Ecuador's ecosystems are characterized by having a great variety of animals. In recent years, some of these animals have seen their survival compromised due to multiple causes, one of the most important being humans. A large number of these species are currently endangered or in a state of vulnerability.
In this Green Ecologist article we will talk about 17 animals in danger of extinction in Ecuador.
Andean toucan (Andigena laminirostris)
The Andean toucan or gray-breasted toucan It is a bird that measures about 40 cm. tall and has a very striking plumage, similar to velvet. Gray is the predominant color in its coat, mixed with blue and brown tones, which allows it to live in cold and humid climates, such as the central mountain range of the Andes and much of Colombia, especially in regions with 2,500 and 3,000 meters of altitude. Their diet is mainly based on fruits.
This species is in danger of extinction due to the destruction of the jungles in which it lives. This is one of the millions of reasons why the conservation of tropical rainforests or tropical forests is important.
Giant armadillo (Priodonte maximus)
The Giant armadillo It reaches between 150 and 169 cm in length and weighs 60 kg. It has yellow colors on its side and brown colors on the back. Its diet is based on insects, using a tongue that secretes a sticky and viscous substance, long fingernails to scratch and a very sensitive smell. Lives in much of South America in humid forests and is found in Danger of extinction in areas like Ecuador due to hunting, using their bone armor for ornaments and their meat for food. They are also transported to zoos.
Pink dolphin (Inia geoffrensis)
This dolphin is also known as Bufeo, Amazon Dolphin or Boto and it is characterized by its pinkish or light brown color, although there are specimens of a bluish-gray color. It can reach up to 3 meters long and 200 kg. of weight. The pink dolphin has greater freedom of head movement than the ocean dolphin and also uses echolocation, as its vision is more useless in the murky water of the Amazon. The pink dolphins They inhabit the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, where networks or contamination threaten their survival.
Learn more about this in this other Green Ecologist article on Endangered pink dolphins.
Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja)
This bird has a plumage between black and dark gray tones on the wings and shoulders, and lighter grays on the neck and head. The Harpy eagle it can throw up to 2 meters with outstretched wings and weigh 8 or 9 kg. It lives in regions of Central and South America, where cutting down the jungle and forests and hunting, both to get it alive and trophy death, are its main threats and the reasons why today it is very close to being seriously threatened.
Andean condor (Vultur gryphus)
The Andean condor It is one of the largest birds that flies to great heights in the world, reaching 3 meters with outstretched wings and weighing 15 kg. They live in quite windy areas, since they use the winds to rise, such as mountainous or coastal areas with strong sea breezes. They have a black plumage with their characteristic white collar on the neck. Other important characteristics are that males and females are well differentiated, as can be seen in the image, and that their diet is scavenger. Their major threats they are the hunters and the inhabitants of their regions.
Here we tell you much more about why the condor is in danger of extinction and some of the main characteristics of these birds.
Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera)
This is one of the strangest birds of Ecuador, as it has a beak longer than its body, up to about 10 cm long and an extremely long tongue with which it sucks the nectar of the plants. The main threat to the survival of the sword-billed or sword-billed hummingbird are the changes in their habitat and the destruction of these areas.
Spectacled or Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus)
Also know as Andean or frontino bearIt has a multicolored fur with a beige spot on its chest and head and circles in its eyes in the form of a mask. It is one of the tallest mammals in South America, reaching 2 meters. It lives in different countries of South America in humid forests, with abundant rains.
The spectacled bear is in Danger of extinction due to the destruction of their habitat and hunting, to sell their skins and their meat to eat.
Galapagos Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata)
It is a seabird that reaches 3 and a half meters in wingspan with outstretched wings and up to 10 kg in weight. The younger ones usually have a brown plumage and the older ones, in white tones. The habitat of the albatrosses spans different continents, including the Galapagos Islands, in areas with a high altitude. They are in danger due to deaths during fishing, pollution of marine waters and climate change.
Black-breasted Zamarrito (Eriocnemis nigrivestis)
It is a bird that can measure between 8 and 9 cm long, with dark green and black plumage on the chest (in males). It feeds mainly on flowers and only inhabits South American forests. The bird known as black-breasted zamarrito is in danger due to the deterioration of their habitats due to logging and the replacement by cultivation areas.
Image: worldlandtrust.org
Galapagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus)
It's one of the smaller penguins known, as it barely reaches 20 cm in height and a weight of 5 pounds or 2.30 kg. They have a black color on their head and a white border from the back of the eyes to the base of the throat. Is found in Danger of extinction, mainly due to climate change and various natural disasters.
Jaguar (Panthera onca)
Specifically in the western area of Ecuador, the jaguar is critically endangered. It is true that in other places its population is not so damaged and, therefore, as a whole it is considered to be in a situation of near threat or risk of extinction, in a very vulnerable state.
Their main threats are their hunting and the destruction of their habitat. In this other article we talk more about why the jaguar is in danger of extinction.
Other endangered animals in Ecuador
We continue with this list of endangered animals in Ecuador offering you more common and scientific names of these species of birds, reptiles and mammals:
- Green macaw (Ara militaris)
- Galapagos Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)
- Amazon tapir (Tapirus terrestris)
- Equatorial capuchin monkey (Cebus)
- Spider monkey (Ateles)
- Eastern mountain coati (Nasuella meridensis)
How to help endangered animals in Ecuador
Among the measures that can be taken to help protect these endangered species is it so:
- Do not introduce invasive alien species that may compete with native ones.
- Implement protection and conservation measures for these especially threatened species in Ecuador.
- Do not contribute to consuming products or goods that come from the illegal traffic of these animals.
- Report illegal hunting and trafficking activities of these species.
- Get involved in the defense of threatened species in Ecuador.
Video of the endangered animals of Ecuador
If you want to read more articles similar to 17 animals in danger of extinction in EcuadorWe recommend that you enter our category of Endangered Animals.
