Amazonian Tapirs
Amazonian Tapirs, also called Brazilian tapirs and South American tapirs, are the largest land mammals native to the Amazon. They are dark brown and have large ears, thick necks, and long snouts. They live near the rivers and are pretty good at swimming and diving, and they use that to their advantage when escaping predators on land. They are herbivores and use their snout to feed. Their primary predators are crocodilians and large cats. They also are at risk to human activities such as hunting and habitat destruction, and because of that are on the endangered species list. Fun fact: A group of tapirs is called a candle.
Squirrel Monkeys
These monkeys are abundant along the Amazon River basin. They have light grey hair and bright yellow legs. They form large groups, with up to 500 members. They have at least 30 different vocalizations which they use to communicate with each other. They are omnivores that eat insects and fruit. Their predators include snakes, birds of prey, and wildcats. They are very agile and active during the day and move through the treetops single file. They are said to be one of the smartest monkey species because their brains are very big relative to their body size. Fun fact: they urinate on their hands and feet in order to cleanse themselves, make territory, and control their body temperature.
Toco Toucans
The Toco Toucan is the most well-known species of toucan. They are the largest of the toucans and have the biggest beak, which is brightly colored with a black marking at the tip. Their beaks are used to scare off predators, but don’t do them much good in fighting them off. They also use them to get food. While it looks like their eyes are blue, that is in fact skin that surrounds the eye. They are social and oftentimes stay in small flocks of about six members. They have several vocalizations that they use to communicate to each other with. They mainly feed on fruit, but sometimes feed on other stuff such as insects. They are good at camouflage, but they do have some predators including jaguars, snakes, and eagles. Fun fact: they can’t fly very well and hop around instead.
Poison Dart Frogs
Poison dart frogs are known for their extremely vibrant colors. The purpose of this is to warn potential predators, making it clear to not attempt to eat them due to their toxicity. This is called aposematism. They are about the size of a paper clip, but they are one of the most toxic animals on earth, with the ability to kill 10 grown men. They mainly consume small insects, which they snag with their tongues. Their only natural predator is the fire-bellied snake. Fun fact: the brighter the frog, the more venomous it is.
Capybaras
The capybara is the largest rodent on Earth, growing to around 4 feet in length. They are sometimes called the water hog as they kind of resemble pigs with their short legs. They usually stay around the water and swim often in order to escape predators (jaguars and anacondas). They are herbivores and mainly eat grass and aquatic plants. They are often found in groups of 10-20 members, although they are usually shy creatures. The females have about 4-5 babies a year, and get raised in a group where multiple mothers will nurse them. Fun fact: They can stay submerged underwater for up to 5 minutes at a time.
Pink River Dolphins
The Pink River Dolphin, also known as the Amazon River Dolphin, and botos, is obviously known for its pink coloration. But they’re actually born grey, and turn pink over time. They’re the largest freshwater dolphin in the world at a length of up to 9 feet. They remain in pods of about 3, although that number can be smaller or even much bigger. Their bodies make it easy to maneuver through things in their way in order to get food. Due to the murky river water, they also heavily use echolocation. Their diet is very diverse, making up 53 different species of fish, as well as turtles and crabs. Fun fact: When they get excited or surprised, they flush pink, similar to humans blushing.
Yellow-footed Tortoises
The yellow-footed tortoise is one of the two species of tortoises found in the Amazon Rainforest, the other being the red-foot tortoise. They are the 6th largest species of tortoise on Earth with a length of 15 inches. The males on average are bigger than the females, but the largest of the species are mostly female. They aren’t fast enough to catch any fast moving animals, so they eat little things on the ground such as grasses and leaves, as well as some invertebrates such as snails. The biggest threat they face is humans due to hunting and habitat destruction. Because of this they are endangered, but they are protected in some areas. Fun fact: They make baby-like cooing noises.
Sources: Animalia, Wikipedia, AnimalFactGuide, AWSF Zoo, Britannica, TheAnimalFacts, OneKindPlanet