Land Animals to See in Colombia
Spectacled Bears in the Andes
The unique Andean or Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus) is the last remaining short-faced bear and the only surviving species of bear native to South America. This medium-sized, black mammal –with beige face marks that seem like glasses, inhabits the three Andes mountain ranges. It is a harmless animal that wouldn’t attack a human unless it feels under threat. However, it is considered Vulnerable in the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species, due to loss of habitat and illegal hunting.
Jaguars in Llanos Orientales
The largest feline in the Americas, and the third–largest in the world, wanders the tropical and subtropical moist forests, dry grasslands, and swamps of Colombia. The existence of water bodies in these habitats is a sign of the jaguar‘s presence — it is a swimmer par excellence. This large, solitary feline on the top of the food chain inhabits most of the country’s land: the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, some parts of the Pacific coast, the Orinoco eastern plains, and the vast Amazon.
Monkeys in Forests and Jungles
Colombia is the sixth richest country in the world in primates along with Brazil, Zaire, Cameroon, Indonesia, Madagascar, and Peru, and the third richest in the region after Brazil and Peru, as it has 38 species and 45 subspecies, including 10 species and 15 endemic taxa. Of all the primate species found in Colombia, 53% are endangered as a result of the dramatic deforestation of its habitat and its capture for the illegal trade. Critically endangered species include the Variegated Spider Monkey (Ateles hybridus), the Brown-headed Spider Monkey (Ateles fusciceps), the Caquetá Tití Monkey (Plecturocebus caquetensis) and the Cotton-top Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus). The last two are endemic.
Marine Life to See in Colombia
Coral reefs in the Caribbean
Most people think that corals are marine plants, but they are actually invertebrate animals of great ecological importance. An individual coral is called a polyp and they live in groups of hundreds to thousands of genetically identical polyps that form a ‘colony’. Hard corals form what we know as coral reefs, the largest living structure on the planet, and the only living structure to be visible from space! Coral reefs are amazing, colorful living beings that host and protect many other marine species, hence its importance.
Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo National Natural Park
Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo National Natural Park covers an area of 120,000 hectares, protecting the largest coral reef of the Colombian continental Caribbean, with about 420 km2! To appreciate the immense and stunning wildlife inhabiting coral reefs, you can practice scuba diving near Baru, Isla Grande, and Tintipan islands.
Providence Island
In Providence Island, next to San Andres island, you can explore part of the world’s third–largest coral reef, protected as Seaflower Biosphere Reserve.
Hammerhead Sharks in Malpelo Island
Scuba diving with schools of sharks is one of the attractions of Malpelo, the best diving spot in Colombia. Malpelo is one of the world’s top three spots to dive among sharks! Malpelo Island is a Flora and Fauna Sanctuary and World Heritage Site found in Colombian Pacific waters, 500 km (up to 36–hour boat ride) from the city of Buenaventura, in Valle del Cauca. This volcanic formation is actually the highest point of a submarine range: Dorsal de Malpelo, which hosts incredible marine wildlife. Know more about conservation projects in Malpelo at Protect Malpelo.
Whales in the Colombian Pacific
During the second half of the year or most of it, the Colombian Pacific coast gains prominence among wildlife lovers. From July to late October, large groups of Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate from the South Pole to the warm waters of the northern Pacific Ocean to mate, give birth, and raise their calves.
Reptiles and Amphibians to See in Colombia
Crocodiles and Caimans
The Orinoco crocodile
The Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius), measuring up to 7 meters, is among the largest crocodiles in the world, and the largest predator in South America! It is critically endangered, though. As its name indicates, it lives in the Orinoco basin, both in Venezuela and Colombia. Sierra de la Macarena in Meta and El Tuparro National Natural Park in Vichada are both large protected areas open to ecotourism, where you can spot Orinoco crocodiles while discovering the beauty of the llanero landscapes and its wildlife. La Macarena is home to ‘the most beautiful river in the world’ —Caño Cristales, and animals such as Capuchins, the Speckled tanager, and the Straight-billed woodcreeper. The vast savanna of El Tuparro hosts the mighty Maipures torrent, as well as tapirs, the Orinoco goose, and giant otters. Find out more about El Tuparro in our entry Next Travel Ideas? Visit the Biosphere Reserves of Colombia.The American crocodile
The American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is the most widespread of the crocodiles from the Americas and inhabits coastal areas, including mangrove swamps and lagoons. If you travel to Colombia’s Caribbean or Pacific region, you will probably find it still, perhaps with its jaw wide open. Don’t worry, it’s not that they want to hunt you, but this is the way they gain heat. The Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta Flora and Fauna Sanctuary is one of the crocodiles watching spots. This is a large mangrove swamp where the Northern tamandua, Neotropic cormorant, and West Indian manatee also live.The Spectacled Caiman
As if it weren’t surprising enough, you can also find the Spectacled caiman —or Babilla, (Caiman cocodrilus) in Hato La Aurora, the pioneer of the Colombian Safari, or El Encanto de Guanapalo (see tour), also in Casanare.Frogs
About 800 amphibian species of different shapes and colors live in Colombia. Frogs account for 93% of amphibians in the country, which means that there are 734 species. Also, more than half of them are endemic! However, 53 species are critically endangered because of the destruction of their habitats and collectors of exotic animals. Although most species can be found in the Andean region, the greatest wealth is in the tropical rain forests of the Amazon and the Pacific region, between 0 and 249 MASL.Poison dart frogs
Golden Poison Dart Frog
Actually, in the lush jungles of Choco, you can find the Golden Poison Dart Frog (Phyllobates terribilis), the most poisonous in the world! An adult frog’s skin has enough poison to kill 20,000 mice or 100 human adults. Although the poison of the Golden Poison Dart Frog only acts when ingested or when entering the body through the mucosae, not the skin, you should be cautious with dart frogs during your wildlife tour.Other Dart Frogs
Other dart frogs found here are the Black-legged Poison Dart Frog, Kokoe Poison Frog, Yellowbelly Poison Frog, different Harlequin Poison Frogs and the Diablito Poison Frog. Get to know dart frogs of the genus Dendrobatidae and others with us in our Dart Frogs Tour in the Biogeographic Choco! You will visit places in Valle del Cauca such as Cali, Anchicayá, the San Cipriano Forest Reserve –both near Buenaventura, the Yotoco Natural Reserve, and Santa Cecilia in Risaralda. Also, you will witness the Lehmann Frog, Marbled Poison-arrow Frog, Harlequin Poison Frog, Yellow-bellied Poison Frog, Gliding Tree Frog along spectacular snakes and lizards.Anacondas
The Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) is the heaviest and one of the longest snake species! This reptile, which can reach up to 5 meters long, is native to South America and is mostly found in the Amazon rainforest and the Orinoco basin. Because of its weight, which reportedly ranges from 30 to 70 kg (66 to 154 lb) in adults, this snake doesn’t stay that much on the ground, but it is an agile swimmer. Its olive–green skin with black botches allows the anaconda to camouflage in the waters and surprise its prey easily. It is not venomous, but once it has kept its eyes on its victim, it is hard to run away from a fateful death by suffocation. Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), also known as common anaconda or common water boa. When you travel to Colombia and go on an Amazon night safari, watch out for these nocturnal, stealthy reptiles! The other way to meet them is to visit Hato La Aurora —once again. but this place is great!— in the eastern plains of Colombia.Plants to See in Colombia
Orchids in Colombia
4,270 species of orchids can be found in Colombia. Out of these, 1,572 are not seen anywhere else in the world! Hence, the Cattleya trianae was named as the national flagship flower. The country’s National Natural Parks host about 20% of the orchids, but the most privileged zone in the national territory is the Andes region, since it hosts over half of the total species, with 944 endemics.
Finca Romelia Colors of Life
One of the places to admire the beauty of these flowers distinctively shaped and colored is Romelia Farm on the outskirts of Manizales, in the Coffee Region. This family farm is a haven of 8,000 orchids of 840 species, as well as a variety of bonsai and over 200 bird species. Romelia offers 3 to 5–hour orchids tours around the house, natural trails, and a garden center, where you get a lesson about these stunning flowers and how to sow them. Plus, you get a snack and lunch. The price is around USD 35.Puracé National Natiral Park
Another place full of orchids is Puracé NNP in Cauca, a natural reserve that protects a volcanic complex, the source of the Magdalena, Cauca, Patía and Caquetá rivers, some of the main rivers of the country. In this indigenous land, there are over 200 species of orchids that you can appreciate while hiking along the Orquideas trail made of stone. The species Epidendrum fimbriatum is a highlight. Find out more about the beautiful orchids of Colombia in our blog The Richest Country in Orchids in the World: Colombia.The Wax Palm
In terms of flora, Colombia has a major role too. Colombia’s over 45,000 plant species account for 10% of the world’s plant species! The Quindio Wax Palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense) is the national tree and is the world’s largest palm, reaching up to 60 meters. It is native to the Andean humid montane forests of Los Nevados National Natural Park and you can find it in the high Andean valley of Toche, Tolima, and the Cocora Valley in Quindío. I invite you to visit our entries The Wax Palm and Why it is a Must to See When Visiting Colombia and The Unique Wax Palm Forests Landscape Destinations in Colombia.
The Queen Victoria’s water lily
The Queen Victoria’s water lily or Victoria amazonica is another flower that amazes foreigners that visit the Amazon. It is the largest of the water lilies, having a diameter of up to 40 cm (16 in). These amazing floating flowers are pollinated by beetles.
Frailejón
Last but not least, during your wildlife or hiking tour in Colombia, you have to meet the Frailejones (“big monks”). These subshrubs of the genus Espeletia are native to the páramos of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador and play a key role in the creation of subterranean water deposits. The Espeletia uribei is one of the world’s tallest —up to 18 m— and can be found in the Chingaza NNP, a páramo near Bogotá.
References
- Instituto Humboldt
- Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia
- Corals
- Crocodiles
- Frogs
- Anaconda
- Orchids
- Plants
- Panthera Foundation
- Predators in Peril
- Protect Malpelo Project
- Distribución geográfica del mono aullador rojo (Alouatta seniculus) y la fiebre amarilla en Colombia Biomédica vol.36 supl.2 Bogotá Aug. 2016.
- Primatology Association of Colombia
- Endangered Primates of Colombia
- Mongabay Latam
2026 update: 1,954 bird species (#1) + 4,000+ orchids (#1) + 3,642 butterflies (#1) + ~850 amphibians (#2) + SiB 15.1M new records
The 2026 authoritative biodiversity numbers, sourced to primary Colombian institutions. Colombia hosts approximately 10% of all species on Earth within just 0.7% of its land surface. By taxon: birds — 1,954+ species per SiB Colombia (roughly 82 endemic + 150+ migratory), ranking Colombia #1 globally; orchids — over 4,000 species (SiB registry 3,922; 2026 inventory 4,270), also #1 globally; butterflies — 3,642 species per the Neild et al. 2021 peer-reviewed checklist, again #1 globally (during Global Butterfly Week 2026, Colombia recorded 509 species in coordinated citizen-science observations); amphibians — approximately 850 species, ranking #2 globally behind Brazil, with roughly 50% endemic (734 anurans + 25 salamanders + 32 caecilians per SiB); mammals — 543 species per the 2021 Ramírez-Chaves et al. checklist, placing Colombia among the world’s top-10 mammal-diverse countries though not #1.
The data infrastructure and 2025 species-discovery pace. SiB Colombia integrated 15.1 million new biological records between 2022 and 2024 — 88% growth — bringing the country’s public biodiversity databank to 80,300+ observed species (of which 8,537 endemic). Colombia now ranks #2 globally for public biodiversity data volume, second only to the United States. The Instituto Humboldt (IAvH) National Ecosystems Map catalogues 314 continental and marine ecosystems. New species descriptions in 2025 illustrate that the discovery curve has not flattened: Pristimantis mecada (Chocó frog, described from a former armed-group encampment area), Epipedobates currulao (poison frog, Ladrilleros), plus a new porcupine (Magdalena), a spiny lizard (Atrato) and a venom-spraying scorpion (Cundinamarca) all entered the taxonomic record in 2025 alone. Colombia’s biodiversity is genuinely still being discovered — a wildlife tour here is not visiting a fully-catalogued system.
Sara Colmenares holds a Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in Ecology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and a Master’s degree in Botany from the same institution. Her doctoral research focused on palm ecology in the Atlantic Forest, supported by the Rufford Foundation conservation grant.
A published researcher in the Brazilian Journal of Plant Physiology and a member of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC), Sara has presented her work at international conferences across Latin America and beyond. She was awarded the COLCIENCIAS “Virginia Gutiérrez de Pineda” fellowship, one of Colombia’s most competitive academic distinctions for young researchers.
Sara founded the Sula nature tourism brand in 2018, applying her scientific expertise to develop birding and wildlife experiences across Colombia’s six natural regions. Her fieldwork took her from the cloud forests of the Andes to the Amazon basin, the Pacific coast, and the plains of the Orinoquía. She combined deep ecological knowledge with firsthand experience to create content that is both scientifically accurate and practically useful for nature travelers.
She holds a B.Sc. in Biology from the National University of Colombia, where she also taught plant ecophysiology. She speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and English.