South America is not exception to these trends of growing number of endangered species. South America is a vast land mass and home to a lot of humans. But it is not meant to be home to just humans. Animals are a part of our ecosystem and food chain but we humans fail to understand this simple fact and have taken over majority of land for ourselves leading to endangerment of lots of species. In South America alone more than a hundred and fifty species have been listed as endangered.
One such specie is the Amazonian Manatee found in the Amazon Rivers and its larger tributaries, including rivers of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Once an abundant species, the Amazonian manatee is now a rare species because of hunting by indigenous people for meat and the introduction of firearms. The Amazonian manatee is now legally protected and there is also a new population of manatee that has been established in a Brazil reservoir, but they are still being hunted.
Scarlet Macaw found in the treetops from Mexico to Southern Brazil has become endangered due to the overwhelming demand for its colourful feathers in fashion in earlier centuries. Demand has not diminished until now as the young are taken from their nests for pets by poachers. This has led to a great decline in their population. Law has been enforced in most of the countries where the Scarlet Macaw is found, but heavier penalties are yet to be enforced.
Vicunas that come from the camel family found in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. They are hunted for their hides and wools valued for weaving fabrics, clothes and garments. As a result their number is decreasing on a high rate and yet they are not protected.
These are just a few names but actually there are many more species of animals like the Andean Bear, Black Squirrel Monkey, Chilean Dolphins, Darwin’s Fox, etc. that are under the great threat of becoming extinct. Extinction is not a good sign which means that ultimately we are heading towards our own extinction.

Reference: Illustrated Encyclopedia of endangered animals.