Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) One of the most adaptable urban mammals in North America, thriving in city parks where it caches thousands of nuts each autumn — and forgets enough of them to plant trees. Ubiquitous year-round in New York City parks, sidewalks, and backyards; the city’s population is estimated in the tens of thousands. Wikipedia | iNaturalist
Strawberry Poison-dart Frog (Oophaga pumilio) Barely two centimetres long but impossible to miss — this jewel-toned frog wears its toxicity on its skin, sequestering alkaloid poisons from the ants and mites it eats to become one of the most unpalatable animals in the Neotropics. The Bastimentos red morph, with its vivid scarlet body and black spots, is one of dozens of strikingly different colour forms this species takes across the Bocas del Toro archipelago — making the islands a living laboratory for studying rapid colour evolution. ...
White-nosed Coati (Nasua narica) A raccoon relative with a long, flexible snout it uses to root through leaf litter for invertebrates and fruit — and a banded tail nearly as long as its body. Common year-round across Panama, especially around parks, forest edges, and urban green spaces where they scavenge boldly from visitors. Wikipedia | iNaturalist
Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus) One of the few shark species that can lie motionless on the bottom, pumping water over its gills instead of needing to swim to breathe. A year-round resident of the Galápagos archipelago, commonly found resting in caves and on sandy patches during the day before hunting reef fish at night. Wikipedia | iNaturalist
Feral Horse (Equus caballus) Descendants of horses brought by Spanish colonists, feral horses roam freely through Ecuador’s highlands, grazing unfenced hillsides and wandering among towns with little human interference. Feral and semi-feral horses are a common sight around Baños de Agua Santa year-round, navigating the steep Andean terrain with sure-footed ease. Wikipedia | iNaturalist
Pacific Seahorse (Hippocampus ingens) The largest seahorse in the eastern Pacific, growing up to 30 cm — and one of the few species tough enough to thrive in the brackish, silty world beneath mangrove roots. Found year-round along Ecuador’s coast, but increasingly rare due to bycatch and habitat loss; listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Wikipedia | iNaturalist
Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) Bold, adaptable, and not shy about showing teeth — yawning is a common stress-relief or dominance signal, but those canines say “keep your distance” all on their own. Abundant year-round in Hong Kong’s country parks, especially the Kam Shan and Shing Mun areas, where troops have thrived since a 1910s introduction. Wikipedia | iNaturalist
Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) One of the most widespread primates on Earth, equally at home raiding temple offerings and holding ground on a hiking trail. Abundant year-round in Hong Kong’s country parks, especially the Kam Shan and Shing Mun areas, where troops have thrived since a 1910s introduction. Wikipedia | iNaturalist