17 animals in danger of extinction in Ecuador

The Andean toucan or gray-breasted toucan is a bird that measures about 40 cm. approximate height 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 forests in which it lives. This is one of the millions of reasons why the conservation of tropical rainforests or tropical forests is important .

The giant armadillo can reach between 150 and 169 cm in length and weigh 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. It inhabits much of South America in humid forests and is in danger of extinction in areas such as Ecuador due to hunting, using its bone armor for ornaments and its meat for food. They are also transported to zoos.

This dolphin is also known as Bufeo, Amazon Dolphin or Boto and is characterized by its pink 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 head freedom of 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 living in the Amazon and Orinoco river, where networks or pollution threaten their survival.

Learn more about this in this other AgroCorrn article about Endangered Pink Dolphins .

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 can reach up to 2 meters with outstretched wings and weigh 8 or 9 kg. It inhabits regions of Central and South America, where cutting down of 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 .

The Andean condor is one of the largest birds that flies to great heights in the world, being able to reach 3 meters with outstretched wings and 15 kg in weight. 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 is that males and females are well differentiated, as can be seen in the image, and that their diet is scavenger . Their greatest threats 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.

This is one of the strangest birds in Ecuador , as it has a beak longer than its body, up to 10 cm long and an extremely long tongue with which it sucks the nectar from the plants. The main threat to the survival of the sword-billed hummingbird is changes in its habitat and the destruction of these areas.

Also known as Andean or Frontinian bear , it 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, being able to reach 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 its habitat and hunting, to sell its skins and its meat to eat.

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 albatrosses extends over different continents, including the Galapagos Islands , in areas with quite a lot of altitude. They are in danger due to deaths during fishing, pollution of marine waters and climate change.

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 forests in South America . The bird known as the black-breasted zamarrito is in danger due to the deterioration of its habitats due to logging and replacement by cultivation areas.

It is one of the smallest known penguins , barely reaching 20 cm in height and weighing 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. It is in danger of extinction , mainly due to climate change and various natural disasters.

Specifically in western Ecuador, the jaguar is in critical danger of extinction . 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 .

We continue with this list of animals in danger of extinction 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 )
• Tapir amazónico ( Tapirus terrestris )
• Equatorial Capuchin Monkey ( Cebus )
• Spider monkey ( Ateles )
• Eastern Mountain Coati ( Nasuella meridensis )

Measures that can be taken to help protect these endangered species include:

• 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.

If you want to read more articles similar to 17 animals in danger of extinction in Ecuador , we recommend that you enter our category of Animals in danger of extinction .