THE 20 MOST OUTSTANDING ANIMALS OF COLOMBIA - BIOLOGY - 2025

The animals of Colombia are abundant. In fact, it is the second most biodiverse country on the planet. This South American nation has impressive wildlife that is enjoyed by thousands of people around the world.

Although it only occupies a small percentage (0.7%) of the total surface of the Earth, around 10% of the planet's species are represented in this country.

Between the Andes mountains, the Amazon jungle, the coast and the tropical islands, Colombia has a unique combination of ecosystems.

Thanks to this, this region is home to a large number of endemic animals. In this country there are 1871 species of birds, of which 70 are unique to Colombia.

On the other hand, of 760 species of amphibians found in this area, 208 are in danger of extinction.

As for reptiles, this country is home to 115 species. Finally, Colombia has more than 150 species of mammals.

You may also be interested in the animals of the Caribbean, Pacific or Andean region.

The 20 main animals of Colombia

1- Pink river dolphin

This strange pink dolphin is found in the Amazon River. He has a long nose, a round head, and is shy by nature.

They can be observed throughout the Colombian Amazon. It is even possible to swim with these creatures in the river.

2- Pot-bellied monkey

It is a monkey found only in Colombia, although it is believed that it could also exist in Venezuela.

Its short coat is brown, black or gray; but its head, belly, tail, and limbs are darker.

He has a flat face and nose. It can measure up to 72 centimeters and weigh up to 10 kilos. It lives in forests and lowlands that do not exceed 3000 meters in elevation. It is currently in critical danger of extinction.

3- Ameiva

They are lizards nicknamed metallic lizards and are usually bluish-green in color. They enjoy climbing trees and also digging in the dirt.

They are very active animals that can be found in Valle del Cauca and Chocó.

4- Golden quetzal

This bird is very common in the mountains of Santa Marta, in northern Colombia, although it can live in a variety of habitats such as subtropical and temperate forests.

His crown and his never are green and bronze, with a bright green chest, bright red belly, and black wings. It feeds on fruits, although it can sometimes eat lizards.

5- Goeldi's tamarin

The name of this monkey comes from the man who discovered this creature. It is small and is native to the Amazon basin.

They are usually brown or black and measure 8 to 9 inches. It is a fairly rare monkey and they are considered a vulnerable species.

6- white-headed marmoset

These monkeys are endemic to Colombia. They are curious in nature and are characterized by having lots of long, shiny white hair on top of their heads.

The rest of its body is black. They are very popular monkeys in Tayrona National Park.

7- Jaguar

It is the largest feline in America and one of the most iconic natural symbols of Colombia.

They are threatened, shy, and nocturnal, so it is rare to find them in the wild.

Despite this, they live in many places in Colombia, including Tayrona National Park and La Aurora Ecolodge.

8- Condor of the Andes

It is the national bird of Colombia. This animal has a 10-foot wing opening, making it the largest flying bird in the world.

9- Chigüiro (

It is the largest rodent in the world and lives throughout South America; it looks like a giant guinea pig.

It is common to see them during the drought in the eastern Colombian plains, where they are considered a delicious food.

10-

They are medium-sized hummingbirds that inhabit lowland humid forests. They exist from Panama to Ecuador.

It is the only species of its genus in which the head of the male is bright green.

11- Anaconda

This snake is the largest and heaviest in the world; it can reach 30 feet in length and almost a foot in diameter.

Its diet is wide, since it eats from fish to deer; at times it has consumed jaguars. The anaconda is found in the Amazon rainforest.

12- Dendrobatid frogs

Colombia has the largest number of frogs in the world. The dendrobatic ones in particular are poisonous. The natives used the poison of these frogs as a weapon when hunting.

The most spectacular species of this genus is the bright yellow poison frog: the most poisonous vertebrate in the world and endemic to the Pacific coast of Colombia.

13- Yellow-winged parakeet

It is one of the endemic parakeet species of Colombia; The yellow-winged parakeet only lives in the eastern Colombian Andes.

Its feathers are green, it has a brown belly, and its wing covers are yellow.

14- frontin bear

It is a strange inhabitant of the high forests. It is the only surviving species of bear native to South America and it is difficult to find a specimen in the wild; They are in danger of extinction.

The best place to observe them is in the Chingaza National Park and they are one of the most important native species.

15- Giant anthill

This animal has a strange long nose and a giant, furry tail. It is found in the open plains of eastern Colombia and is also known as the anteater.

It can be up to 2 meters long and weigh 45 kilos. It feeds mainly on termites and ants, using its large claws and its long, sticky tongue.

16- Arañero de Santa Marta

It is an endemic bird to the mountains of Santa Marta, north of Colombia. It is olive green above and yellow below, with a distinctive black and white pattern on its head.

It is associated with areas where bamboo chusquea exists.

17- Piranhas

These fish are found in the Amazon rainforest. They are carnivores, about 10 inches tall and have distinctive pointed teeth.

18- Orinoco Crocodile

It is the largest species of crocodile in America and is in danger of extinction, since for years it was hunted for its skin.

Observing a crocodile in the wild is unlikely; It is practically only possible to do it in the Tuparro National Park, on the border with Venezuela.

Fortunately, there is a program for the conservation and reproduction of these animals in the Wisiare Park, in the department of Casanare, which tries to increase the population of these crocodiles.

19- Humpback whale

These whales arrive on the Colombian Pacific coast during June and stay there until October; they make this journey to give birth in these waters.

During these months they are easily seen from the boats that leave in the towns of the department of Chocó: Nuqui and Bahía Solano.

20- Butterfly 89'98

There are 1600 species of butterflies in Colombia, so they are extremely common to observe.

But one of the most particular species is the diaethria phlogea, also known as the 89'98 butterfly because it has a pattern on its wings that seems to illustrate this number.

References

1. 11 awesome native animals from colombia you need to know (2017). Recovered from theculturetrip.com
2. Ameiva. Recovered from reptile-database.reptarium.cz
3. Brown breasted parakeet. Recovered from neotropical.birds.cornell.edu
4. Ameiva. Recovered from wikipedia.org
5. Animals in colombia. Recovered from lisofcountriesoftheworld.com
6. White tip quetzal. Recovered from neotropical.birds.cornell.edu
7. Lagothrix lugens. Recovered from wikipedia.org
8. Crowded woodnymph. Recovered from neotropical.birds.cornell.edu
9. Ameiva. Recovered from tuatera.com
10. Geoldi's marmoset. Recovered from factzoo.com
11. Santa marta warbler. Recovered from neotropical.birds.cornell.edu
12. Unique animal species in colombia. Recovered from animals.mom.me

Lagothrix lugens. Recovered from iucnredlist.org