Central and South American wildlife
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Neotropic realm consists of South America together with Central America, the Caribbean and southern Florida. The realm consists of all different climate zones; tropical forests, the highlands of the Andes, and the South American plains, extending to Antarctica.
DestinationsSouth American wildlife varies considerably depending on the ecosystem in a particular region. Many visitors come to the region to see rainforest.
MammalsWhile the llama (Lama glama) is the domestic form of the guanaco, the alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is the domestic form of the Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna).
BirdsSouth America is famous for its colorful birds, including parrots, toucans, and 17 species of macaw (all of which live in the forests throughout Central and South America).
ReptilesThere's good news and bad news when it comes to reptiles in Central and South America.
FishCentral America is justly famous for its offshore sportfishing, but there are a lot of fascinating, unique fish living in inland waterways, including huge rivers like the Amazon and Orinoco.
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Central and South American wildlife" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons