Animals in Puerto Rico
Coquí
Eleutherodactylus coqui
The coquí is the unofficial national symbol of Puerto Rico. It is a tiny tree frog, only 3 to 4 centimeters long, and its name comes from the loud co quí call that males sing at night. Puerto Rico has 17 kinds of coquí, most of them found nowhere else, and they hatch from eggs as tiny frogs without a tadpole stage. The coquí appears in songs, art, souvenirs and everyday sayings, and many Puerto Ricans say they are as Puerto Rican as a coquí. Its song is, for many, the sound of home.
View details→Wildlife in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico wildlife is shaped by life on an island, with rainforests, dry forests, mangroves and coral reefs packed into a small territory. The most famous animal is the coquí, a tiny frog whose two note call fills the night all over the island, from the El Yunque rainforest to city gardens. Barn owls hunt rats and mice in farmland at night. Some of the animals people see most often are newcomers: green iguanas, known locally as gallina de palo, and monk parakeets were brought as pets and now live wild in large numbers. The sea is where the island's wildlife is richest. Manatees graze in coastal lagoons and mangroves, sea turtles nest on beaches of the northeast, and bottlenose dolphins swim offshore. Every winter, humpback whales pass along the west coast, and barracudas, tiger, bull and reef sharks live around the reefs. Protected areas like El Yunque and the marine reserves keep much of this fauna safe.
Most Dangerous Animals in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a safe place when it comes to wild animals. There are no large land predators, and none of the island's snakes is dangerous to people. The largest is a shy, protected snake that may bite only if handled. On land, green iguanas can bite or whip with their tails if cornered, but they usually run away. Most of the real risk is in the sea. Tiger and bull sharks live in Puerto Rican waters, and bull sharks can enter shallow bays and river mouths, especially when the water is murky after rain. Reef sharks are usually calm and keep their distance. Barracudas may bite at shiny objects, so it is best not to wear jewelry when swimming. Shark attacks in Puerto Rico are very rare, and swimming at busy beaches in clear water keeps the risk low.
Top 10 Animals in Puerto Rico
The top 10 animals of Puerto Rico show how much of the island's wildlife lives in the sea. Sharks lead the list: tiger and bull sharks live around the reefs and deeper waters, far more often than visitors imagine. The barracuda, a fast silver hunter that snorkelers often meet, is another famous predator. Bottlenose dolphins are the friendly face of the ocean, and humpback whales can be seen from the Rincón coast between January and March. On land, the coquí is the star, a tiny frog that is the unofficial symbol of the island. Sea turtles and manatees, both protected, complete the picture of the coast. Together these animals in Puerto Rico show a small island with a very big sea around it.
Iguana
Iguana iguana
The green iguana is one of Puerto Rico's most prominent invasive species. Introduced through the pet trade, it now lives across the island in very high numbers, thought to be in the millions. Locally known as gallina de palo, it damages crops, gardens, roads and canal banks, and iguanas have even caused problems on airport runways. Control programs exist, but eradication is not considered possible. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
Green turtles graze in the seagrass beds around Puerto Rico and its islands, especially at Culebra, where snorkelers swim with them at beaches like Tamarindo, and around Vieques and the southwest coast. They also nest in small numbers on Puerto Rican beaches, where leatherbacks and hawksbills are the main nesting species. All sea turtles are protected under U.S. and local law. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Coquí
Eleutherodactylus coqui
The coqui is Puerto Rico's most beloved wild creature, living in rainforests, gardens and mountain slopes across the island. This tiny tree frog, barely 3 to 4 cm long, fills the night air with its two note call. Males use the first note to warn rivals and the second to attract mates. Hatching as fully formed froglets, it skips the tadpole stage entirely, and it is the unofficial national symbol of the island. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
The barn owl is found across Puerto Rico in open farmland, grassland, and the outskirts of towns and villages throughout the island. It nests in old buildings, cliff faces, and caves, and hunts rodents and other small prey at night. In Puerto Rico it plays a useful role in controlling rat and mouse populations in agricultural and urban fringe areas. It is one of the more commonly encountered owls on the island and can be found from the coastal lowlands to the lower mountain slopes of the Cordillera Central.
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
The peregrine falcon is seen in Puerto Rico mostly between autumn and spring, when migrants from North America spend the winter on the island. It hunts pigeons, shorebirds and other birds along the coast, in wetlands and in cities such as San Juan, where tall buildings serve as lookouts. Numbers are small, but sightings are regular. The IUCN lists the peregrine falcon as Least Concern after its recovery from DDT.
Flamingo
Phoenicopteridae (6 species)
The American flamingo visits Puerto Rico outside the breeding season. Birds turn up at the salt flats of Cabo Rojo, in the southwest, and at other coastal lagoons, usually alone or in small groups, and some stay for months. They probably come from colonies in the Bahamas, Cuba or Hispaniola. Flamingos once lived on the island more regularly, and each new visit draws attention. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Monk Parakeet
Myiopsitta monachus
In Puerto Rico, the monk parakeet is an introduced species that has adapted well to suburban and urban environments, particularly around the San Juan metropolitan area. Flocks gather in parks and residential neighborhoods, building large communal nests from sticks. Although popular with locals, they are considered an invasive species and can cause damage to crops and infrastructure such as power lines. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Turpial
Icterus icterus
The turpial has lived in Puerto Rico since at least 1810, probably brought by people from South America, and it is now fairly common in the dry forests and scrub of the southwest, such as the Guánica dry forest and the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge. Its orange and black plumage and loud whistles stand out among the cacti. It was once caught for the cage bird trade until the capture of wild birds was regulated. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Puerto Rico lies on the route of the North Atlantic humpbacks that breed in the Caribbean. From January to March whales pass close to the west coast, and Rincón is the best place to see them, from boats and even from the lighthouse park on the point, where breaching whales are a common sight. Most of these whales are heading to or from the Silver Bank and Samaná Bay, in the nearby Dominican Republic. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Manatee
Trichechus manatus
Puerto Rico has a resident population of Antillean manatees, estimated in the hundreds, living in its coastal bays, mangroves and lagoons. Jobos Bay on the south coast and the east coast around Ceiba and Fajardo are important areas, and the Manatee Conservation Center in Arecibo rescues and treats injured animals. Boat strikes are the main threat, and speed zones protect key areas. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Bottlenose dolphins live around Puerto Rico and are seen in the bays and reefs of the west and south coasts, around La Parguera, and in the waters of Vieques and Culebra, sometimes from ferries crossing to the islands. They are protected under United States law, which makes feeding or harassing them illegal. They are the dolphins most often seen near the coast, and fishermen and boat trips meet them most of the year. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda
In Puerto Rico the great barracuda is common on reefs, rocky shores and seagrass beds all around the island. Divers see it near Fajardo, at La Parguera on the southwest coast and on the walls of Desecheo Island, and the clear water of Culebra and Vieques gives some of the best sightings. Adults usually hang alone over the reef, and juveniles stay among mangroves and seagrass close to shore. IUCN status: Least Concern.
Tiger Shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
In Puerto Rico 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 around Culebra, Vieques and Mona Island. Federal rules from the United States limit shark fishing around the island. 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.
Reef Shark
Several species (Carcharhinus melanopterus, C. perezi, C. amblyrhynchos, Triaenodon obesus)
In Puerto Rico the Caribbean reef shark lives on the reefs around the island, but it is uncommon near the main coast. Divers see it most often around the offshore islands of Mona and Desecheo, both nature reserves with clear water and steep walls, and sometimes off Culebra and Vieques. Puerto Rico follows United States federal rules that limit shark fishing and ban finning. IUCN status: Endangered.
Bull Shark
Carcharhinus leucas
In Puerto Rico the bull shark lives in the coastal waters around the island, especially near river mouths and in the bays and mangrove lagoons of the coast, where young sharks find shelter. Adults hunt along the coast, mostly in murky water after heavy rains. Encounters with people are rare, and the island follows United States federal rules that limit shark fishing. IUCN status: Vulnerable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What animals live in Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico's best known animal is the coquí, a tiny frog that sings all night across the island. Barn owls live in farmland, and green iguanas and monk parakeets, both brought by people, are now common in the wild. The sea around the island is much richer, with manatees, sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales in winter, barracudas and tiger, bull and reef sharks. Most of these marine animals are protected by law. Many small Puerto Rican animals, like most kinds of coquí, live nowhere else in the world.
Are there snakes in Puerto Rico?
Yes, but none of them is dangerous to people. Puerto Rico has about a dozen kinds of snakes, and most are small and shy. Only one has a mild venom, which it uses on lizards and frogs and which is not a risk to humans. The largest snake on the island is a protected boa that hunts rats, birds and bats and may bite only if someone grabs it. Snakes are rarely seen by visitors, and there is no need to worry about them when hiking in El Yunque or other forests.
What is the national animal of Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico has no official national animal, but the coquí is its unofficial symbol and the animal everyone links with the island. It is a tiny tree frog named after the co quí call that males sing at night. There are 17 kinds of coquí in Puerto Rico, and most live nowhere else. Coquís are unusual because they skip the tadpole stage and hatch as tiny frogs. You can hear them almost everywhere after dark, but the best place to hear a big chorus is the El Yunque rainforest.
Where can you see manatees in Puerto Rico?
Manatees live in calm, shallow waters with seagrass, mangroves and lagoons. They are seen most often along the east and south coasts, in places like Jobos Bay and the waters around Fajardo and Ceiba. They are shy and move slowly, so the best way to see them is from a kayak or a boat that keeps its distance. Manatees are protected, and it is against the law to touch, feed or chase them. Boat collisions are one of their main threats, which is why some coastal areas have speed limits for boats.
Are there dangerous animals in Puerto Rico?
Very few. Puerto Rico has no venomous snakes that are dangerous to people and no large land predators, so hiking is very safe. Green iguanas can bite if cornered, but they usually flee. The main risks are in the sea, where tiger and bull sharks live, although shark attacks are very rare. Bull sharks can come into murky water near river mouths after rain, so it is best to avoid swimming there. Barracudas may bite at shiny jewelry. Swimming at busy beaches with clear water is the simplest way to stay safe.
Researched and written by Juan Pablo. Sources: IUCN Red List, scientific literature and regional field guides. Last updated: .