Wildlife of
Ecuador

Ecuador’s very name tells much about it. It means “equator,” and it is found at the point where the equator meets South America. Its climate and terrain help make Ecuador one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet, with many animals found nowhere else. Part of the Amazon rainforest, after all, is found in Ecuador. Not only this, but Ecuador owns the Galapagos Islands, home of many rare, exotic, and unfortunately endangered or extinct species. The very constitution of Ecuador recognizes that the natural world has rights.

Ecuador shares borders and some of its wildlife with Colombia and Peru. The Pacific Ocean, which is rich in marine life, is on the west side of the country.

The Official National Animal

The official national animal of Ecuador is the Andean condor. This vulture is the largest flying animal on earth: it is 4.25 feet long and can have a wingspan of up to 10.5 feet. Like most vultures, its head and neck are naked, though it has a ruff of white feathers around the neck. Overall, its body is black with white markings on the wings.

Andean condors coast on warm air currents and can float from thermal to thermal to continue flying without flapping their wings for extended periods. They live in the Andes Mountains and use their high vantage point to locate food below. Their excellent eyesight helps them locate their next meal, which is always some kind of dead animal.

The male has a wattle and a caruncle on top of its head, and unlike other vultures, he is bigger than the female. The males can get to 33 pounds, and the females closer to 24 pounds.

The Andean condor is on the country’s flag and coat of arms as a symbol of strength and nobility.

The Official Flower

The particular species that Ecuador chose as its national flower is Chuquiraga jussieui. Locally known as chuquiraga, Chuquiraga jussieui grows natively in Ecuador and Peru in mountain highland areas between 3,000-5,000 meters (9,842-13,123 feet) above sea level. Because it grows in the Andes Mountains, this species is also known as the “flower of the Andes” or the “walking flower.”

The chuquiraga grows on a shrub with small, spiky leaves. This flower plays a very important role in its ecosystem. However, it is considered a vulnerable species at high risk of extinction. Habitat loss, changes in the climate, deforestation, and unsustainable agricultural practices threaten this plant.

Where To Find The Top Wild Animals

Ecuador is a country with a robust conservation program. As of 2021, the country plans to set aside 32 percent of its land for the preservation of wildlife. Even though it is a small country, it has many national parks: El Cajas National Park, Llanganates National Park, Cayambe-Coca National Park, Yasuni National Park, and Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park. In addition, there are a number of reserves and refuges, including the Galapagos Islands.

Ecological reserves in Ecuador include Arenillas Ecological Reserve, Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve, Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve, and Antisana Ecological Reserve. Biological reserves are El Quimi Biological Reserve, El Cóndor Biological Reserve, Limoncocha National Biological Reserve, and Cerro Plateado Biological Reserve.

The country has 10 wildlife refuges including El Zarza Wildlife Refuges, Isla Corazón y Fragata Wildlife Refuges, Pacoche Wildlife Refuges, El Pambilar Wildlife Refuges, and the Rio Muisne Estuary Swampland Wildlife Refuges. There are also a number of private refuges.

Among Ecuador’s abundant wildlife are: sloths, pink river dolphins, a variety of monkey species, giant otters, piranhas, anacondas, tapirs, jaguars, iguanas, ocelots, pumas (mountain lions), spectacled bears, crab, coati, pacarama, tortoise yellow-bellied sea snake, sea lions, seals, giant and silky anteaters, guinea pigs, bats, and manatees.

Most Dangerous

• Poison dart frogs. Though only four species of these brilliantly colored frogs were used to add poison to the weapons of native Americans, just handling them is dangerous. The golden poison frog, for example, has enough toxins in its skin to kill 10 to 20 human beings.
• Fer-de-lance. This pretty but dangerous snake delivers more snakebites than any other venomous snake that lives in its area. That’s because it’s short-tempered, unpredictable, very common, and its coloration makes it easy to overlook. Juveniles are even more venomous than adults.
• Jaguar. This big, beautiful cat has been known to attack people. However, jaguar attacks are rare. There have been 20 reported deaths and 82 attacks that did not result in death from 1890 to 2001. Still, it’s good to be careful of these predators.
• American crocodile. This crocodile, which can grow to 13 feet long and weigh 842 pounds is an apex predator in Ecuador. Large adults have been known to kill and eat cows, and they are more aggressive than their cousins the alligators. Though there aren’t any reports of people being killed by crocs in Ecuador, this animal, like the jaguar, should be treated with respect.
• Anaconda. The heaviest snake in the world, it can reach lengths of 20 feet for females. Anacondas are endemic to the Amazon and Orinoco River Basins of South America.
• Bullet ant. Bullet ant stings can cause edema, tachycardia, lymphadenopathy, and fresh blood in feces. This ant’s sting is considered the most painful from any kind of stinging animal.

Endangered Animals

• Giant tortoise: There are several species of Galapagos tortoises on the exotic islands named for them, and their status ranges from vulnerable to extinct. Indeed, Lonesome George, a Pinta Island giant tortoise, passed away in 2012 at age 102 or so. He was the last of his species, and now that species is no more.
• Giant otter. Found around and in the Amazon River, this 5.6-foot long weasel is considered endangered thanks to poaching for its lush fur and habitat degradation.
• Baird’s tapir. This tapir is the largest type of tapir and the largest land mammal in South and Central America. It’s endangered in Ecuador.
• Great Curassow. This bird resembles a large pheasant, and the male has black feathers and a curly crest while the female can come in three colors. Its status is vulnerable.
• Glass frog. Glass frogs get their name because their bellies are transparent, and their internal organs can be seen. They are small frogs, only 1.2 to 3 inches long, and live most of the time in the rainforest canopy until it’s time to mate. Hyalinobatrachium crybetes, Centrolene ballux, Centrolene Heloderma, Centrolene gemmatum, Centrolene puyoense and Cochranella anomala are critically endangered and may already be extinct in some places.
• Several species of monkeys are also endangered: Spider monkeys, night monkeys, marmosets, tamarins, woolly monkeys and capuchins.
• Among birds, the Andean toucan, the harpy eagle, the Picoespada hummingbird, and Andean condor (the national symbol of Ecuador) are all endangered.

Rarest

The gaudo guan (Penelope ortoni) is a very rare species highly sought after by birdwatchers. It inhabits only the humid forests of the Choco-Darien ecoregion in the west Andean foothills of western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. The gaudo guan is very important to seed dispersal in its habitat, but it is in danger of extinction because of deforestation and hunting.

Largest

Baird’s tapir. This animal resembles a a wild boar or rhino, but it weighs from 400 to 800 pounds and can be more than six feet long. It also can stand between two and four feet high at the shoulder. Its tough hide provides protection from most predators.

In general, modern Tapirs all have a long snout, known as a proboscis, that is omnidirectional. They use this flexible appendage to gather berries, fruits and other vegetation from all surrounding areas. Their mouth contains between 42 and 44 teeth that are largely flat to help grind plants and fruits.

Generally solitary creatures, they will gather in small groups, called candles, to procreate, and for social interaction. Babies, known as calves, remain with their mothers until they reach six to eight months of age.