Honduras

Honduras is situated in Central America, bordering Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Its interior is fairly mountainous, with narrow coastal plains along its long Caribbean shoreline to the north and the Pacific shoreline to the south.

The diverse nature of the Honduran landscape and climate has gifted the country with a variety of marine, terrestrial and freshwater environments, which in turn have created ideal conditions for biodiversity to thrive.

The country’s forests are home to many iconic species, from brightly coloured tree frogs and parrots to sloths, tapirs, primates (such as capuchins and howler monkeys) and a variety of cat species including ocelot, puma and jaguar. Many of its species – especially its reptiles and amphibians – are endemic, which means they are found nowhere else on Earth.

Its seas also teem with life. The breathtaking whale shark can be found here, along with an assortment of dolphins, whales, manatees, sea turtles and a great many fish species.

However, this astonishing biodiversity is under severe threat. Rapid deforestation not only threatens the plant and animal species found there but is also causing knock-on impacts for the country’s freshwater and marine habitats. Offshore, overfishing and harmful fishing practices are driving declines in Honduras’ rich marine biodiversity.

Weak environmental legislation and associated problems such as unsustainable development, pollution and illegal hunting also pose serious threats.