Distinguished by its two flippers and spoon-shaped tail, the manatee is an inhabitant of coastal estuaries. Inhabiting the remoter rivers, coastal lagoons, and swamps are several reptilians, including caimans, alligators, lizards, and several species of turtle. Birds, both migratory and nonmigratory, are plentiful and diverse. The coastal swamps are the tropical venue for migratory cranes, herons, storks, and ducks. The ibis colonizes the Orinoco mangrove delta.
Birds of prey are plentiful, thriving on the multitudes of migratory birds.
The bellbird is prevalent in the Orinoco forests. Pelagic and coral fish are plentiful off the Caribbean coast and the offshore waters of the Orinoco River, and the deltaic channels foster mollusks, young saltwater species, and shrimp. Swarming freshwater species in the interior rivers include electric eels and piranha. A wide array of catfish is caught for food.