The most dangerous bird in the Amazon forests. The most dangerous animals in the Amazon rainforest. Golden Lion Marmoset

The Amazon Basin, also known as rain forests Amazon, or Amazonia, covers more than 7 million square kilometers and overlaps the borders of nine countries: Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. By some estimates, this region (which occupies almost 40% of the area of ​​the South American continent) is home to a tenth of the world's animals. In this article, you will discover the most important animals living in the Amazon, from monkeys to poison dart frogs.

Piranha

There are many myths about piranhas including that they can eat a cow carcass in less than 5 minutes or like to attack people. However, there is no doubt that the piranha is made to kill, as it has sharp teeth and is extremely powerful jaws. Considering how many people are afraid of the common piranha, they would hardly want to know about the giant ancestor of the piranha - megapiranha, which was 4 times larger than its contemporary.

capybara

The capybara is the largest rodent in the world, growing up to 70 kg. It is widespread throughout South America, but especially loves the warm, humid surroundings of the Amazon basin. This mammal prefers abundant vegetation. rainforest, including fruit, tree bark, aquatic plants, and gathers in social groups of up to 100 individuals.

Jaguar

The third largest representative after lions and tigers. Over the past century, jaguars have faced threats such as deforestation and human encroachment that have limited their range throughout South America. However, jaguars are much more difficult to hunt in the dense forests of the Amazon than in open area, and impenetrable patches of tropical forests may become last hope for these cats. Jaguar is a super predator, being on top the food chain, he is not threatened by other animals.

giant otter

Giant otters are the largest members of the mustelid family and are closely related to weasels. Males of this species can reach a length of up to 2 m and a weight of up to 35 kg. Both sexes have thick and shiny coats that are very valuable to poachers. It is estimated that there are only about 5,000 giant otters left in the entire Amazon.

Unusually for mustelids (but fortunately for poachers), giant otters live in large social groups consisting of about 20 individuals.

giant anteater

It has a comically long muzzle - thanks to which it is able to sneak into the narrow holes of insects, as well as a long bushy tail. Some individuals can reach a weight of 45 kg. Like many, giant anteater is under serious threat, but the swampy, impenetrable Amazon River basin provides some level of protection from human encroachment for the remaining individuals (not to mention an inexhaustible supply of tasty ants).

Golden Lion Marmoset

The golden lion marmoset is a small monkey, also known as the golden lion tamarin or rosalia. This primate species has suffered terribly from human encroachment: by some estimates, the ape lost a whopping 95% of its South American habitat with the arrival of European settlers 600 years ago. The golden marmoset weighs no more than one kilogram and has an amazing appearance: thick, silky, bright red coat, as well as a dark face, and large brown eyes.

The distinctive color of this primate probably depends on a combination of intense sunlight and the abundance of carotenoids contained in its diet.

black caiman

It is the largest and most dangerous reptile in the Amazon. It is a representative of the alligator family and can reach a body length of about 6 m and a weight of up to 500 kg. Black caimans eat almost anything that moves, from mammals to birds and their reptile cousins. In the 1970s, the black caiman was under serious threat of extinction due to hunting for meat and valuable skin, but its population has since recovered, which cannot bring joy to other animals of the Amazon rainforest.

Dart frogs

Arrow flies are a family of amphibians with 179 species. The brighter the color of the poison dart frogs, the stronger their poison - which is why Amazon predators stay away from bright green or orange species. These frogs do not produce their own poison, but accumulate it from ants, mites and other insects in their diet (this is evidenced by the fact that poison dart frogs that were kept in captivity and fed on other foods are much less poisonous).

rainbow toucan

The rainbow toucan is one of the most comical animal species in the Amazon. It is characterized by a huge, multi-colored beak that is actually much lighter than it first appears (the rest of the body is not as bright except for the yellow neck). Unlike many of the animals on this list, the rainbow toucan population is of the least concern. This bird jumps from branch to branch and lives in small groups of 6 to 12 individuals. During the mating season, males challenge each other to duels and use their beaks as weapons.

three-toed sloth

Millions of years ago, during the Pleistocene era, rainforests South America was home to giant, 4-ton sloths - megatheriums. How things have changed: Today, one of the most common sloths in the Amazon is the three-toed sloth. (Bradypus tridactylus). It has a greenish-brown coat color (due to green algae), limbs with three sharp and long claws, and is also able to swim. This animal is terribly unhurried - its average speed about 16 meters/hour.

The three-toed sloth coexists with two species of the two-toed sloth genus (Choloepus): sloth hoffman (Choloepus hoffmanni) and two-toed sloth or unau (Choloepus didactylus), and they sometimes choose the same trees.

The Amazon rainforests have long gained fame as the most dangerous places, where a huge number of strange and amazing creatures meeting with whom does not bode well. However, the threat lurks not only in the forest. The waters of the Amazon River are no less scary. Just look what monsters live there - you will think a million times before you go there!

black caiman

We can say that this is an alligator on steroids, their muscles are much larger, and they can grow up to six meters in length. These are undoubtedly the top predators of the Amazon River, local kings who indiscriminately eat anyone who comes across their path.

Anaconda

Another giant monster of the Amazon is the well-known anaconda, the most large snake in the world. The weight of a female anaconda can reach 250 kilograms, and this is with a length of 9 meters and a diameter of 30 centimeters. These predators prefer shallow water, so most often they can be found not in the river itself, but in its branches.

Arapaima

The huge arapaima predator is equipped with armored scales, so it fearlessly swims among piranhas, eating fish and birds. The length of these terrible fish is almost three meters, and the weight is 90 kilograms. The ferocity of these creatures can be judged by their teeth, which are even on the tongue!

brazilian otter

Brazilian otters grow up to 2 meters in length and feed mainly on fish and crabs. However, the fact that they always hunt in large groups allows them to successfully get more serious prey: there were cases when these harmless-looking creatures killed and ate adult anacondas and even caimans. No wonder they are called "river wolves".

Common vandellia or candiru

bull sharks

Most often, bull sharks live in the salty waters of the ocean, but they feel just as great in fresh water. There were cases when these bloodthirsty predators swam so far along the Amazon that they reached the city (), located almost 4 thousand kilometers from the sea. Considering that sharp teeth and powerful jaws provide these 3-meter creatures with a bite force of 589 kilograms, you definitely would not want to meet them, but they are not averse to feasting on a person!

electric eels

We would not advise you to approach them in any case: two-meter creatures are capable of generating electrical discharges with a power of up to 600 volts. And this is 5 times the current in an American outlet and enough to easily knock a horse down. Repeated strikes by these creatures can lead to heart or respiratory failure, causing people to lose consciousness and simply drown in the water.

common piranha

It is difficult to imagine more terrible and ferocious creatures, this is the real quintessence of the horror of the Amazon River. We all know that the sharp teeth of these fish have repeatedly inspired Hollywood directors to create creepy films. However, in fairness, it is worth noting that piranhas are primarily scavengers. But, unfortunately, this does not mean at all that they do not attack healthy creatures. Their incredibly sharp teeth, located on the upper and lower jaws, close very tightly, which makes them an ideal tool for tearing flesh.

Mackerel hydrolic

These meter-long underwater inhabitants were also called vampire fish. On mandible they have two sharp fangs that can grow up to 15 centimeters. They use these devices to literally impale the victim on them after they rush at it. The fangs of these fish are so large that nature had to take care of the safety of the hydrolics themselves. So that they do not pierce themselves with them, they have special holes in the upper jaw.

brown pacu

A fish with human teeth, the brown pacu is a larger relative of the piranha. True, unlike the latter, these freshwater prefer fruits and nuts, although they are generally considered omnivores. The problem is that "stupid" pacu are unable to tell the difference between nuts that fall from trees and male genitalia, which has left some male swimmers without testicles.

River in South America. It is formed by the confluence of the Maranion and Ucayali rivers. The length from the source of the Maranion River is 6992.06 km, from the source of the Apachet River - about 7000 km, from the source of Ucayali over 7000 km. The Amazon, with its longest source, claims, along with the Nile, the status of the longest watercourse in the world, and is also the world's largest river in terms of basin area and full flow.

Length - 6,992 km
Basin area - 7,180,000 km²
They flow - Madeira, Marañon, Ucayali, Rio Negro, Xingu, Jurua, Solimões, Putumayo, Napo, Trombetas
Mouth - Atlantic Ocean

The Amazon Basin covers more than 7 million square kilometers and extends in the north from the headwaters of the Orinoco and the lands of Guyana to the edge of Mato Grosso in the south. This unique world called "Amazonia". It has an exceptionally diverse flora and fauna. This habitat habitats of many amazing aquarium fish, and for the life of many of them are important not so much big rivers, how many small reservoirs - oxbow lakes, ponds and streams located in this amazing region.

According to various experts, there are from 2,500 to 4,000 species of fish in the Amazon River basin. These waters can rightly be called the kingdom of catfish; according to the most conservative estimates, there are more than 1,500 species of them - from 3-centimeter crumbs, see aquariumax.ru, to multi-meter giants.

Amazonia is a real Mecca for aquarists. The vast territory of the region, a variety of hydrochemical parameters of water, stable heat led to an amazing diversity of flora and fauna.

Animal world of the Amazon
The Amazon is home to a huge number of fish and other river inhabitants. Especially dangerous are the bull shark, which weighs more than 300 kilograms and reaches three meters in length, as well as piranhas. These toothy fish in just a few seconds before the skeleton can gnaw a whole horse.

But they are not the bosses in the Amazon, because caimans are a danger to all living things. This is a special kind of alligator.

Among the friendly inhabitants of the dangerous turbulent river, one can single out dolphins and beautiful ornamental fish (guppies, angelfish, swordtails), of which there are countless - more than 2500 thousand! One of the last on the planet lungfish protopters found their home in the waters of the Amazon.

Here you can see the rare arowan. This is a meter-long fish that can jump high above the water and swallow huge bugs on the fly.

There are many types of fish in the Amazon, similar to our catfish.

These are piraiba, kashara, jau, pirarara.
Like all catfish, they are caught on bottom gear, using various baits or live bait for bait.
Resembling a cross between catfish and perch, the red-tailed pirarara with a yellow stripe along its belly reaches fifty kilograms of weight.
Zhau, very similar to our catfish, also comes across a centner in weight.
Piraiba, reminiscent of outlines and characteristic dorsal fin sturgeon, grows up to one and a half hundred kilograms.

Dorado
Dorado will become a special fish for a spinner in the Amazon.
Glittering with yellow scales, like an outlandish living gold ingot, this strong predator is a worthy reward for a fisherman.
The habits of dorado are similar to our asp. The predator breaks into the flock peaceful fish and commits robbery.
The “cauldron” formed on the surface of the water serves as a target for throwing a spinner.
As a rule, the grip of a huge powerful fish follows almost immediately. But the result depends on the strength of the gear.
Very often, a thick fishing line or braid does not withstand pressure, and the dorado remains in its native element.
Fish growing up to a meter long - worthy opponent any spinner.

Paco
Often the prey of the fisherman will be pako - a fish that looks like the famous piranha, but differs in its teeth.
Paco's teeth are remarkably human-like.
A row of wide and tightly fitted one to the other - a complete likeness of a human jaw.
Paco grows larger than piranha and also reaches a meter.

dangerous fish living in the amazon

Piranha
This gluttonous and bloodthirsty fish belongs to the cyprinid species of the Pyrinidae family. Piranha sizes rarely exceed 30 cm. However, these medium-sized fish can sometimes be more dangerous than a huge caiman or giant anaconda.

electric eel
However, not only the sharp spikes of the stingray and the teeth of the piranha lie in wait for the fisherman or traveler in the waters of the Amazon. Very in an unusual way defense and attack owns electric eel. In the body of an eel there is a special organ "battery" capable of generating electricity. In the back of the body of the eel is the negative part of the charge, and in the front is positive. This fish also has another weak electrical organ that sends out weak discharges that help the fish navigate and identify prey or danger. Then he uses a powerful discharge to silence the victim or scare the enemy away. If an eel is 1 meter long, the electric shock it gives out can be about 650 volts.

Stingray
The danger of this fish lies in its tail equipped with a poisonous spike. This fish can often lie on the bottom under a thin layer of sand, waiting for prey. If it is disturbed by a person or a large animal, then the fish beats with its tail armed with a poisonous spike and the poison from it penetrates the wound, bringing great suffering to the victim.

vampire fish
This fish belongs to the mackerel fish family, lives in the rivers of the Amazon and Orinoco basins. It is believed because of its impressive sharp teeth, reaching a length of 15 cm, dangerous predator capable of inflicting serious injury to a person or animal.

The Amazon River can be called one of the wonders of the planet. In terms of fame, she competes with the Nile and the Ganges. The unique ecosystem of the longest water artery on earth attracts lovers of tropical flora and fauna. The plants and animals of the Amazon amaze with their diversity. Here you can meet unique and very dangerous living creatures.

Amazon Basin

The Amazon basin is the largest lowland on our planet. It covers an area of ​​more than six million square kilometers. Almost all of this territory is covered with tropical rainforests (Amazon jungle). This tropical forest is the largest in the world. The center of the region is the Amazon itself - the most deep river on the ground. It's hard to imagine, but its tributaries collect water from nine countries: Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Bolivia, French Guyana and Suriname.

Flora and fauna of the Amazon

The region is incredibly important due to the fact that it is a unique ecosystem. vegetable and animal world Amazon is unique. It has so much variety. And many representatives of the local fauna and flora are endemic and are found only in this area.

It is worth noting that in the Amazon there is the largest variety of plants. Oddly enough, but the region is still little studied, and therefore many animals and plants of the Amazon are still unknown to science. Some researchers believe that the real number of plant varieties in this region is three times more than is known today. Science knows only about 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds, 125 species of mammals and countless invertebrates and insects. More than two thousand fish and many reptiles live in the river.

Flora of the Amazon

Until 2011 wild forests The Amazons were ruthlessly cut down. And the reason for this was not only wood. People adapted to clear the liberated lands for agricultural activities. However, it is worth remembering that the most diverse vegetation on the entire planet is concentrated in the river basin. Amazon forests play very important role on globe. They are a huge source of oxygen. In addition, forests maintain the required level of groundwater, preventing the destruction of soil cover. Over 4,000 species of trees grow in the Amazon jungle - this is the fourth part of all known tree species in the world.

Palm trees, myrtle, laurel, begonias grow in the forests, mangroves. And from fruit there are pineapples, bananas, guava, mango, orange, fig tree. The Amazon rainforest can be considered the world's genetic fund. Even on small areas strikes species diversity. So, for example, ten square kilometers forests can be found up to 1500 varieties of flowers, 750 species of trees. With all this, as we mentioned earlier, far from all tropical riches have been studied and described by scientists. One can only guess what other plants grow in the depths of the Amazon.

Valuable representatives of the plant world

Many representatives flora are of great value. So, for example, in the forests of the Amazon, giant nuts grow, or rather, Bertolecia walnut trees. They are famous for their amazing taste. Each shell, weighing up to twenty kilograms, contains about twenty nuts. It is possible to collect such fruits only in completely calm weather, since inadvertently plucked nuts by the wind can cause significant harm to the picker.

No less interesting is the one that gives a sweet drink that resembles milk. But cocoa is obtained from the fruit. In the forests of the Amazon there is a huge number of trees that can be listed for a long time. Among them, the rubber Last is famous for its lightest wood. On rafts of such trees, the Indians are rafted down the river. Sometimes their dimensions are so large that an entire village can fit on such a raft.

But of course, most of all in the Amazon are palm trees. IN total There are more than a hundred types of them. An interesting fact is that all of them are very valuable for a person. Fiber, wood, nuts, juice and much more are obtained from them. And only rattan palm is disliked by many, and the Indians generally call it the "devil's rope." The fact is that this plant is the longest tree on Earth. It looks more like a liana and sometimes reaches 300 meters in length. The thin trunk of a palm tree is dotted with incredibly sharp thorns. Rattan palm creates impenetrable thickets, braiding the trunks and branches of nearby bushes and trees.

Victoria Regia

The nature and animals of the Amazon are sometimes so amazing that they amaze the imagination. The most famous plant of these places can be considered a water lily with the beautiful name Victoria regia. This giant plant, whose leaves reach several meters in diameter and are able to withstand up to 50 kilograms of weight.

The largest water lily in the world blooms from March to July. Its flowers exude the most delicate aroma of apricot, each of them reaches forty centimeters in diameter. You can see this miracle of nature only at night, because the flower begins to bloom only in the evening. On the first day of flowering, the petals are white, the next day it becomes light pink, and then even dark crimson and even purple.

Animal world of the Amazon

The Amazon rainforest is full of rare animals, some of which are on the verge of extinction: baker, sloth, spider monkey, armadillo, freshwater dolphin, boa, crocodile. The fauna of the Amazon is so diverse that it is difficult to count all its representatives.

Near the coast of the river you can meet a stunning creature, reaching 200 kilograms. He, as a rule, moves along the paths along the river, looking for algae, twigs, leaves and fruits for food.

Near the reservoirs live such animals of the Amazon as the capybara (the largest rodents in the world). Their weight reaches 50 kilograms. Outwardly, animals resemble guinea pig. And along the banks of the river, the anaconda, which is rightly considered an incredibly dangerous creature, is waiting for its victims.

The most dangerous animals of the Amazon

Rainforests are not only incredible interesting places but also unsafe. Not all of their inhabitants are distinguished by a meek disposition. The most dangerous animals of the Amazon terrify any person. Yes, this is not surprising, because a meeting with one of them can lead to the most sad consequences. It is not for nothing that some inhabitants of the jungle have long been the heroes of numerous horror films.

Dangerous animals of the Amazon are impressive in size and capable of harming not only their fellows, but also humans. One of their list is the electric eel, which can grow up to three meters and weigh up to forty kilograms. The fish is capable of generating discharges up to 1300 volts. For adults, an electric shock, of course, is not fatal, but very unpleasant.

They live in the waters of the Amazon. Their length is two meters, and some individuals reach three meters. The weight of the big fish amounted to 200 kilograms. It is believed that arapaima do not pose a danger to people, but in 2009 there was a case of attack on several men, because of which they died. Therefore, it is worth being wary of such inhabitants. Because they are by no means safe.

Still, it is worth remembering that the wild animals of the Amazon live in dangerous world where every minute of their lives is filled with the struggle for survival.

The Brazilian wandering spider, also known as the banana spider, lives in the jungle. It is believed to be incredibly poisonous. In addition, it is included in the list of the largest spiders on the planet (13-15 centimeters). An interesting fact is that the insect does not always inject poison into its prey, this happens only in 30% of cases.

But the spotted tree frog is incredibly dangerous to humans. A cute little frog with colorful covers reaches no more than five centimeters. But at the same time, her skin contains so much poison that it can kill 10 people at once.

Five most dangerous creatures

The most dangerous animals in the Amazon are jaguars, caimans, anacondas, piranhas and mosquitoes. These representatives of the fauna are a thunderstorm of the jungle and pose a danger not only to people, but also to forest dwellers.

Jaguars are the largest representatives felines in the Western Hemisphere. Males weigh up to a hundred kilograms on average. The diet of animals includes up to 87 different creatures from mice to deer. Of course, they attack people quite sharply. Basically, this situation can develop if the animal is forced to defend itself. However, it is worth understanding that wild predator- This is not a plush toy or a cute kitty.

They live in the waters of the Amazon. They grow up to five meters in length. At one time, their merciless extermination led to the fact that they were on the verge of extinction. But in the future, the situation improved as a result of the adoption of the strictest laws. Caimans prefer to hunt at night, and attack from ambush. Animals feed mostly on fish (and even piranhas), as well as aquatic vertebrates. Larger specimens attack jaguars, anacondas, wild cattle, and even humans.

Meeting in the jungle with an anaconda is not the most pleasant event. Its weight reaches one hundred kilograms, and the length of the body can reach up to six meters. Anaconda is the longest snake in the world. She spends most of her time in the water, but sometimes she crawls out onto land to bask in the sun. It feeds on reptiles and quadrupeds, attacking them on the shore.

The most famous inhabitants of the Amazon are piranhas. They have incredibly sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Each fish reaches thirty centimeters and weighs about a kilogram. Piranhas are characterized by a flocking lifestyle. Large groups they swim in search of food, devouring everything that comes their way.

For humans, mosquitoes are an incredible danger. They are the main threat to the Amazon forests. Feeding on blood, they spread incredibly dangerous diseases that fight livestock and people. From their bite, you can get yellow fever, malaria, filariasis. For this reason, it is mosquitoes that lead the list. the most dangerous inhabitants jungle.

manatees

What else is interesting about the Amazon? The nature and fauna of the jungle is certainly dangerous, but among its inhabitants there are very cute creatures. Like the manatee. Unlike their counterparts, they are more modest in size (2-3 meters) and weigh up to 500 kilograms, animals live in fresh waters Amazons.

They have practically no subcutaneous fat, and therefore they can only live in a warm environment at a temperature of at least fifteen degrees. Manatees feed only on algae, eating up to 18 kilograms per day.

pink dolphin

Another charming inhabitant of the river is Baby Dolphins are born with a bluish-gray color, but gradually acquire a stunning pink hue. Adults weigh up to 250 kilograms and grow up to two meters. Dolphins feed mainly on fish, sometimes eating piranhas.

Instead of an afterword

The Indians in ancient times called the Amazon "parana-tago", which means "queen of the rivers". It is difficult to disagree with them, because this unique river with its amazingly diverse flora and fauna, in some ways dangerous, and in some ways mysterious, deserves such a title.