Thefauna of Nicaragua is characterized by a very high level ofbiodiversity. Much ofNicaragua's wildlife lives inprotected areas. There are currently 78 protected areas in Nicaragua, covering more than 22,000 square kilometers (8,500 sq mi), or about 17% of its landmass.
These protected areas encompass a wide variety ofhabitats, includingrainforests, lakes, mountains, and volcanoes throughout the country. For example,Bosawás Biosphere Reserve in state ofJinotega (border withHonduras), covers 7,300 square kilometers (2,800 sq mi), making it the second largest rainforest in theAmericas after theAmazon Rainforest inBrazil.
Nicaragua is home to several species ofNew World monkeys, including theGeoffroy's spider monkey, which is currently listed by theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as anendangered species.[1] Thejaguar is the largestfelid that isindigenous to Nicaragua. Other species include thecougar,jaguarundi,margay, andocelot. There are a number of unusual mammals found in Nicaragua, including thethree-toed sloth,northern tamandua (lesser anteater), and two species ofarmadillo.[2]
There are 698 identifiedbird species of Nicaragua. Eight of these species, including thegolden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) and thegreat green macaw (Ara ambigua), are currently listed by the IUCN asthreatened.
Many of Nicaragua's birds are brilliantly colored, including species ofparrots,toucans,trogons, andhummingbirds.Lesson's motmot is thenational bird of Nicaragua. Natural range for the scarlet macaw has been vastly reduced by thepet trade. Most of the Pacific region of Nicaragua no longer is inhabited by the species.
Nicaragua is home to many nesting populations ofsea turtles, including thehawksbill sea turtle,leatherback sea turtle,loggerhead sea turtle,olive ridley sea turtle, and thePacific green turtle (Chelonia mydas agassisi). All of these are endangered orcritically endangered species, with declining global populations.Extensive efforts are currently underway to preserve them as much as possible.[3][4] The country also harbors a large diversity of terrestrial snake and lizard species, and is home to thespectacled caiman andAmerican crocodile.
Thebull shark is a species of shark that can survive for an extended period of time in fresh water. It can be found inLake Nicaragua and theSan Juan River, where it is often referred to as the "Nicaragua shark".[5] Nicaragua has recently banned freshwater fishing of the Nicaragua shark and thesawfish in response to the declining populations of these animals.[6]
TheMidas cichlid, native to the San Juan River basin in Nicaragua and Costar Rica, is now recognized as a species complex with dozens of species, most or all of them inhabiting extremely reduced ranges.[7] Five species from a Lake Apoyo, a volcanic crater lake, have been described recently.[8][9]
Many species ofmolluscs are indigenous to Nicaragua, including at least 79 species of terrestrialsnails and slugs.[10]
There are currently 78 protected areas in Nicaragua, covering more than 22,000 square kilometers (8,500 sq mi), or about 17% of its landmass. These includewildlife refuges andnature reserves that shelter a wide range ofecosystems. There are more than 1,400 animal species classified thus far in Nicaragua. Some 12,000 species of plants have beenclassified thus far in Nicaragua, with an estimated 5,000 species not yet classified.[11]
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