South American Animals

Despite being much smaller compared to its northern counterpart, South America has quite the variety to offer in terms of biodiversity, with almost 50% of that of the entire world. The continent has several unique species that evolved over the years due to its relative isolation, including sloths, capybaras, tapirs, and over 450 species of reptiles.

Most of the species living in South America are found in the Amazon rainforest or the Andes Mountains. For instance, jaguars and capybaras are commonly seen in the Amazon rainforest, while llamas and spectacled bears live in the Andes.

List of Animals living in South America

Mammals

Alpaca
Angora Goat
Black Squirrel Monkey
Capuchin Monkey
Capybara
Chinchilla
Collared Peccary
Cotton-top Tamarin
Cougar
Darwin’s Fox
Emperor Tamarin
Flying Squirrel
Fruit Bat
Geoffrey’s Tamarin
Giant Anteater
Giant Armadillo
Giant Otter
Golden Lion Tamarin
Gray Fox
Guanaco
Guinea Pig
Howler Monkey
Jaguar
Kinkajou
Kodkod
Llama
Maned Wolf
Ocelot
Patagonian Mara
Pied Tamarin
Pink Fairy Armadillo
Pink River Dolphin
Red-handed Tamarin
South American Coati
South American Tapir
Spectacled Bear
Three-toed Sloth
Two-toed Sloth
Vampire Bat
Vicuña
Viscacha
White-faced Capuchin

Birds

Andean Condor
Avocet
Black-and-white Warbler
Blue Footed Booby
Burrowing Owl
Elegant Tern
Galapagos Finch
Great Blue Heron
Great Potoo
Harpy Eagle
Harris Hawk
Hepatic Tanager
Humboldt Penguin
Jacana
Keel-billed Toucan
Killdeer
King Vulture
Macaw
Night Heron
Parrotlet
Roseate Spoonbill
Royal Flycatcher
Ruddy Turnstone
Toco Toucan
Umbrellabird

Reptiles

Amazon Tree Boa
Aruba Rattlesnake
Basilisk Lizard
Black Caiman
Blind Snake
Bolivian Anaconda
Bushmaster Snake
Caiman Lizard
Cascabel
Cat-eyed Snake
Chicken Snake
Coachwhip Snake
Dwarf Boa
Emerald Tree Boa
Eyelash Viper
False Coral Snake
False Water Cobra
Galapagos Giant Tortoise
Golden Lancehead
Green Anaconda
Hognose Snake
Marine Iguana
Mussurana Sanke
Orinoco Crocodile
Parrot Snake
Pipe Snake
Rainbow Boa
South American Rattlesnake
Terciopelo

Amphibians

Cane Toad
Horned Frog
Leopard Frog
Lemur Leaf Frog
Red-eyed Tree Frog
Scrotum Frog

Fish

Arapaima
Armored Catfish
Banjo Catfish
Blue-eyed Pleco
Cory Catfish
Dusky Shark
Electric Eel
Freshwater Eel
Galapagos Shark
Platinum Arowana
Polka-dot Stingray
Red-bellied Piranha
Sheepshead Fish

Insects

Biscuit Beetle
Black Witch Moth
Blue Morpho Butterfly
Bullet Ant
Clothes Moth
Codling Moth
Kissing Bug

Invertebrates

Amazonian Giant Centipede
Black Widow Spider
Brazilian Wandering Spider
Dinosaur Shrimp
Fiddler Crab

Threats faced by Animals native in South America

As per the IUCN, almost 30% of the species in South America are classified as “Endangered” or “EN” or higher. For instance, the Galapagos giant tortoise is classified as “Critically Endangered” or “CR”, while the Lemur leaf frog is similarly categorized. The threats these animals face include deforestation and a loss of habitat, with further encroachment by locals into their territory.