Animals of Ecuador by regions

Ecuador's fauna

What are the animals of Ecuador?

Ecuador is a country full of many benefits, thanks to its location in the Equator, the country has a great biodiversity, which even extends through its four regions: mountains, coast, Amazon, insular. This article knows which are the typical animals of Ecuador by region.

Native animals of Ecuador

The forests and jungles of Ecuador are considered with the greatest biodiversity in the world. Even more, Ecuador is the smallest megadiverse country in the world and still has the largest biodiversity per hectare compared to other countries on earth. It has the third place after Brazil and Colombia in being of the mega-diverse countries of the planet. This diversity is due to different factors such as:

• Ecuador belongs to the only 10 continental countries on the equator, which have the common characteristic of having humid tropical conditions.
• When located on the equator, the vast majority of rainforests do not suffer from seasonal changes, thus allowing many species to survive, unlike those regions with seasonal fluctuations causing changes in temperatures and water or food shortages.
• The Andes divide the country into three zones, each with different species
• The coastal region of Ecuador is being considered the wettest region in the world, along with the Choco in Colombia and the southern deserts in Peru.

The largest predator in the country is the Jaguar and the largest ungulate is the Tapir of the Lowlands, this is a medium-sized mammal; However, if we talk about birds and reptiles, the country does have larger species, such as the largest flying bird in the world, the Andean Condor and the Galapagos Giant Turtles.

Most representative animals of Ecuador

• Condor of the Andes
• Peachy little zamarrito
• Spectacled bear
• Chorongo
• Greater Green Macaw
• Pygmy marmoset
• Jaguar
• Giant armadillo
• Pink dolphin
• Harpy eagle

Animals of Ecuador

Animals of the Amazon region

Mammals of Ecuador

Ecuador has more than 280 species of mammals, the largest group are bats that in fact can be found in many parts of the country, secondly are rodents.

Ecuador’s species of monkeys are in the Ecuador Oriente, where you can also find Amazonian species such as pygmy marmoset, the marmoset Pygmy, black-mantled tamarin, the marmoset I cuellinegro, Spix's Night Monkey, the loudmouthed Mico, coppery titi, coppery Marmoset, lucifer Titi, the Cotoncillo yellow hands, collared titi, Saki collar, Pithecia monachus, Saki scalp, Saimiri sciureus, common squirrel monkey, white-fronted capuchin, the cappuccino white fronted Alouatta seniculus, red howler monkey and, Lagothrix lagotricha, the churuco, the Spider Monkey, Ateles belzebuth.

Normally the birth peaks of all primates ocurr during the dry season, that is, from December to February; However, some groups such as callitrichids also have a second birth peak, which occurs during the rainy season, that is, from June to August. On the other hand it is also interesting to know that monkeys are not usually observed above 1,000msnm

Bats

There are many species of bats in the Ecuadorian jungle. During the night you can see them fly in large groups or just listen to it. However, a considerable number of them are also usually seen on the day. Some species hang on low branches over water.

Ecuador insects

The Ecuadorian jungle is home to a variety of countless insects of all kinds, large, small and every day you can find different or even new species: colored moths and butterflies, beetles, dragonflies, and many more. Also not all insects can be seen during the day. Many of them, can be observed only if you go out at night. In fact the latter has become a tourist activity in the Amazon.

Ecuador Moths

Not every night you can find different varieties of insects. If you have luck, you can see a great variety some nights, or just find a few species that do not fly. On the other hand, the moths that are attracted to the lights of the places are quite beautiful, and sometimes you can even observe hummingbird’s spices.

Ecuador Caterpillars

Caterpillars appear in incredible and wonderful shapes and colors, it is a great show for amateur and professional photographers.

Ecuador Butterflies

Something very anticipated is seeing those caterpillars in their adult life, many day butterflies usually gather in specific places, to nourish themselves with certain minerals, which makes it easier for visitors to observe them.

Ecuadorian amphibians

Frogs and toads are very common in the Amazon rainforest. In fact, did you know that night concerts are sung by amphibians? The disadvantage is that it is very difficult to see them unless you know the exact place to look for them, these animals are rarely seen by themselves. Many of them do not measure more than one or two centimeters, however they have beautiful colors and some of them with the advantage of having perfect colors to camouflage among all the Amazonian flora. If they notice your presence, they usually shut up completely and don't move so they won't be found, so when you're gone, they resume their singing.

Ecuador Reptiles

Reptiles are also present, they usually feed on the many insects, but some of them, as well as other animals of the jungle, usually feed on amphibians, birds and even wild boars and deer, as is the case with boas.

Spiders

As expected, there are spiders of different sizes and colors. The scourge spiders are the most similar to common spiders and are distinguished from scorpions by not having a poisonous tail, these are totally harmless to people.

Freshwater Crab

There are freshwater crabs in the Amazon, it is not known for sure if after the Atlantic Ocean withdrew resulting in the Amazon, the crabs stayed, or adapted to freshwater and migrated throughout the Amazon region.

Ecuador Birds   

There are more than 1600 species of birds in Ecuador that have been registered, so it has the title of the birds most diverse country in the world by size.

Andes Animals

Although animals’ diversity in the Andes is much less than in the Amazon, Andean fauna composition is very different. The Andean Wolf is a species that occurred between Coyote and a fox, just as you can also find the Condor of the Andes that is the largest bird in the world.

Endangered animals in Ecuador

Ecuador's ecosystems are characterized by having a wide variety of fauna. However, in recent years, some of these animals have been compromised due to multiple causes, as we well know one of the largest is man. A large number of these species are currently in danger or in a state of vulnerability.

• Andean toucan (Andigena laminirostris)
• Giant Armadillo (Priodonte maximus)
• Pink Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis)
• Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja)
• Andean condor (Vultur gryphus)
• Picoespada hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera)
• Spectacled or andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus)
• Galapagos Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata)
• White-faced Zamarrito (Eriocnemis nigrivestis)
• Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus)
• Jaguar (Panthera onca)

More about the Ecuadorian Fauna that may interest you

• Amazonian animal rescue center
• Flora and Fauna Chimborazo
• Galapagos fauna
• Flora and Fauna of Galapagos
• Flora and Fauna in Gold
• Flora and Fauna Ecuador