Animals in Honduras

Below you can find a complete list of Honduran animals. We currently track 131 animals in Honduras and are adding more every day!

Much like Costa Rica, Honduras is a nation that understands the importance of preserving their natural wildlife, and they’ve largely been exceptional stewards of the land. Yet, threats like deforestation and aggressive ranching are jeopardizing the natural integrity of the landscape. It’s certainly a land worth preserving. Majestic and terrifying wild cats like the jaguar and puma are accompanied by more conventional native mammals like coyotes and white-tailed deer.

But while Honduras is home to some unique mammals, it’s just as renowned for its unique bird population. Over a hundred types of birds call Honduras home, and that list includes rare species like the quetzal and the wine-throated hummingbird. While there’s only a single species — the Honduran Emerald — that can only be found exclusively in Honduras, it crosses critical migratory patterns for countless breeds of birds from around the world.

The Honduran population of scaly and slimy wildlife isn’t as diverse as its cats and avian wildlife, but there are still over a hundred interesting reptiles and amphibians who call Honduras home. Of particular note is the basilisk. While the basilisk can’t turn you into stone with its stare as its mythical counterpart can, these animals have the unique ability to run across the water on their hind legs.

The Official National Animal of Honduras

The Yucatan white-tailed deer is the national animal of Honduras, but it will look familiar to plenty of people throughout North America as well. If you were to see them from a distance or encounter them for the first time, the Yucatan white-tailed deer might be indistinguishable from the breed of white-tailed deer that calls the United States and Canada home. But more experienced observers will notice that these unique animals are actually significantly smaller. Fully grown Yucatan white-tailed deer will weigh 70 to 80 pounds on average and are roughly 3 feet tall and 4.5 feet long. These unique qualities make Honduras’ national animal stand apart from the 37 other subspecies of white-tailed deer.

While the Honduran national animal may be familiar, their national bird, the scarlet macaw, is in a much more dangerous position. Because while the colorful combination of red, blue, and yellow that makes up this parrot’s unique plumage is familiar, the national bird is considered an endangered species. And while the territorial range for scarlet macaws can cover over 4 million square miles, Honduras is one of the few countries with native populations of this endangered species.

Where To Find The Top Wild Animals in Honduras

The diversity of natural wildlife in Honduras is vast, but there are a few places within Honduras that are particularly rich in unique animals.

• Lancetilla Botanical Garden is one of the largest tropical botanical gardens in the world, and the abundance of flora makes it a mecca for migratory birds. Hundreds of bird species, both migratory and native, call Lancetilla home.
• Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve is home to one of the most vibrant and unique mammal populations in Central America. These include rare and imperiled species like the giant anteater, West Indian manatee, and Mexican spider monkey.
• Pico Bonito National Park is the most likely place to find jaguars, but this endangered species is still rare to see. It also hosts other jungle cats like pumas, ocelots, and the adorably miniature margay.

The Most Dangerous Animals In Honduras Today

The Honduran jungle isn’t as dangerous as Hollywood might lead us to believe, but there are some truly lethal wildlife that prowls through the national wildlife parks of Honduras.

• Jaguars are a near-threatened species, but they’re formidable predators in their own right. These dangerous cats have enough force in their bite to pierce the skins of crocodiles and the shells of turtles.
• Those crocodiles that jaguars wrestle with are plenty dangerous in their own right. Their jaws are capable of applying 3,7000 pounds of pressure per square inch.
• Poisonous snakes are the most dangerous wildlife for humans. The venomous coral snake is prodigious in Honduras, but the country is also home to unique breeds like the green palm pit viper and the Barba armarilla.

Endangered Animals In Honduras

As is the case throughout Central America, poaching and deforestation have put many of Honduras’ native species in jeopardy. While migratory patterns make it sometimes hard to identify which endangered species are actually in Honduras, estimates range in the hundreds for animal species. Here are some of the noteworthy ones:

• Central American tapir – A strange creature that resembles a warthog, this tapir can also be found in Mexico and is the national animal of Belize.
• Margay – The margay cat looks similar to an ocelot but is much smaller. Grown margays weigh around 7 or 8 pounds on average.
• West Indian manatee – This creature also known as the sea cow was once a common sight along the bays and coastlines of Central America, but commercial activities in its natural habitats are making them increasingly rare.

Honduran Animals

Ant

First evolved 100 million years ago!

Anteater

Found throughout the Southern Hemisphere!

Armadillo

Can curl into a hard, protective ball!

Barn Owl

Found everywhere around the world!

Bat

Detects prey using echolocation!

Bear

There are 8 different species!

Beetle

There are more than 350,000 different species

Bird

Not all birds are able to fly!

Black Widow Spider

They typically prey on insects!

Bobcat

About double the size of a domestic cat!

Booby

Seabirds found across the South Pacific!

Butterfly

There are thought to be up 20,000 species!

Caiman

Can grow to up 6 meters long!

Caiman Lizard

One of the largest lizards in America!

Cat

First domesticated by the Ancient Egyptians!

Caterpillar

The larvae of a moth or butterfly!

Catfish

There are nearly 3,000 different species!

Centipede

There are about 3,000 documented species!

Chicken

First domesticated more than 10,000 years ago!

Cichlid

There are more than 2 000 known species!

Coati

Found in dense forests and wet jungles!

Cockroach

Dated to be around 300 million years old!

Collared Peccary

Form bands of up to 12 individuals!

Cow

There are nearly 1.5 million worldwide!

Crab

There are 93 different crab groups

Crocodile

Have changed little in 200 million years!

Dog

First domesticated in South-East Asia!

Donkey

First domesticated 5,000 years ago!

Dragonfly

It's larvae are carnivorous!

Duck

Rows of tiny plates line their teeth!

Eagle

Has exceptional eyesight!

Earwig

There are nearly 2,000 different species!

Eel

Eels can be a mere few inches long to 13 feet!

Falcon

The fastest creatures on the planet!

Fly

There are more than 240,000 different species!

Flying Squirrel

Can glide up to 90 meters!

Frog

There are around 7,000 different species!

Gar

Can grow to more than 3m long!

Gecko

There are thought to be over 2,000 species!

Glow Worm

Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!

Grasshopper

There are 11,000 known species!

Gray Fox

The gray fox has retractable claws and a rotating wrist that allow it to climb trees with some proficiency

Guppy

Also known as the Millionfish!

Hamster

Able to run as quickly backwards as forwards!

Hare

Can reach speeds of over 40 mph!

Harpy Eagle

Talon's the size of a grizzly bear's claws!

Hercules Beetle

Can grow up to 7 inches long!

Heron

Inhabits wetlands around the world!

Honduran White Bat

The bat only eats figs.

Honey Bee

There are only 8 recognized species!

Horse

Has evolved over 50 million years!

Horsefly

Horseflies have been seen performing Immelmann turns, much like fighter jets.

Howler Monkey

Spends 80% of it's time resting!

Human

Thought to have orignated 200,000 years ago!

Hummingbird

Beat their wings up to 80 times per second!

Ibis

Found in swamps, marshes and wetlands!

Iguana

Uses visual signals to communicate!

Insects

There are an estimated 30 million species!

Jaguar

The largest feline on the American continent!

Keel-Billed Toucan

It's beak can reach nearly 20 cm long!

Kingfisher

Inhabits wetlands and woodlands worldwide!

Kinkajou

The kinkajou is a nimble forest-dwelling mammal of Central and South America.

Ladybug

There are more than 5,000 species worldwide!

Leopard Frog

They can jump up to three feet

Lizard

There are around 5,000 different species!

Locust

Each locust can eat its weight in plants each day.

Macaw

The largest species of parrot in the world!

Marine Toad

Produces a toxin used in arrow darts!

Mayfly

There are 2,500 known species worldwide!

Millipede

Some species have a poisonous bite!

Mole

Primarily hunts and feeds on Earthworms!

Molly

Known for their calm and peaceful nature!

Monarch Butterfly

During migration, Monarch Butterflies may travel 250 or more miles each day.

Mongrel

Has characteristics of two or more breeds!

Monkey

There are around 260 known species!

Moorhen

Feeds on aquatic insects and water-spiders!

Moth

There are 250,000 different species!

Mountain Lion

Has no real natural predators!

Mourning Dove

It is almost always the male who makes the famous sad sound, which is a wooing call

Mouse

Found on every continent on Earth!

Mule

The offspring of a horse and donkey parents!

Ocelot

Also known as the Painted Leopard!

Otter

There are 13 different species worldwide

Panther

Prefers to hunt at night than during the day!

Parrot

Can live for up to 100 years!

Peregrine Falcon

Fastest animal on Earth

Pheasant

Females lay between 8 and 12 eggs per clutch!

Pigeon

They can find their way back to their nests from up to 1300 miles away.

Poison Dart Frog

Inhabits the jungles of Central and South America!

Porcupine

There are 30 different species worldwide!

Puma

Has longer back legs than front legs!

Quail

Inhabits woodland and forest areas worldwide!

Quetzal

The tail feathers of the male can be 1m long!

Raccoon

Known to wash their food before eating it!

Rat

Omnivores that eat anything!

Rattlesnake

It's venom digests it's prey before it even swallows it!

River Turtle

Inhabits freshwater habitats around the world!

Robin

There are more than 45 species in Australia alone!

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rose-breasted grosbeaks are closely related to cardinals

Roseate Spoonbill

The only Spoonbill in the western hemisphere!

Saber-Toothed Tiger

Canines up to 7 inches long!

Salamander

There are more than 700 different species!

Scarlet Macaw

Like many parrots, the scarlet macaw is capable of vocal mimicry.

Scorpion

There are around 2,000 known species!

Seahorse

Males give birth to up to 1,000 offspring!

Sheep

Around 35 million in the English countryside!

Shrimp

There are 2,000 different species worldwide!

Sloth

It's body temperature is between 30 - 34 degrees!

Snail

There are nearly 1,000 different species!

Snake

There are around 3,000 known species worldwide

Snapping Turtle

Only found in North America!

Sparrow

There are 140 different species!

Squirrel

Small rodents found in woodlands worldwide!

Stick Insect

There are more than 3,000 different species!

Swan

Populations have been affected by pollution!

Termite

Their mounds can be up to 9 meters tall!

Tortoise

Can live until they are more than 150 years old!

Toucan

There are more than 40 different species!

Tree Frog

Found in warmer jungles and forests!

Tree swallow

The tree swallow can make more than a dozen distinct vocalizations

Turkey

Closely related to pheasants and chickens!

Umbrellabird

Migrates up and down the mountains!

Vampire Bat

Have a heat sensor on the end of their nose!

Vulture

There are 30 different species worldwide!

Wasp

There are around 75,000 recognised species!

White-Faced Capuchin

One of the world's most intelligent monkeys!

White-tail deer

White-tail deer are good swimmers

Wolf Spider

Carnivorous arachnid that hunts its prey.

Wood Turtle

Temperature determines the sex of turtle eggs

Woodlouse

Actually a crustacean, not an insect!

Woodpecker

There are 200 different species!

Honduran Animals List