The Amazing Fauna Of Mexico Part 1

Mexico is one of the most diverse countries in the world

. In fact, it's classified as 'megadiverse'; there are so many incredible species that call the country home, across hundreds of different ecosystems, that it's tough to keep track of them! Here are a few examples of the amazing animals you can see in Mexico.

The Tayra is certainly unique! It's related to weasels and martens, with a sleek two-foot long body and a 17-inch tail. A light patch of fur on their chests which is surrounded by dark brown fur, is a notable feature of the Tayras; as they age, the fur on their heads will also lighten in color. These playful creatures eat fruit most of the time, although they will also consume small mammals, reptiles, and birds when the opportunity arises. They are clever enough to store unripened ,inedible, plantains in a hiding spot until they ripen several days later, and they are also known to go into orchards to raid the trees for food. With their inquisitive natures and clever minds, tayras are easily tamed; many people keep them as pets, and they're excellent for pest control.

If you're looking for pork chops, the collared peccary is not your animal. Standing about two feet tall and between 40 and 60 inches long, these mammals look very much like pigs (and are sometimes called Mexican hogs). It belongs to the Tayassuidae taxonomic family, also known as the New World Pig; small eyes that rest midway down its skull and it has a snout that ends in a cartilagenous disc. The pork in you sandwich is not even a distant relative of the collared peccary; at one time they were considered to be in the same family as pigs, but they have their own genus now - Pecari.

The collared peccary is found all over tropical and subtropical parts of the Americas. It can live in deserts, grasslands, shublands, savannahs, and even dry broadleaf forests; as a result, they're found all over Mexico, which boasts a wide array of different ecosystems. Collared peccaries can even exist alongside humans, and have been found in the backyard gardens of many city-dwellers. Collared peccaries prefer to dine on fruits, tubers, nuts, grasses, and small invertebrates. It's a good idea not to get too close to the collared peccary, even if they don't seem to be threatened by the presence of humans and don't seem to be a threat either; their nickname, 'musk hog', refers to the strong scent glands beneath each eye, which is famously pungent.

The Gulf Coast Toad is also found in many different habitats; they will live as happily in open grasslands and suburbs as they will in light forests, as long as there is a permanent water source nearby. These 3-inch amphibians vary in color from black all the way to whitish yellow, and their backs are covered in small tubercles. The Gulf Coast Toad is an opportunistic carnivore, and will gobble up any small arthropod it can find. These toasts are native to the Yucatan Peninsula, but their range extends from the southern United States all the way down to Costa Rica.

by: Robert Nickel

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