A Capybara pup photographed in Paraguay.

Capybara Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

• Classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
• WLT Project Area found in: Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico and Paraguay

Capybaras are the largest rodents alive today, weighing up to 65kg. They live in and around bodies of water and are very social animals, living in groups of between 10 and 30 individuals.

More information and images of the Capybara »

Geoffroy's Cat illustration. © Bruce Pearson

Geoffroy's Cat Oncifelis geoffroyi

• Classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Patagonia
• Read our press release about the Geoffroy's Cat, which includes a picture of a kitten.

Giant Anteater illustration. © Bruce Pearson

Giant Anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla

• Classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Brazil and Paraguay

Large, powerful animal that feeds mainly on termites, consuming up to 30,000 a day. Found in a wide range of habitats, from forests and swamps to dry open savannah. The main threats to the Giant Anteater is habitat loss by agricultural encroachment and fires.

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Giant Armadillo illustration. © Bruce Pearson

Giant Armadillo Priodontes maximus

• Classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Brazil and Paraguay

With more teeth than any other mammal the Giant Armadillo feed mainly on termites, but also eat other insects and invertebrates, snakes and carrion. The main threat to Giant Armadillos is over hunting for food and habitat destruction.

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Giant Otter illustration. © Bruce Pearson

Giant Otter Pteronura brasiliensis

• Classified as Endangered by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Brazil and Paraguay

Formerly found from Colombia to Argentina, but due to hunting and habitat fragmentation the Giant Otter now exists in isolated patched in Brazil and Paraguay.

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Golden-headed lion tamarin . © Alan Martin

Golden-headed Lion Tamarin Leontopithecus chrysomelas

• Classified as Endangered by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Brazil

The Critically low numbers of Golden Headed Lion Tamarins in the wild are due primarily to habitat loss but this primate also suffers losses from predators (Ocelots, snakes and eagles) and from the pet trade.

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Guanaco Illustration © Bruce Pearson

Guanaco Lama guanaco

• Classified as Lower Risk by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Patagonia

The Guanaco has been dramatically reduced due to hunting pressures and are now limited to the highlands and foothills of the Andes.

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Indian Elephant illustration. © Bruce Pearson

Indian Elephant Elephas maximus

• Classified as Endangered by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: India

The biggest threats to elephants are human influence, directly through poaching for tusks and skin and indirectly through habitat fragmentation

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Jaguar illustration © Bruce Pearson

Jaguar Panthera onca

• Classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Belize, Brazil and Ecuador

After years of being hunted for its fur, the Jaguar is rare or extinct in Central America. It is now protected in most parts of its remaining range, but is classified as near threatened.

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Killer Whale Illustration © Bruce Pearson

Killer Whale Orcinus orca

• Classified as Conservation Dependent by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Patagonia

Orcas regularly visit the Patagonian coast to hunt seals and are found in WLT's reserve Ranch of Hopes.

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Large Hairy Armadillo Photo © Lee Dingain

Large Hairy Armadillo Chaetophractus villosus

• Classified as Least Concern by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Patagonia

The Large Hairy Armadillo, so named because of its hairy underside and the hair that projects from the scales of the armor, ranges from Southern Bolivia to central Argentina.

Maned three-toed Sloth © Bruce Pearson

Maned Three-toed Sloth Bradypus torquatus

• Classified as Endangered by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Brazil

Endemic to Brazil the Maned Three-toed Sloth is the rarest of the Sloth Species

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Maned Wolf illustration © Bruce Pearson

Maned Wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus

• Classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Brazil and Paraguay

Maned Wolves are found in grasslands, savannah and swamps, where their long legs enable them to see over the tall vegetation. Major threats include loss of habitat due to agriculture encroachment and road deaths of cubs.

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Mara illustration © Bruce Pearson

Mara or Patagonian Hare Dolichotis patagonum

• Classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Patagonia

Margay Illustration © Bruce Pearson

Margay or Tree Ocelot Leopardus wiedii

• Classified as Least Concern by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Belize

Muriqui Monkey © Leonardo Pimentel

Muriqui Brachyteles

• Classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Brazil

There are two subspecies of Muriqui or Woolly Spider Monkey, the Northern and the Southern both of which are endemic to Brazil. Muriquis are not only threatened by habitat destruction and fragmentation but have also suffered from excessive hunting for food in the past.

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Ocelot illustration © Bruce Pearson

Ocelot Leopardus pardalis

• Classified as Least Concern by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Belize and Ecuador

In the past ocelots were hunted for their skins and have since disappeared from many areas. Much of their habitat has been destroyed, and while it is now illegal to trade in dead or alive ocelots, or ocelot parts, enforcement of this protected status is often inadequate.

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Puma illustration © Bruce Pearson

Puma Puma concolor

• Classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Belize, Ecuador and Patagonia

Also known as Cougar or Mountain Lion, pumas have been hunted because they are regarded as a threat to livestock. Pumas are extinct or very rare in North America and are considerably reduced in other parts of their range.

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Adult Sloth Bear

Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus

• Classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: India

Sloth Bears are unique, being the only bears with a diet that consists mostly of insects, particularly termites. The main threats to the Sloth Bear are poaching and habitat loss or fragmentation.

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South American Coati photo. © Kirsty Burgess

South American Coati Nasua nasua

• Classified as Lower Risk by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay

Aside from hunting, the biggest threat to the South American Coati (Coatimundi) is the destruction and fragmentation of forest in Central and South America. However the level of threat and the relative decline in numbers is not well known as this species is relatively unstudied.

Elephant Seal illustration. © Bruce Pearson

Southern Elephant Seal Mirounga leonina

• Classified as Lower Risk by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Patagonia

Since the drop in commercial hunting in the 1900's, Southern Elephant Seal populations increased dramatically, however over the last 40 years their numbers have shown a significant decline. Theories suggest that the population overshot the maximum numbers the ecosystem could support and they are dropping back to sustainable levels.

More information and images of the Southern Elephant Seal »

Southern Right Whale illustration. © Bruce Pearson

Southern Right Whale Eubalaena australis

• Classified as Lower Risk by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Patagonia

Southern Right Whales were once abundant around the coasts of the major land masses in the southern hemisphere, but are now depleted in numbers due to hunting.

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Southern Sea Lion

Southern Sea Lion Otaria byronia

• Classified as Lower Risk by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Patagonia

The Southern Sea Lion has been a victim of the fur trade in the past, which caused a significant decline in numbers of individuals and in their range. It is now illegal to hunt the species.

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Spectacled Bear Illustration © Bruce Pearson

Spectacled Bear Tremarctos ornatus

• Classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Ecuador

The Spectacled Bear is the only bear found in South America. In previous years they were hunted for meat and sport, which has lead to their drastic decline.

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Tapir Illustration © Bruce Pearson

Tapir Tapirus terrestris

• Classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Belize and Ecuador

The hunting of tapirs along with the destruction of its habitat has lead to local extinctions of this mammal.

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Malayan Tiger in Water Photo by b_cool published under the Creative Commons licence.

Tiger Panthera tigris

• Classified as Endangered by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: India, Malaysian Borneo

Tigers are formally protected, but continue to be threatened by poaching and habitat destruction. Problems related to inbreeding is also a threat to the Tiger.

More Information and images of the Tiger »

Water Opossum Illustration © Bruce Pearson

Water Opossum Chironectes minimus

• Classified as Lower Risk by the IUCN red list of endangered species
• WLT Project Area found in: Brazil, Paraguay and Mexico

The Water Opossum also known as the Yapok is the only aquatic marsupial and is found in the freshwater streams and lakes of Mexico and Central and South America.