Inca Civilization

The Inca civilization was the largest Pre-Columbian civilization in the Americas and Cusco was its capital. The best kept example of its architecture is Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu

The Sacred City is one of the most significant archeological sites left by the Incas

Culture

Fascinating culture and Inca heritage of this beautiful country

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. It occupies an important place in Inca mythology.

Animals of Peru

Animals in Peru have specialized and adapted to the conditions of its geography. At higher altitude levels, few animals and plants can survive because of the lack of oxygen.

Home » Animals of Peru, Peru's Biodiversity

Animals of Peru-Mammals

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Peru has a diverse geography, from the Pacific Ocean bordering the long desert coast to the Andean mountains and the rainforest. Because of this wide geographical range and different altitudes and climates, animals have adapted and survived in this environment.

Peru is home to more than 500 species of mammals, of which 70 are endemic and close to 100 are threatened, vulnerable or endangered.

Andean Titi Monkey,a critically endangered species endemic to Peru.

The following is a list of mammals found in the Peruvian territory but not exclusively.

MammalScientific NameDescriptionIUCN Status:
Anderson's Mouse OpossumMarmosa andersoniNocturnal and inhabits moist areas of forest in the eastern slopes of the Andes.Critically Endangered
Bishop's Slender Mouse OpossumMarmosa bishopiSmall, arboreal marsupial opossum native to Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia
White-eared Opossum -Didelphis albiventrisTerrestrial and arboreal animal.
Emilia's Short-tailed OpossumMonodelphis emiliaeVulnerable
Giant ArmadilloPriodones maximusLargest living species of armadillo.Endangered, vulnerable to extinction.
Nine-banded Armadillo -Dasypus novemcinctusIt the most widespread of the armadillos
Hairy Long-nosed ArmadilloDasypus pilosusEndemic to Peru. Its habitat are subtropical or tropical lowland forests and montanes.Vulnerable
Giant AnteaterMyrmecophaga tridactylaThe largest species of anteater.Vulnerable
Southern Tamandua or Lesser AnteaterTamandua tetradactylaIt is a solitary animal found in grasslands, deciduous forests and rainforests.
Silky AnteaterCyclopes didactylusIt is the smallest member of the anteaters
Southern or Linnaeus's two-toed slothCholoepus didactylusIt is a solitary, nocturnal and arboreal animal, found in rainforests.
Pygmy Marmoset or Dwarf MonkeyCebuella pygmaeaOne of the world's smallest primates
Goeldi's Marmoset or Goeldi's MonkeyCallimico goeldiIt lives in the upper Amazon BasinVulnerable
Mantled Howler MonkeyAlouatta palliataOne of the largest Amazonian new world monkeys
Red Howler MonkeyAlouatta seniculusThese New world monkeys are native to South and Central American forests.
Black-headed Night MonkeyAotus nigricepsNew world monkey found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Peru.
Spix's Night (Owl) MonkeyAotus vociferansThey are the only truly nocturnal n ew world monkeys.
Andean Night MonkeyAotus miconaxEndemic to PeruVulnerable
Dusky Titi MonkeyCallicebus molochNew world monkey that lives in monogamous pairs and babies are carried by the male.
Yellow-handed Titi MonkeyCallicebus luciferNew world monkey found in east of the Andes of western Amazon Basin
Andean Titi MonkeyCallicebus oenantheThis species of new world monkey is endemic of Peru and only found in the upper Rio Mayo valley in the department of San Martin.Vulnerable
Common Squirrel MonkeySamiri sciureusIt is found primarily in the Amazon Basin. All squirrel monkeys are diurnal and arboreal.
Black-capped Squirrel MonkeySaimiri boliviensisIt is a South American squirrel monkey, found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru.
Brown Capuchin MonkeyCebus apellaTheir habitat includes Central America and South America as far south as northern Argentina.Vulnerable
White-Fronted Capuchin Monkey-Cebus albifronsThis primate is a medium-sized monkey with a light brown back and a creamy white undersideVulnerable
Common Woolly MonkeyLagothrix lagotrichaIt lives in groups of 2 to 70 individuals
Gray Woolly MonkeyLagothrix canaThey are frugivorous, feeding mainly on fruit.Vulnerable
Silvery Woolly MonkeyLagothrix poeppigiiIt is found in Brazil, Ecuador and Peru.Vulnerable
Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey -Oreonax flavicaudaEndemic to Peru. It is a rare primate species found only in the Peruvian Andes, in the departments of Amazonas and San Martin as well as bordering areasCritically Endangered
Peruvian Spider Monkey -Ateles chamekSubspecies of black spider monkey that lives not only in Peru, but also in Brazil and Bolivia.
White-bellied Spider Monkey -Ateles belzebuthThese monkeys are known to inhabit tropical and sub-tropical lowland and piedmont areas in Brasil, Colombia, Equador and Peru.Vulnerable
Rio Tapajós SakiPithecia irrorataIt is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru.
Monk SakiPithecia monhachusIt is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It can grow up to be 37–48 cm long and weigh about 1.5-3 kilograms, approximately the same as a large rabbit.
Red UakariCacajao calvusis a medium-sized monkey weighing about 4 kg (9 lb)Near Threatened (IUCN 2004)
Sechuran Fox (Zorro)Pseudalopex sechuraeThe population is estimated to number fewer than 15,000 mature individualsNear Threatened
Culpeo (Andean Fox)Pseudalopex culpaeusThe Culpeo is distributed from the Andes and hilly regions of South America, ranging down to the Pacific shoreline in the desert of northern Chile.
Bush DogSpeothos venaticusThe population is estimated to number fewer than 15,000 mature individuals,Vulnerable
Short-eared DogAtelocynus microtisThey favour undisturbed rainforest in the Amazonian lowlands.Declining
Maned WolfChrysocyon brachyurusIt is the largest canid of South America, resembling a large fox with reddish fur.near threatened
JaguarFelis oncaA large spotted feline of tropical America
PumaFelis concolorAlso known as the southern South American puma
JaguarundiFelis yagouaroundiThe jaguarundi is found from southern Texas and coastal Mexico in the north, through central and south America east of the Andes, and as far south as northern Argentina.
MargayLeopardus wiediiVery little is known of the margay’s status and abundance across its range. The Amazon Basin is its stronghold.
OcelotLeopardus pardalisThe ocelot is the best known small cat of the Americas, as far as the public is concerned, largely because of the beauty of its coat.
Andean catOreailurus jacobitaIt is a small wild cat. It is one of only two felids for which no subspecies have been classically described. There are none in captivity.Endangered
Pampas CatOncifelis colocoloIt is a small wild cats that makes its home in the South American countries of Ecuador, Brazil, Chile and Argentina
Greater GrisonGalictis vittataIt belongs to the ferret family Mustelidaeusually seen near rivers and streams.
South American CoatimundiNasua nasuaThis species is an occupant of forested habitat.
KinkajouPotos flavusIt is also known as the honey bear and lives in the rain forest.
OlingoBassaricyon gabbiiTypically found from Nicaragua to Bolivia, where it is locally abundant and it is sparsely distributed in the western Amazon basin.
TayraEira barbaraThe tayra is a weasel about the size of a medium sized dog.
Long-tailed WeaselMustela frenataThe long-tailed weasel lives in a wide-variety of habitats including woodlands, thickets, open areas and farmland. It usually lives near a water source.
Tropical WeaselMulstela africanaDespite its scientific name, it is not found in Africa. It lives in the Amazon Rainforest in South America.
Neotropical OtterLontra longicaudisIts habitat includes warm and cool climate rainforests, and coastal savanna swamps.endangered species
Giant OtterPteronura brasiliensisIt is the longest member of the Mustelidae, or weasel family,found in the lakes, rivers, creeks and swamps of South America. endangered species
Striped Hog-nosed SkunkConepatus semistriatusIt lives in a wide range of habitats including dry forest scrub and occasionally, in rainforest.
Spectacled BearTremarctos ornatusIt is also known as the Andean Bear and are the only surviving species of bear native to South America.Vulnerable
Pink River Dolphin or BotoInia geoffrensisIt is a freshwater river dolphin endemic to the Orinoco and the Amazon Rivers.Vulnerable
Grey River DolphinSotalia fluviatilisIt is a fresh water dolphin found in the rivers of the Amazon Basin.
North Amazon Red SquirrelSciurus igniventrisThis species inhabits the lowland forests of the Amazon.
South Amazon Red SquirrelSciurus spadiceusSquirrel species from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Bolivian SquirrelSciurus ignitusTree squirrel species endemic to South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Peru up to 2,600 metres (8,500 ft) in the Andes region.
PacaAgouti pacaPacas primarily live in tropical rainforests but are also found in a wide variety of forest habitats, including mangrove swamps, deciduous and semi-deciduous forest, dense upland scrub, and narrow growth along river banks.
Northern ViscachaLagidium peruanumTheir habitat are found in Chile and Peru, at elevations from 300 to 5000 m.
Mountain pacaAgouti taczanowskiiSmall burrow-dwelling rodent whose habitats are high altitude South American forests.
Brown AgoutiDasyprocta variegataRodent scavenger that lives on the ground of dense rain forests. This small-eared animal feeds on fruits, leaves, and roots.
Kalinowski AgoutiDasyprocta kalinowskiiRodent in the Dasyproctidae family. It is endemic to Peru. It is threatened by habitat loss.
PacaranaDinomys branickiiRare and slow-moving nocturnal rodent found only in tropical forests of the western Amazon River basin and adjacent foothills of the Andes MountainsEndangered
CapybaraHydrochaeris hydrochaerisLargest living rodent in the world.
Southern ViscachaLagidium viscaciaRodent in the Chinchillidae family. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.
Northern ViscachaLagidium peruanumRodent in the family Chinchillidae.[2] It is known from Chile and Peru, at elevations from 300 to 5000 m, and may also be present in Bolivia
Short-tailed ChinchillaChinchilla brevicaudataTheir original range included the Andes Mountains of Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia. The rodents were exploited for their luxurious fur, causing their numbers to dwindle greatly.Critical
Amazon Bamboo-RatDactylomys dactylinusRodent found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Yellow-crowned Brush RatIsothrix bistriataThey are nocturnal and arboreal animals found in lowland evergreen rainforest
Bare-tailed Tree RatMakalata occasiusrodent in the Echimyidae family. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.Critically endangered
Mountain tapirTapirus pinchaqueIt is the smallest of the four species of tapir and is the only one to live outside of tropical rainforests in the wild.Endangered
Lowland tapirTapirus terrestrisIt is the second largest land mammal in South America, after Baird's Tapir.
Collared PeccaryTayassu tajacuIn South and Central America, the Collared Peccary inhabits tropical rainforests.
White-lipped Peccary -Tayassu pecariThey are distributed from southern Mexico south to Ecuador, and from the Entre Rios in Argentina to the Pacific coast of South America
Vicuña -Vicugna vicugnaIt is one of two wild South American camelids, along with the guanaco, which live in the high alpine areas of the Andes.
Guanaco -Lama guanicoeCamelid native to South America
Marsh DeerBlastocerus dichotomusIt is the largest South American deer, its habitat ranges from savanna patches along the southern margins of Amazonian Peru and Brazil south through northeastern Argentina.Vulnerable
White-tailed DeerOdocoileus virginianusMedium-sized deer native to the United States (all but five of the states), Canada, Mexico, Central America, and in South America as far south as Peru
Red Brocket DeerMazama americanais a species of brocket deer from forests in South America
Dwarf BrocketMazama chunyiIt is a species of even-toed ungulate in the Cervidae family. It is found in Bolivia and Peru.
Red Dwarf BrocketMazama rufinaSmall, little-studied deer native to the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru
North Andean Deer -Hippocamelus antisensisthe deer family. It comprises two endangered Andean species, commonly known as Huemul (from Mapudungun), and Taruca.Declining
Amazon ManateeTrichechus inunguisThe Amazonian manatee ranges throughout the Amazon River Basin of northern South America.Vulnerable

 

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