Animals
National Animal
Andean condor“In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.”
Robert Lynd
Animals commonly seen in the wild
Marine fauna:
Sea lions, penguins, fur seals, piranhas, electric eel, stingrays, catfish, dolphin, otter, manatee, reef sharks.
Birds:
Owl, hummingbirds, toucans, caracara, parrots, parakeets, pink flamingos.
Land mammals:
Bears, sloths, monkeys, foxes, tapirs, bats, jaguars, armadillos, ant-eaters, sea lions, fur seals.
Snakes and insects:
Boas, basilisks, anacondas, crocodiles, caimans, turtles, tortoises, vipers.
Common sights you will not like
In the city and on the road
Street vendors often showcase puppies among car drivers and on the street looking for potential buyers. Stray dogs are a common sight, often 25 to 30 dogs on an average city block. In the marketplace, lots of live animals are for sale, such as dogs, cats, chickens, rabbits, birds and even monkeys are kept in cages under unsanitary conditions waiting to be sold to the highest bidder. At some markets, meats of turtles, agoutis, armadillos and monkeys are also sold illegally.
In theCountryside
Donkeys and horses in rural Ecuador are used to carry water and help with agriculture work.
Hunting or poaching:
Birds are the most common contraband. Officials only prevent hunting of endangered species. Indigenous people groups considered it legal to hunt and capture animals from the jungle.
Animal fights:
Cockfights and bullfights are allowed as part of the country’s "tradition". Animal rights activists are fighting to abolish these.
We have not included the treatment of animals in the meat/fur/leather industries, zoos or circuses, animal testing as it unfortunately still happens in most countries.
