From bats and small rodents to jaguars, tapirs, primates, manatees, and anteaters, a new study updates what is known about the mammals of Honduras. The research confirms 227 species, identifies another 28 that could still be verified, and documents threats ranging from habitat loss to illegal wildlife trade.
Honduras is home to at least 227 mammal species, distributed across 146 genera and 42 families. The study, “Taxonomy, natural history, and conservation of the mammals of Honduras,” published in August 2026 in the scientific journal ZooKeys, brings together decades of records, fieldwork, and taxonomic reviews to update knowledge of their distribution, natural history, ecology, and conservation.
Bats are the most diverse group, with 115 species, followed by rodents, carnivores, and artiodactyls such as deer and peccaries. The authors also consider that another 28 species could eventually be verified, which would raise the country’s known mammal diversity to 255 species.
But the picture is not only one of diversity. The review also identifies threats such as habitat destruction and fragmentation caused by cattle ranching expansion, intensive agriculture, and illegal wildlife trade. According to the Honduran Red List used in the study, 15.8% of species fall within a threatened category, while 24.2% are classified as Data Deficient.
A diversity that is still not fully documented
To conduct the study, more than 300,000 records were examined, incorporating information obtained through camera traps, acoustic monitoring, captures, and field observations. Between 2007 and 2026, the studies included accumulated around 90,000 camera-trap nights across different regions of the country.
Among the cases that stand out is the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), considered the country’s most threatened xenarthran — a group that includes anteaters, sloths, and armadillos. Its confirmed presence is concentrated in Colón, Gracias a Dios, and Olancho, and the study notes that the loss of connectivity between forests may have separated its populations. The species is classified as Vulnerable globally and Critically Endangered in Honduras.
The manatee (Trichechus manatus) is also among the species under pressure. The review notes that accidental entanglement in fishing nets accounts for approximately half of documented mortality, in addition to other threats such as habitat loss and hunting.
Beyond individual cases, the study shows that important information gaps still remain, especially for poorly studied groups and species with restricted distributions. The authors warn that the country’s actual mammal diversity could be higher than currently recognized.
The research is intended to serve as an updated baseline for future studies, monitoring, and conservation actions, both for the best-known species and for those for which information remains limited.
The study was carried out by 15 specialists from different institutions, including Manfredo A. Turcios-Casco, a researcher with WCS Honduras. It received partial funding from Brazil’s Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), with support from the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund, as well as technical and logistical support from the Asociación para la Sostenibilidad e Investigación Científica en Honduras (ASICH), The Big Bat Theory, and WCS Honduras.
Read the full study in ZooKeys.