Animal road signs from Latin America

Latin America covers South and Central America, and spans lush tropical forest through pampas savanna and into icy, rocky territory. The range of wildlife is diverse. Some countries, such as Costa Rica, have a wider range of signs than other countries, and some countries have a broader range of species that can be a hazard on the road.

	A Jaguar is a large cat, and this sign is found in Guatemala. The Jaguar is well-camouflaged. While it’s likely to stay away from vehicles, you might see it on roads at night as it is nocturnal.
	Iguanas are large lizards. This sign is from Nicaragua. While running over an iguana is unlikely to cause damage to your car, be on the lookout for them and try to avoid running over them.
	Compound signs like this one found in Costa Rica show multiple animals (human, dog, sloth and monkey) and two languages (Spanish and English) asking drivers to slow down.
	Large deer are notorious in forested areas for standing on roads at dusk and nighttime where they are difficult to see. They will cause damage to your vehicle if you hit them. The large stags with antlers are more dangerous as if the head comes through the windscreen the antlers can inflict injuries on the vehicle occupants.
	Coatis are small, raccoon-sized mammals that are grey through to reddish brown in colour. They are mostly active during the day and at dusk (diurnal). They are widespread and common.
	Bush fowl and turkeys can be larger and heavier than you expect. Running into one can cause minor damage to your vehicle.
	Snakes like to bask on hot tarmac, so be careful of them. If you run one over, don’t get out to see if it’s OK as it might bite you.
	Sloths are slow creatures – they can only move at around a metre every 15 seconds at maximum speed.
	A troop of monkeys will be a boisterous mob of animals. They will avoid vehicles.
	Large birds such as the rhea are similar to emus and can be quite heavy.
	The common opossum is widespread and a similar size to the possum in Australia. It’s the size of a house cat and nocturnal (active at night)
	Llamas and their smaller cousins the alpacas are farmed in many areas. You might find them on the road. Llamas can stand as tall as a man and can be aggressive if approached.