Animals in Guatemala
Resplendent Quetzal
Pharomachrus mocinno
The resplendent quetzal is Guatemala's national bird and its best known symbol of freedom. The male shines in green, with a red breast and tail plumes longer than its body. The quetzal has been on the coat of arms since 1871, so it also appears on the national flag, and since 1925 the national currency has carried its name. The ancient Maya prized its feathers, and a legend says its breast turned red with the blood of the K'iche' leader Tecún Umán. It lives in highland cloud forests, protected since 1976 in the Biotopo del Quetzal in Baja Verapaz.
Wildlife in Guatemala
Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America, home to about 18 million people, yet it covers just under 109,000 square kilometers. Most people live in the cool highlands, a chain of more than 30 volcanoes and mountain valleys around Guatemala City and Lake Atitlán, while the north opens into the lowland rainforest of Petén, about a third of the country. You can go from cloud forest wrapped in mist to dry, thorny valleys in the east, black sand beaches and mangroves on the Pacific and a short, humid Caribbean coast, and each of these gives animals a different home. The dry season runs from about November to April and the rains from May to October.
The land has shaped how people live for thousands of years. The Maya built great cities in the Petén forest, and today more than 40 percent of Guatemalans are Maya, many of them farmers growing corn, beans and coffee on slopes that were once forest, which pushed the larger animals toward the north and the mountain tops. Conservation began with Tikal National Park in 1955, the first protected area in the country, and UNESCO listed it in 1979. In 1990 came the Maya Biosphere Reserve, about a fifth of Guatemala, where local communities run forest concessions. Studies show these community forests lose less tree cover than parts of the reserve with stricter rules, and that keeps large blocks of habitat for the animals that need room to roam.
Most visitors come for Tikal, Lake Atitlán and the colonial city of Antigua. At Tikal the animals are part of the visit, since monkeys and colorful birds move through the trees around the temples. The wildlife follows the same contrasts as the land: big cats, monkeys and macaws in the northern rainforest, shining birds in the cloud forests, snakes and other reptiles in the warm lowlands, and sea turtles, dolphins and whales along the two coasts.
Most Dangerous Animals in Guatemala
Most visitors to Guatemala never have a problem with wild animals, but a few groups deserve respect. Venomous snakes are the main real risk. Pit vipers live in the humid lowlands of Petén, Izabal and the Pacific slope, and others hide in the dry valleys of the east. Most bites happen to farm workers clearing fields or walking in the dark, so boots, watching the ground on trails, a flashlight at night and care around logs and tall grass prevent almost all of them. Any bite needs fast hospital care with antivenom. Large constrictor snakes are not venomous and only bite if they are grabbed or cornered.
Big cats live deep in the forests of the north and avoid people, so attacks are almost unknown, and caimans rest in rivers and lagoons and rarely bother anyone who keeps a sensible distance. At sea, large sharks hunt off both coasts and can enter river mouths and estuaries, although incidents with swimmers are very rare, and barracudas may strike at shiny objects in murky water, so it is best not to wear jewelry when swimming. On the Pacific beaches the strong waves and rip currents are a bigger danger than any animal, so it is wise to swim only where locals do.
Top 10 Animals in Guatemala
Guatemala's best known animals live mostly in the rainforests of Petén and in the hills and dry valleys of the south and east. The jaguar is the great cat of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, where it survives best in the largest unbroken blocks of forest, and it is far more often caught by camera traps than seen by visitors. The cougar shares those lowland forests and also roams the highland mountains. The smaller spotted cats, the ocelot and the margay, hunt at night in the same forests, the margay mostly up in the trees, while the jaguarundi, a plain colored cat, is out by day along forest edges and farmland. White tailed deer feed at forest edges, in clearings and on farmland across the lowlands, usually early and late in the day. The boa constrictor is one of the most common large snakes, from the Caribbean lowlands to the Pacific slope, and the lancehead, known in Guatemala as barba amarilla, lives in humid forest and plantations. In the dry valleys of the east, such as the Motagua, rattlesnakes hide from the heat of the day, and coyotes hunt the open farmland at night. Around the temples of Tikal, spider monkeys are the animals visitors see most easily.
Ocelot
Leopardus pardalis
In Guatemala, ocelots live in the lowland forests of Petén in the north, part of the great Maya Forest shared with Mexico and Belize, one of the most important areas for wild cats in Mesoamerica. They also occur in the forests of the Caribbean lowlands and the Pacific slope. Fires and clearing for cattle and crops in Petén are an ongoing threat, even inside the Maya Biosphere Reserve. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Spider Monkey
Ateles spp. (7 species)
In Guatemala, Geoffroy's spider monkey lives mainly in the lowland rainforests of Petén. In Tikal National Park, groups move through the trees around the Maya temples and are one of the highlights for visitors. The wider Maya Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest protected areas in Central America, holds the main population. Forest fires, illegal ranching and hunting keep pushing them into smaller and more isolated patches of forest. IUCN status: Endangered.
White tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
The white tailed deer lives across Guatemala, in the pine and oak forests of the highlands, the dry forests of the Pacific slope and the lowlands of Petén. The deer was sacred and important food for the ancient Maya, and it appears often in their art. In Petén, the Maya Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest protected areas in Central America, gives it room to live. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Cougar
Puma concolor
The cougar roams Guatemala's dense highland forests and the lowland jungles of the Petén region, where it preys mainly on deer and smaller mammals. It is the country's second largest wild cat after the jaguar, and it plays a key role in keeping prey populations in balance. Though listed as Least Concern globally, habitat loss and conflict with livestock farmers put growing pressure on the species here.
Coyote
Canis latrans
In Guatemala, the coyote lives in the dry valleys, open highlands, pastures and scrublands of the interior, and it is most often seen in the east and the western highlands. It arrived from Mexico as forests were cleared for cattle and farming, and it continues south through the rest of Central America. It is far less common here than in North America and feeds on small animals, fruit and carrion. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Raccoon
Procyon lotor
In Guatemala, raccoons live from the mangroves and wetlands of the Pacific lowlands to the forests of Petén, including the Maya Biosphere Reserve, where they share habitat with jaguars and many other animals. They forage along rivers and lake shores for fish, crabs, insects and fruit, and they also visit farms and refuse near towns. The raccoon is one of the country's most adaptable native mammals. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Armadillo
Dasypus novemcinctus (complex of four species)
In Guatemala, the northern nine banded armadillo, Dasypus mexicanus, is the most widespread armadillo, found from the lowland forests of Petén to the Pacific coast and the scrub and farmland of the highlands. It digs burrows for shelter and forages at night for insects, larvae and earthworms. In rural areas it is hunted for food, and road deaths are a growing threat as farming fragments its habitat. IUCN status: not yet evaluated as a separate species.
Jaguar
Panthera onca
Guatemala's jaguars live mostly in the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Petén, part of the largest tropical forest in Central America, shared with Mexico and Belize. Jaguars there roam among ancient Maya cities such as Tikal, where the jaguar was a symbol of kings. Fires, illegal cattle ranching and land invasions have cleared parts of the reserve, while the core forests remain a key stronghold. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Opossum
Didelphis spp. (6 species)
In Guatemala, the common opossum and the Virginia opossum live in tropical and pine oak forests, from the Caribbean lowlands and Petén to the Pacific coast and the highlands. Both move easily through dense vegetation and are often found near villages, coffee farms and cornfields, where they eat fruit, insects, small animals and scraps. They are among the most frequently seen wild mammals in the country. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Tapir
Tapirus spp.
In Guatemala, Baird's tapir is found mainly in the lowland rainforests of Petén, where the Maya Biosphere Reserve, including Laguna del Tigre and Mirador, is one of its last strongholds in the country. Tapirs gather around the scarce water holes of the dry season, which makes them easy to find for both researchers and hunters. Forest clearing for cattle and crops is the main threat. IUCN status: Endangered.
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Guatemala's highland pine and oak forests and the dry scrub of the Pacific side give the gray fox good habitat. It lives in several regions, moving through a landscape of volcanoes, cloud forest patches and drier lowlands. As in the rest of Central America, it loses ground to farms and towns, but it adapts well to mixed landscapes. It hunts rodents, birds and insects at night and eats fruit. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Jaguarundi
Herpailurus yagouaroundi
Guatemala's jaguarundis live in the lowland forests of Petén, including the Maya Biosphere Reserve, in the dry forests and scrub of the east and along the Pacific coastal plain. They hunt by day for rodents, birds and lizards. Outside the protected areas, forest clearing has broken up much of their habitat, and some are killed by farmers over poultry. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Margay
Leopardus wiedii
In Guatemala, the margay lives in tropical and subtropical forests, with the lowlands of Petén as a stronghold. The Maya Biosphere Reserve in the north protects one of the largest forest blocks in Central America and is an important refuge for this tree cat, which shares it with the ocelot and the jaguar. Deforestation, fires and illegal wildlife trafficking remain serious concerns. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Iguana
Iguana iguana
The green iguana is widespread in Guatemala's lowlands, on the Pacific coast, in the Petén rainforest and in the Caribbean region around Izabal and the Río Dulce. It lives along rivers, in gallery forests and at the edges of farmland, and is often seen near water. In Petén it shares the forest with great Maya sites such as Tikal. Hunting is a pressure in rural areas. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
Green turtles live on both of Guatemala's coasts. On the Pacific, the darker eastern Pacific green turtle forages in coastal waters and estuaries, and on the Caribbean, green turtles graze in the seagrass beds of the Gulf of Honduras near Livingston and Punta de Manabique. Most nests on Guatemalan beaches belong to olive ridleys. Bycatch in shrimp trawls and other fisheries is the main threat to green turtles here. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Caiman
Caiman spp.
In Guatemala the spectacled caiman lives on the Pacific slope, in the coastal mangroves, lagoons, estuaries and river mouths from the border with Mexico to El Salvador, including areas such as Monterrico. It favors slow or still water with dense vegetation. In the rest of the country, including Petén and the Caribbean coast, the crocodilians are crocodiles. Mangrove clearing, shrimp farms and agriculture pressure its coastal habitat. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Rattlesnake
Crotalus and Sistrurus (about 40–50 species)
Guatemala is home to the Central American rattlesnake (Crotalus simus), which lives in the dry valleys of the interior, such as the Motagua valley, and in the Pacific lowlands, mostly at low elevations. It is far less common than it once was because of farming and deliberate killing by people who fear it. Its venom can be dangerous, but bites are treated with antivenom. IUCN status: varies by species.
Lancehead
Bothrops asper
In Guatemala, the barba amarilla lives in the warm, humid lowlands of the Petén jungle and the Caribbean side, around Izabal, mostly at lower elevations. It is the snake most often involved in serious snakebites reported to health authorities, especially among farm workers in plantations near forest. Rural and Indigenous communities far from hospitals with antivenom face the highest risk. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Boa Constrictor
Boa constrictor
The IUCN includes Guatemala in the range of the boa constrictor, although the boas here belong to the northern lineage that many scientists now treat as a separate species, the Central American boa. It lives in the lowland forests of Petén, the Pacific coastal plain and the Caribbean lowlands near Izabal, and tolerates farmland. Deforestation and persecution by people who fear for their livestock affect it. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
The barn owl is found across Guatemala in open farmland, pastures, highland valleys, and the outskirts of towns and villages throughout the country. It nests in old buildings, church towers, cliff faces, and hollow trees, and hunts rodents and other small prey at night. It is present from the Pacific coastal lowlands through the central highlands to the Caribbean lowlands and the Petén region. In farming areas it is valued as a natural pest controller and is one of the more familiar owls across the country's open and semi open landscapes.
Resplendent Quetzal
Pharomachrus mocinno
Guatemala adopted the resplendent quetzal as its national bird, put it on its flag and named its currency after it. The bird lives in cloud forests such as the Sierra de las Minas, the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes and the Biotopo del Quetzal in Baja Verapaz, created to protect it. Sacred to the ancient Maya, it remains a symbol of freedom. Habitat loss in the mountain forests is its greatest threat. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Scarlet Macaw
Ara macao
In Guatemala, the scarlet macaw is most closely associated with the Maya Biosphere Reserve in the Petén lowlands, one of the last strongholds for the species in the country. Conservation programs run by local communities and NGOs have helped protect nesting sites in this region. Habitat loss outside protected areas remains the main threat. Pairs are often seen flying above the forest canopy at dawn. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern.
Turquoise browed Motmot
Eumomota superciliosa
In Guatemala, the turquoise browed motmot is found along the Pacific slope, the dry valleys of the east, and lowland forest edges throughout the country. It nests in burrows dug into earthen banks, with both parents sharing incubation duties. Its vivid turquoise eyebrow stripe and distinctive racket tipped tail make it instantly recognizable among the rich birdlife that Guatemala's varied landscapes support.
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
The peregrine falcon passes through Guatemala during migration, traveling between North American breeding grounds and wintering areas further south. It has been recorded across a range of habitats, from the Pacific coastal plain to the highland valleys of the Sierra Madre. Some individuals overwinter in the country. It hunts smaller birds in flight, including doves and shorebirds along the Pacific coast. Its IUCN status is Least Concern.
Harpy Eagle
Harpia harpyja
In Guatemala, the harpy eagle is a very rare bird of the lowland forests of Petén, in the north, especially inside the Maya Biosphere Reserve, the largest protected area in Central America. Its numbers there are small and under pressure from deforestation and fires. Local conservation groups work to find and protect nests in the reserve, where it shares the forest with the ancient Maya cities. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Guatemala's Pacific coast receives humpbacks every winter, part of the Central American population that feeds off California in summer. From December to March, the easiest months to see them, boats leave from Puerto San José, Monterrico and Sipacate, and mothers with calves and singing males are often found a few kilometers from shore. This population is listed as endangered in the United States. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Manatee
Trichechus manatus
Guatemala's manatees live in the Caribbean lowlands of Izabal. Lake Izabal and the Río Dulce, which links the lake to the sea, form one of the few places in Central America where manatees live mostly in fresh water, and the Chocón Machacas protected area on the Río Dulce was created largely for them. Boats from Livingston and Río Dulce town cross their habitat. The population is small and is considered endangered in the country. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Guatemala has bottlenose dolphins on both coasts. On the Pacific they are often seen on boat trips from Monterrico, Sipacate and Puerto San José, sometimes during the same outings that look for humpback whales in winter. On the Caribbean side they live in Amatique Bay, near Puerto Barrios and Livingston, close to the mouth of the Río Dulce. Coastal groups are often seen close to fishing boats and river mouths. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda
Guatemala has only a short Caribbean coast, on the Gulf of Honduras, and that is where the great barracuda lives: around the Punta de Manabique protected area, the Bay of Amatique and the southern end of the Mesoamerican Reef. Juveniles shelter among mangroves and seagrass beds, and adults are caught by artisanal fishers from Livingston and Puerto Barrios. The species does not occur on the Pacific coast of the country. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Tiger Shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
In Guatemala the tiger shark lives in the warm Caribbean waters around the coast, over reefs, seagrass beds and deep channels, and it often hunts sea turtles in the Bay of Amatique, on the country's short Caribbean coast. It also lives on the Pacific coast, where artisanal fishers catch it. Like other large sharks in the Caribbean, it has become scarcer because of fishing, and divers see it far less often than in the Bahamas. IUCN status: Near Threatened.
Bull Shark
Carcharhinus leucas
Guatemala has bull sharks on both coasts. On the Caribbean side they live in the Bay of Amatique and swim up the Río Dulce into Lake Izabal, the country's largest lake, one of the few places in the world where bull sharks reach a freshwater lake. On the Pacific coast they are found in the estuaries and mangroves of the coast. Artisanal fishers catch them on both sides. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What animals live in Guatemala?
Guatemala is home to jaguars, cougars, ocelots, margays, jaguarundis, tapirs, spider monkeys, white tailed deer, coyotes, gray foxes, raccoons, opossums and armadillos. Its birds include the resplendent quetzal, the national bird, along with scarlet macaws, harpy eagles, turquoise browed motmots, peregrine falcons and barn owls. Reptiles include boa constrictors, iguanas, caimans, rattlesnakes and lanceheads. Along its two coasts live sea turtles, manatees, bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, barracudas and tiger and bull sharks. The richest areas are the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Petén and the highland cloud forests.
What is the national animal of Guatemala?
The national animal of Guatemala is the resplendent quetzal, the national bird. The male has bright green feathers, a red breast and tail plumes that can reach about 65 centimeters. The quetzal has been on the coat of arms since 1871, so it also appears on the flag, and the national currency, the quetzal, has carried its name since 1925. It lives in highland cloud forests, and the best place to look for it is the Biotopo del Quetzal in Baja Verapaz, especially from March to June, when it nests.
Are there monkeys in Guatemala?
Yes. Spider monkeys live in the lowland rainforests of Petén and Izabal, and Tikal National Park is the easiest place to see them, as groups swing through the trees on the trails around the temples. They are named for their long arms and legs and their strong tail, which works like a fifth hand. They eat mostly ripe fruit and travel in small groups that split and join during the day, so listen for falling fruit and moving branches. Spider monkeys in Central America are listed as Endangered because of forest loss and hunting.
Are there poisonous snakes in Guatemala?
Yes, Guatemala has several venomous snakes, although strictly speaking they are venomous, not poisonous. The most dangerous are the pit vipers of the humid lowlands, which cause most serious bites in the country, and rattlesnakes live in the dry valleys of the east. Bites are uncommon for visitors and happen mostly to farm workers, so closed shoes, a flashlight at night and care near logs and tall grass are enough. Some of the largest snakes in Guatemala, such as the boa constrictor, are not venomous at all.
What endangered animals live in Guatemala?
Among the animals on this site, several in Guatemala are threatened. The spider monkeys of Central America, the tapir and the manatee are listed as Endangered by the IUCN, and the harpy eagle as Vulnerable, while the jaguar, the margay and the resplendent quetzal are Near Threatened. Sea turtles also need help: on the Pacific coast, hatcheries such as those of Monterrico collect eggs from the beaches and release the hatchlings to the sea. Most of the forest animals depend on large protected areas, above all the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Petén.
Researched and written by Juan Pablo. Sources: IUCN Red List, scientific literature and regional field guides. Last updated: .