Honduras is a Central American nation whose territory is mostly mountainous. This country has an extraordinarily high biodiversity, in relation to its size. Its exceptional tropical location between two oceans and its topographic relief give rise to varied habitats. Despite this, the growing human activity has left a multiplicity of traces and today there are many Animals in Danger of Extinction in Honduras.
Endangered Animals in Honduras
The Honduran fauna is characterized by being very diverse, where the animals of arboreal life are the most common, as well as the freshwater species that live in its numerous rivers and streams. Monkeys, myriads and bats fill the treetops. Thousands of different species of insects are known to constantly emerge in the absence of winter (wasps, ants, mosquitoes, etc.)
The mammals of Honduras, although they are not large when compared to other habitats, are varied, being able to get animals such as tigers, tapirs, jaguars, pumas, wild cats, bats, etc. Regarding the birds of Honduras, toucans, woodpeckers, owls, owls, parakeets, etc. are frequent.
Even so, there are numerous species threatened for different reasons, the ones with the greatest impact being the devastation of their habitat and illegal hunting. Similarly, a large number of animal species have already become extinct under the effects of human activity, whether due to urban development, deforestation, pollution and other elements that have been gradually limiting their access to a viable environment for their lifestyle. Here is a list of the special endangered animals in Honduras:
Spider monkey
The animal variety of primates has always been of our interest, given their peculiar behavior and intelligence that makes them distinctive. The spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) is a species native to the tropical forests of South America that forms part of the Ateles class. The term Ateles designates those varieties of this genus that do not have an opposable thumb, which makes them characteristic. This deficiency is advantageous to them when swinging through jungle trees or in forests that have a tropical climate.
This ape has a “third arm”, its tail, with which it can be held in different ways and it also has a certain sensitivity so that they can also feel with it. It has great agility and moves through the trees very easily thanks to its long limbs. The trunk or body together with its members is fragile, delicate and elongated in appearance, its size is medium and its weight is usually less than 10 kilograms.
They have a fairly proportionate brain which serves as a reference when estimating the intelligence of this species. The color of their fur is extremely diverse, in such a way that we have spider monkeys with different shades of brown to the darkest color, and even black. Its diet is preferably based on seeds, fruits, flowers, tree leaves, small insects, wood and even its shell.
The Ateles species prefers to populate rainy areas and mangroves, where it usually stays together forming groups of about twenty members, although renewed from time to time. When they get together they cause a lot of noise in the area where they are, so it is relatively easy to locate their habitat.
In recent years they have been easy prey for hunters who have been looking for them. There are numerous people who wish to have this species as a pet, which implies that being uprooted from their natural habitat, their natural reproduction is thereby limited. There are others who want to take advantage of its meat, either to taste it directly, or to use it as a component for other dishes, since its meat is of very good quality.
On the other hand, man, with his progressive advance on the environment of this species, is fractioning or dividing the ecosystem in which they inhabit. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the Spider Monkey as (EN), which means Endangered.
Toucan
The toucan, a bird of great nobility and exoticism, which lives in tropical forests and whose scientific name is Ramphastidae. It is also popularly known by some other nicknames such as diostedé or diotedé. In Honduras there are 5 different species of toucans, although their physical appearance is well known by the population in general. It is characterized by its unmistakable and colorful beak which contrasts with the jet black of its plumage, which on some occasions also exhibits another range of tints. Its height is usually 66 centimeters, and its weight is quite light - from 130 to 160 grams.
Its peculiar beak can reach a length that approaches about 20 centimeters, a size that it obtains quickly when it reaches its first months of life. You have modest saw-shaped teeth that it uses to defend itself from predators. The diet of the Toucan is based primarily on fruits, but sometimes they also feed and subsist on the eggs of other birds different from their class or on the young recently emerged from the shell, as well as other animal species, as well as insects and others. small animals.
They generally reside in the huge jungles, choosing trees as their home, in which they take advantage of any hole or hole to nest inside with their young. However, there have been cases where this oviparous species decides to move to other environments such as cold areas located at 2.000 to 3.000 feet above sea level, or in other cases where they migrate to humid forests. The mating of this bird is infrequent and results in the meager production of only 2 or 4 eggs.
Unfortunately, its low birth rate and illegal hunting have meant that, today, this wonderful exotic bird has been classified as in danger of disappearing. The Toucan is also appreciated as a source of food and its parts are used for the elaboration of handicrafts by the locals. For this reason, the Honduran government decided to proceed to preserve and protect the region where the Cusuco National Park is located, in San Pedro Sula, in the Merendón mountain range, since this is one of the ways in which the government contributes to the conservation of the Toucan variety.
Such protection seeks to prevent their capture for commercial purposes, as well as to prevent the contamination of their natural environment and the indiscriminate felling of the trees where they take refuge. This species at risk of extinction in Honduras has been cataloged by the International Union for Conservation of Nature with the label of Least Concern (LC). However, certain scientific investigations have not been determined to disagree with said cataloging and assure that the danger of extinction is even greater.
Green Iguana
The green iguana or common iguana is one of the largest land lizards and is one of the most common creatures in the entire American continent. In Honduras it populates coastal areas, in which it prefers to live in trees greater than a meter and a half in height. It also stands out for being a very agile animal, which allows it to move very easily through the branches.
It reaches almost 2 meters in length, but since its body mass changes or evolves according to the humidity of the environment in which it is located, it has been possible to find specimens that have exceeded the indicated length. The body of the green iguana is stocky with very long and very strong legs, which have evolved to such an extent that they allow it to climb trees without any problem.
Its tail is the closest thing to a whip and it uses it as a wonderful weapon for its defense when it feels threatened, and to this we must add its crest, which is also useful against predators that seek to attack or eat it. The green iguana is a reptile characterized by showing a peaceful and gentle behavior, which has facilitated its capture by humans as well as its adoption as a pet. These practices limit the duration of their lives and make man their most dangerous enemy.
For this reason, in recent years the population of Honduras has been encouraged and motivated to set them free and return them to the ideal environment for them, made up of tropical areas full of trees, branches, fields or cleared areas with water. These are the areas where they can regularly cope with their development, which will enable the natural prolongation of their lives and that they can continue to be part of said ecosystem. The green iguana is classified as (EN) Endangered according to the IUCN.
Emerald Hummingbird
The smallest bird that exists of the Amazilia luciae species is a kind of hummingbird that is unique in the country. It can only be found in the dry valleys that are located on the Honduran Atlantic slope. They are considered to be one of the birds most in danger of disappearing from all of Central America, since the ideal valleys for their permanence have now been considered very suitable for agricultural and livestock production.
Today, none of the natural environments where this species is found is protected, which has greatly contributed to its accelerated disappearance. The amazing thing about the Honduran hummingbird, as it is affectionately called by the local population since it is unique to the place, is that its entire body is barely 9 to 10 centimeters long. It also has a long black beak. It is inclined to live in tropical regions and dry forests.
Added to this, its plumage is extremely impressive as its feathers show a radiant and shimmering shine in the sunlight. In these conditions when you can fully contemplate and enjoy the splendor of its wonderful emerald color, in conjunction with green, blue and yellow tones. This beautiful creature feeds mainly on the sweet nectar of plants such as cacti, acacias and bromeliads, although it can also feed on modest insects that are found near these plants.
The Honduran hummingbird tends, in general, to mate in the month of March or April. They begin the construction of their nests among the bushes with components such as spider webs, moss and different parts of certain plants. The emerald hummingbird exhibits great agility in its flight, being able to reach speeds of 27,3 meters per second, making it somewhat easy for them to elude their natural enemies.
His life expectancy is only about 5 years. The greatest risk to which this beautiful bird is subjected is the devastation and contamination of its habitat, as well as the expansion of agricultural activities and urban growth. Such activities have forced the displacement of this creature, leading them to look for new places to live, which are not always adequate to their requirements. According to data provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Honduran emerald hummingbird has been listed as (CR) Critically Endangered.
sea cow
The manatee (Trichechus manatus) is an aquatic mammal of enormous size (up to 4 meters long) and weight, which amazes us due to its unique, curious and extremely interesting personality. Despite the fact that it feeds almost exclusively on vegetables such as seaweed and other plants that are found in the sea, the manatee can eat 30 to 50 kilograms a day, which causes its weight to be between 300 and 500 kilos.
Something peculiar about their digestive system is their teeth, which, in contrast to humans who only change them once in their existence, manatees change them incessantly throughout their lives. Added to this, manatees have great strength and lung resistance, since they can remain submerged and without emerging to the surface of the water to breathe, for a maximum of about 20 minutes. That's because when they emerge to replace their air, they manage to do 90% of it.
It should be noted that this class of sirenians do not have recognized predators in the natural environment. There is no known animal that uses them as food, so for this reason, the manatees are extremely calm. However, if there is a great enemy that they have not been able to get rid of, an enemy that has been gradually leading them to their total extinction, the human being. Manatees are constant victims of poaching, since they are easy prey due to their slow movements, which allows them to show themselves defenseless at the mercy of the hunter.
Another persistent reason for its almost extinct existence has been the devastation and contamination of its natural environment. This class of sirenians has been classified as red alert. This creature is at risk of extinction in Honduras, since it has barely been possible to keep it protected in small areas of the country such as the coast of the departments of Cortes, Atlantida, Colon, and Gracias a Dios. The IUCN has classified manatees as a (VU) Species Vulnerable to Extinction.
Jaguar
The jaguar, whose scientific name is Panthera Onca, is the largest carnivore in Honduras and the American continent. It is found in various ecosystems, such as humid forests, tropical jungles and thickets. Its name comes from aboriginal languages and means "beast". It has a very diverse diet, hunting from young tapirs to rodents, lizards and monkeys, and can also consume certain fruits and fish.
For many years this feline had been considered missing, but thanks to different rescue programs its species could be saved. In Honduras, it currently only populates the south of the country, specifically in the mountains of the department of Yoro where it is called by the locals as yaguareté, jaguar and yaguar. It has been cataloged as the largest cat on the planet and the supreme predator that can be found in these jungles, thanks to its great acuity of both smell and hearing.
Color traits in the fierce and skilled predator's skin can change, ranging from pale yellow to reddish-brown, with numerous white spots or freckles on the insides of its legs and chest. Throughout its body there are many spots of different sizes of black coloration. A jaguar in its mature stage can weigh from 45 kilograms to 130 kilograms, there are even records of jaguars that exceed 150 kilograms.
They are creatures that spend most of their time alone except for mating season which can be any time of the year. The young are cared for by their mothers for only the first 15 to 24 months, since when they reach 2 or 3 years they reach sexual maturity and are able to defend themselves and take care of themselves.
Today, it is estimated that there are some fifty thousand jaguar specimens in the world, an amount that is in decline, something extremely unfortunate. It is another of the animal species at great risk of disappearing in Honduras due to the continuous deforestation of its habitat, which makes it difficult for them to find food and a mate. Added to this, illegal hunting and illicit trafficking have accelerated their extinction.
tapir
The Honduran Tapir is a mammal that is very similar to domestic pigs, which are recognized by their long pachyderm snout which they use to ingest water and the plants or roots that constitute their main source of food. Similarly, they ingest algae and other aquatic plant species that are found in the swamps, the favorite space in which this specimen carries out its life.
This animal is directly familiar with donkeys, horses, zebras and rhinoceroses and it has been estimated that its existence extends to about 40 million years ago. A particularity of this species is that they do not have knees on their legs. Although there are about five types of tapir known, such as the Malayan tapir, only the Baird's tapir or Tapirus bairdii class can be found in Honduras. This class is known as the largest, since its size can reach 2.5 meters in height and with a weight that reaches 400 kilograms.
The Honduran tapir is brownish-brown in color combined with a very faint orange-yellow or cream in the section that includes the area of the throat and cheeks of the face and the back of the eye. Its existence is under risk of extinction in Honduras since it has been greatly affected by poaching and deforestation that is gradually destroying its home. It is estimated that more than 70% of its habitat has been devastated, thus causing the greatest alteration in recent years.
To which we must add that the introduction of domestic animals into their natural environment has caused the emergence of various infectious diseases that have drastically reduced the number of tapirs in recent years. The survival of the last five thousand copies is at risk if nothing is done about it.
scarlet macaw
This wonderful red, yellow and blue macaw is the national bird of Honduras. The Macao Ara, as it is called in the scientific environment, lives mainly in tropical areas and high humidity forests. Similar to a parrot, it is clearly distinguished by the enormous tail they carry, just as they differ from the other classes of their species by the stocky beak that is characteristic of them. The scarlet macaw is about 96 centimeters long and is diurnal and very extroverted.
It usually goes in groups or flocks of dozens of members with whom it takes flight every morning in search of food, to then clean up and doze around noon. These groups usually have as leader, in most cases, one of the oldest males who is in full reproductive stage. They form a couple for life, and when they reproduce, in the months of November and May, they prefer to walk in pairs and separate from the group.
The way in which the scarlet macaw communicates is through vocalizations that consist of both strident sounds and high-pitched screeches, which may seem somewhat annoying to our ears, but each variety of tone refers to a specific message when communicating. Their favorite food is seeds, particularly sunflower seeds, although they also take great delight in tasting the taste of the nectar of fruits and flowers, as well as ingesting insects, stems of certain plants, tree leaves, and more.
In the IUCN classification, the scarlet macaw has been labeled as (LC) Least Concern and this is due to the intense breeding programs that allowed it to recover its habitat. Despite this, threats to their existence are still present, such as the devastation of their habitat and the theft of their young for illegal trade on the black market. In addition to this, climate change has also contributed to the decrease in the number of specimens.
Hawksbill turtle
It is a sea turtle that drives anyone crazy with the beautiful suit it wears. We're referring to its shiny, shell-studded carapace with colorful spots of brown, yellow, orange, and cream. Its body is flattened and it has extremities like fins that help it to perfectly develop its existence in the sea. The Hawksbill Turtle lives on shallow coasts, on islands in the middle of the ocean, near areas full of rocks and in corals.
In order to distinguish the males from the females, we have to look at the tone of their coloration, since the females are usually the same colors but in much lighter shades. They are also usually differentiated by the lower part of their armor, which is much more concave, to which is added that its claws are a little more extensive than those of the males and its tail is broader. Its name originates from two peculiar aspects of the species, its modest or narrow head and its sharp beak, very similar to that of birds.
But its physique is not just pure beauty, since its beak is useful for accessing the tiny cracks in the corals when looking for food. This charming and very peaceful marine species, unfortunately lives under threat of being commercialized internationally, since some catch it to take advantage of its shell to sell it at a very high price due to its striking and peculiar features.
They have also been given other uses such as the making of combs, jewelry and even their inlays as decorative accessories. For this and other reasons such as the invasion of their natural environment and the painful contamination, it is sadly pointed out that up to 80% of the population of hawksbill turtles has become extinct from their habitat. Currently, the IUCN has classified the hawksbill sea turtle as (CR) Critically Endangered.
Honduran shrew
The Honduran shrew (Cryptotis hondurensis) is a species of small mouse endemic to Honduras, which is recognized by its huge eyes, long snout, sensitive whiskers and small size, very similar to the anteater, but not related to any of the animals mentioned. It lives in places where humidity predominates and in soils with profuse vegetation, such as jungles and forests. The Honduran shrew bases its diet on insects such as larvae and worms, but it also consumes nuts and traps modest vertebrates.
As it does not exceed 5 centimeters in length, from head to tail, and does not exceed 3 grams in weight, it is considered one of the smallest mammals in the world. For reasons of survival, it is an extremely cunning animal, and can perish if it spends more than four hours without feeding, so it works incessantly day and night in search of its food, which is based on insects and carrion for the most part.
It tends to reproduce in burrows that it designs and makes in the openings of the rocks, when the fetuses of the future offspring are in the first thirty days of pregnancy. Surprisingly, this creature can give birth to six specimens. Despite the fact that their only predators and adversaries by nature are dogs and raccoons, as sad as it may be, this animal breed barely had a life expectancy of just one year.
This species is at risk of disappearing primarily due to deforestation and the devastation of its habitat as a result of human activity, which has considerably reduced the number of specimens in the wild.
Whale shark
The whale shark (Rhincodon typus), in contrast to other shark species, is very intensely gray in color and its body is covered with white and yellow spots and stripes. It can reach a length of up to 20 meters, which makes it the largest aquatic mammal in the world. Another of its distinctive features is its flattened head with tiny eyes, which is why its vision is not very useful, so it depends primarily on its sense of smell.
The whale shark feeds mainly on plankton, crab larvae and small fish such as sardines and tuna. This animal is of oviparous reproduction, and something that helps us to understand how difficult it is for this species to reproduce is that it is only from the age of 30 that it becomes sexually mature, with a life expectancy of about 6 decades. . In addition to the above, this is one of the animals at greatest risk of disappearing in Honduras, motivated by hunting for commercial and artisanal consumption. Currently there is legislation that regulates these activities in order to preserve the species.
American crocodile
The American crocodile, whose scientific name is Crocodylus acutus, is a reptile of enormous size and prehistoric appearance. It can be up to 4 meters long and weigh more than 380 kilograms. Its body is greenish in color with modest black spots around the back. The crocodile lives in areas where there is a lot of fresh water, such as rivers, lakes and streams. Its diet is based on fish and turtles in greater proportion, although it also catches birds, insects and other animal species.
This is one of the fiercest reptiles, being able to be found in numerous Latin countries, and despite the fact that many people do not love it, it has an important role in nature, performing certain functions that help maintain the balance in the pyramid of the lifetime.
With the passage of time, there are fewer and fewer spaces that it occupies in the natural environment and fewer animals that it could feed on, since many have disappeared, which would cause the crocodiles themselves to disappear in the not too distant future. It is at risk of extinction due to illegal hunting for its consumption and for the use of its skin in the manufacture of clothing. Also contributing to the disappearance of this species is the pollution of rivers and the devastation of the forests that surround its aquatic habitat.
Crested Eagle
The crested eagle (Morphnus quianensis) is a bird of enormous size, reaching 71 to 84 centimeters in length, where females are larger than males. It is also called lesser harpy, brown eagle or simply eagle. It lives in low-lying regions, particularly in wooded and humid areas. It is distinguished by a sharp crest, in addition to the fact that its neck, chest and head exhibit grayish and yellowish tones, while the belly is brown and white, ending in a black tail.
Their diet consists of snakes and smaller birds, as well as modest mammals such as frogs and monkeys. It is inconspicuous in behavior despite its size, usually remains in the canopy and eventually rests in the clearing at the edge of the forest. It makes a powerful sound called screaming. His life expectancy is about 60 years. This colossal animal is at risk of disappearing in Honduras due to the loss of its habitat, primarily due to intense deforestation.
Guan Pajuil
The pajuil guan, or penelopina nigra, is a variety of galliform bird of the Cracidae family that can be found in the humid forests of Central America from 500 to 2.500 meters above sea level. They show great sexual dimorphism. The males exhibit a very bright black plumage on the back and wings and dark brown on the belly, while in the females it appears with chestnut tones, however, both genders show a red beak and throat.
They have a size that varies from 59 to 65 centimeters in length. They live in humid regions such as forests and thickets. Their diet consists of fruits, seeds and tiny insects. It is a bird of great presence in Honduras and Nicaragua, places in which they are also called black chachalaca and genderbreaker. It is at risk of extinction due to its hunting for its meat and the devastation of its habitat.
Whitetail deer
It is a medium-sized animal, very nice and friendly, to which it is added that it is the national symbol of Honduras. Its legs are long and its back smooth. The color of its forehead is dark brown and the coloration of the rest of its body varies according to the time. In the summer season its hair turns reddish and in winter it turns gray but its belly, inner thigh, throat and chest are white.
It usually lives in dry forests and savannahs. It feeds mainly on fruits, tender branches, and vegetable varieties. Regarding their reproduction, females usually give birth to one to two young. In Honduras they can be found in ecosystems under protection such as: Leather and Salado Wildlife Refuge and Lempira: Celaque National Park. Currently this species of deer is in danger of disappearing due to illegal hunting for its meat and skin, as well as due to the gradual devastation of its habitat.
The denomination of this National Mammal of Honduras is due to the particularity of its tail, which is white on the underside and which it raises while running to take shelter when it is under threat, which in turn serves as a danger alert. to the other members of the herd. Only male white-tailed deer have branched antlers that can be tilted back.
Squirrel Monkey or Saimiri
This tiny monkey is considered to be the smallest among the primates. Like all squirrel monkeys, it has a long tail, which is not prehensile, with a black tip. In its adulthood, its body reaches about 72 centimeters from head to tail and weighs from 0.55 to 1,25 kilograms. He is recognized by a white facial mask on his face, where his black (or dark brown) snout protrudes. Its color is ocher and reddish tones.
The extension and flexibility of its tail allows it to move freely among the trees and jump from one to another without much problem. It inhabits low-lying tropical forests. It is diurnal and spends its time in the treetops in groups of up to 50 individuals. They are omnivorous. A very peculiar species within the animals at risk of extinction in Honduras. However, in Central America we may not be able to observe it again in a short time, since the devastation of its habitat restricts its possibilities of feeding and subsisting.
Anteater
This unique animal with a tube-shaped snout is one of the most prevalent in Central America, although unfortunately this seems to be changing soon. Its diet is based on ants, which it achieves by destroying their nests with its claws. As the forests and natural environments where it resides are devastated, its domains are reduced, which will lead to its disappearance.
Armadillo or Cusuco
In Honduras three varieties of armadillos are known, the current species has physical features such as: semicircular body, somewhat long and narrow on the dorsal part. Its tail is long, and its body is completely covered by a shell or carapace made up of small plates with 8-9 conspicuous and movable bands on its back, which are well concentrated and superimposed on its tail. Its color is dark brown and its head and ears are long and narrow, its front legs have powerful claws.
It inhabits dry and humid forests, as well as wooded meadows and secondary forests near coffee plantations. Their diet consists of insects, primarily ants, larvae, fungi, snails, fruits, grasshoppers, crickets and some Lepidoptera. They have both diurnal and nocturnal habits. Their young are born at the beginning of the year and the litter ranges from 4-8 young. Given the degree of increasing deforestation in Honduras, their chances of survival are increasingly limited.
Quetzal
The Quetzal (Pharomachrus) is a bird that was considered sacred in the Mayan culture and its plumage was used to adorn the attire of kings and priests. Their diet consists of fruits, primarily wild avocados, insects that they capture in flight, and modest vertebrate animals such as lizards and frogs. Its surroundings are tropical forests, grasslands and mountains with dense vegetation and a humid or sub-humid climate.
It makes its nest in the highest of uninhabited trees or in holes left by woodpeckers. The male specimens exhibit metallic green plumage and a red chest. In the breeding season, the males develop a tail up to 1 meter long, which contrasts with their body, which measures just 35 centimeters. Climate change and indiscriminate logging have caused enormous casualties among these birds of paradise that stand out for their long tail, their nice crest and their bright colors. It would cause great sorrow if a work of art such as this did not continue to exist.
Ocelot
The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a small carnivorous feline mammal with a large ear that inhabits humid forests, mountainous and even semi-desert regions, although it can adapt to various habitats. Its head and body measure between 70 and 90 centimeters while its somewhat short tail is 30 to 40 centimeters (45% of the sum of head and body) and its weight is around 11 kilograms.
Its diet is made up of medium and small mammals, such as possums, monkeys, bats, rabbits and even adult deer and others. It also feeds on reptiles (young alligators, lizards and snakes) and turtle eggs. They hunt alone or in family groups, and the success of the capture will depend particularly on sight and hearing; although their sense of smell is also highly developed.
According to the IUCN Red List, the ocelot is classified as least concern, since it is the feline with the greatest presence in the habitats of most of the lowlands of the tropical regions of the American continent. Their number, however, is on the decline.
reef coral
One of the most appreciated features of the seas of Central America is its great aquatic variability and the beauty that is hidden in its depths. Unfortunately, both pollution and the damage caused by human activities, such as navigation, have caused numerous species to become extinct and others, such as those that beautify the seas, are at risk of disappearing.
This time we are not referring to reef corals, which have been diminished and it is estimated that in less than two decades they will cease to exist completely. Undoubtedly, the absence of corals in the Caribbean and Pacific seas is something that will be felt.
Other articles that may interest you are: