23 Endemic Species of Colombia (with key facts & scientific names)

Colombia’s extraordinary variety of habitats—Andean cordilleras, Amazonian rainforest, cloud forests, Llanos savannas, and two coasts—has produced a wealth of local wildlife. Below is a field-ready guide to 23 endemic or highly localized Colombian species (with a few from adjacent regions), spanning mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

1) Olinguito

Scientific name: Bassaricyon neblina · Group: Mammal (Procyonidae)

• Range & habitat: Cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador; cool, wet, mid- to high-elevation forests.

• Size & look: ~900 g; big dark eyes; plush coat; nocturnal and strongly arboreal.

• Diet & behavior: Primarily frugivorous, also nectar and insects; mostly solitary with small home ranges.

• Conservation notes: Cloud-forest fragmentation and illegal pet trade are the key concerns.

2) Colombian Black-headed Spider Monkey

Scientific name: Ateles fusciceps rufiventris · Group: Mammal (Atelidae)

• Range & habitat: Humid forests, cloud forests, and seasonal dry forests in Colombia; up to >2,000 m.

• ID tips: Long limbs, thumb-less hands, and a prehensile tail with a bare tactile patch unique to each individual; up to ~9 kg.

• Social system: Large communities (≈ 30), often foraging as 3–4-member subgroups.

• Diet: Fruit-dominated, with seeds, bark, leaves, flowers, and insects.

3) Red-footed Tortoise (“Morrocoy”)

Scientific name: Chelonoidis carbonaria · Group: Reptile (Testudinidae)

• Range & habitat: Tropical rainforests, savannas, and grasslands across northern South America, widespread in Colombia.

• ID tips: Dark carapace with orange-red spots; head and limbs also show orange markings; 30–35 cm; males larger.

• Activity & diet: Diurnal; mainly herbivorous (leaves, fruit, fungi), will take invertebrates and carrion.

• Threats: Overharvest for meat, habitat loss, and pet trade.

4) Gorgona Blue Anole

Scientific name: Anolis gorgonae · Group: Reptile (Dactyloidae)

• Range & habitat: Endemic to Gorgona Island (Colombia), on rainforest trunks.

• ID tips: Striking blue body; small, insectivorous.

• Status & threats: Endangered due to deforestation and predation/competition from the introduced basilisk (Basiliscus galeritus).

5) Ornate Titi Monkey (“White-handed Titi”, “Zocay”)

Scientific name: Callicebus ornatus (often placed in Plecturocebus) · Group: Mammal (Pitheciidae)

• Range & habitat: Moist forests in western Meta Department, Colombia.

• ID tips: Distinct white hands and feet (glove-like look); soft, plush fur; ~1 kg.

• Behavior: Monogamous family units (typically 2–4 animals; parents + 1–2 young); agile long-distance leapers; loud territorial duets; frequent allogrooming.

• IUCN: Vulnerable (VU)—habitat loss and fragmentation.

6) Andean Condor (Colombia’s National Bird)

Scientific name: Vultur gryphus · Group: Bird (Cathartidae)

• Range & habitat: High Andes cliffs and canyons across several countries, including Colombia.

• Record-holder: Largest soaring non-marine bird—wingspan up to ~3.4 m; males to ~15 kg.

• Ecology: Obligate scavenger; can soar for ~1 hour with little flapping; exceptional eyesight.

• Threats: Persecution and feather trade; several regional populations are in decline.

7) Spectacled Bear (Andean Bear)

Scientific name: Tremarctos ornatus · Group: Mammal (Ursidae)

• Range & habitat: Humid montane and cloud forests of the Andes.

• ID tips: Pale “spectacles” around eyes (pattern is individualized); body 1.3–1.9 m, 80–125 kg; mostly black coat.

• Behavior & diet: Diurnal, arboreal-capable, mostly solitary; omnivorous but largely plant-based diet.

• IUCN: Vulnerable (VU).

8) Black Inca / Arcabuco Prince Hummingbird

Scientific name: Coeligena prunellei · Group: Bird (Trochilidae)

• Range: Endemic to the western slope of Colombia’s Eastern Cordillera.

• ID tips: ~10 cm long; mostly black with small whitish side patches on the chest; blue-green iridescence on throat and shoulders.

• Energy & diet: Extreme daily energy demand; nectarivorous, visiting ~2,200 flowers/day; also takes small arthropods.

9) Valle del Cauca “Ruby” Poison Frog

Scientific name: Minyobates bombetes (often treated as Andinobates bombetes) · Group: Amphibian (Dendrobatidae)

• Range: Colombian Andes—Western Cordillera (Valle del Cauca) and western slope of Central Cordillera (Risaralda, Quindío).

• ID tips: Tiny—males ~17 mm, females ~18 mm; base color black/brown/purple with bright orange-red lateral stripes—classic aposematism.

• Activity & status: Diurnal; Vulnerable (VU)—habitat loss and illegal pet trade.

10) Spotted Galliwasp (Malpelo)

Scientific name: Diploglossus millepunctatus · Group: Reptile (Diploglossidae)

• Range: Endemic to Malpelo Island, Valle del Cauca (Colombia).

• Size & build: Adult ~18–36 cm total length; short-limbed, robust.

• Diet: Voracious generalist predator/scavenger—insects, shore crabs, worms, even feathers and organic detritus.

• Regeneration: Can autotomize and regrow the tail; notably, teeth can also regenerate.

11) Andean “Sword-billed” & Wetland Hummingbirds (high-locality highlights)

• Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera): extraordinary hyper-elongated bill co-evolved with deep tubular flowers.

• Sapphire-vented / Ciénaga Hummingbird (Lepidopyga lilliae): a narrow-range wetland specialist tied to specific flowering plants.

12) More Colombian (and near-neighbor) endemics & near-endemics (quick list)

• Colombian Freshwater Crab — Hypolobocera gorgonensis

• Malpelo Land Crab — Johngarthia malpilensis

• Gorgona Island Scorpion — Ananteris gorgonae

• Colombian Leaf-toed Gecko — Phyllodactylus transversalis

• Malpelo Anole — Dactyloa agassizi

• Blue-billed Curassow (Paujil) — Crax alberti

• Yellow-headed Brush-finch — Atlapetes flaviceps

• Harlequin Poison Frog (“Cocoi”) — Oophaga histrionica

• Golden Poison Frog — Phyllobates terribilis

• Gray-necked Spiny Rat — Proechimys canicollis

• Cotton-top Tamarin — Saguinus oedipus

Many of these are narrow-ranged and highly sensitive to forest connectivity, clean freshwater, and low disturbance. Deforestation, mining, roads, and illegal wildlife trade recur as primary pressures.

13) (Context) Andean Condor’s role

Though not strictly Colombian-exclusive, the Andean Condor is a national symbol and a keystone scavenger that helps remove carcasses and curb disease. Protecting cliff nesting sites, soaring corridors, and reducing persecution remain top priorities.

Wrap-up

From cloud-forest canopies to oceanic islets, Colombia’s endemics showcase spectacular adaptive radiation—flower–hummingbird coevolution, chemical defense in poison frogs, fission–fusion foraging in tree-dwelling primates, and island reptile regeneration. These species depend on intact, connected habitats and effective control of illegal trade. Lasting protection hinges on habitat conservation, invasive-species management, long-term monitoring, and community co-management.

animal tags： endemic species of colombia