• What are the animals of the coast?
• Animals of the Mexican coast
• Animals of the Peruvian coast
• Animals of the Ecuadorian coast
• Animals of the Mediterranean coast

We explain what the animals of the coast are and we give you examples from the coasts of Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and the Mediterranean Sea.

The hawksbill turtle is one of the endangered sea turtles.

What are the animals of the coast?

The coast is part of a continent or of an island, which borders the sea, ocean or other large aquatic mass. Presents scenery that can be rocky or sandy and that can be modified by various factors such as the weather, the wind, the waves, the tide, the biological activity and the human activity.

Regarding this last factor, in 1988 the Spanish Coastal Law was created in order to preserve this type of unique and natural spaces, from overexploitation by the human.

The habitat The coastline oscillates between the open air and the seabed, where there are numerous species from land animals and marinas. Some animals live in the sea and only go ashore to lay their eggs (such as the hawksbill turtle).

Depending on the latitude and the area in which the coasts unfold, inhabit different types of animals such as seagulls, dolphins, whales, iguanas, parakeets, parrots, howler monkeys and penguins.

Animals of the Mexican coast

The manatee is nocturnal and feeds on aquatic plants.

The Mexican coast extends over the west of the country along with numerous islands in the Pacific Ocean and, to the east, over the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico region (where a basin is formed between the coasts of Mexico, the United States and Cuba).

Due to its location close to the Ecuador line, Mexico has a weather tropical and temperate, which allows numerous and varied species to inhabit its coasts, such as the flamingo, the iguana, the turtle, the squid, the ocelot, the tarantula and the shark. The great biodiversity in the Gulf area.

Among other animals that inhabit the Mexican coast, the following stand out:

• The little pig. Also called "vaquita de mar", it is a cetacean related to the whale and the dolphin, which can reach a meter and a half in length and weigh up to 50 kilograms. It feeds on fish and shrimp. It is one of the most threatened species of the world, which is in danger of extinction.
• The fine wolf of Guadalupe. Is a mammal that lives only on the island of Guadalupe. Their fur is thick and dark brown. Around 1900 it was believed to be extinct as a result of illegal hunting of skins. From 1928 the government Mexico implemented measures to protect it that were essential to save it.
• The Manatee. Also known as a “sea cow”, it is similar to the whale, but smaller. His skin is made of color gray, its tail is spoon-shaped and has whiskers on its muzzle. It is nocturnal and feeds on plants of Water. He has a very good sense of sight and smell.
• The spider monkey. Its name is due to the length of its limbs. It is diurnal and sleeps on the branches of trees, which it selects carefully so as not to be caught by possible predatorslike snakes. It is capable of emitting a great variety of sounds similar to the barking of a dog.
• The unicorn peacock.It is a species of galliform bird that inhabits the humid forests of the south. It can measure up to 85 centimeters tall and is characterized by having a red horn on its head. Its plumage is bluish-black and shiny, with a white stripe in the middle of the tail. It feeds on fruits and leaves.

Animals of the Peruvian coast

The guanay forms colonies on the islands off the Peruvian coast.

The Peruvian coastline stretches out over the Pacific Ocean, in the southern hemisphere of America, and is divided into three parts:

• The north coast. It has a semi-tropical climate with a temperature average 24 degrees.
• The central coast. It has a subtropical climate with an average temperature of 19 degrees.
• The south coast. It has an average temperature of 17 degrees.

Depending on the variations of the climate along the entire Peruvian coast, different animals inhabit. For example, in the north live the black heron, the white heron, the earwig (a bird that flies over the estuaries of Tumbes, in Lima), the iguana, the American crocodile (which is in danger of extinction), the snake, the black widow and the scorpion.

In the central and southern zone of the Peruvian coast, live the pigeon, the turtle dove, the sparrow, the thrush, the parakeet, the parrot, the hawk and the pelican.

Along the entire Peruvian coast the following animals can be seen:

• The Peruvian vizcacha. Also known as "northern vizcacha", it is one of the most common rodents in the Pampa Galeras National Reserve, in Lima. It usually lives in rocky areas with little vegetation. He is very agile and can jump from rock to rock.
• The fox of Sechura. It is the smallest of the South American foxes and inhabits the area of Forest dry and the desert of Sechura. It is a solitary nocturnal canid. Its head is relatively small and it has long ears. It feeds on fruits, rodents, small reptiles you see.
• The guanay. It is a bird that inhabits the islands of the Peruvian coast, forming colonies and in coexistence with other animal species. It can reach a height of up to 80 centimeters. Its plumage is black, except for the throat and chest area, which has white feathers.
• The red-headed buzzard. It is a variety of vulture that inhabits wooded areas, desert and Mountain. It can reach 70 centimeters in height and 1.80 meters in length with its wings spread. Its plumage is black and its head is red (hence its name). They eat carrion.
• The sea lion. Is a endemic species from South America and feed on fish and squid. Males are greyish in color during their youth, and over the years their skin darkens and a mane grows. They can weigh 350 kilograms. Females are yellowish-brown in color and can weigh up to 150 kilograms.
• Sea turtle. It is one of the most valuable reptiles of the biodiversity from Peru because 5 of the 7 species of sea turtles in the world live on its coasts: the "green" (it has the largest shell), the "bighead" (its head is larger in proportion to its body), the " leather back ”(it is the largest sea turtle that exists), the“ parrot beak ”(it has a circular shell) and the“ hawksbill ”(it is in danger of extinction).
• The green iguana. It is a reptile that usually inhabits the forests of the coastal areas and climbs the treetops to sunbathe. It has a highly developed sense of sight, it can be up to 2 meters long and weigh more than 15 kilograms. It feeds on vegetables, with the exception of some small insects that it can eat during its youth stage.
• The boa constrictor. It is one of the most typical snakes of the region, which is characterized by being nocturnal and lonely. It usually lives 20 years and can reach a weight of 40 kilograms. She is a good swimmer and, despite not having a good sense of sight, she is able to detect her prey by the heat.
• The anchovy. It is a type of fish that lives in the Humboldt current and is very valuable for the biodiversity of the Peruvian sea because hundreds of other species of fish, mammals and birds depend on it for their feeding. Is encouraged from plants and microscopic animals (plankton) and larvae of other fish.
• The tuna. It is a fish that inhabits the shores of Water warm. It is characterized by being a fast swimmer that can reach up to 70 kilometers per hour, can dive up to 400 meters deep and measure up to 8 meters long. It feeds on other smaller fish, crustaceans and mollusks.

Animals of the Ecuadorian coast

The marine iguana is the only lizard that depends on sea water.

The Ecuadorian coast extends over the Pacific Ocean and part of the Andes mountain range. It is an area protected by the government of Ecuador for being one of the ecosystems most fragile in the world with a fauna and Flora unique.

More and more species are in danger of extinction, such as the Andean toucan, the giant armadillo, the pink dolphin, the harpy eagle, the jaguar and the spectacled bear.

Among other animals that inhabit the Ecuadorian coast, the following stand out:

• The Galapagos sea lion. It is a mammal that only inhabits the region of the Galapagos Islands. It differs from the California sea lion by its larger size and longer snout. Its type of diet is carnivorous and, especially, it eats sardines and some crustaceans.
• The marine iguana. It is an endemic reptile of the Galapagos Islands and the only lizard that depends on sea water, since it feeds on algae. The male has the ability to swim while the female and the young remain on the rocks and wait for the tide to rise before they can eat. Its skin is dark in color, which allows it to camouflage itself between the stones.
• The howler monkey. It is typical of tropical regions and one of the largest in the Latin American rainforest, which can reach a height of one meter and its tail can measure the same length. Its name is due to the fact that it emits loud vocalizations that look like howls.
• The white-faced monkey. Also known by the name of "capuchin", it inhabits forest areas of the Caribbean lowlands and spends much of the day on the trees. Its main characteristic is the dark coat combined with white on part of the chest and on the face.
• The brown pelican of the Galapagos. It is a variety of pelican endemic to the Galapagos Islands. Its fur is dark gray and brown, its bill is light gray and its head is white. In time of reproduction its beak turns pink and its head turns white.
• The humpback whale. It is usually seen on the Ecuadorian coast between the months of June and September. It can be up to 16 meters long and weigh 40 tons. Makes sounds or songs that would be related to the mating season.
• The macanchi viper. It is a grayish and brown venomous snake with spots. It is nocturnal and during the day it remains hidden under dry or wet logs, between leaves and vegetation. It feeds on reptiles, such as lizards, or small mammals.
• The earwig gull. It is an endemic bird to the Galapagos Islands and the only nocturnal type gull in the world. Its plumage is light gray, except for the head that is dark gray and has a three-colored bill: white, gray and black. It feeds, to a greater extent, on squid that usually rise to the surface at night.
• The warm water penguin. It is one of the smallest species, which can reach a height of 20 centimeters and only inhabits this region. Its fur is characterized by having white in the area of ​​the eyes, throat and belly. They usually live as a couple, with the same company throughout their lives.
• The Galapagos tortoise. It is the largest of the tortoise species and can be up to 2 meters long and weigh 400 kilograms. It also stands out for being one of the oldest animals: it can exceed 150 years of age.

Animals of the Mediterranean coast

The gray dolphin is characterized by elongated markings on its skin.

The Mediterranean Sea encompasses the things of various countries in Europe, North Africa, and part of Asia. It represents home to the most diverse marine fauna in the world.

Among other animals that inhabit the Ecuadorian coast, the following stand out:

• The wood pigeon. It is the most typical pigeon variety of Europe, which is characterized by being robust with long wings, being able to reach 80 centimeters when unfolded, due to its white spots on both sides of the neck and its bluish-gray plumage on the head.
• Owl. It is a small owl that with its wings spread, which can reach 50 centimeters in length. Its plumage is brownish-gray and its eyes are intense yellow. It feeds on insects during the day and in the dark it usually hunts larks and mice.
• Fin whale. It is the second largest animal in the world, after the blue whale. It can be up to 27 meters long and weigh up to 70 tons. Their fur is dark gray and white on the underside. It feeds on krill, small crustaceans, squid, and fish.
• Gray dolphin. Also known as "gray pilot whale" it is a species of odontocete cetacean. It can reach a length of 3.5 meters and weigh 350 kilograms. It is characterized by its gray skin and abundant white elongated marks that look like scars. It feeds on squid and small fish. He is sociable and walks in groups of between 5 and 30 dolphins.
• Cuvier's beaked whale. Also called “Cuvier's calf”, it is a medium-sized cetacean that can reach 7 meters in length. It has a short snout compared to other species, its head is white and the rest of its body is dark gray. It is the mammal that deepest and weather it can be submerged (a record of 137 minutes was recorded under water).
• Common salamenca. It is a reptile that can measure 16 centimeters in length. Its skin is brownish-gray and its tail has spiny scales. Its toes are flattened and allow it to climb with ease by adhering to different vertical surfaces, it can even walk upside down on ceilings. It feeds on insects and arachnids.
• Bastard snake. It is the largest poisonous snake on the Peninsula, which can reach 2.5 meters in length, although the effects of the poison are dangerous for humans. Their skin is brownish-gray and olive green. Its head is elongated with a pointed snout, and its tail is thin. It feeds on insects, lizards, lizards, other snakes, and rodents.
• Holothuria. Also called "sea cucumber" it is a marine animal of the echinoderm type that belongs to the group of sea urchins, despite not having pentaradial symmetry but rather its elongated and soft body. They usually reach a length of 25 centimeters. Its mouth is surrounded by small tentacles that it uses to feed on debris, algae, and plankton.
• Coquina. It is a small bivalve mollusk with an oval shell, which can reach 4 centimeters in length. It is unisexual and has external fertilization. It feeds on organic remains that are suspended in the water.
• Mongoose Also known as "mongoose" it is a mammal of the meerkat family, with an elongated body and short legs with hoofs that do not retract. It can measure up to 45 centimeters in length. It is a diurnal and carnivorous animal that feeds on insects, rodents, and small reptiles.