear. Currently, it is a species that is in danger of extinction.
This is the only ursid in South America and can be found in the highlands of the Andes, from Venezuela to Argentina.
3.Jaguar
This is the only species of the genus Panthera which is currently in the American continent.
This hunter has a yellow skin with small black spots along its entire robust body. In this species, the appearance of melanism can result in a jaguar that is totally or partially black.
4. Black-breasted Puffleg
It is an endemic bird of Ecuador, this country being its only habitat, if it has not been artificially transferred to another area.
This bird is silent. It gets its name because it has a zamarro (white plumage) on its thighs. Currently, it is in serious danger of extinction.
5. Harpy Eagle
This eagle is one of a kind. It is the symbol of biological diversity in Ecuador and can be found in all its rain forests. This bird, with a wingspan of up to two meters, has black and white fur.
6. Pygmy marmoset
This is a species of primate that can be found in the American continent and is characterized by being the smallest species of monkey in America and the world.
It inhabits the lowlands of the tropical forests of the Amazon, close to the rivers, and is practically characteristic of the Ecuadorian region.
7. Giant Armadillo
It is a kind of armadillo with a size a little larger than the rest. It can be found mainly in the tropical rainforests of eastern South America. It is also recognized under the names tatú carreta or gurre grande.
8. Chorongo
The chorongo is a species of primate that is currently in danger of extinction. It has dark brown fur, except for the face. There you can see their skin of a more intense and dark color.
9. Greater Green Macaw
This macaw is also known as the lemon green macaw and green macaw. It can be found in certain extensions of the American continent, from Central America to Ecuador. Currently, it is in danger of extinction.
10. Pink dolphin
Currently, two species of pink dolphin are known, which extend through the Amazon basins. Its beauty, its color and the amount of its population make this species important, not only for Ecuador but for all of South America.
eleven. Galapagos Giant Tortoise
Large turtle, which can weigh up to 400 kg. Longevity is another of its characteristics, since it can live up to 100 years, although cases of some that have exceeded 120 have been reported.
It is endemic to the Galapagos Islands, and the species has up to 16 subspecies, some of them already extinct. They are herbivorous, feeding on plants, fruits, and grass.
12. Marine iguana
Unique in its kind and also endemic to the Galapagos Islands. Males can measure up to 1.3 meters and weigh about 15 kilos. They do not have large predators and their food base is marine algae, which they feed on when the tide is low.
13. Galapagos Penguin
This species of penguin is endemic to the Galapagos Islands, and the only one that lives in the wild north of Ecuador. It measures 49 cm long and weighs up to 2.5 kilos. It is the second smallest species, after the New Zealand blue penguin, and both represent an example of island dwarfism.
14. Andean toucan
It is a bird native to Ecuador and Colombia, belonging to the family Ramphasidae and the genus Andigena, and is also known as the mountain toucan. It eats fruits and seeds and is currently considered a vulnerable species, given the fragmentation of its habitat (moist cloud forests, temperate montane and subtropical forests).
15. Dwarf Caiman
Commonly called alligator ita, dwarf alligator or dwarf alligator, it is a South American reptile whose preferred habitat is flowing watercourses and vegetation that provides shade. Males measure 1.6 meters and females 1.2.
Other species that inhabit Ecuador
Amazon manatee (Trichechus inunguis)
Hoffmann’s didactyl sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni)
Hairy Saki (Pithecia monachus)
common guinea pig (cavia aperea)
Spear-nosed bat (Phyllostomus discolor)
References
10 emblematic species of the country, in imminent risk. Recovered from elcomercio.com
Meet the country’s animals with the highest risk of extinction. Recovered from imciencia.com