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20 endangered animals of Peru

The Amazon rainforest represents one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet. However, indiscriminate burning and deforestation are bringing many species to the brink of extinction. To this must be added other causes due to human activities, such as illegal trade and hunting of species, as well as excessive urbanization of the territory or pollution. In this AgroCorrn article, we focus on Peru, a country that enjoys part of this incredible jungle, as well as other ecosystems, but sadly we can see more and more Peruvian animals in danger of extinction. Next, we review 20 animals in danger of extinction in Peru .

You may also be interested in: 20 rare marine animals in danger of extinction
Index
  1. Andean bear
  2. Andean condor
  3. Andes cat
  4. Giant anteater
  5. Pudu
  6. Amazon pink dolphin
  7. Yellow-tailed woolly monkey
  8. Common spider monkey
  9. Uakari or bald cacajao
  10. Tamarino de Goeldi
  11. Mountain tapir or mountain tapir
  12. Giant otter
  13. Chungungo the sea cat
  14. Hill mouse
  15. Rana marsupial andina
  16. Lake Titicaca Giant Frog
  17. Peruvian branch cutter bird
  18. Wonderful hummingbird
  19. Pava aliblanca
  20. Blue whale

Andean bear

The Tremarctos ornatus , also called Andean or frontin bear , is a bear of small size and a very distinctive appearance, especially for its face, which is why it is also known as a spectacled bear . Other names it receives are that of ucumari or South American bear.

It is an omnivorous animal, but with a mainly vegetarian diet. Its range of distribution covers a strip of the Andes Mountains, from Venezuela to the north of Argentina. The Andean bear is an endangered animal in Peru and other areas. One of the causes that has caused the death of many of its specimens is the destruction of its habitat. Currently, there are some conservation projects for this species.

Andean condor

It is one of the Peruvian animals in danger of extinction in the most serious situation today. The Vultur gryphus is a large, black bird with white feathers on its neck and parts of its wings. It habitually lives nesting in mountains of the Andes Mountains and is a scavenger bird of prey .

The factors that bring this species to the brink of extinction in Peru are hunting, high environmental pollution or a reduction in the amount of food. As with the Andean bear, there are conservation projects for the Andean condor that are already underway.

Andes cat

The Leopardus jacobitus , is also known as Andean cat, Aymara titi, Chinchay, lynx cat or osjo . It normally inhabits the Andes Mountains at altitudes between 300 and 4,800 meters at sea level. Its appearance is similar to a cat in size, although its tail is larger, has a denser coat and is tabby in appearance.

It is a little known and not only is it among the animals in danger of extinction in Peru , but it is also among the most threatened felines in the American continent . Currently, only 2,500 specimens are known to exist. Their threats are hunting, the destruction of their habitat, the scarcity of prey and the trade in their skins.

Giant anteater

The Myrmecophaga tridactila , also called the flag bear or yurumí , is the largest species of anteater and inhabits Central and South America. It is already one of the endangered animals in Peru , as well as in other areas. The greatest threats for this species to be in danger of extinction are its natural predators such as jaguars and pumas, its low reproductive potential, the destruction of its habitat and human activities such as its capture for zoos.

Pudu

The pudu or pudu is a species of deer and is the smallest deer there is. They reach only up to 33 centimeters in length and 7 kg in weight. This animal has a color that ranges from reddish brown to yellowish gray and inhabits much of South America, but especially in Peru. It is another of Peru’s endangered animals .

Their main threats are the destruction of forests by man, illegal hunting, dog attacks or being run over. For this reason, few specimens have been quantified today and their disappearance is expected in the coming years.

Amazon pink dolphin

The Inia geoffrensis is a dolphin that is also known as the boto or Amazon dolphin . It lives in the Amazon River basin and can have a pink or pale blue color, although the most common is that they are albinos. It is one of the five species of freshwater dolphins that live on the planet.

In the entire Amazon area, including Peru, the Amazon pink dolphin is in danger of extinction . As in most cases of the different animals in Peru in danger of extinction, their main threats are the construction of dams, canals and the diversion of natural river courses.

Find out more about the endangered pink dolphins in this other AgroCorrn article.

Yellow-tailed woolly monkey

The Oreonax flavicauda is a unique primate in the Peruvian Andes. It is a monkey with thick hair and long tails that lives in mountain areas that are difficult to access. Their diet is based on fruits, leaves and flowers.

The main threats to the yellow-tailed woolly monkey are the construction of access routes to their habitats and the destruction of these for agricultural activities. In the cloud forests of northern Peru, its population is estimated at only 250 specimens, which is why it is considered an endangered animal from Peru .

Common spider monkey

The common spider monkey or Ateles belzebuth is a species of primate that lives mainly in the tropical forests of Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Brazil. This species of spider monkey is in a state of danger of extinction and, according to the records of the IUCN Red List, its population in the wild continues to decrease.

Among the main causes that the common spider monkey is one of the endangered animals of Peru , and of the rest of the countries in which it lives, are the indiscriminate felling of trees and the deforestation of tropical forests, as well as its hunting. and capture and the increase in diseases that seriously affect them, such as malaria.

Here you can learn more about why the spider monkey is in danger of extinction .

Uakari or bald cacajao

Scientifically known as Cacajao calvus , this is a primate that lives mainly in Peru and in some areas of Brazil and Colombia, its habitat being the forests and jungles of the Amazon region. Apart from being bald, as its name suggests, it is characterized by its red face and dense orange-brown fur.

The bald uacarí is a species in a vulnerable state and its population continues to decrease, so it can be considered that, continuing in this way, it is close to entering the category of animals in danger of extinction in Peru .

Tamarino de Goeldi

This is another species of primate that is in a state of vulnerability and that, in addition, the trend of its population continues to be decreasing, so it is expected that there will be fewer and fewer specimens in the wild . This is the forecast presented by the associations that are in charge of fighting for their survival (and that of their ecosystem); a prognosis that is more likely to be fulfilled if more drastic solutions are not put in place to the main causes of this bad situation which, as is the case with almost all animals in the Amazon, are: habitat destruction, illegal hunting and illegal capture .

The calimico or Goeldi’s monkey ( Callimico goeldii ) lives in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. Although it is considered that their status is one of vulnerability in their global situation, it is true that in some countries, such as Peru, their situation is already in danger of extinction.

Mountain tapir or mountain tapir

The tapirus pinchaque , also called mountain tapir, mountain tapir or Andean tapir is an animal considered exotic that inhabits the surroundings of the Andes mountain range, especially in the part of Peru. Currently it is considered that in Peru it is in danger of extinction , but in the rest of the areas that inhabit its population it is not much greater. Their main threats are the loss of their habitats such as logging and burning.

Learn more about the situation of this animal with this other AgroCorrn post about Why the tapir is in danger of extinction .

Giant otter

This mustelid is also known as the choker wolf or ariray ( Pteronura brasiliensis ) . It lives mainly in the Great Pantanal and the Amazon River and spans several countries, such as Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Colombia, Bolivia and Ecuador.

Sadly, although it lives in these areas of various countries, it is becoming increasingly difficult to see it, since the categorization of its general condition is that of an endangered animal , both in Peru and in other countries.

Chungungo the sea cat

Scientifically called Lontra felina and commonly known as sea ​​otter, sea cat, chungungo, marine cat , chinguno, chinchimén or huallaque. It is an otter that lives on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in South America. Specifically, this otter is one of the Peruvian animals in danger of extinction that occupies the most space throughout that part of the continent, since the northernmost region in which it is found is in Peru, it passes through Chile and reaches Argentina , and some individuals can even be found in the wild in the Falkland Islands.

You can discover more about these islands in this other article about the Flora and fauna of the Falkland Islands .

Hill mouse

The Zúñiga rice mouse ( Melanomys zunigae ) is a small rodent that only lives in Peru. Currently, this species of small mammal is in a critical state of danger of extinction , one step away from being extinct in the wild and perhaps also in captivity. In fact, according to the latest records from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the trend of its population is decreasing.

The main causes of its serious condition are the isolation of the hills, the destruction of habitat and the invasion of exotic species.

Rana marsupial andina

This is an amphibian that is on the list of endangered animals of Peru and its population continues to decline year after year. The Gastrotheca riobambae frog species is in this bad situation due to the destruction and loss of its habitat since the populations that remain in the wild are highly fragmented and reduced, a division mainly caused by the increase in urbanization in the valleys of the Andean regions. in which it lives.

Lake Titicaca Giant Frog

In this compilation of Peruvian animals in danger of extinction, this other amphibian could not be missing, since the giant frog of Lake Titicaca or Telmatobius culeus is a species that, currently, is already in a critical state of danger of extinction . This species of amphibian is endemic to Lake Titicaca, inhabiting both Peru and Bolivia.

Image: UltimaHora

Peruvian branch cutter bird

It is commonly known as the Peruvian branch cutter or Peruvian plant cutter and scientifically as Phytotoma raimondii .

It is an endemic species of the Peruvian north and central coast, but currently its populations are very fragmented, so its reproduction is more difficult. For this reason and for other reasons, the Peruvian branch cutter is practically in danger of extinction, since its status is very vulnerable and its population continues to decline.

Image: SosPeruvianPlantcutter

Wonderful hummingbird

Another of the endangered birds of Peru is the wonderful hummingbird, admirable hummingbird, spatula-tailed hummingbird or Loddigesia mirabilis . This small colorful bird is endemic to a specific region of the high jungle of Peru, specifically, the Utcubamba river basin. This species has a limited territory in itself, but this together with the fact that its habitat is rapidly destroyed by pollution and logging of the forest, its situation is at risk and its populations continue to decline.

Imagen: by ECOAN

Pava aliblanca

Another endemic bird in Peru that is in a bad situation in terms of population size is the white-winged guan or Penelope albipennis . This large galliform bird lives in the dry forests of the northern coast of this country, that is, in a fairly delimited region where habitat destruction is suffered . To this cause, other reasons are added why this animal is in danger of extinction, such as, for example, that its reproduction rate is low and it is hunted indiscriminately .

Image: InfoRegion

Blue whale

To finish this list of Peruvian animal species in danger of extinction , we want to mention the largest living being in the world: the blue whale or blue fin whale . This species of marine mammal is at risk of disappearing worldwide. This migratory animal, which spends part of its life in Peruvian waters and nearby countries, is one of the most threatened in the oceans, as it is not only seriously affected by the increase in climate change and the destruction of its habitat, but also by hunting and the acoustic pollution in the water that produces strandings are causing great havoc in its population.

If you want to learn more about the Balaenoptera musculus and its current situation, we recommend reading this other AgroCorrn article about Why the blue whale is in danger of extinction . In addition, we leave you here below a video in which we talk about several of these endangered animals in Peru.

If you want to read more articles similar to 20 animals in danger of extinction in Peru , we recommend that you enter our category of Animals in danger of extinction .

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Hello, I am a blogger specialized in environmental, health and scientific dissemination issues in general. The best way to define myself as a blogger is by reading my texts, so I encourage you to do so. Above all, if you are interested in staying up to date and reflecting on these issues, both on a practical and informative level.

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