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Amazon wildlife. Wild animals and fish of the Amazon, river inhabitants, underwater and plant life of the Amazon. River world of the Amazon and Orinoco The largest catfish on the Amazon River

The Amazon is the largest river on planet Earth, its waters and coastal areas are home to a huge number of different animals. There you can find small and beautiful birds, as well as deadly snakes and wild cats. Some animals are dangerous to humans, but get along well with each other. We present to you the ten most common and terrifying animals of the Amazon.

Jaguar

The largest cat living on the banks of the Amazon. The jaguar's diet includes all kinds of land inhabitants of the jungle, ranging from small mice to deer. The average weight of jaguars fluctuates around 90-100 kilograms, but there are individuals that grow up to 120 kilograms. For humans, jaguars do not pose a direct threat, because they do not attack people of their own free will, only for the purpose of self-defense.

Piranhas

Piranhas have become the main characters of horror films many times. But the truth is that they initially feed on carrion. However, this fact does not exclude the possibility that they cannot attack other animals. Each piranha can be 30 centimeters in size. Their weapons are straight teeth on both jaws, which can close completely, allowing them to tear off pieces of flesh. Piranhas live in large groups, therefore they pose a great danger to most animals.

In the Amazon forests you can find many various snakes, but South American rattlesnake- one of the most dangerous snakes for humans. Its bite can easily result in death if help is not provided to the victim in time. The snake lives in the Amazon jungle far from the river itself. Feeds small mammals, rodents and amphibians. According to statistics, a tenth of snake bites in South America belongs to these snakes.

Spotted dart frog

A frog belonging to the genus of dart frogs. Lives on deciduous trees Amazons. The frog's appearance is as impressive as its venom. Although the frog itself is very small, only 5 centimeters in length, its poison is enough to kill 10 adult men. It feeds on all kinds of insects. Even with a motley appearance, the poison dart frog is not afraid of predators and does not need camouflage, since the motley appearance indicates danger, and those who do not believe will have to taste deadly poison.

Electric eel

The creatures prefer muddy bottoms. Their length is within 2-3 meters, sometimes slightly exceeding this figure. The mass of an eel can be more than 40 kilograms. Eels prefer to feed on small birds, fish, small mammals and amphibians. Eels hunt thanks to special organs that generate a discharge of electricity, delivering a blow of sufficient power to kill or stun prey. For humans, acne does not represent mortal danger, because the power of its discharge is not enough to kill a person, but it can lead to a heart attack or loss of consciousness.

Bull shark

Even being inhabitants of salty ocean waters, sharks can feel great in fresh water. That's why there are times when formidable predators oceans swim into the waters of the Amazon. It happened that sharks were encountered near settlements along the Amazon, which is quite a distance of 4,000 kilometers from the ocean. Thanks to the special structure of their kidneys, sharks quickly adapt to the salt balance in the water. “Bulls” are often over 3 meters long, and their body weight can exceed 300 kilograms. The bite force of such a monster is 589 kilograms. Sharks eat everything, they don’t disdain human flesh either, this is the type of shark that most often devours people. Due to the fact that sharks are very dangerous and live near densely populated areas, they are considered the most dangerous among all sharks in the world.

Anaconda

Anaconda is the largest snake on Earth. Although there are species of pythons that are longer than the anaconda, its weight is much greater than that of the more long snakes. An anaconda can weigh over 200 kilograms, reach a length of up to 9 meters, and the snake’s body reaches a diameter of up to 30 centimeters. An anaconda can catch a caiman or a jaguar, but at the same time risks becoming lunch itself. Often its diet consists of capybaras and deer. The anaconda prefers to hunt in shallow water, where it can easily get close to its prey unnoticed.

Black caiman

Black caimans are the most large predators in the Amazon River. Caimans can grow over five meters in length. Being the rulers of the waters of the Amazon, caimans feed on absolutely everything that falls into their mouths: monkeys, big fish, anacondas, jaguars, carrion - everything that a huge reptile can swallow. For people, caimans are also very dangerous; they willingly attack onlookers, so when swimming along the river, you need to be on alert. Once upon a time, caimans were on the verge of extinction, but a law prohibiting hunting of them increased the number of inhabitants of the river.

Arapaima

Arapaima - huge size predatory fish, living in the waters of the Amazon. The scales of a fish are very durable and serve as excellent protection for it. Therefore, no piranhas are afraid of the arapaima. The fish's diet includes mainly fish and sometimes birds. An underwater predator often swims at the surface of the water, because the oxygen received through the gills is not enough for them, and they take breaths, floating to the surface of the water. Average length fish is about 2 meters, but sometimes it reaches 3. Weight Limit, which was registered - 200 kilograms. It also poses a danger to people. There was a case when a fish attacked two fishermen, as a result of which they died.

Brazilian otter

The Brazilian otter is the largest otter of the mustelid family and the genus of giant otters, living in freshwater. They most often eat fish and crustaceans that inhabit the waters of the Amazon. Otters grow up to 2 meters in length (from snout to tip of tail). The hunt takes place in communities of up to eight representatives. Many people think that otters are very cute and harmless, but this is far from the truth. Otters are capable of catching an anaconda in a flock and tearing it to pieces; there have been cases of reprisals against caimans; the killed otters are immediately eaten. Although the number of Brazilian otters is declining, due in part to poachers, they are considered one of the Amazon's strongest predators.

The Amazon originates at an altitude of 5 thousand meters from the snow-capped peaks of the Peruvian Andes. Gradually, streams of meltwater flow down, forming a river. At such heights there are practically no inhabitants in the river, but there are exceptions. The Spur Duck (Merganetta armata) thrives in cold, stormy streams.

Driven by the force of gravity, the river makes its way through the mountain ranges, washing away sediment from the mountain ridges along the way. Soon the Amazon falls into the humid mountain forests. These forests are one of the wettest places on the planet. Clouds and fog collide with the mountain slopes, and there is 6 meters of rainfall per year. Passing through mountain gorges, the Amazon forms numerous waterfalls.

This kingdom of rain forests is located at an altitude of 3.5 thousand meters, here the Amazon continues to gain its power. Survive in this humid climate It's not easy either. But many plants take advantage of this dampness; they do not need soil moisture and therefore can grow directly on tree trunks. Instead of insects, hummingbirds and other birds act as pollinators. It is home to the largest diversity of hummingbird species in the world. Each species has a beak adapted for specific tasks; birds and plants complement each other perfectly. Something else lives here too amazing creature- the smallest bear in the world and the only one in South America, called the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus). Monkeys do not rise to such heights.

Descending lower and lower, the Amazon finally reaches the foot of the Andes. Here the river slows down its rapid flow and spills over a wide plain.

Near the Peruvian city of Iquitas, the river gets its name Amazon. Already here the width of the river reaches 2 km, and the average depth of the river is 100 meters. Despite the fact that this place is 3.5 thousand meters away from the Atlantic Ocean, ships sail here. From here the river will flow across the plain, making its way through the world's greatest tropical jungle area of 7 million km. sq.

The river is full of minerals brought from the mountain peaks, and they settle on the river shallows. These minerals provide many benefits to the wild animals and fish of the Amazon. For example, Ara parrots cannot imagine life without them. This clay helps Macaws get rid of the poison that they eat along with plant seeds.

The intricacies of the branches and tributaries of the Amazon basin are home to a huge number of unique and unusual animals. The diversity of both the flora in the Amazon basin and underwater world rivers.

Brazilian or giant otter (lat. Pteronura brasiliensis). Loves quiet backwaters, grows up to 2 meters in length. One of large predators Amazons. He can even eat a boa constrictor or a python for lunch. Giant otters live in large family clans.

Wedge belly or Amazon flying fish. Escaping from predators, it can jump out of the water 120 cm with the help of well-developed pectoral fins.

The Sun Heron is a master of bluffing and can scare away many predators due to its unusual plumage.

The Amazon is replete with oxbow lakes. There is no longer a current here and the plants grow in full force. The most successful in this matter is the giant Amazonian lily, or as it is also called Victoria Regia, its leaves reach 2 meters in diameter.

Giant Amazonian lily or Victoria Regia. As you can see, you can sleep peacefully on it without even getting your feet wet.

Floating plants on the river form peculiar floating moving islands; these lawns drift along with the river current. Their diameter can be many times greater than 100 meters. Not only plants, but also animals live on these rafts. The largest animal in South America, the manatee, lives in them. The weight of a manatee can reach 500 kg and a length of 3 meters.

The world's largest rodent, the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), also lives here.

Amazonian caimans play the role of a crocodile here; caimans happily eat capybaras. These rodents should also beware of anacondas.

Video: Anaconda catches and eats a capybara.

Every year before the start of the rainy season, the water level in the Amazon drops to a minimum. Formed a large number of closed lagoons. Exactly this hard times year for the fish, it ends up in a trap. But the predators are feasting with might and main, fishing at this time of year is very simple and you can catch fish without any stress at all.

There are 20 species of piranha in the Amazon, but the most ferocious of them all is the red piranha. If these monsters find themselves locked in a water trap, they first destroy all life around them, and then real cannibalism begins. After such a “massacre” only the strongest individuals remain alive.

During the rainy season, the water level in the river will rise sharply. For the fish to finally arrive Good times. The Amazon Basin is literally a swimming pool. The Amazon does not have time to dump excess water into the Atlantic Ocean and overflows its banks. On such big river and the flood must be great. The river overflows and floods everything around at a distance of 80 km on both sides of its banks. Trees are flooded to a depth of 16 meters. The area of flooded land can be compared with the area of England. The fish rushes after the flood. There is a lot of fish food here, for every taste. Most likely, this explains the diversity of the underwater world of the Amazon. There are more than 3,000 species of fish in the river, which is more than in the Atlantic Ocean.

Not surprisingly, the Amazon is home to the largest freshwater fish in the world - the Arapaima or Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas). This giant fish has something like a lung, and from time to time it comes up to breathe fresh air. Arapaima's weight can reach 200 kg.

The largest freshwater fish in the world is Arapaima or Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas)

Others live among the flooded forests unusual creatures. For example, a blind pink penguin lives here ( Amazonian dolphin, or white river dolphin), he uses echolocation to catch fish in the thickets.

Trees can remain under water for six months a year, so the river and fish transport seeds here.

Another unusual local animal is the bald uakari. These monkeys can eat fruits of any maturity.

Bald uakari.

There are also fish here that jump from the water into mating season. The tetra jumps out of the water and leaves its eggs on the leaves of the trees. The male will wet it with water until the fry hatch.

Fire ants have a hard time during a flood; they all gather together and form a living raft, connecting with each other. They are carried away by the current, and the only hope for salvation is if they are washed ashore.

Fire ants huddled together.

People have also adapted to such fluctuations in water levels and live on rafts.

Also, giant giants have lived here for a million years. river turtles, the largest river turtles on the planet. Their shell is more than a meter in diameter.

The giant arapaima is one of the largest and most little-studied fish in the world. Those descriptions of fish that are found in the literature are borrowed mainly from unreliable stories of travelers.

It’s even strange how little has been done so far to deepen our knowledge of the biology and behavior of the arapaima. For years it was mercilessly fished both in the Peruvian and Brazilian parts of the Amazon, and in its many tributaries. At the same time, no one cared about studying it or thought about preserving it. The schools of fish seemed inexhaustible. And only when the number of fish began to noticeably decrease did interest in it appear.

Arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Representatives of this species live in the Amazon River basin in Brazil, Guyana and Peru. Adults reach 2.5 m in length and weigh up to 200 kg. The uniqueness of arapaima is its ability to breathe air. Due to its archaic morphology, the fish is considered a living fossil. In Brazil, its fishing is allowed only once a year. Initially, fish were caught using harpoons when they rose to breathe on the surface.

Today it is caught mainly with nets. Let's look at this in more detail..

Photo 2.

In the photo: a view of the Amazon river from the window of the Cessna 208 amphibious aircraft that brought photographer Bruno Kelly from Manaus to the village of Medio Jurua, municipality of Carauari, Amazonas state, Brazil, September 3, 2012.
REUTERS/Bruno Kelly

In Brazil, giant fish were placed in ponds in the hope that they would take root there. In eastern Peru, in the jungles of Loreto province, certain areas of rivers and a number of lakes are left as a reserve fund. Fishing here is allowed only with a license from the ministry. Agriculture.

Arapaima lives throughout the Amazon basin. To the east it is found in two areas separated by the black and acidic waters of the Rio Negro. There are no arapaima in the Rio Negro, but the river does not seem to be an insurmountable barrier for the fish. Otherwise, one would have to assume the existence of two species of fish, having different origins and those living north and south of this river.

The western area of distribution of the arapaima is probably Rio Moro, to the east of it is Rio Pastaza and Lake Rimachi, where a huge amount of fish is found. This is Peru's second protected breeding and observation pond for arapaima.

An adult arapaima is colored very picturesquely: the color of its back varies from bluish-black to metallic green, its belly - from cream to greenish-white, its sides and tail are silver-gray. Each of its huge scales shimmers in every possible shade of red (in Brazil the fish is called pirarucu, which means red fish).

Photo 3.

Rocking in time with the movements of the fishermen, a small canoe floated along the mirror-like surface of the Amazon. Suddenly the water at the bow of the boat began to swirl like a whirlpool, and the mouth of a giant fish stuck out, exhaling air with a whistle. The fishermen looked in shock at the monster, twice the height of a man, covered with a scaly shell. And the giant splashed his blood-red tail - and disappeared into the depths...

If a Russian fisherman told such a thing, he would immediately be laughed at. Who is not familiar with fishing tales: either a giant fish falls off a hook, or the local Nessie appears in your dreams. But in the Amazon, meeting a giant is a reality.

Arapaima is one of the largest freshwater fish. There were specimens 4.5 m long! Nowadays you don't see such people. Since 1978, the record has been held in the Rio Negro River (Brazil), where an arapaima was caught with data of 2.48 m - 147 kg (the price of a kilogram of tender and delicious meat, which has almost no bones, far exceeds the monthly income of Amazonian fishermen. IN North America it can be seen in antique stores).

Photo 4.

This strange creature looks like a representative of the era of dinosaurs. Yes, it is true: a living fossil has not changed in 135 million years. The tropical Goliath has adapted to the swampy swamps of the Amazon basin: a bladder attached to the esophagus acts like a lung, the arapaima pokes out of the water every 10-15 minutes. She, as it were, “patrolls” the Amazon basin, captures small fish in her mouth and grinds them with the help of a bony, rough tongue (locals use it as sandpaper).

Photo 5.

These giants live in freshwater bodies of South America, in particular in the eastern and western parts of the Amazon River basin (in the Rio Morona, Rio Pastaza and Lake Rimachi rivers). A huge number of arapaima are found in these places. There is not much of this fish in the Amazon itself, because... she prefers quiet rivers with a weak current and a lot of vegetation. A body of water with rugged banks and a large number of floating plants is an ideal place for its habitat and existence.

Photo 6.

According to local residents, this fish can reach 4 meters in length and weigh about 200 kilograms. But arapaima is valuable commercial fish, so now such huge specimens are practically impossible to find in nature. Nowadays, most often we come across specimens no more than 2-2.5 meters. But still giants can be found, for example, in special aquariums or nature reserves.

Photo 7.

Previously, arapaima were caught in large quantities and no thought was given to its population. Now, when the stocks of these fish have noticeably decreased, in some countries of South America, for example in eastern Peru, there are areas of rivers and lakes that are strictly protected and fishing in these places is allowed only with a license from the Ministry of Agriculture. And even then in limited quantities.

Photo 8.

An adult can reach 3-4 meters. The powerful body of the fish is covered with large scales that shimmer various shades red This is especially noticeable in its tail part. For this, local residents gave the fish another name - pirarucu, which translates as “red fish”. The fish themselves have different colors - from “metallic green” to bluish-black.

Photo 9.

Hers is very unusual respiratory system. The pharynx and swim bladder of the fish are covered with lung tissue, which allows the fish to breathe normal air. This adaptation has developed due to the low oxygen content in the waters of these freshwater rivers. Thanks to this, arapaima can easily survive drought.

Photo 10.

The breathing style of this fish cannot be confused with anyone else. When they rise to the surface for a breath of fresh air, small whirlpools begin to form on the water surface, and then the fish itself appears in this place with a huge open mouth. All this action lasts literally a couple of seconds. She releases the “old” air and takes a new sip, the mouth closes sharply and the fish goes into the depths. Adults breathe like this every 10-15 minutes, young ones - a little more often.

Photo 11.

These fish have special glands on their heads that secrete special mucus. But you’ll find out what it’s for a little later.

Photo 12.

These giants feed on bottom fish, and sometimes they can snack on small animals, such as birds. For juveniles, the main dish is freshwater shrimp.

Photo 13.

The breeding season of pirarucu occurs in November. But they begin to create pairs already in August-September. These giants are very caring parents, especially males. Here I immediately remembered how male “sea dragons” take care of their offspring. These fish are not far behind them. The male digs a shallow hole with a diameter of about 50 centimeters near the shore. The female lays eggs in it. Then, throughout the entire period of development and maturation of the eggs, the male remains next to the clutch. He guards the eggs and swims next to the “nest,” while the females drive away the fish swimming nearby.

Photo 14.

A week later the fry are born. The male is still next to them. Or maybe they are with him? The young stay in a dense flock near his head, and they even rise together to breathe. But how does a male manage to discipline his children like that? There is a secret. Remember, I mentioned special glands on the heads of adults. So, the mucus that is secreted by these glands contains a stable substance that attracts fry. This is what makes them stick together. But after 2.5-3 months, when the young animals grow a little, these flocks break up. The bond between parents and children weakens.

Photo 38.

Once upon a time, the meat of these monsters was the staple food of the peoples of the Amazon. Since the late 1960s, arapaima have disappeared completely in many rivers: after all, only big fish, the nets made it possible to catch children too. The government has banned the sale of arapaima less than one and a half meters long, but the taste, which can only be rivaled by trout and salmon, pushes people to break the law. Breeding arapaima in artificial pools with heated water is promising: they grow as much as five times faster than carp!

Photo 15.

However, here is the opinion of K. X. Luling:

The literature of past legions significantly exaggerates the size of the arapaima. These exaggerations began, to some extent, with the descriptions of R. Chaumbourk in the book “Fishes of British Guiana,” written after a trip to Guiana in 1836. Shom-Bourke writes that the fish can reach a length of 14 feet (ft = 0.305 meters) and weigh up to 400 pounds (pound = 0.454 kilograms). However, this information was received by the author second-hand - from the words of the local population - he personally did not have evidence to support such data. In a well-known book on the fishes of the world, McCormick expresses doubts about the reliability of these stories. After analyzing all the available and more or less reliable information, he comes to the conclusion that representatives of the arapaima species never exceed a length of 9 feet - a fairly respectable size for a freshwater fish.

On own experience I was convinced that McCormick was right. The animals we caught in Rio Pacaya averaged 6 feet in length. Most big fish turned out to be a female 7 feet long and weighing 300 pounds. Obviously, the illustration from old editions of Brem's book Animal Life, which depicted an Indian sitting on the back of a pirarucu, 12 to 15 feet long, should be considered an obvious fantasy.

The distribution of arapaima in certain areas of the river seems to depend more on the vegetation growing there than on the nature of the water itself. For fish, a strongly indented shore with a wide strip of coastal floating plants, which, intertwined, form floating meadows, is necessary.

For this reason alone, rivers with fast current, like the Amazon, are unsuitable for the existence of arapaima. The bottom of the Amazon always remains smooth and uniform, so there are few floating plants here; those that exist are usually tangled among bushes and hanging branches.

On Rio Pacaya we found arapaima in backwaters where, in addition to floating meadows of aquatic grasses, floating mimosas and hyacinths grew. Elsewhere these species may have been replaced by floating ferns, Victoria regia and a few others. The giant fish between the plants is invisible.

It is perhaps not surprising that arapaima prefer to breathe air rather than the oxygen of the swampy waters in which they live.

Photo 16.

The arapaima's way of inhaling air is very characteristic. When a large fish approaches the surface, a whirlpool first forms on the water surface. Then suddenly the fish itself appears with open mouth. She quickly releases air, making a clicking sound, and inhales Fresh air and immediately plunges into the depths.

Fishermen hunting for arapaima use the whirlpool that forms on the surface of the water to determine where to throw the harpoon. They throw theirs heavy weapon right in the middle of the whirlpool and in most cases they miss the target. But the point is that giant fish often lives in small bodies of water, 60-140 meters long, and whirlpools are constantly formed here, and therefore the likelihood of a harpoon hitting an animal increases. Adults appear on the surface every 10-15 minutes, young ones more often.

Having reached a certain size, arapaima switches to the fish table, specializing mainly in bottom-shelled fish. The stomachs of arapaima most often contain the spiny spines of the pectoral fins of these fish.

In Rio Pacaya, obviously, the living conditions for the Arapaima are the most favorable. The fish that live here reach maturity within four to five years. By this time, they are approximately six feet long and weigh between 80 and 100 pounds. It is believed (although not proven) that some, and perhaps all, adults breed twice a year.

One day I was lucky enough to observe a pair of arapaima preparing for spawning. Everything happened in the clear and still waters of the quiet bay of Rio Pacai. The behavior of arapaima during spawning and their subsequent care of the offspring is truly an amazing sight.

Photo 17.

In all likelihood, the fish dig out the spawning hole in the soft clay bottom with its mouth. In the quiet bay where we made observations, the fish chose a spawning site located only five feet below the surface. For several days the male remained within this place, and the female almost all the time stayed 10-15 meters away from him.

The young, having hatched from the eggs, remain in the hole for about seven days. A male is always near them, either circling above the hole or perched on the side. After this, the fry rise to the surface, relentlessly following the male and keeping in a dense flock near his head. Under the supervision of the father, the entire flock rises to the surface at once to inhale the air.

At the age of seven to eight days, the fry begin to feed on plankton. Watching the fish through the still waters of our quiet bay, we did not notice that the fish raised their young “into the mouth”, that is, they would take the fish into their mouths in a moment of danger. There was also no evidence that the larvae fed on the substance secreted from the plate-shaped gills located on the heads of the parents. The local population makes a clear mistake in assuming that the young animals feed on their parents’ “milk”.

In November 1959, I was able to count 11 schools of juvenile fish in a lake of about 160 acres (an acre is about 0.4 hectares). They swam close to the shore and parallel to it. The flocks seemed to be avoiding the wind. This is probably due to the fact that the waves generated by the wind make it difficult to inhale air from the surface of the water.

We decided to see what would happen to a school of fish if it suddenly lost its parents, and we caught them. The orphaned fish, having lost contact with their parents, have obviously lost contact with each other. The close flock began to break up and eventually dispersed. After some time, we noticed that the juveniles in other flocks differed significantly from each other in size. Such a large contrast could hardly be explained by the fact that the same generation of fish developed differently. Apparently other arapaima adopted the orphans. Expanding their swimming circle after the death of their parents, the orphaned school of fish spontaneously mixed with neighboring groups.

Photo 18.

On the head of the arapaima there are glands very interesting structure. On the outside, they have a whole series of small tongue-like protrusions, at the ends of which, with the help of a magnifying glass, tiny holes can be discerned. The mucus formed in the glands is released through these openings.

The secretion of these glands is not used as food, although it would seem that this is the simplest and most obvious explanation of its purpose. She does much more important functions. Here's an example. When we pulled the male out of the water, the flock accompanying him for a long time remained in the very place from which he disappeared. And one more thing: a flock of juveniles gathers around a gauze pad, previously soaked in the male’s secretions. From both examples it follows that the male secretes a relatively stable substance, thanks to which the whole group stays together.

At the age of two and a half to three and a half months, flocks of young animals begin to disintegrate. By this time, the connection between parents and children weakens.

Photo 19.

Residents of the village of Medio Jurua display a gutted piraruca at Lake Manaria, Carauari municipality, Amazonas state, Brazil, September 3, 2012. Pirarucu is the largest freshwater fish in South America.
REUTERS/Bruno Kelly

Photo 20.

Photo 21.

It is not without reason that the Amazon River basin is considered one of the most... dangerous places in a world where there are a huge number of predators. I invite you to find out what is found in the waters of the Amazon, and why this place is considered so dangerous for life.

Black caiman

You could say 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 apex predators of the Amazon River, the local kings who indiscriminately eat anyone who gets in their way.

Anaconda

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

Arapaima

The huge predator arapaima is equipped with armored scales, so it fearlessly swims among piranhas, feeding on fish and birds. These creepy fish are almost three meters long and weigh 90 kilograms.

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 obtain more serious prey: there have been cases when these harmless-looking creatures killed and ate adult anacondas and even caimans. It’s not for nothing that they were nicknamed “river wolves.”

Common vandellia or candiru

Bull shark

Most often, bull sharks live in salty ocean waters, but they feel just as great in fresh water bodies. There were cases when these bloodthirsty predators swam so far along the Amazon that they reached the city of Iquitos (Peru), 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 wouldn’t want to meet them, but they are not averse to feasting on humans!

Electric eels

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

Common piranhas

It’s hard to even 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 more than once inspired Hollywood directors to create creepy movies. However, in fairness, it is worth noting that piranhas are primarily scavengers. But, unfortunately, this does not mean that they do not attack healthy creatures. Their incredibly sharp teeth, located on the upper and lower jaws, meet very tightly, making them an ideal weapon for tearing flesh.

Mackerel hydrolic

These meter underwater inhabitants also called vampire fish. On lower jaw 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. To prevent them from piercing themselves, they have special holes in their upper jaw.

Brown pacu

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

South America, spread over nine countries, is home to the Amazon Rainforest, the largest rainforest in the world. It covers an area of 55 square kilometers and contains a wealth of biodiversity, including species that have not yet been fully studied. The Amazon River flows through the forest and supports thriving animal and plant life. These forests are known as the "lungs of the Earth" because they absorb greatest number carbon dioxide on the ground and release oxygen. These forests are also home to some of the most dangerous animals known to man. Here's our list of the 15 most dangerous animals tropical forests Amazons.
This is an Alligator found in the Amazon, which is one of the largest species in the world. This Amazonian tropical animal is a very skilled hunter and kills its prey by approaching it from under the water and then crushing it with its powerful jaws. He then drags the catch underwater until it suffocates. It kills everything from small fish, otters, dogs and deer to jaguars and other caimans. Caimans can grow up to 6 meters in length. The black caiman's body is covered with hard scales that act as armor, however the color can vary between olive green, grey, brown or black. The species has bony ridges above the eyes. They have excellent hearing and vision and are equipped with strong teeth used for crushing food. You can also read about

This animal is not actually an eel, but a fish that looks like an eel. It has three organs that can generate five times more electricity than a normal plug point. This makes it one of the. It uses this electricity to shock and immobilize its prey before eating it whole. It also releases electricity as a method of defense to scare off an attacker. People are usually attacked by eels if they are accidentally stepped on. Most deaths are not due to shock itself, but due to subsequent paralysis and drowning. This method of killing its prey has earned the eel a place on this list of the ten most dangerous animals of the Amazon rainforest. The species has about 6,000 cells to produce electrocytes, and can generate 600 volts of power, which is about 5 times stronger than the electricity generated in a standard electrical outlet. The shock can knock a horse down instantly. It can kill a person in two or three hits, but people come into contact with eels very often. The species can live 15 years in wildlife and 22 years in captivity.

This large cat, native to South America, is the region's top predator. Jaguar lives alone large areas, similar to leopards or tigers in India, and hunts small land animals. It rarely comes into contact with people, and when it does, it is usually because it is trying to attack livestock. Although it rarely attacks, this cat is a dangerous animal due to its speed, stealth, strong jaw and sharp teeth that can even pierce turtle shells and the human skull. However, their numbers are declining due to habitat loss and hunting. It is also considered one of the strongest animals on planet Earth. Jaguars love to eat monkeys, crocodiles, deer, sloths, fish, frogs and anything else they can catch. Jaguars are solitary animals that love to live and hunt alone, however, this does not apply during mating season.

The most dangerous of all species, the red-bellied piranha is a scavenger and usually eats dead animals. It is only known to attack live animals if it feels threatened or if there is little food in the area. People have been attacked by piranhas, but these attacks do not result in death, only injury due to the fish's sharp teeth. Piranhas exhibit cannibalism and are known to eat other members of their species. It is also one of the deadliest fish in the world. Talking about appearance, they have a silver body covered in red spots that serve as camouflage in murky water. The pointed and sharp teeth of the piranha are arranged in one row and bite through the silver hook. The piranha's jaw bone is the strongest and can crush a human hand in 5-10 seconds. Locals They use piranha teeth to make weapons and other tools. Like sharks, piranhas are also equipped with a special organ that can sense blood in the water. They live up to 25 years in the wild and 10-20 years in captivity.

This Amazon rainforest animal is a brightly colored frog that secretes poison from glands on its skin. This poison is very toxic and causes heart failure if it enters the body in large quantities. The golden poison dart frog is a rare species because it can kill twenty adults. It is known that some tribes in tropical forests The Amazons use the poison of this frog to coat the tips of their arrows, which they use to hunt other animals. Due to depletion of tropical forests poisonous frogs are endangered, and the blue poison dart frog is endangered due to its popularity in the animal market.

This shark is one of the three most dangerous species sharks and often attacks people who violate its territory. She lives in troubled waters rivers and hunts other aquatic animals such as fish, dolphins, and snakes. Because it swims in shallow, dirty water, people cannot see it, and if they get too close, the shark attacks them. A shark bite can be fatal because it drags its victims into the water and they either drown or die due to loss of blood. The species can grow up to 2.1 meters in length, however, females have been seen growing to an average of 2.4 meters in length and weighing 130 kg. Males are smaller compared to females and weigh around 94 kg. They are a type of shark that can grow in salt and fresh water. The bull shark can switch between salt water and fresh water and vice versa. The bull shark will be able to survive even if the water level is only 60 cm, and this is why they often come into contact with people. In addition, females bull sharks prefer to give birth in shallow water because this will prevent larger sharks from eating their babies.

One of the most big snakes in the world, the green anaconda can grow up to 9 meters in length - twice more giraffe. They live in water and can silently sneak up on prey and strike it with force, squeezing it with their powerful body until it suffocates and dies. They then swallow the prey whole. They usually hunt wild boars, deer, capybaras, and sometimes jaguars and people. You can also read about the most. Anaconda non-venomous snake. They spend most time alone, but males seek females to mate between April and May. Sometimes several species of male green anaconda will pursue the same female. This phenomenon is known as "breeding balls", where dozens of males are wrapped around one female and all try to mate. Sometimes green anacondas engage in behavior where female green anacondas eat smaller males.

It’s not for nothing that this animal was included in the list, because the spider has one of the deadliest poisons in the world. This is a ground spider that hunts at night. It can sting people who venture too close, and the venom causes sharp pain and can eventually cause paralysis. The spider with the deadliest venom in the world is found throughout the entire jungle. However, in daytime they hide under rocks and in crevices, in places that are dark and damp. Additionally, they are mostly visible where people have untouched items, clothes they are not wearing, or piles of wood or any items stored in a closet or garage, so people need to be careful. One of the most aggressive types of spiders will fight other spiders for territory if the population in the area is high.

As the name suggests, this centipede is a giant – it grows up to 30 centimeters. It is an experienced predator that kills small animals such as spiders, mice, small birds, bats, lizards and snakes. It is not poisonous, but hunts by wrapping itself around its prey and eating it as it slowly dies. Although it cannot kill people, the bite causes severe pain, fever and weakness. However, it is a ferocious and dangerous animal of the Amazon rainforest. This species has powerful jaws that can very easily bite through skin and inject very painful venom. Speaking of appearance, the entire body is divided into 23 parts, each with its own pair of legs. Amazonian giant centipedes do not breathe through their mouths, instead they have small holes in the side of each segment that allow them to take in oxygen to keep them alive. They are one of the fastest runners because they are almost blind and love to eat insects, tarantulas, small lizards, frogs, small birds, small snakes, rodents and even bats. The species is widespread throughout South America and several Caribbean islands. This is one of the.

This tiny ant—which grows to about 2 centimeters—gets its name from its ant, which is likened to a bullet. It also injects venom into the bite site and can kill small animals. These ants hunt in groups and can paralyze or kill large animals with many bites. The bite is not fatal to humans, but causes severe pain and can lead to temporary paralysis of the area around the bite. They have the most painful insect bites in the world and its bite contains a neurotoxin. It is located on the abdomen of the ant. They mainly nest in bushes, trees and in the ground.

This poisonous species The vipers have mostly been spotted off the coast of São Paulo state in Brazil. It can be recognized by the light yellowish-brown color of its underside and the shape of its head, characteristic of the genus Bothrops. The species can grow to a length of 70 cm, however it sometimes also reaches 118 cm. There are various color combinations, such as a pale yellowish-brown base color that is covered by a series of spots that may be triangular or quadrangular.

It is the most powerful predator found in the Amazon rainforest, and is also one of the largest existing species eagles in the world. This species is mainly found in tropical lowland rainforests Central America. Additionally, in Brazil, the harpy eagle is also known as the royal-hawk. The harpy eagle is national bird Panama and is depicted on the coat of arms of Panama.

Bats, however, vampire bats have even more interesting feature, they are mammals that can only survive on blood. In addition, these species live in places of complete darkness, usually in caves, old wells, hollow trees and buildings. Nocturnal creatures are most active in the early nights. The only species of bat that can "adopt" another young bat, if something happens to her mother.