7 Strange And Exotic Animals Of Central America

Central America boasts incredible biodiversity in a huge range of ecosystems. Here are some of the strange and exotic animals that call the isthmus home.

Baird’s Tapir

These shy mammals only really come out at night to forage for fallen fruit and leaves. They like to swim and they communicate with other tapirs via scent. They’re the biggest land mammals in Central America, and you might hear them whistling and shrieking if you go looking for them.

If you go into any of the many jungle areas of Central America, there is a chance you will come across one of these dangerous little frogs. In addition to its toxic poison, the frog can also change colour from a red body and blue legs, to green with black spots, to navy blue. While many exotic species are threatened by development, the strawberry poison dart frog is incredibly successful as a species and continues to thrive.

White-Headed Capuchin Monkey

There are plenty of monkeys in Central America, but the white-headed capuchin is famous for its use of tools. They can often be seen using tools as weapons, or as a way of getting food. It is also thought that they rub certain plants on their bodies to treat illnesses, which may explain how they can live up to 54 years old.

Anteater

These nocturnal animals are found throughout Central America, feeding on ants and termites. They can flick their tongue in and out of their mouth more than 150 times per minute when they find a food source. This amazing tongue means that anteaters are known to eat up to 30,000 insects per day.

Quetzal

The national bird of Guatemala is a distinctively-coloured species with a red chest and blue-green feathers, which were highly prized by the ancient Maya. These days the bird is suffering a declining population as its habitat is destroyed by development, but you can still see some in the cloud forests if you are lucky.

Margay

Central America is home to a variety of exotic cats, but the margay is one that most people won’t have heard about before. It’s slightly bigger than an ocelot at around 30 centimetres tall (1 ft), and can weight up to 5 kilograms (11 lbs). Picture a small leopard and you’ve almost got it.

Manatee

These gentle marine creatures are found in various Central American countries, with important populations in Belize and Lake Izabal in Guatemala. Manatees are sometimes known as sea cows, and they’re docile, largely herbivorous creatures which you can safely swim alongside.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.