Below you can find a complete list of Venezuelan animals. We currently track 227 animals in Venezuela and are adding more every day!
Venezuela is one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet because it spreads across so many geographically diverse habitats. Among Venezuelan animals, you’ll find the crocodiles of the Orinoco Delta, the Spectacled Bear of the Andean highlands, the capybaras of the Llanos plains, the monkeys and sloths of the Amazon basin, and the Scarlet Ibis of the Caribbean coast. More than 4,000 species of animals live in Venezuela, including more than 350 discrete mammal and reptile species, more than 1,400 avian species, and nearly 2,000 marine species. Animals native to Venezuela include jaguars, the crab-eating fox, the giant anteater, and the giant otter.
The Official National Animal of Venezuela
The national animal of Venezuela is the troupial (Icterus icterus), a member of the oriole family. These black-headed, orange-bodied birds are found throughout Venezuela’s drier forests and grasslands. Properly speaking, troupials are animals native to this country since they’re also found in Colombia and some Caribbean islands.
Where To Find The Top Wildlife in Venezuela
More than 20 percent of the country is comprised of national parkland where animals can flourish. National parks are mostly found in the country’s mountainous and coastal regions. Canaima National Park, home to Venezuelan animals such as the giant armadillo, the cougar, the jaguar, and two-toed sloth, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Most Dangerous Animals In Venezuela Today
The jaguars that roam the Amazonian jungles and the piranhas that swim in Amazonian streams are among the most dangerous animals in this country. Venezuela has its share of poisonous snakes, too, such as the Venezuela Coral Snake and the Horned Palm Viper.
Endangered Animals In Venezuela
More than 50 percent of Venezuela’s unique avian and mammalian species can be found in the Amazonian forests south of the Orinoco Delta. Many of these species are at risk of becoming extinct in Venezuela because of habitat destruction related to the oil industry. Other animals facing extinction are the giant armadillo and the giant otter. Though more than 20 animals here are in danger of becoming extinct, there is no definitive list of extinct animals in Venezuela.
Venezuelan Animals

Amazon Parrot
These parrots can be trained to be "talking birds" that mimic human speech

Anaconda
They are the heaviest snake in the world

Ant
First evolved 100 million years ago!

Anteater
Found throughout the Southern Hemisphere!

Armadillo
Can curl into a hard, protective ball!

Armyworm
They are so named because they "march" in armies of worms from one crop to another in search of food

Aruba Rattlesnake
This rattlesnake only lives on the island of Aruba.

Barb
There are over 1768 known species!

Barn Owl
Found everywhere around the world!

Barn Swallow
Older offspring help care for new hatchlings.

Basilisk Lizard
Can run/walk on water.

Bat
Detects prey using echolocation!

Bear
There are 8 different species!

Bed Bugs
Bed bugs feed for 4-12 minutes.

Bee
Rock paintings of bees date back 15,000 years

Beetle
There are more than 350,000 different species

Bird
Not all birds are able to fly!

Biscuit Beetle
The biscuit beetle form a symbiotic relationship with yeast

Black Widow Spider
They typically prey on insects!

Booby
Seabirds found across the South Pacific!

Brown Dog Tick
Can live its entire life indoors

Burrowing Owl
The burrowing owl lives in underground burrows

Butterfly
There are thought to be up 20,000 species!

Caecilian
Some species' babies use their hooked or scraper-like teeth to peel off and eat their mother's skin

Caiman
Can grow to up 6 meters long!

Camel Cricket
The camel crickets that are found in the USA are light brown in color. They also have dark streaks all over their body.

Canada Warbler
These birds travel more than 3,000 miles during migration!

Capybara
Excellent at both diving and swimming

Carpenter Ant
Carpenter ants can lift up to seven times their own weight with their teeth!

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!

Common Furniture Beetle
The common furniture beetle feeds exclusively on wood

Common House Spider
House spiders have the ability to eat most insects in a home.

Coral Snake
There are over 80 species of coral snake worldwide.

Cow
There are nearly 1.5 million worldwide!

Crab
There are 93 different crab groups

Crab Spider
Crab Spiders can mimic ants or bird droppings

Cricket
Male crickets can produce sounds by rubbing their wings together

Crocodile
Have changed little in 200 million years!

Crow
A group of these birds is called a Murder.

Dog
First domesticated in South-East Asia!

Dog Tick
Dog ticks feed on dogs and other mammals

Donkey
First domesticated 5,000 years ago!

Dragonfly
It's larvae are carnivorous!

Dubia Cockroach
The most popular species of feeder roach

Duck
Rows of tiny plates line their teeth!

Dung Beetle
The dung beetle can push objects many times its own weight

Dwarf Boa
Some species can change color from dark to light, and back again.

Eagle
Has exceptional eyesight!

Earthworm
They are hermaphrodites, which means they have male and female organs

Earwig
There are nearly 2,000 different species!

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

Electric Eel
Despite its powerful shock, electric eels have terrible vision.

Falcon
The fastest creatures on the planet!

False coral snake
The false coral snake mimics both the coral snake and the cobra to scare away predators

False Widow Spider
False spiders actually prey on black widow spiders and other hazardous spiders

Fer-de-lance Snake
The Most Dangerous Snake in the Americas

Firefly
The firefly produces some of the most efficient light in the world

Flamingo
Sleeps on just one leg!

Flea
Adult fleas can jump up to 7 inches in the air

Fly
There are more than 240,000 different species!

Flying Squirrel
Can glide up to 90 meters!

Freshwater Eel
Freshwater eels are actually catadromous, meaning they migrate to saltwater to spawn

Frog
There are around 7,000 different species!

Fruit Bat
Among the largest bats in the world

Fruit Fly
Fruit flies are among the most common research animals in the world

Gecko
There are thought to be over 2,000 species!

German Cockroach
The most common type of urban roach

Giant Armadillo
Armadillos have a smell that’s described as strong, sweet and acrid.

Glow Worm
Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!

Gnat
Males form large mating swarms at dusk

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

Great Crested Flycatcher
This species makes use of some truly unusual nesting material, including snakeskin and garbage

Green Anaconda
Females are often five times longer than males.

Guinea Pig
Natively found in the Andes Mountain range!

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!

Harris Hawk
Their vision is eight times better than a human's

Hawk Moth Caterpillar
Many hawk moth caterpillars eat toxins from plants, but don’t sequester them the way milkweed butterflies do. Most toxins are excreted.

Hercules Beetle
This dynastine scarab beetle makes a weird huffing sound when it’s disturbed.

Heron
Inhabits wetlands around the world!

Honey Bee
There are only 8 recognized species!

Horned Frog
Natively found in South America!

Horse
Has evolved over 50 million years!

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

House wren
The wren’s epithet, aedon, comes from a Greek queen who accidentally killed her only son. She was actually aiming for her nephew, and Zeus took pity on her and turned her into a nightingale.

Housefly
The fly has no teeth

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!

Huntsman Spider
Some huntsman spiders have an interesting way of moving around. Some cartwheel while others do handsprings or backflips.

Ibis
Found in swamps, marshes and wetlands!

Iguana
Uses visual signals to communicate!

Insects
There are an estimated 30 million species!

Jacana
The jacana has the ability to swim underwater

Jaguar
The largest feline on the American continent!

Jumping Spider
Some can jump 50 times the length of their bodies

Keel-Billed Toucan
It's beak can reach nearly 20 cm long!

Killdeer
The killdeer feigns injury to draw a predator away from its nest.

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!

Leech
Has 10 pairs of eyes!

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.

Lone Star Tick
Only females have the ‘lone star’ marking

Macaw
The largest species of parrot in the world!

Maggot
Will only live in wet areas

Marine Toad
Produces a toxin used in arrow darts!

Mayfly
There are 2,500 known species worldwide!

Mealybug
They have a symbiotic relationship with ants.

Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
Some colonies have millions of bats

Millipede
Some species have a poisonous bite!

Mole
Primarily hunts and feeds on Earthworms!

Mole Cricket
Adult Mole crickets may fly as far as 5 miles during mating season and are active most of the year.

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!

Mosquito
Only the female mosquito actually sucks blood

Moth
There are 250,000 different species!

Mountain Lion
Has no real natural predators!

Mouse
Found on every continent on Earth!

Mule
The offspring of a horse and donkey parents!

No See Ums
There are more than 5,000 species.

Ocelot
Also known as the Painted Leopard!

Orb Weaver
Females are about four times the size of males

Otter
There are 13 different species worldwide

Owl
The owl can rotate its head some 270 degrees

Panther
Prefers to hunt at night than during the day!

Parakeet
Monk parakeets are the only parakeets that actually build nests. They’re also the only parakeets to nest in great colonies.

Parrot
Can live for up to 100 years!

Parrotlet
Parrotlets aren't the world's tiniest parrot — that would be the pygmy parrot of Australasia.

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.

Amazon River Dolphin (Pink Dolphin)
Also known as the 'Pink Dolphin'

Piranha
Generally found in fast-flowing streams!

Poison Dart Frog
Inhabits the jungles of Central and South America!

Porcupine
There are 30 different species worldwide!

Praying Mantis
The mantis can turn its head 180 degrees.

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!

Rainbow Boa
The rainbow boa is named for its iridescent skin that refracts light and creates a rainbow-colored effect.

Rat
Omnivores that eat anything!

Rat Snakes
Rat snakes are constrictors from the Colubridae family of snakes.

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

Red-handed Tamarin
Red hair on hands on feet!

Redtail Catfish
One of three giant catfish species

River Turtle
Inhabits freshwater habitats around the world!

Rodents
The capybara, the world’s largest rodent, likes to be in and around bodies of water. Because of this, the Catholic Church in South America decided that it was a fish, and people were allowed to eat it during Lent and First Fridays.

Rooster
Will mate with the entire flock!

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!

Sable Ferret
Ferrets were used during the Revolutionary War to keep down the rat population.

Salamander
There are more than 700 different species!

Sand Crab
The sand crab burrows beneath the sand with its tail

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!

Shrew
The spinal column of the shrew Scutisorex somereni is so strong and reinforced that it can support the weight of an adult human.

Shrimp
There are 2,000 different species worldwide!

Silver Dollar
Closely related to the Piranha

Skink Lizard
Some skinks lay eggs in some habitats while giving birth to skinklets in other habitats.

Skunk
Also known as the Polecat!

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

Slug
They glide around on one foot, which is aided by the slime they produce

Smokybrown Cockroach
Has up to 45 eggs per egg case

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!

Spider Monkey
Found in the tropical jungles of South America!

Spider Wasp
They prey on spiders to feed their larvae or they parasitize other spider wasps.

Squirrel
Small rodents found in woodlands worldwide!

Squirrel Monkey
Lives in groups of up to 500 individuals!

Stick Insect
There are more than 3,000 different species!

Stork
They can’t sing like other birds.

Swan
Populations have been affected by pollution!

Tapir
Most closely related to horses and rhinos!

Tarantula Hawk
Tarantula hawks are excellent pollinators, especially for milkweed.

Termite
Their mounds can be up to 9 meters tall!

Tetra
Native to the freshwater streams of South America!

Thrush
The American robin is called the robin because its red breast reminded European settlers of the robin back in the old country.

Tick
They inject hosts with a chemical that stops them from feeling the pain of the bite

Tiger Beetle
The adult tiger beetle is one of the fastest land insects in the world

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!

Turtles
Some species of aquatic turtles can get up to 70 percent of their oxygen through their butt.

Uakari
Have a very short tail for their size!

Umbrellabird
Migrates up and down the mountains!

Unau (Linnaeus’s Two-Toed Sloth)
Its top speed is 0.17mph

Vampire Bat
Have a heat sensor on the end of their nose!

Vicuña
Vicuñas have some of the softest wool in the entire animal kingdom

Vine Snake
A slender body and elongated snout give the vine snake a regal look.

Vinegaroon
Vinegaroons can spray 19 times before the glands are depleted

Vulture
There are 30 different species worldwide!

Wasp
There are around 75,000 recognised species!

Whiptail Lizard
Many whiptail species reproduce asexually.

White Ferret / Albino Ferrets
There are two different types of white ferrets!

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
This animal can roll up into a ball

Woodpecker
There are 200 different species!

Woolly Monkey
Has a long, strong prehensile tail!

Worm
Doesn’t have eyes.

X-Ray Tetra
Yellow, black and white striped fins!
Venezuelan Animals List
- Amazon Parrot
- Anaconda
- Ant
- Anteater
- Armadillo
- Armyworm
- Aruba Rattlesnake
- Barb
- Barn Owl
- Barn Swallow
- Basilisk Lizard
- Bat
- Bear
- Bed Bugs
- Bee
- Beetle
- Bird
- Biscuit Beetle
- Black Widow Spider
- Booby
- Brown Dog Tick
- Burrowing Owl
- Butterfly
- Caecilian
- Caiman
- Camel Cricket
- Canada Warbler
- Capybara
- Carpenter Ant
- Cat
- Caterpillar
- Catfish
- Centipede
- Chicken
- Cichlid
- Coati
- Cockroach
- Collared Peccary
- Common Furniture Beetle
- Common House Spider
- Coral Snake
- Cow
- Crab
- Crab Spider
- Cricket
- Crocodile
- Crow
- Cuckoo
- Dog
- Dog Tick
- Donkey
- Dragonfly
- Dubia Cockroach
- Duck
- Dung Beetle
- Dwarf Boa
- Eagle
- Earthworm
- Earwig
- Eel
- Electric Eel
- Falcon
- False coral snake
- False Widow Spider
- Fer-de-lance Snake
- Firefly
- Flamingo
- Flea
- Fly
- Flying Squirrel
- Freshwater Eel
- Frog
- Fruit Bat
- Fruit Fly
- Gecko
- German Cockroach
- Giant Armadillo
- Glow Worm
- Gnat
- Grasshopper
- Gray Fox
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Green Anaconda
- Guinea Pig
- Guppy
- Hamster
- Hare
- Harpy Eagle
- Harris Hawk
- Hawk Moth Caterpillar
- Hercules Beetle
- Heron
- Honey Bee
- Horned Frog
- Horse
- Horsefly
- House wren
- Housefly
- Howler Monkey
- Human
- Hummingbird
- Huntsman Spider
- Ibis
- Iguana
- Insects
- Jacana
- Jaguar
- Jumping Spider
- Keel-Billed Toucan
- Killdeer
- Kingfisher
- Kinkajou
- Ladybug
- Leech
- Leopard Frog
- Lizard
- Locust
- Lone Star Tick
- Macaw
- Maggot
- Marine Toad
- Mayfly
- Mealybug
- Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
- Millipede
- Mole
- Mole Cricket
- Molly
- Monarch Butterfly
- Mongrel
- Monkey
- Moorhen
- Mosquito
- Moth
- Mountain Lion
- Mouse
- Mule
- No See Ums
- Ocelot
- Orb Weaver
- Otter
- Owl
- Ox
- Panther
- Parakeet
- Parrot
- Parrotlet
- Peregrine Falcon
- Pheasant
- Pigeon
- Amazon River Dolphin (Pink Dolphin)
- Piranha
- Poison Dart Frog
- Porcupine
- Praying Mantis
- Puma
- Quail
- Quetzal
- Raccoon
- Rainbow Boa
- Rat
- Rat Snakes
- Rattlesnake
- Red-handed Tamarin
- Redtail Catfish
- River Turtle
- Rodents
- Rooster
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Roseate Spoonbill
- Saber-Toothed Tiger
- Sable Ferret
- Salamander
- Sand Crab
- Scarlet Macaw
- Scorpion
- Seahorse
- Sheep
- Shrew
- Shrimp
- Silver Dollar
- Skink Lizard
- Skunk
- Sloth
- Slug
- Smokybrown Cockroach
- Snail
- Snake
- Snapping Turtle
- Sparrow
- Spider Monkey
- Spider Wasp
- Squirrel
- Squirrel Monkey
- Stick Insect
- Stork
- Swan
- Tapir
- Tarantula Hawk
- Termite
- Tetra
- Thrush
- Tick
- Tiger Beetle
- Tortoise
- Toucan
- Tree Frog
- Turtles
- Uakari
- Umbrellabird
- Unau (Linnaeus’s Two-Toed Sloth)
- Vampire Bat
- Vicuña
- Vine Snake
- Vinegaroon
- Vulture
- Wasp
- Whiptail Lizard
- White Ferret / Albino Ferrets
- White-tail deer
- Wolf Spider
- Wood Turtle
- Woodlouse
- Woodpecker
- Woolly Monkey
- Worm
- X-Ray Tetra
Animals in Venezuela FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What are some animals unique to Venezuela?
Animals native to Venezuela include the capybara, the giant otter, the giant anteater, the crab-eating fox and the white-bellied spider monkey.