Venezuela is considered one of the most diverse countries on the planet. Its coasts bathed by the Caribbean Sea, its plains, its Andean region and its cloud forests, its mighty freshwater courses and its desert areas, without a doubt, offer its entire geography the possibility of hosting a great and important variety of fauna. Within this fauna, we find various indigenous animals of Venezuela.
On our site we like to present you with useful information about the species of different countries, therefore, in this article we offer you all the possible information about the animals of Venezuela So that you know some of the most representative of this tropical country, we invite you to continue reading.
Black Siskin (Carduelis cucullata)
It is a small bird of about 10 cm and that presents sexual dimorphism, since the males are more colorful than the females. It had a reduced presence in nearby regions, but it is in Venezuela where the largest population distribution of the species has existed. This distribution was distributed mainly towards northern states, with a height between 400 and 1,400 meters, in various types of forests and arid zones.
The siskin is a bird from Venezuela considered critically endangered, due to its illegal international trade to be used in hybridization with canaries. It has also been hunted for its feathers to make hats.
Get to know other exotic birds of Venezuela in this other article.
Orinoco Caiman (Crocodylus intermedius)
This Venezuelan animal belongs to the Crocodilia order and is considered Endangered It is a large alligator, in fact, one of the largest in the world, with sizes close to 7 meters. It is endemic to low-lying areas of the Orinoco River basin, so its presence is limited to Venezuela and Colombia.
It used to be a very abundant species, but due to massive hunting it has been dramatically reduced, considering that today only small isolated populations remain. The Orinoco caiman has been exploited for its meat and fat trade, it has been trapped in fishing nets, it has been killed out of fear and as if that were not enough, its habitat has been profoundly modified.
Do you want to know all the caimans and crocodiles found within the order Crocodilia? Then don't miss this article about the Types of crocodiles.
Yellow-headed Parrot (Amazona barbadensis)
This bird, which belongs to the parrot family, is currently considered an endemic animal of Venezuela, since the nearby islands where it was found have been extinct for about seventy decades. For this reason, it is classified as endangered
It lives in arid zones in the north of this country, having the peculiarity that it is the only one of the genus adapted to these conditions. International trade and the transformation of its habitat are the main threats to this typical Venezuelan animal.
Margariteño Deer (Odocoileus margaritae)
It is a deer considered in danger of extinction and an animal endemic to the main island of VenezuelaIt is characterized by its small white tail, with large teeth and ears and an estimated weight of 30 gr in males. It lives between 0 and 800 meters, in thickets and forests, both deciduous and semi-deciduous, where it feeds on leaves and fruits. Direct hunting and habitat transformation are the main causes of pressure on the population level of the margariteño deer.
Turpial (Icterus icterus)
The turpial is one of the wild animals of Venezuela and the national bird of the country with a wide distribution throughout its territory. It also has a presence on nearby islands and even in Puerto Rico. It is a beautiful bird that basically combines three colors: black, orange and white. Due to its wide distribution range and stable population level, it is considered of least concern.
It develops mainly in warm areas, with infrequent rains, in the presence of savannas, gallery forests. It is recognized for its beautiful song, which is an attraction in the places where it lives.
Water Dog (Pteronura brasiliensis)
Also known as the giant otter, the water dog is an animal from Venezuela that was traditionally distributed throughout South America. It is considered one of the largest otter species that exist, with dimensions close to 2 meters and weighing around 35 kg.
In Venezuela it is present in rivers of the plains, mighty rivers, but with slow currents, and in theMaracaibo Lake , the country's main lake. It is considered in danger of extinction due to the trade in its skin in the fur industry.
Cachicamo (Dasypus sabanicola)
Commonly known as the northern long-nosed armadillo, it is present exclusively in the plains of Colombia and Venezuela, being well known in this last as cachicamo. In fact, there is even a saying about him. It inhabits between 25 and 500 meters above sea level, in open grasslands and thickets, with an estimated 2.8 individuals per hectare in undisturbed areas of Venezuela.
It is a species considered near threatened due to direct hunting and also to the transformation of its habitat by industrial agriculture. Within its improper use we can include its consumption and use for handicrafts and medicines.
Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus)
The spectacled bear, Andean bear or spectacled bear is the only member of the ursids that has a current presence in South America It is distributed in several of these countries and is a representative animal of the fauna of Venezuela. It is medium in size compared to other bears, measuring between 1 and 2.2 meters, weighing between 60 and 170 kg.
In Venezuela it lives above 1,000 and up to 4,300 meters above sea level, especially in pre-montane, mountain and evergreen and cloudy forests. It is considered in danger of extinction due to the fragmentation of its habitat, but also due to direct hunting, since it is used for different purposes in various communities.
Are you fascinated by these animals? Discover all the Types of bears in this other article and expand your knowledge.
Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)
Without a doubt, the chigüire or capybara is another of the typical animals of this country, although it has a distribution in other southern countries. Its habitat is made up exclusively of ecosystems associated with bodies of water, so it lives around swamps, lakes, rivers and estuaries It is a sociable animal, which generally form groups. It is the world's largest rodent, with stocky bodies weighing up to more than 60 kg. They are over a meter long and about 50 cm tall.
Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
Within the fauna of Venezuela, the green anaconda, or common anaconda, has a privileged role. It is a boa constrictor, so it is not poisonous However, it is an animal that causes fascination and fear since it is the biggest snake that exists. The females are larger than the males and can measure approximately 5 meters in length.
The anaconda inhabits other regions of the south, but always associated with water. In the case of Venezuela, it is present in water bodies of hyper-seasonal savannahs in the plains. Although it is considered to be of least concern, it is hunted due to the fear it generates and is affected by the degradation of its habitat.
If you are curious to know what types of anaconda exist, don't miss this article on our site about The 4 species of anaconda.
Other animals of the fauna of Venezuela
The aforementioned animals are part of the list of the most representative of the fauna of Venezuela, however, they are not the only ones. Next, we show more native and typical animals of this country:
- Jaguar (Panthera onca)
- Striped Toad (Atelopus cruciger)
- Coastal Dolphin (Sotalia guianensis)
- Stone-crested pajuí (Pauxi pauxi)
- Northern Spider Monkey (Ateles hybridus)
- Paramo coati (Nasuella meridensis)
- Cardon turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
- Papper Bear (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)
- Multicolored Parakeet (Hapalopsittaca amazonina)
- Venezuelan Long-tailed Hummingbird (Aglaiocercus berlepschi)
