Northern Naked-tailed Armadillo - Nicargua

Lake Nicaragua is located in Southwestern Nicaragua. It covers an area of over 8,200 square kilometers, making it is the largest lake in Central America and 19th largest in the world. The lake contains several islands as well as sharks, swordfish, and tarpons; fish normally found in saltwater environments.

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Cabassous centralis -  The northern naked-tailed armadillo is one of two armadillo species found in Central or North America; armadillos originated in South America. The upper and sides of the body are covered in the protective scutes found on armadillos. Scutes are dermal bone structures covered with horn. The scutes are small in design to allow the armadillo maximum flexibility. The underside of the naked-tailed armadillo lacks these protective plates. When the animal is threatened, it rolls into a tight ball until the danger passes.

Atlantic Tarpon - Nicaragua

Megalops atlanticus - The Atlantic tarpon is a strong and hardy giant growing to 2.5 meters in length and weighing up to 161 kilos. It can survive in a variety of habitats and salinities. The tarpon can even gulp air for extended periods of time when not enough oxygen is available in the water to sustain itself. Tarpons primarily inhabit coastal waters and feed on schooling fish or crabs. Although a migratory fish, there is a resident community in Nicaragua’s San Juan River and Lake Nicaragua.

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The Federal Republic of Central America had picked Nicaragua as the more suitable location for building a shipping canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Efforts to enlist the United States for technical and financial support failed. With shipping volume increasing in the Panama Canal, a renewed interest has been redirected to the construction of a second trans-ocean canal along a path cutting across Nicaragua and using the San Juan River and Lake Nicaragua as the main route.