Fauna of Nicaragua
The fauna of Nicaragua is characterized by a very high level of biodiversity. Much of Nicaragua's wildlife lives in protected 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 of
Mammals
Nicaragua is home to several species of
Birds
The birds of Nicaragua includes a total of 698 species. Eight of these species, including the golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) and the great green macaw (Ara ambigua), are currently listed by the IUCN as threatened species.
Many of Nicaragua's birds are brilliantly colored, including various species of
of Nicaragua. Natural range for the scarlet macaw has been vastly reduced by the pet trade. Most of the Pacific region of Nicaragua no longer is inhabited by the species.Reptiles
Nicaragua is home to many nesting populations of
Fish
The bull shark is a species of shark that can survive for an extended period of time in fresh water. It can be found in Lake Nicaragua and the San Juan River, where it is often referred to as the "Nicaragua shark".[5] Nicaragua has recently banned freshwater fishing of the Nicaragua shark and the sawfish in response to the declining populations of these animals.[6]
The
Invertebrates
Molluscs
Many species of molluscs are indigenous to Nicaragua, including at least 79 species of terrestrial snails and slugs.[10]
Protected 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 include
See also
- List of amphibians of Nicaragua
- Flora of Nicaragua
- Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources(MARENA)
General:
- Category:IUCN Red List critically endangered species
- IUCN Red List Critically Endangered species (Animalia)
References
- . Retrieved 11 November 2021. Database entry includes justification for why this species is endangered
- ^ Nicaragua.com - Wildlife - Nicaragua
- ^ "Conserving Nicaragua's marine turtles". Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-01-23.
- ^ "FFI Americas - Leatherback Turtles". Archived from the original on 2006-10-18. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
- ^ "The Nature Conservancy in Nicaragua - Nicaragua Nature - Nicaragua Conservation - Nicaragua Environment - Nature and Conservation". Archived from the original on 2007-04-05. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
- ^ UnderwaterTimes|Nicaragua bans freshwater shark fishing amid dwindling population numbers
- ^ Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|Not a Simple Case - A First Comprehensive Phylogenetic Hypothesis for the Midas Cichlid Species Complex in Nicaragua (Teleostei: Cichlidae: Amphilophus) Archived October 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington|Three new species of cichlid fishes (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from Lake Apoyo, Nicaragua" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
- ^ "Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington|Description of two new species of the Midas cichlid complex (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from Lake Apoyo, Nicaragua" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
- Rev. Biol. Trop. 56(1): 317-332,. PDF
- ^ "National Parks and Protected Areas of Nicaragua". Archived from the original on 2017-08-02. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
External links
- Nicaragua.com on Wildlife
- underwatertimes.com Article on endangered shark in Nicaragua.
- WCS Adopt-a-turtle fund
- CentralAmerica.com Archived 2017-08-02 at the Wayback Machine Information about National Parks
- More info on reserves
- [1] Wildlife of Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve, Nicaragua
- Illegal Traffic in Scarlet Macaws
- [2] on reserve