Colombia is a country belonging to South America, in it you can see great beauties in landscapes and animal species, however, currently there are many endangered animals in Colombia. We invite you to continue reading to learn a little more about them.
Animals in danger of extinction in Colombia
There are many species of animals that are about to disappear around the world, the fauna in danger of extinction in Colombia exceeds several countries in the region. The Colombian government has classified these animals and has placed them on the black list, identifying each one with a dangerous number from five to ten.
That list begins as follows:
White-headed Marmoset or White-headed Marmoset
This beautiful specimen of the marmoset family is characterized by having white fur on its head, hence its name, it lives in Colombia specifically in the Colombian jungles. Their diet is with fruits and insects, their family groups do not exceed fifteen copies divided between females, males and young.
Its size is approximately thirty-seven centimeters and its weight of about five hundred grams, it is one of the smallest in this species of marmoset, but it should be noted that the marmoset species is divided into a group of twenty classes, It is known by various names such as:
- White head
- Redskin
- white marmoset
This was discovered for the first time in Colombia in 1976, from there began studies of this species and in 2000 it was placed on the list of endangered animals of Colombia, giving it the number one category, which is in critical danger of extinction, it is not common and has a fairly efficient diurnal behavior.
Daily it meets its energy needs, it is compared to other monkeys belonging to other countries in the world such as:
- Africa
- Central America
However, it has some characteristics that are different from others, such as its size and the shape of its bite, this species walks on all fours and descends from the trees vertically. The females begin their reproductive period twice a year and last seventy-six days of gestation. He suffers from some diseases such as parasites, bacteria and some protozoa, which greatly affect him.
There are many diseases in which this monkey relapses and in 1977 it was discovered that the aggressive behavior of this monkey is due to the fact that it senses when it is in danger or when potential predators are approaching. These diseases can infect humans with hepatitis, echerichea colli, salmonella, among other deadly diseases for man.
Of the same there are other marmoset monkeys that are found as threatened species in Colombia, these are:
gray marmoset
This marmoset has the same characteristics as other types of monkeys with the only difference that its fur is gray, its diet is based solely on fruits, however, this marmoset is in danger of extinction for the same reason as many others. its kind the deforestation that occurs worldwide, this problem is not unique to Colombia.
In Colombia there are several species of sea turtles that are currently in danger of extinction, among them are:
green turtles
This turtle weighs two hundred and fifty kilograms the largest, its shell measures approximately one hundred and fifty centimeters, that is, one and a half meters. Its diet is herbivorous, it feeds only on algae and marine plants, it is one of the turtles that were the largest and most abundant at the time, however, they are currently in danger of extinction thanks to their illegal hunting for beauty. Its shell, as its name implies, is green and in the water it can be confused with marine plants.
Tortoiseshell
This turtle is found throughout the coastline of South America, it is distributed in some of the islands of the Caribbean Sea, it has a shell made up of thick amber, brown or black plates, its length or size can be up to ninety centimeters, it can They feed on sea sponges or invertebrates that they can get, however, their basic diet is marine plants, their weight is approximately eighty kilograms, counting that there are only seven species of turtles worldwide and five endangered species in Colombia.
Bighead
It has a large head compared to the size of its body, the shell or carapace can measure one meter twenty centimeters and weighs approximately two hundred kilograms, it is found on the coast of Colombia, part of the Caribbean Sea, it is a turtle that is in danger of extinction thanks to their hunting and they die like many other turtles, their diet is marine plants such as algae and is characterized by being brown, with brown spots on its head and legs.
Peanut
This turtle has the same characteristics as others, with the only difference that this one has a peanut-shaped shell, it is considered to be a direct relative of the hawksbill turtle, it is in danger of extinction due to the particularity of its shell.
We continue with the list of animals in danger of extinction in Colombia:
Spectacled bear
It is characteristic for its size and for the color of fur that you have in its eyes, which makes it look like glasses, its parrot is black and the edge of its eyes is white, it is a unique mammal of its kind.
This bear lives in Colombia in the mountain ranges that are in the Pacific, seen for the first time in the fifteenth century during the Spanish conquest, its diet is based on small animals such as reptiles, fish, insects and rabbits, this type of diet is characteristic of another mammal that also The Panda Bear is in Danger of Extinction.
Their habits are diurnal since they do not have a good vision at night, it is one of the Colombian species in danger of extinction Thanks to the fact that many people hunt them to place them or use them as ornaments in their homes, this bear entered the list of endangered animals in Colombia in 2004, there are many conservation projects and some of these unified in South America.
central american tapir
It is a perissodactyl mammal, native to intertropical countries, similar to the wild boar but with longer legs, a trunk-shaped snout, skin covered with short hair and its tail is almost non-existent, it has four toes on its hind legs and three toes on its back. their front legs.
caribbean manatee
Semi-aquatic mammal that inhabits different parts of Colombia and other places, its diet is based on fish, crabs and small aquatic species, it is perfectly adapted to swimming, it has a speed of over sixteen kilometers per hour, it can reach several meters of water.
It is very playful, it can spend whole hours jokingly fighting with its companions while playing, it likes to live in family groups formed by the mother, the father and the offspring of various ages, it is in danger of extinction because for years it was persecuted for its fur and for the meat it has, this hunt is prohibited, you have to know its habits to be able to respect all the species that are in danger of extinction throughout the world.
Pink dolphin
It is a dolphin that differs from the others due to its wonderful color, this is due to a modification in the DNA that makes its pigmentation different, it is in danger of extinction due to its skin.
It is also one of the threatened species in Colombia, since it is considered an exotic animal and there are only about a hundred specimens left on the Colombian coast.
Spider monkey or marimonda chocoana
This monkey, unique in its kind, has been in danger of extinction for a couple of years, the reason why this monkey suffers from this serious situation is the destruction of its habitat, deforestation in the Colombian jungles, have led to this monkey changes home, thus achieving that he himself dies in the attempt.
Jaguar
This animal is a solitary hunter, it combines its strength, speed and agility with excellent senses of sight, hearing and smell, this mammal belongs to the genus of Carnivorous animals and it is one of the largest felines like the lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah and cougar.
Like many other felines, they are in danger of extinction, this one sleeps during the day and usually hunts alone in the afternoon and at night, it stalks its prey stealthily, perched on a tree branch, then jumps on it holding it with its powerful claws.
The spots on its fur help it confuse with the environment, so it can approach its prey without being noticed, its fangs are long and sharp and can go through hard skin, cartilage and tendons. These animals are hunted for their beautiful fur.
Condor of the Andes
The condor is the largest flying bird in the world, it measures four meters with its wings extended, around its neck it has white feathers, which differentiate it from other flying birds in the world. The male has a crest of meat on the forehead and that is what differentiates this species from the females, it normally lives in the mountain ranges of South America.
This animal is considered a carrion bird and in turn contributes to cleaning the environment of animals in a state of decomposition. It is one of the few animals that is monogamous, it is considered that it will live with only one partner for life and with that it reproduces.
When they lay eggs, the parents take turns to be able to incubate it, while one goes out to eat, the other remains incubating the egg, until it is born, when this happens, it usually arrives and they feed the young between them.
It is in danger of extinction due to its illegal home and poisoning by people who believe it eats livestock.
Lion fish
It belongs to the group of scorpion fish, which includes about twelve hundred species that live in coral reefs and sandy areas of the seabed, it is a territorial fish that lives and always mates in the same place, to attract females, the male performs a dance with its fins unfolded, the fins are fan-shaped and its colors are bright and striking.
The spines of its fins are linked with glands that produce a powerful lethal poison for humans, it can measure up to thirty centimeters in length, it is an excellent swimmer but it does not like to swim long distances, that is why it is the reason for being so territorial.
With its huge mouth it gobbles up crabs, shrimp and larger fish in a single bite, they have an insatiable appetite, in one night they can take up to ten animals of the aforementioned, it is in danger of extinction thanks to its illegal fishing due to its powerful poison.
Puma
Mammal, American carnivore, similar to the tiger, but its fur is soft and tawny. It lives among large grasses, is nocturnal and feeds on other mammals, preferring blood to meat.
It is in danger of extinction in different parts of America, however, in Colombia it is the place where its status is most critical.
Iguana
This is a genus of reptiles, with a compressed body, a long and laterally compressed tail and a transverse fold of skin on the throat and a spiny crest along the back and upper part of the tail. Its species live in Central and South America, its size can reach approximately one meter.
This animal is in danger of extinction thanks to illegal hunting since man feeds on its meat and eggs.
Armadillo
This American mammal feeds on ants, other animals and small fruits, its most striking feature is the hard shell of bone plate that covers its body, predators seek to turn it over to attack its soft belly, it is an expert in the art of escaping from its enemies, he runs very fast and in the water he is a great diver, when he feels in danger and cannot flee he rolls up like a ball to protect himself better.
Their offspring are always identical quadruplets, which develop from the same egg, it is the only animal apart from man that is infected with leprosy, for that reason several scientists have used them for research to develop vaccines for this disease.
Morrocoy tortoise
The morrocoy is a land turtle, which can become Galapagos turtles if they do not control their diet, in Colombia this animal is in serious danger since with its shell they make some kitchen items and utensils.
Lynx
It belongs to the group of medium-sized felines, it is one meter long and weighs about thirty-eight kilograms, it feeds on different Types of Birds, reptiles and small mammals such as mice and rabbits, one of their most striking features is the plume or brush of hair that they have on the tips of their ears.
They are also characterized by having a very long tail, it is in danger of extinction due to the destruction of its habitat and poaching, this cat lives in many areas of Colombia, its sense of sight is more developed, it silently stalks its prey and when it is close it pounces on them, its gestation period lasts about ten weeks, two and three cubs are born that remain by the mother's side until they can fend for themselves.
