Ten Types Of Animals That Live In Mexico

Mexico is a beautiful country. It is a popular holiday destination and it is easy to see why. Mexico is a land of extremes, with a variety of different habitats.

From deep canyons to tall mountains, and vast deserts to dense rainforests, there are so many different habitats in Mexico. Due to this, there are a lot of different animals that reside in Mexico.

Ten Types Of Animals That Live In Mexico

If you are interested in wildlife, then Mexico really is a great place to visit. In a single trip, you can see a huge range of animals in their natural habitat.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at ten different animals that live in Mexico…

Axolotl

Axolotl

First up, we have the axolotl. Axolotls have become really popular in recent years due to the internet.

They are an animal that people have quickly become fascinated by, and a lot of people have started to keep them as pets. But you will be able to find them in the wild in Mexico. 

Axolotl (see also: Types Of Axolotl)are strange looking amphibians with a strange ability to regrow limbs and digits.

These creatures are now a protected species, and can be found in the wild in Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco, near Mexico City.

Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird

Next up, we have the Northern Mockingbird. This bird is native to Northern Mexico, and it has become famous for its imitation of sounds, both animal and human.

These birds are incredibly intelligent with excellent memories. 

These birds aren’t that large, but they are easy to spot because of their noisy nature.

If you are visiting the Northern regions of Mexico, there is a good chance that you might encounter a Northern Mockingbird on your trip.

Booby

Booby

Speaking of birds, let’s talk about the booby. These birds have become famous because of their unfortunate name, but they can be spotted across the Western Coast of Mexico.

Even though the most common place to encounter these birds is in the Galápagos.

Female boobys tend to be larger than male boobys, but both are easily recognizable because they have bright blue feet. They are a unique species of bird, and you will often find them living in Mexico.

Mexican Prairie Dog

Mexican Prairie Dog

When you hear the name “Mexican Prairie Dog”, it is easy to picture a large wild dog. However, this couldn’t be further from what a Mexican Prairie Dog actually is.

These creatures are actually not dogs, neither do they live on the prairie (Also check out Animals You Can Find On The Prairie). Instead, they are more like chipmunks. 

Mexican Prairie Dogs are native to the Northern region of Mexico, and they tend to reside in the plains. They tend to be herbivores, and usually only grow to a maximum of 17 inches in height.

If you visit the plains of Northern Mexico, it is very likely that you will encounter a Mexican Prairie Dog.

Mexican Gray Wolf

Mexican Gray Wolf

While Mexican Prairie Dogs are nothing like dogs, Mexican Gray Wolves are. These wolves tend to be around the size of a large domestic dog, but they are much more dangerous.

Living in packs, these creatures hunt their prey, and they are a mammal that you probably don’t want to encounter during your trip. 

Mexican gray wolves are beautiful wolves, and they usually live in Northern Mexico, along the Mexican/US border. 

East Mexican Black Bear

East Mexican Black Bear

Speaking of mammals that you don’t want to encounter in the wild, let’s move right onto the East Mexican Black Bear.

These creatures are part of the wider American black bear family, and just like Mexican gray wolves, they are found along the Mexico/US border. 

East Mexican Black bears are medium sized bears with pointy years, narrow snouts, and broad skulls. They tend to be black all over, with short rounded claws and incredibly large paws.

These creatures are incredibly intelligent, and this is part of what makes them so dangerous. 

Mexican Redknee Tarantula

Mexican Redknee Tarantula

Let’s move from one of the largest creatures on this list to one of the smallest: the Mexican redknee tarantula.

While they are one of the smallest creatures on this list, the Mexican redknee tarantula is actually one of the largest species of terrestrial tarantula. 

These spiders are found in the mountain ranges of Mexico, and they have large hairy black bodies with red stripes across their legs.

Females tend to be larger with more aggressive tendencies, and they can live for up to 30 years, a very impressive lifespan for a spider.

Mexican Spinytail Iguana 

Mexican Spinytail Iguana 

A creature that you can find in Mexico and Central America is the Mexican Spinytail Iguana.

These medium-sized lizards can grow to more than a meter in length, and they are famous for their distinctive, spiky scales along their backs. 

These iguanas (Also check out Types Of Iguanas) tend to reside in rocky areas, but they are excellent climbers who enjoy climbing up rocky hills, and even up trees.

They are creatures that like to relax, and tend to move slowly unless they are running away from a predator. These creatures aren’t aggressive, but will whip their tails to protect themselves. 

Mexican Burrowing Toad

Mexican Burrowing Toad

A totally unique creature which resides in Mexico is the Mexican Burrowing toad. They grow to around 8 cm in size, but are famous for their large, bulging bodies. 

While these creatures have become fairly famous, it is rare to encounter one as their “burrowing” nature means they spend a lot of time underground.

But they have a loud call, so even if you can’t see one, you may be able to hear one.

West Indian Manatee

West Indian Manatee

Lastly, let’s wrap this up with the West Indian Manatee. These creatures are the largest type of aquatic mammal, and they are truly fascinating to look at. 

Just like the Mexican burrowing toad, it is rare to see a West Indian Manatee during a trip to Mexico as they live in the water. However, these amazing animals do reside in the waters of Mexico.

Summary

In short, there are lots of fascinating creatures that reside in Mexico. Mexico is a large country with lots of different terrains for different species. In this guide, we have taken a look at 10 creatures that live in Mexico.

Olivia Kepner