21 Wild Animals in Mexico - Christine Abroad (2023)

Do you want to know more about the animals of Mexico? Here is a list of 21 Mexican animals that you might see in the wild:

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The spider monkey is one of the most beautiful animals in Mexico and is native to the jungles and forests of Mexico. These monkeys are characterized by their black fur, white belly, long limbs, and long, prehensile tail.

The tail can be up to 89 cm (35 in) long and functions as a fifth hand. They use their tails to walk and swing from tree to tree.

Spider monkeys roam in groups and are common in the Yucatan, Chiapas, Veracruz, and other areas of dense jungle.

cacomistle

Another adorable Mexican animal is the cacomistle. It is a mammal native to Mexico that lives in the jungles of the southeast of the country.

He is known for his cute appearance that resembles a cross between a monkey, a cat, and a raccoon.

Cacomistles are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. They love to climb trees and can often be seen jumping from branch to branch at night.

ajolote

The axolotl is one of the strangest animals in the world. They are amphibious and are known for their ability to regrow their limbs and fingers.

Once eaten as a delicacy in Mexico City, they are now a protected species as they are critically endangered. Today you can only see them in Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco on the outskirts of Mexico City.

Flying squirrel

The southern flying squirrel lives in the highlands of Mexico and is known for its ability to glide through the air from tree to tree using its membrane as a parachute. The longest glide on record was almost 300 feet, which is very impressive.

These medium-sized rodents are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They eat fruits, berries, nuts, seeds, insects, and eggs.

mexican prairie dog

mexican prairie dog not related to the dog, nor inhabitant of the prairies. In fact, they are closer to squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots.

Mexican prairie dogs are native to Mexico and can be found in the north of the country. They live on the plains and are mostly herbivorous, feeding on herbs and grasses. However, they have also been seen eating insects.

They can live for 3–5 years in the wild and can reach a body length of 35–43 cm (14–17 in) and weigh around 1 kg (2.2 lb).

Foto: Shutterstock

Whale shark

These gentle giants live in the waters off Los Cabos in the western part of the country.

It is the largest fish in the world and can grow up to 12.5 meters long and weigh about 20 tons. The whale shark is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful animals in Mexico.

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The coati, also known as the coatimundi, is a long-nosed animal related to raccoons. They are characterized by their brown fur, long snouts, small ears, and long striped tail.

The raccoon is an intelligent animal with strong limbs that it uses for both climbing and digging.

The most common places to see coatis in the wild are Oaxaca, Campeche, Yucatán, Chiapas, Tabasco and Quintana Roo.

Ocelote

This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful animals in Mexico. The ocelot is a medium-sized wild cat similar in appearance to the jaguar and the clouded leopard.

They are found in the forests of Mexico, where they like to sleep in the trees during the day and hunt at night.

Foto: Shutterstock

mexican gray wolf

The Mexican gray wolf is about the same size as a large domestic dog, but it runs and hunts in packs and, like other wolf breeds, can be incredibly dangerous.

Today they are in danger of extinction and live in the northern part of Mexico, near the border with the United States.

Cenzontle / Northern Synsonte

This species of mockingbird is native to northern Mexico and is known for imitating other birds and human sounds.

They are incredibly intelligent animals that can recognize individual humans who seem to pose a threat, but they also recognize past breeding areas and return to areas where they have had their greatest success in recent years.

The northern mockingbird can reach 20–28 cm (8–11 in) in length and has a wingspan of about 31–38 cm (12–15 in).

Mexican red knee tarantula

The Mexican red knee tarantula is one of the largest terrestrial tarantula species and is found in the mountain ranges of Mexico. It is best known for its furry body with beautiful red stripes along its legs.

They can grow up to 20 cm long, but some can grow even longer. The females are usually larger than the males, and the female is also more aggressive.

Another interesting fact about the Mexican Redknee tarantula is that they have a relatively long lifespan compared to other spiders – they can live up to 30 years.

quetzal

One of the most beautiful birds in Mexico is the Quetzal. It is a bird native to Mexico that can be found throughout the country in wooded areas and humid forests.

The Quetzal is known for its strikingly colored feathers in green and red. They are known as one of the most beautiful birds in the world.

Although they have brightly colored feathers, they can be difficult to spot in their natural forest environment.

Domoor

The booby is a sea bird that can be seen along the west coast of Mexico. However, the most common place to see these birds is in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador.

They are easily identified by their bright blue feet, making them one of the most unique looking birds in the world. The males display their beautiful, brightly colored feet in a mating ritual, raising them up and down as they walk in front of the females. It's very interesting to watch.

Females are larger than males and can grow up to 90 cm (35 in) in length and have a wingspan of 1.5 meters (5 ft).

northern anteater

The northern anteater is a species of anteater found in the tropical and subtropical forests of southern Mexico.

They are medium-sized anteaters, with small eyes and ears, an elongated snout, and a long tail. The northern anteater can grow up to 130 cm (51 in) long, including its tail, and weigh up to 5.4 kg (11.9 lb).

Northern anteaters are primarily nocturnal, meaning they are nocturnal. They spend 40% of their time in hollow trees for shelter.

They use their claws to open wood and find ants and termites, which are their main food source. Their long tongues are covered in sticky saliva, making it easy for them to catch ants and termites.

Shrimp

Opossums are small to medium-sized animals that can grow to the size of a domestic cat. They are characterized by their elongated snout, large ears, and long, mouse-like tail.

The animals use the prehensile tail as a fifth limb when climbing, as well as for hanging from trees and carrying bundles of leaves or litter to the nest.

An interesting fact about skunks is that they can mimic the look and smell of a dead animal when threatened. When they "play skunk" they huddle up and look very stiff with their lips pulled back and their teeth bared. Saliva also foams around the mouth and they have their eyes closed or half closed.

They also have a foul-smelling fluid coming out of their anal glands that makes them smell like a dead animal.

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The armadillo is one of the most interesting Mexican animals. It is an animal known for its armor that they use when they feel threatened.

They have a hard outer shell that covers their head, upper body, and tail. When threatened, they curl up into a hard ball, leaving no soft parts of their bodies exposed.

Armadillos have poor eyesight, which makes them quite vulnerable animals in their habitat. The main predators are wolves, bobcats and bears.

However, armadillos are fairly fast animals and can reach a top speed of 30 mph (48 km/h), often outwitting predators.

mexican burrowing frog

The Mexican Burrowing Frog is characterized by its swollen body with spots and a stripe on its back. They can grow up to 8 cm long and have short powerful legs and a small triangular head with small eyes.

It is a burrowing animal, which means that it spends most of its life underground. It feeds mainly on insects, mainly ants and termites.

The Mexican burrowing frog is known for its loud call. When male frogs become alarmed or call, their bodies inflate to resemble a balloon. The call is low and loud and makes a "Whooo" sound.

This frog is heard more often than not seen in the wild. As a group, they can be heard up to 1 km (0.6 miles) away.

Mexican Spiny Tailed Iguana

The Mexican spiny-tailed iguana is a medium-sized lizard native to Mexico and Central America. They can grow up to 4 feet (1.3 m) long and have distinctive scales on their tails, earning them the name "thorn-tailed iguana."

They are excellent climbers, preferring to stay in rocky landscapes with hot rocks for relaxation and close to trees for climbing.

Mexican spiny-tailed iguanas can move quickly if a predator is chasing them, but they can also lash the predator with their tail and bite if necessary.

Jaguar

The jaguar is a species of feline that lives from Mexico to northern Argentina, in South America. In Mexico, they can be seen in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve.

This is one of the largest cat species in the world and can grow up to 1.85m long, including its tail. They have short, powerful legs that they use for climbing, swimming, and crawling.

After the lion and the tiger, the jaguar has the third highest bite force. Their jaws are extremely powerful with sharp teeth that can pierce the shell of turtles and armored reptiles.

antillean manatee

The West Indian manatee is the largest member of the family of aquatic mammals, which includes the dugong.

Manatees are mammals and therefore breathe air, are warm-blooded, and produce milk. However, they have fully adapted to aquatic life, so they do not have hind legs. Instead of hind legs, they have a spatula-shaped paddle with which they move in the water.

These animals can reach 3.5 m in length and weigh up to 600 kg.

They are herbivorous and feed on vegetation for 4-8 hours a day. They consume around 5-10% of their own body weight daily.

Foto: Shutterstock

black bear of eastern Mexico

The eastern Mexican black bear is a member of the American black bear family and is found in northern Mexico near the border with the United States.

It is a medium-sized bear with a broad skull, pointed ears, a narrow muzzle, and large paws with short, rounded claws.

American black bears are intelligent animals and have been seen opening screw-top jars and doors on cars and homes.

Foto: Shutterstock

Learn more about Mexican animals

The great biodiversity of mammals in Mexico reflects its wide variety of landscapes and climates. In Mexico you will find tropical rainforests, temperate deserts, alpine tundra and montane forests, so it is not surprising that there are so many species and subspecies of mammals.

Mexico is one of the countries with some of the most beautiful and interesting wildlife species in the world, which makes it such an attractive destination.

In addition to the 21 animals listed below, there are hundreds of other animals that you can find in the Mexican desert.

What is the national animal of Mexico?

Mexico has several national animals. The golden eagle is the national bird, the vaquita is the national marine mammal, the xoloitzcuintli is the national dog, the grasshopper is the national arthropod, and the jaguar is the national mammal.

Are there dangerous animals in Mexico?

Because Mexico has great biodiversity, it also means that they are home to some of the deadliest animals in the world. Below is a short list of the most dangerous animals in Mexico:

• crazy monsters
• black widow
• cobra coral
• Chilean recluse spider
• Rattlesnake
• Scorpion
• snake spearhead

Foto: Shutterstock

Do you have more questions about wildlife in Mexico? Leave a comment below!