10 REPRESENTATIVE ANIMALS OF THE ORINOQUÍA REGION - BIOLOGY - 2025

The most characteristic or emblematic animals of the Orinoquía region of Colombia are the sabanero deer, the chigüire, the red corocora, the araguato monkey, the tiger or jaguar and the macaw.

There is also a variety of fish, among which stand out the shaker, the piranha and the peacock bass and snakes such as the anaconda and the boa constrictor, as well as the Orinoco caiman.

These species live in the savannas, humid forests and jungles, in rivers and streams, as well as in some areas of the Colombian Andes, which are part of this region. They are all wild animals.

Featured animals of the Orinoquía region

1- Sabanero deer

The white-tailed deer or Virginia deer, is an artiodactyl mammal of the deer family that lives in the savannah and dry forests of this region.

It has a reddish brown coat that can vary depending on the time of year. It is recognized by the characteristic white color of its tail.

2- Chigüire

It is known by the names of capincho or chigüiro as well.

It is considered the largest rodent in the world. It lives in herds in ponds and streams of the eastern plains.

3- Red corocora

This bird is also called the red corocoro, scarlet ibis or red heron.

It is a pelecaniform species of the Threskiornithidae family. It has a bright red body and is between 56 and 61 cm long. Its neck and beak are very long.

4- Araguato monkey

This species of monkey measures between 450 to 650 mm and weighs 6.0 to 8.5 kg. It has a reddish-brown back and varies towards yellowish or cinnamon.

His head is bare and his face ends in a beard formed by fur. It lives in the tall vegetation of the forests and jungles.

5- Tiger or jaguar

This feline shares its habitat between dense humid jungles and open savannas, very close to rivers as it likes to swim.

It is the largest predator in the region and its weight ranges between 56 and 96 kg.

6- Macaw

This bird inhabits the lowland rainforests, also in open forests and humid plains and savannas.

It has a scarlet red plumage that mixes with blue and yellow feathers with green on the wings and tail. It can measure up to 90 cm and reach a weight of 1 kg.

7- Piranha

It is usually called piranha or caribbean because of its voracity. It inhabits the rivers of the Orinoco and its tributaries in the eastern plains.

It is a carnivorous fish, with large and pointed teeth, which is between 15 and 25 cm long.

8- Pavón

This fish inhabits the basin of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers and their tributaries in Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil. It measures between 45 and 75 cm.

9- Anaconda

The green or common anaconda is a genus of non-poisonous snakes, it is constrictive and belongs to the boas family.

It lives in ponds and rivers in the plains and is 2 to 10 meters long.

10- Orinoco Cayman

The Orinoco crocodile or Orinoco caiman is considered the largest predator in Latin America. It is one of the largest species of crocodiles in the world.

It lives in the Orinoco basin. It has a sturdy, flattened trunk, and its snout is thinner than other species. It can measure up to 7 meters.

References

1. Orinoquía region. Retrieved October 23 from froac.manizales.unal.edu.co
2. López-Arévalo, Hugo and Andrés González-Hernández (2006) Sabanero deer Odocoileus virginianus, Red Book of Mammals of Colombia.
3. Orinoquía region (Colombia). Consulted of es.wikipedia.org
4. Thomas R. Defler. The Fauna of the Orinoquia. Imani, National University of Colombia - Fundación Natura José Vicente Rodríguez, Conservation International of Colombia. Recovered from banrepcultural.org
5. Fauna of the Regions of Colombia. Consulted of faunadelasregionesdecolombia.blogspot.com
6. National natural parks of Colombia. Consulted on October 23 from parquenacionales.gov.co
7. Ceiba pentandra. Consulted of biological resources.eia.edu.co
8. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Consulted of venadopedia.com