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What Animals Live In The Amazon Rainforest?
Living in the Amazon Rainforest you will find over 2,000 species of animals. Some are found in the trees like the Gold Lion Tamarin, while others are found in the amazon rainforest river like the dolphin.
The Amazon Rainforest, also known as the Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is the largest rainforest on earth and is home to 427 mammals (e.g. jaguar, sloth, and river dolphin), 1,300 birds (e.g. macaw ), 378 reptiles (e.g. anaconda and Jesus lizard ), more than 400 amphibians (e.g. glass frog and poison dart frog). It covers 40% of the South American continent and can be found within the following countries: Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname as well as in French Guiana, a department of France. The Amazon consists of several ecosystems and vegetation types and is very species-rich. One in ten known species in the world lives in the Amazon Rainforest as do one in five known bird species. It is home to about 2,000 birds and mammals and here we will discover a few well known species currently living in the Amazon Rainforest. That's not to say, however, that the rest of South America doesn't have some unique and intriguing species of its own.
ABOUT THE JUNGLE
Explore the Amazon Rainforest
The world's largest and heaviest, most powerful snake, and may be the most famed as well, the Anaconda can grow as long as 30 feet and weigh up to 550 pounds! They grow constantly their entire lifetime in this case, eating about 40 pounds of prey every day as small meals, while larger meals that they swallow whole can satisfy them for a few weeks. A female anaconda is typically larger and gives birth to live young which count 20 to 40 little anacondas that are each 2 feet long!
10. Anaconda
Also known as the lantern fly, flying snake, alligator bug, or snake cicada, among many other names, the peanut head bug is deemed a mysterious creation. Weird as it looks, this insect has a head that closely resembles an unshelled peanut! It has an enlarged head with a bulbous protuberance popping on it, which even scientists are uncertain of what it does. They believe that it can possibly mimic a lizard's head to pave the way towards escaping predators. It's wings are unique in a way that the spots appear like an owl's eyes. Some myths say that it's bite can be deadly depending on the mood of these wings. Truth is, the peanut head bug would be apparently defenseless in itself and is simply a harmless plant-hopper.
9.Peanut head bug
As its name implies, the skin of the glass frog is translucent though it is mostly lime green. You can actually see its abdomen, heart, liver, and various other organs if you care to look, as if you have been granted X-Ray vision! These queer creatures themselves couldn't care less about their young, leaving eggs atop the leaves of trees overhanging the river, such that the tadpoles freely flow from the trees and directly into the water upon hatching.
8. Glass frog
This reptile is not really bizarre in terms of performing miracles, but is called Jesus Lizard for being able to run on water! Catholic explorers found it similar to the Gospel story of Jesus who walked on the waters of the Sea of Galilee. When fleeing from predators, it can literally run on the surface of water such as a pond or stream at a speed of 5 miles per hour, and for up to a distance of 20 meters. This common basilisk can do this incredible stunt with its toes that possess a special webbing, allowing it to stand upon its two hind feet.
7. Jesus lizard
The kinkajou, a relative of he raccoon, have a furry golden skin and a tail designed to grip branches. More commonly known as bear-monkey, honey bear or lion monkey, the Kinkajou is rarely seen due to being a nocturnal creature which clings on the top of trees, sticking their 5-inch long tongues out for picking hanging ripe fruits. They love to drink the nectar of flowers and has a diet consisting of 90 percent fruits, but still, they are considered carnivores. They are sometimes kept as pets even when they can be dangerous to their owners for potentially carrying the roundworm parasite.
6. Kingkajou
One of the most unusual animals on earth, the Sloth is known for being the slow animal. This mammal is lagging in everything, from its movement which entails sleeping for 10 hours a day and bulging only as necessary, to its metabolism which can take their bodies a month to digest food! Moreover, a sloth's main diet is mostly only leaves chewed by it's tongue that is around 10 to 12 inches long. It's not surprising that two-thirds of their whole body is made up of the contents of their stomach! Their body temperature is really low at only 86 degrees Fahrenheit (merely 30 degrees Celsius).
5. Sloth
The poison dart frog, contrary to its name, may not be deadly at all, as only 3 species are actually lethal, of which the golden poison arrow frog is the most dangerous. Set aside this possibility, they look vibrant and attractive arriving in a myriad of colors including the aforementioned gold, yellow, red, copper, green, black or blue which they utilize in a tactic to ward off predators called aposematic coloration.
4. Poison Dart Frog
The most famous inhabitants of the Amazon River is no other than the Amazon River Dolphin, or Boto, which looks pretty in pink and can grow even bigger than humans! Their distinct color is said to be due to their blood capillaries located near the surface of the skin. What's more interesting is that legend tells of these fascinating creatures transforming themselves into the form of a man at nighttime, to hypnotize their prospect of young and beautiful woman!
3. Pink River Dolphin
Native to the jungles of South America, Macaws are social birds usually seen traveling in flocks in sizes of 10 to 30 of them each, and are loyal to their lifelong mates. They are beautifully colored birds that hold a vibrant plumage. Their beaks are quite powerful and can effortlessly crack nuts and seeds, while their scaly tongues are dry and contains a bone, which is mostly used for tapping into fruits. Some macaws can even mimic human speech!
2. Macaws
Thought to be the real king of the jungle, the jaguar is the largest cat in the Americas, though it ranks third in the entire world, behind only the lion and tiger. Their spots, which highly resemble roses, render them distinctive from other big cats, A jaguar has the strongest bite force of all of these predatory felines, with its incredibly powerful jaws incomparable to those of any other cat. With this bite, the jaguar is found possessing the capability of piercing a skull and breaking a sea turtle's shell. This animal is a solitary killer, and will typically scale and climb trees to use as a vantage point when hunting prey prior to pouncing upon their targets.