Nature & Wildlife
Quetzals are beautiful exotic birds and one of many Guatemala’s treasures. It is in fact their national bird. But ironically, because of all the illegal hunting and the destruction of their habitat, they are in the list of the to be extinct animals unless things change. In Guatemala, it can be found in El Biotopo del Quetzal, Baja Verapaz.
Spider Monkeys are curious animals that live mainly in the tropical forests but again the destruction of their habitat is reducing its population rapidly and in some places, they are almost extinct. In Guatemala, they are commonly seen in the northern region of Peten and in Alta Verapaz.
The Toucans are these colorful and abundant tropical birds that can be found in Guatemala’s forests especially in the areas of Peten and Alta Verapaz. People love them so much that they used to have them as pets. This practice has now been forbidden in the country.
If you are coming to Central America this magnificent bird called Montezuma Oropendola is something you can’t miss, in Guatemala, it can only be seen in the northern region of Peten. So keep your eyes open while exploring the Mayan ruins of the area like Tikal and Yaxhá.
Ok, so we have all heard that Sea turtles are on their way to be extinct, even the Olive Ridley Sea Turtles are known for having the largest population around the globe. They love open ocean inhabitant so you will never see them near reefs. In Guatemala, they can be seen nesting inMonterrico. You can also visit organizations like ARCAS to help these babies get to the sea.
These armored little guys can be found from northern Argentina to the southern United States. Armadillo’s habitat is moist soil near the creeks, streams, and arroyos near which it generally lives and feeds. In Guatemala the most common place to find them is in La Sierra de las Minas, that is in the department of El Progreso. But hurry if you want to see one. They are also endangered, poor people still hunt them for food.
When we think of bats the first thing that comes to our mind is an image from Hollywood’s monsters. But the real vampires are a lot different and have nothing to do with Dracula. Vampire Bats live in a range that covers Mexico, Central America and part of South America. In Guatemala, it’s preferred habitat is the tropics. They are commonly found slowly bleeding small farm animals like chicken.
Many people confuse these cute felines with domestic cats because of their tiny bodies. These small carnivores love eating animals like rabbits, lizards, fish and armadillos. In Guatemala, Ocelots can be found in the Tikal National Park, they love living in forests and mangroves.
These small and inquisitive monkeys are the easiest to observe in the wild. They are always around jumping from tree to tree. They can be found in forest and mangrove habitats up to 2,100m elevation. These monkeys can be seen in the northern region of Guatemala.
White-lipped Peccaries are the big and aggressive brothers of the collared peccary and is widely considered the most dangerous peccary. They have even killed jaguars when trying to defend themselves. It is commonly found in Sierra de las Minas, El Progreso in Guatemala.
Brown Basilisks have the nickname Jesus Lizard because when fleeing from a predator, they are so fast that can even run on top of the water. They are native to Panama, Belize, northwestern Colombia and Costa Rica. In Guatemala, this species is widespread, found practically anywhere where there is a water source. This species can be found in tropical and subtropical wet, moist, and dry forest habitats.
Although they are one of the smallest crocodilian species these guys are fierce predators. It can be found in much of Central and South America. It lives in a range of lowland wetland and riverside habitat and can tolerate saltwater as well as fresh. In Guatemala, you can find them in Monterrico, Santa Rosa Department.
These are successful predatory birds with a mysterious touch. They inhabit from the Southwestern United States through Central America to Venezuela, Peru. Generally, these birds are found lowland habitats, with a source of water nearby. In Guatemala, it can be found around the Caribbean coasts.
The Black-necked Stilt is an abundant shorebird of American wetlands and coastlines. It is found through Central America and the Caribbean. In Guatemala, they are commonly seen in the southern coasts. It is found in estuaries, salt ponds, and emergent wetland habitats.