Animals of the national zoological garden of south africa. What animals live in South America? South America is a territory of controversy

South America is often referred to as a territory of contrasts. The fourth largest continent is replete with unique natural areas, within which many endemic representatives of the animal world live. Woodlands and savannahs coexist with tropical rainforests.

The longest mountain range of the planet, called the Andes, is allocated in a separate zone. The climate of the heat-breathing Pampa steppe is different from the island of Tierra del Fuego, "kindly" brought from the Atlantic by storm winds. The western part of the continent delights the eye with fertile valleys, while the Atacama Desert is recognized as the hottest region in the world.

The increase in diversity was facilitated by the presence of a large river basin surrounded by impenetrable jungle. The largest freshwater dolphins, reaching 2.7 m in length, live in the turbid waters of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. The underdeveloped vision of mammals is compensated by a developed echolocation system that allows them to detect potential prey and avoid obstacles. The rivers were also attracted by other large mammals classified as sirens. Slow manatees uniting in herds slowly migrate between river tributaries and the main channel. Animals feed on edible algae. Communication is carried out by touching the muzzles. The need for such close contact is due to poor eyesight.

Piranha was awarded the title of the most famous fish South America... Not a single animal is destined to escape from the lightning attacks of floating groups of individuals. Voracious babies, whose length does not exceed 30 cm, do not disdain even carrion. But almost no one has heard of the giant arapaima. The valuable commercial fish is essentially a living fossil, whose appearance has remained unchanged for 135 million years. Local residents claim that individual specimens reached 4 meters in length. At the same time, the weight of one individual ranged within 200 kg. Today, smaller representatives are caught, whose length reaches an impressive 2-2.5 m.

South America has become home to 2,000 species of fish. This amount is equivalent to 1/3 of the planet's freshwater fauna. Another unique representative of the aquatic world is the lungfish, American scaly or lepidosiren. The group of predators living in water bodies included caimans, crocodiles and anaconda. There is a high probability of meeting with an electric eel.

The monkeys found in South America are part of the broad-nosed group. They are common in tropical forests. Small size is typical for representatives of the marmoset family. The most miniature in this regard are the Uistiti (Hapale jacchus), the length of which does not exceed 15-16 cm. Many Capuchin monkeys are endowed with a strong tail, which is successfully used as a fifth limb. The subfamily of howlers owes its name to the ability to emit loud cries that are carried for many kilometers. Spider monkeys are easily recognizable due to their long flexible limbs.

Sloths (Choloepus) prefer not to leave their favorite trees. The hanging position does not prevent the animals from absorbing shoots and leaves. They descend to the ground only in exceptional cases. The crowns of trees have become a home for some anteaters. The large anteater (in contrast to its small brother) leads a terrestrial life. The detachment of edentulous also includes armadillos. The largest representative was awarded the title of giant. Its length reaches 1 m, and its weight ranges from 50 kg. The body of the animal is covered with strong horny scales, resembling knightly chain mail. The basis of the diet is termites.

In the savannahs you can find spectacled bear, puma and ostrich rhea (the largest flightless bird in South America). The largest rodent also lives on the amazing continent. Capybaras gaining up to 50 kg of live weight live in the vicinity of water bodies. They do not avoid swampy areas.

In the Andes, you can see the vicuna, belonging to the camel family. Difficulties with breathing in rarefied air are not observed in the animal. Thick fur saves from the piercing cold. Vicuñas feed on lichen and grass. Wild llamas (in particular, guanacos) are extremely rare these days. Domestic lamas are used to transport heavy objects, their meat and milk are used for food. People were engaged in breeding alpacas exclusively for the sake of obtaining soft wool. Chinchillas were exterminated due to expensive fur.

The Andean condor is recognized as the largest bird of prey. The wingspan of these unique birds exceeds 3 m. The bird colonies inhabiting the Andes have 1,700 species. Numerous parrots delight the eye with variegated colors. The gorgeous outfit went to the rare hyacinth macaw, which boasts a long tail, yellow patches on its cheeks, and deep blue plumage. Tiny hummingbirds scurry between plants and large butterflies flutter. The wingspan of some insects reaches 20 cm.

Harpies belonging to the hawk family prefer to circle over the canopy of tropical forests located in remote regions. The wingspan of powerful feathered predators often exceeds 2 m. The list of forest inhabitants includes shuttle-beaked herons, sun herons and hoatsins. The nestlings of the latter can boast of having claws on their wings, with the help of which restless youth travel through the trees. A similar adaptation was found in the Archeopteryx that lived millions of years ago. In the woodlands, you can find opossums, woody chain-tailed porcupines koendu, bats and agouti, resembling both a guinea pig and a short-eared hare. The trees growing in tropical forests are also hunted by noses.

The forest (bush) dog is included in the list of poorly studied animals. The exclusive representatives of the fauna of South America include the Titicaca whistler, which lives within Lake Titicaca. A similar habitat was chosen for itself by the wingless Great Crested Grebe. The Pudu deer, which feeds on seaweed, is included in the Red Book, and its height does not exceed 40 cm.

The population of maned wolves living in the pampas is decreasing every year. The number of red ibises inhabiting the coastal lowlands is also decreasing.

The Amazonian selva has no shortage of reptiles and brightly colored poisonous frogs... Many lizards and snakes also possess the ability to accumulate poison. The boa constrictor is distinguished from terrestrial reptiles. At night, the wild cat ocelot goes hunting. Excellent swimmers like jaguars find victims without difficulty. Small rodents, deer, capybaras, monkeys and tapirs (relatives of rhinos) can serve as their meal. A small group of ungulates on the continent is represented by undersized South American spoke-horned deer and a small black baker's pig.

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South America has a length of 7,500 km; it includes the Andes mountain system, the Amazonian lowland between the Brazilian and Guiana plateaus, the Galapagos Islands, rivers, and waterfalls.

In South America six climatic zones... Mostly tropical... Favorable natural conditions have formed on the continent a rich animal and vegetable world! Some representatives of the flora and fauna of South America are unique and are not found anywhere else.

Freshwater poisonous and, marmoset monkeys and arachnid monkeys live in humid tropical forests. There are many birds on the continent, especially the macaw parrots and other colorful birds.

Rodents (tuko-tuko, swamp beaver) and predators (,) settle in savannas and steppes. The pampa fox, Magellanic Fox, are common throughout South America. And what are the most famous representatives of the fauna that live on the continent?

Cougar is a large predator, a representative of the feline family. The body length of the animal is 100-200 cm.Weight is 800-100 kg. Only the jaguar, lion and tiger are larger than the cougar.

Cubs of cats are born spotted, by the first year of life the spots disappear, and the animal becomes monochromatic. Cougar milk is 6 times fatter than cow's milk.

It is interesting! On the plain, the cougar can reach speeds of up to 65 km / h, but she quickly gets tired and, if chased, tries to quickly climb a tree.

Cougars adapt to any natural conditions: they live in mountainous, coniferous, tropical forests. Their range is limited only by the lack of food and shelter. The puma feeds exclusively on animal food. The cougar's pursuit of prey in 82% ends with a positive result.

The cat is active day and night. The time for waking and hunting depends on hunger. The animal easily climbs trees and rocks in search of prey, easily climbs mountainous terrain.

And also, cougars know how to purr like domestic cats.

The jaguar is a predatory mammal of the panther genus. Outwardly similar to a leopard, but much larger than it.

The main habitats of the animal are tropical and mountain forests, the ocean coast (where the cat looks for turtle eggs).

It is interesting! Jaguars know how to get food in the water, and also swim and dive well.

Jaguars - do not like invasions of personal space and are menacing to representatives of another genus of felines. Therefore, the territory for one animal ranges from 25 to 50 sq. km.

The diet of jaguars includes waterfowl, snakes, rodents, monkeys, possums, and livestock.

Important! Jaguar is a non-aggressive animal towards humans. He can chase people in the forest out of curiosity without attacking. Although occasionally there are cases and attacks.

Spectacled bear

Spectacled bear is a predatory mammal. The only bearish species found in South America... Height - 150-180 cm, weight - 70-140 kg.

The animal lives in the mountain forests of the Andes slope, in open meadows and in savannas.

Spectacled bears are not fully understood, as they are on the verge of extinction. It is known that the animal does not hibernate and is herbivorous - it feeds mainly on grass shoots, fruits, crops of corn and rhizomes.

Spectacled bear is peaceful. Maximum - growls at an uninvited guest, and he leaves the territory.

Have darwin fox the fur is dark gray with reddish areas on the head and muzzle. The animal does not mate with other members of its genus. It is smaller and darker in color. Its legs are shorter than those of continental species. The weight of the fox is 2-4 kg, which is significantly less than the weight south American foxwhich weighs between 5 and 10 kg.

The Darwin Fox is a typical forest animal that lives in the southern, temperate humid jungle. Leads a solitary lifestyle. It is active primarily at dusk and pre-dawn hours. It feeds on insects small mammals, birds, amphibians, berries and carrion.

The island of Chiloe is home to 200 animals and the continent has less than 50 animals. The species is classified as endangered. Destruction of forests around national park and dogs that carry infections and attack foxes are the main reasons for the low population.

The body length of an adult capybara reaches 1-1.35 m, the height at the withers is 50-60 cm. Males weigh 34-63 kg, and females - 36-65.5 kg (measurements were made in Venezuelan llanos). Females are usually larger than males.

This giant rodent is a fat animal with an elongated body covered with tough shaggy wool of a variegated brown color. The front legs of the capybara are longer than the hind legs, the massive rump does not have a tail, and therefore it always looks as if it is about to sit down. She has large paws with wide webbed toes, and the claws on the front paws, short and blunt, remarkably resemble miniature hooves. She has a very aristocratic appearance: her flat, wide head and blunt, almost square muzzle have a complacently patronizing expression that makes her look like a brooding lion. On the ground, the capybara moves with a characteristic shuffling gait or waddles at a gallop, while in the water it swims and dives with amazing ease and agility.

Capybara is a phlegmatic good-natured vegetarian, devoid of bright individual traits inherent in some of his relatives, but this deficiency is made up for in her by her calm and friendly disposition.

Capybaras are social animals that live in groups of 10-20 individuals. Groups consist of a dominant male, several adult females (with their own internal hierarchy), cubs and subordinate males on the periphery of the group. 5-10% of capybaras, mostly males, live alone. The dominant male often drives out competing males from the group. The drier the terrain, the larger the groups; in drought, up to several hundred individuals sometimes accumulate around water bodies. A herd of capybaras on average occupies an area of \u200b\u200babout 10 hectares, most of the time, however, spending on an area of \u200b\u200bless than 1 hectare. The site is marked with secretions from the nasal and anal glands; there were conflicts between its permanent residents and aliens.

It is interesting!About 300 years ago, the Catholic Church classified the capybara as a fish. Thus, the ban on eating capybara meat during fasting was lifted.

The maned wolf is a predatory canine. It has unusual appearancethat looks more like a fox than a wolf. The animal has disproportionate body parts: the body is short - 120-130 cm, the legs are very long - 75-85 cm, high ears and a short tail. The weight of the wolf is 20-25 kg.

The animal can be found in the savannah, on grassy and bushy plains. The animal's diet contains food of animal and plant origin: small rodents, birds, reptiles, bananas, guava.

Maned wolves are monogamous: they choose themselves a mate for life.

Geoffroy's cat is the same size as a domestic cat. Its length is 60 cm, and the length of the tail is an additional 30 cm. The main color of the coat is gray or yellowish-brown, the first phenotype being found mainly in the south of the range, and the second in the north. The coat is covered with small black spots. Melanism is often observed (completely black individuals).

Geoffroy's cat lives in the southern part of the continent, its range extends from Bolivia and southern Brazil to Patagonia. Found exclusively east of the Andes. The preferred habitat is forests and forest-steppe.

Geoffroy's cat prey includes hares and rodents. Since it often hunts fish in the water, it is also called the "fishing cat" in South America. In scientific terminology, this name, however, refers to a different species (see fishing cat). Geoffroy's cat is active at night and sleeps in trees during the day.

A cross between a Geoffroy cat and a domestic cat is called a safari cat. However, it is known that it is not so easy to get this cross. Geoffroy's cat, who lived in the zoo in the city of Happle, killed all male domestic cats that were in her cage. All attempts to get offspring from her and the domestic cat were fruitless.

Wool of this type has long been valued in the production of fur coats. However, due to the fact that Geoffroy's cat has become extremely rare in our time and is under serious threat of extinction, it was listed in the Washington Convention for the Protection of Nature and any trade associated with it or products made from it is today prohibited. In the year prior to the entry into force of this convention, more than 5,000 individuals entered the market, accounting for one tenth of its total population.

Nine-belted battleship

It settles in forests and shrubs from Northern Argentina north to Mexico and west to the Andes. Over the past hundred years, it has spread from Mexico to the southern United States, reaching Florida, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. Its body length is 40-50 cm, its tail is 25-40 cm and its body weight is about 6 kg.

It digs holes in the banks of streams and rivers, always near trees and bushes. Such a burrow is a straight passage, into which sometimes 2-3 manholes with a diameter of 15-20 cm and a length of up to 7 m lead. The nest chamber at the end of the burrow is lined with dry leaves and grass. This litter, especially after rains, is often changed by the animal, throwing out the old one, so that rotten leaves accumulate at the entrance. On hot days, the battleship leaves the burrow only in the evening; in cool weather searches for food during the day.

For the claws of armadillos, even asphalt is not an obstacle - sensing danger, they immediately dig up the upper hard layer of the road surface and quickly burrow under it.

Coming out of the hole, he sniffs, keeping his sharp muzzle close to the ground. Moving in zigzags, he goes about one kilometer per hour, stopping at every step to dig up a worm or insect, which he senses at a depth of 20 cm. not so easy to extract. In the burrow, the armadillo is wedged by its shell and paws, and its slippery conical tail is difficult to grasp.

The usual enemies of the battleship are the wolf, coyote, puma, as well as dogs, humans and cars; a lot of battleships die at night on the roads under the wheels of cars.

Armadillos can walk underwater. They have a very low oxygen demand and can hold their breath for 6 minutes, keeping air in the trachea and bronchi.

The body length of the ancestors of armadillos reached 3 meters. From their shell, the indigenous people of South America made roofs for huts. It turned out to be a kind of durable tile.

At the foot of the Andes, there are tropical rainforests. When climbing the mountain, deciduous and coniferous forests are replaced by shrubs and herbs. Here, at an altitude of 3500-5000 m above sea level, a llama grazes - a mammal from the camelid family.

Llamas have a lot in common with camels in appearance. The head is shallow, the ears are high, pointed, the coat of medium length is soft to the touch.

The animal was domesticated 4000 years ago by the Indians of the central Andes (nasal Peru). It is used to this day for the transport of goods in mountainous terrain, where no transport can get..

Only adult males are loaded. If the load is too heavy, the llama will not move. If you try to punish, he will spit at the driver.

Noses

Nosoha is a mammal of the raccoon family. It got its name from the movable proboscis formed by the upper lip and elongated nose.... Body length with a tail - 1-1.5 m, weight - 10-11 kg.

Noses are common throughout almost all of South America. They live in tropical forests and deserts. The animal is successfully tamed by people, it can be a pet.

Russian anthropologist Stanislav Drobyshevsky called nosukh "Ideal candidates for intelligence" due to the arboreal lifestyle, sociality and developed limbs.

Alpaca is an artiodactyl animal of the camel family, domesticated 6,000 years ago... Height - up to 1 m, weight - about 70 kg.

Most of the alpacas live in the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of 4000-5000 m above sea level.

The animal has a long fleece coat (15-20 cm in length at the sides). Blankets and warm clothes are made from it. The valuable material has the healing properties of sheep's wool, while being warmer than wool.

Alpaca is curious, but shy, afraid to touch the hands. He has a peaceful disposition and never spits at people - only at each other in the struggle for food.

Crocodile is a reptile, belongs to the order of aquatic vertebrates. This is a cold-blooded animal, the body temperature of which depends on the temperature of the external environment. Of the living representatives of the flora, the closest relatives of the crocodile are birds.

The length of the reptile is 2-8 m.

Crocodiles live mainly in fresh water. Most spend days in water, only in the early morning or evening they go out on land to "warm up"... Crocodiles love heat, live at temperatures of 32-35 ° C. Temperatures below 20 ° C are fatal to the animal.

Crocodiles move with their tail and are capable of speeds up to 17 km per hour.

Contrary to beliefs, not all crocodiles are dangerous to humans. Some species (for example, gharial) never attack humans.

The snake is a scaly reptile. In South America live bushmaster - deadly poisonous snake, oriental rhombic rattle, coral snake, flying snake, water snake etc.

All snakes are predators. They feed on vertebrates and invertebrates. Non-poisonous reptiles swallow their prey alive or suffocate and squeeze with their jaws, pressing them to the ground. Poisonous - kill the victim by letting poison into her body.

In search of prey, snakes use the sense of smell: they use a forked tongue to collect particles of soil, air, water and transfer them for analysis chemical composition into the oral cavity. This method allows you to detect prey and determine its location.

The turtle is a representative of the order of reptiles. It lives in tropical and temperate climatic zones, lives in water and on land. It has a hard shell that protects the reptile from enemies, a hard beak for biting off food. Turtles have no teeth, but they have hard incisors on their beaks. In carnivorous species, they are very sharp, therefore they serve as knives for cutting prey.

The size and weight of the turtle depends on the species. The largest representatives of the species are leatherback turtles. The length of their shell can reach 2.5 m, the span of the front flippers is 2.5 m, and the weight is up to 900 kg. The cape speckled turtle is the smallest. Her body length is 11 cm, weight is 240 g.

Lizards are reptiles from the order of reptiles. The species is distributed throughout the continent.

There are lizards with developed limbs and legless ones. Legless is very easy to confuse with snakes - only an experienced biologist can distinguish them.

Most lizards are carnivores: they feed on molluscs, frogs, birds and small mammals. Sometimes they attack large animals - wild pigs, deer.

Some types of lizards are herbivorous (iguana, skink). They eat the pulp of ripe fruits, leaves, flowers.

The main area of \u200b\u200bthe vast territory of the continent of South America extends in the equatorial - tropical latitudes, therefore it does not feel a lack of sunlight, although the climate of this part of the world is not at all as hot as African.

It is the wettest continent on the planet, and there are many natural reasons for this. The difference in pressure between warm land and the ocean environment, currents off the coast of the mainland; the Andes mountain range, stretching across a huge part of its territory, blocking the path of westerly winds and contributing to increased humidity and a significant amount of precipitation.

The climate of South America is extremely varied, because this continent stretches through six climatic zones: from subequatorial to temperate. Along with areas of fertile nature, there are areas known for mild winters and cool summers, but famous for frequent rains and winds.

In the center of the continent, precipitation is much less. And the highlands are distinguished by clean dry air, but a harsh climate, where the bulk of the heavenly moisture falls, even in the summer months, in the form of snow, and the weather is capricious, constantly changing throughout the day.

A person does not survive well in such places. Naturally, the vicissitudes of the weather affect other organisms that live there.

Not surprisingly, given natural features, the world of fauna is incredibly diverse and rich. List of animals of South America is very extensive and impresses with its individual striking features of organic life that has taken root in this territory. It includes many beautiful and rare species of creatures that amaze with their fantastic originality.

What are the animals in South America live? Most have perfectly adapted to living in harsh conditions, because some of them have to endure the discomfort of tropical showers and survive in the highlands, to live with the peculiarities of the shroud and subequatorial forests.

The fauna of this continent is amazing. Here are just some of its representatives, the variety of which can be seen on photos of animals of South America.

Sloths

Interesting mammals - forest dwellers are known to the whole world as very slow creatures. Peculiar animals are closely related to armadillos and anteaters, but outwardly they have little in common with them.

The number of types of sloths included in the number animals endemic to South America, about five in total. They are united into two families: two-toed and three-toed sloths, which are quite similar to each other. They are half a meter tall and weigh about 5 kg.

Remind external features the appearance of an awkward monkey, and their thick shaggy fur looks like a shock of hay. It is curious that the internal organs of these animals differ in structure from other mammals. They lack hearing and visual acuity, their teeth are underdeveloped, and their brains are rather primitive.

In the photo, the animal is a sloth

Armadillos

Animal world South America would be greatly impoverished without mammals. These are the most unusual animals of the incomplete teeth - the order, which also includes sloths.

The animals are dressed by nature in something similar to chain mail, as if clad in armor, girdled with hoops consisting of bone plates. They have teeth, but they are very small.

Their eyesight is not sufficiently developed, but their sense of smell and hearing are quite keen. When feeding, such animals capture food with a sticky tongue, and are able to dig into loose earth in the blink of an eye.

In the photo battleship

Ant-eater

Scroll south American animal names would not be complete without such an amazing creature as. This is an ancient outlandish mammal that existed back in the early Miocene.

These representatives of the fauna inhabit the territories of savannas and humid forests, and also live in swampy areas. They are divided by scientists into three genera, differing in weight and size.

Representatives of the genus of giants weigh up to 40 kg. They, as well as members of the genus of large anteaters, spend their life on the ground and cannot climb trees. Unlike congeners, dwarf anteaters skillfully move along trunks and branches with the help of clawed paws and a prehensile tail.

Anteaters have no teeth, and they spend their lives in search of termite mounds and anthills, devouring their inhabitants with the help of a sticky tongue, sticking their long nose into the habitat of insects. The anteater can eat several tens of thousands of termites per day.

In the photo, the animal is an anteater

Jaguar

Among south American forest animals, a dangerous one-jump killing predator is. It is in his dexterous, lightning-fast ability to kill his victims that the meaning of the name of this beast, translated from the language of the indigenous inhabitants of the continent, lies.

The predator is also found in shrouds and belongs to the genus of panthers, weighs just under 100 kg, has a spotted color, like a leopard, and has a long tail.

Such animals live in the north and central America, but are found in Argentina and Brazil. And in El Salvador and Uruguay, they were completely exterminated some time ago.

Pictured jaguar

Mirikin's monkey

American monkeys are endemic, and differ from their relatives living on other continents by a wide septum separating the nostrils of these animals, for which they are called wide-nosed by many zoologists.

This type of creature inhabiting mountain forests is mirikina, otherwise called durukuli. These creatures, having a height of about 30 cm, are notable for the fact that, unlike others, they lead an owl way of life: they hunt at night, seeing perfectly and orienting themselves in the dark, and sleep during the day.

They jump like acrobats eat small birds, insects, frogs, fruit and drink nectar. They know how to make a huge number of interesting sounds: bark like a dog, meow; roar like jaguars; chirp and chirp like birds, filling the darkness of the night with devilish concerts.

Monkey mirikina

Titi monkey

How many species of such monkeys exist in South America is not known exactly, since they took root in impenetrable forests, whose jungle cannot be fully investigated.

In appearance, titi resemble mirikin, but have long claws. During the hunt, they watch their prey on the branch of a tree, picking up their arms and legs together, dropping their long tail down. But at the right moment, in the blink of an eye, they deftly seize their victims, be it a bird flying in the air or a living creature running along the ground.

In the photo monkey titi

Saki

These monkeys live in forests interior regions continent. They spend their lives on the tops of trees, especially in the areas of the Amazon, flooded with water for a long time, since they cannot tolerate dampness.

They jump on branches very dexterously and far, and walk on the ground on their hind legs, helping themselves to maintain balance with the front ones. Zoo workers, observing these, noticed their habit of rubbing their own wool with pieces of lemon. And they drink, licking water from their hands.

White-faced saki

Uakari monkey

Close relatives of the saki, living in the Amazon and Orinoco basin, known for the shortest tail among the continent's monkeys. These peculiar creatures, classified as endangered species and rare animals of South America, have red faces and a bald forehead, and with their lost and sad expression on their faces they make them look like an old person, lost in life.

However, the appearance is deceiving, because the nature of these creatures is cheerful and cheerful. But when they are nervous, they kiss their lips noisily and shake with all their might the branch they are on.

Monkey uakari

Howler

South American Harpy bird

Titicacus whistler frog

Otherwise, this creature is called the scrotum due to the flabbiness of its skin, hanging in folds. She uses her bizarre skin for breathing, as her lungs are of small volume.

This is the most big frog worldwide, found in the Andes and Lake Titicaca. Individual specimens grow to half a meter and weigh about a kilogram. The coloration of the back of such creatures is dark brown or olive, often with light spots, the belly is lighter, creamy gray.

Titicacus whistler frog

American manatee

A large mammal inhabiting the shallow waters of the Atlantic coast. It can also live in fresh water. The average length is three or more meters, the weight in some cases reaches 600 kg.

These creatures are painted a rough gray, and their forelimbs resemble flippers. They feed on plant foods. They have poor eyesight, and communicate by touching their muzzles.

American manatee

Amazonian Inya Dolphin

The largest of the. His body weight can be estimated at 200 kg. These creatures are painted in dark tones, and sometimes have a reddish skin tone.

They have small eyes and a curved beak covered with tin bristles. In captivity, they live no more than three years and are difficult to train. They have poor eyesight, but a developed echolocation system.

River dolphin iniya

Piranha fish

This aquatic creature, famous for its lightning-fast attacks, received the title of the continent's most voracious fish. With a height of no more than 30 cm, she ruthlessly and impudently attacks animals and does not hesitate to feast on carrion.

The body is shaped like a rhombus compressed from the sides. Usually the color is silvery gray. There are also herbivorous species of these fish that feed on vegetation, seeds and nuts.

Pictured is a piranha fish

Giant arapaima fish

Scientists believe that the appearance of this ancient fish, a living fossil, has remained unchanged for millions of centuries. Some individuals, as the local residents of the continent assure, reach four meters in length, and the weight is calculated to be 200 kg. True, ordinary specimens are more modest in size, but they are valuable commercial ones.

Giant arapaima fish

Electric eel

The most dangerous large fish, weighing up to 40 kg, found in the shallow rivers of the continent and having enough human casualties to its account.

It is capable of emitting an electric charge of high power, but it feeds only on small fish. It has an elongated body and smooth, scaly skin. The color of the fish is orange or brown.

Electric eel fish

Agrias claudina butterfly

The most beautiful rainforest with a span, saturated with colors, bright wings of 8 cm. The shape and combination of shades depends on the subspecies of the described insects, of which there are about ten. Butterflies are not easy to see as they are rare. It is even more difficult to catch such beauty.

Agrias claudina butterfly

Nymphalis butterfly

With wide wings of medium size, bright and variegated colors. The lower part usually merges with the environment against the background of dry leaves. These insects actively pollinate flowering plants. Their caterpillars feed on grasses and leaves.

Nymphalis butterfly

As you might guess, in South America there are many creatures that are deadly to humans. In large part, this is due to the fact that the northeastern region of the continent is dominated by the large and impenetrable jungle of the Amazon. Honestly, if it weren't for the Amazon, it would be difficult to compile a list of deadly animals. The only threat would probably come from the fact that you could be trampled to death by a lama or carried away by condors. The Amazon is really the only real territory, stuffed with dangerous animals, indented by a mighty river and tropical forests.

Many of the animals on this list are unique to this part of the world, although a few have their equivalents elsewhere. Some have already entered the various In the Jaws of Animals lists, but most are specific to this corner of the globe.

10. Giant anaconda

Photo. Giant anaconda (lat.Eunectes murinus)

If there was a competition among the most dangerous animals in South America, from which the least people died, then the anacondas, or perhaps even the notorious one, would have shared the championship! In fact, there is little doubt that these animals are incredibly dangerous, but statistically speaking, they may not have actually killed anyone.

There is little doubt that anaconda can kill a person. Weighing in excess of 250 kg (500 lb), the muscular giant (green) anaconda is the heaviest snake in the world. It is also one of the longest snakes, with some exceeding 7 meters (20 feet) in length.

Anaconda ambushes its prey in the water. Like crocodiles, they will wait mostly underwater for their prey to come close enough to launch their lightning-fast attack. Unlike the powerful crocodile jaws of the anacondas, their main weapon is their body, which they use to wrap themselves around prey and literally squeeze life out of it. They are not venomous, but have sharp, backward-curved teeth designed for the initial capture of prey. With each exhalation of the victim, the anaconda tightens its deadly embrace.

IN wildlife Anacondas feed on almost any animal they can catch, including pigs, deer, and even caimans. They have been documented to eat deer as large as a small adult, further confirming their potential to kill humans.

One of the frequently cited reasons why they don't kill people is that they can't get their shoulders through their mouths. This is actually a myth, they have incredibly flexible mouth ligaments along with the strength thanks to which they are able to clench their shoulders if required.

To the best of our knowledge, according to one study (book The Life Story of the Green Anaconda (eunectes murinus) with a Focus on Reproductive Biology) there are only two reported carnivores reported, and both were carried out on people studying them in the field. It is highly likely that these numbers are so small, as there is very little overlap between human and snake habitats, but it is also likely that this could change with increasing environmental impacts on the anacondas' habitat.

9. Common piranha

Photo. Common piranha

Piranhas are among the most famous cannibals. Equipped with razor-sharp teeth and prone to food frenzy when the first drop of blood hits the water, these fish have an intimidating reputation for being able to gnaw a person to the bone in seconds.

However, the truth is not entirely consistent with rumors and legends. Yes, indeed, over the years there have been several deadly piranha attacks, but they are unlikely to be so terrible in the Amazon. And they are certainly capable of inflicting some unpleasant injuries, but how did they become so fearless?

The piranha's legendary status as a killer goes back a lot to the 1900s, when Theodore Roosevelt ( ex-president America) visited the Amazon. Local fishermen staged a show for Roosevelt of the piranha's ferocious behavior. They cut off the water in the river and starved the piranhas for several days. Then they dragged one cow into the water and the piranhas, in accordance with their reputation, quickly butchered it to the bone. Unaware that this episode was created specifically for Roosevelt, he later wrote about the killer fish, and the rest has already become history.

8. Black caiman

Photo. Black caiman (lat.Melanosuchus niger)

South America is home to several crocodile species, at least three of which can be considered dangerous to humans. These are the American crocodile, the Orinox crocodile and the black caiman. They can all grow up to 6 meters (20 feet) in length, making them dangerous predators South America, at least, they are comparable with.

Of the three species, the black caiman is the most common and common on the continent. The American crocodile is more common in Central America, while the Orinox crocodile is threatened with extinction. Thus, if you are lucky enough to see a huge crocodile in South America, it will probably be a black caiman.

There is no doubt that these caimans are capable of killing people. People saw how larger individuals hunted almost everything that lived in their environment. These included other caimans, deer, tapirs, anacondas, giant otters, and various farm animals. There are several reports of caimans attacking jaguars, although the opposite is often the case.

With this in mind, it is not surprising that there are several fatal attacks on humans every year in the Amazon region.

7. Terrible leaf climber

Photo. Terrible leaf climber (Latin Phyllobates terribilis)

The bright yellow color of the dire leaf climber does little to camouflage the Colombian jungle. Quite the opposite, in reality, this little frog informs everyone of the fact that it is the most poisonous vertebrate on Earth.

The frog is toxic, but not, it does not have any mechanism, like fangs or a sting, to inject its poison into the victim. Instead, the hideous leaf crawler's skin contains a powerful alkaloid toxin known as batrachotoxin. This poison in the victim blocks nerve impulses, leading to paralysis and possible heart failure. It is estimated that the venom of one frog is enough to kill 10 to 100 people or 20,000 mice. As you know, only one animal is immune to this toxin - the frog itself!

Interestingly enough, dart frogs, which are bred in captivity, are not toxic. This indicates that they get their deadly venom from the ants and beetles they eat.

Video. Terrible leaf climber, dart frog

6. Giant otter

Photo. Giant otter (lat.Pteronura brasiliensis)

The giant (Brazilian) otter is the most big dick family of weasels. This family predatory mammals with a formidable reputation. They are capable of killing animals much more than their own weight. In this family there are species such as, and ermine, these animals are well known for often attacking prey much more than they themselves.

The giant otter grows up to 1.7 meters (5.6 feet) in length and weighs up to 32 kg (70 lbs), is overgrown with hard muscles, powerful jaws and sharp teeth. Moreover, they hunt in family groups up to ten individuals, because of this their locals are often called "river wolves". Fast, aggressive and intelligent, the giant otter has several natural predators.

Most of the otter's diet consists of fish, although they can sometimes hunt small caiman and even anaconda. In groups, otters are capable of killing almost everything that is found in rivers and jungles, they can challenge everyone, including large caimans.

Thus, it can be said almost without a doubt that giant otters can deal with even a person who encroaches on their habitat. But were there such cases?

There are two known serious cases. The first case occurred at the Brazilian zoo on August 27, 1977, when a 13-year-old boy fell into an enclosure with otters. A passing army sergeant, Silvio Delmar Hollenbach, jumped down to save the child, but could not get out himself. Despite the fact that the boy ran away, the sergeant was attacked by 6 otters, as a result he received over a hundred bites. Two days later, he died in the hospital from sepsis, he got an infection from the bites.

This is not the only time that captive giant otters have caused serious harm to humans. In 2012, a giant otter escaped from a hull at the Hamburg Zoo and attacked a cleaning lady. The bites on her arms and legs were so severe that she was hospitalized and put into an induced coma. If not for the intervention of two zoo staff, the outcome would have been much worse.

5. Brazilian wandering spider

Photo. Brazilian wandering spider (Latin Phoneutria sp.)

The scientific name of the Brazilian wandering spider is Phoneutria, which refers to the killer. This is a hint that this notorious arachnid is often rated as. In the Guinness Book of Records, he is recorded as the most poisonous spider on Earth, the bite of a wandering spider is more like a snake bite. The powerful neurotoxin is about 20 times more potent than that of the black widow spider and can lead to loss of muscle control, which in turn leads to breathing difficulties, and in some cases, respiratory paralysis is fatal.

Besides the potentially lethal neurotoxic effects of the bite, it is also considered to be very painful. But that's not all. One unfortunate side effect of a Brazilian wandering spider bite is painful erections that can last for hours.

Don't ignore the risk of being bitten by one of these spiders, and over the years many people have died from the bite of this spider. But what makes them especially dangerous is the fact that they often come into contact with people and are quite aggressive. As the name of this spider suggests, they love to wander, climb into all inaccessible places, like bottom shoes, lying dirty laundry, stacked logs of trees, cars and bunches of bananas, which is why they are sometimes called "banana spiders". There have been cases when these spiders were found in packages with bananas.

4. Jaguar

Photo. Jaguar (lat.Panthera onca)

The jaguar is the dominant predator of the South American jungle and forests, and it stands firmly at the top of the food chain. This is the third largest of all big cats, ahead of the jaguar only tigers and lions. The jaguar weighs up to 150 kg (300 lb) and reaches over 1.85 meters (6 ft) in length from nose to base of tail. The jaguar is quite stocky and compact compared to other big cats, which in practical terms means that it is strong for its size.

This strength can be estimated by the strength of the animal's bite, it has the strongest bite of any large cat, which he often uses in his hunting strategy. While other members of the feline family go for throat trapping and subsequent strangulation, the method of killing a jaguar is to use powerful jaws to bite through the skull of their prey and enter the brain. Its powerful bite also allows it to penetrate armored prey such as armadillos and turtles, and it quickly takes on the thick skin of caimans.

Apparently, nothing escapes the jaguar's menu, not even the black bears that hunted one person in the United States. This suggests that the jaguar seems to have some reluctance to attack humans. Per last years there have been several jaguar attacks that have ended in death, but fewer than one death occurs in a year.

Apparently, we have no problems with jaguars, they don't really want to hunt us. They currently prefer to stay away from human contact.

3. Spearhead snakes

Photo. Spearhead snake

These snakes in South America are responsible for the most deaths from snakebites. In addition to their speed and “excitable nature,” they are also common in densely populated areas, making this group of pit vipers especially dangerous.

Perhaps the most famous of the spear-headed snakes are: the kaisaka (Latin Bothrops atrox), the pit-headed snake (Latin Bothrops Asper) and the common heatworm (Latin Bothrops jararaca). These are large snakes that reach about 2 meters (6.5 feet) in length and are equipped with the same haemotoxic venom.

Many have neurotoxic venom that blocks nerve signals and causes paralysis. On the other hand, the hemotoxic poison destroys organ tissues and blood cells. As you can imagine, this is much more painful and can lead to serious damage to the body. In fact, many victims require limb amputation even after effective treatment.

The chances of dying from a spearhead snake bite are about 1%, if treatment is not provided in a timely manner, then the chances can increase up to 10%. Considering that about a thousand bites are committed by these snakes every year, an approximate number of deaths can be imagined. The bite itself causes local swelling, vomiting and pain, often accompanied by swelling at the site of the bite and bruising. Systemic symptoms usually include internal bleeding, bleeding from the gums, eyes, etc. In turn, this can lead to shock and subsequent death, and death can also occur due to kidney failure.

2. Sharks

Photo. Blunt shark (lat.Carcharhinus leucas)

When asked where the most notorious shark-infested waters on the planet are, people often think of Australia, South Africa or even Florida. You can also think of the great white shark as the main culprit in attacks on humans. But it's not right. Brazil has one of the highest rates of shark attacks in the world and the highest number of fatal attacks.

Overall, the frequency of shark attacks on Brazilian beaches is not unusual. However, if you are traveling in the northeastern part of the city of Recife, then things can turn for the worse. Here, over the past 20 years, the coast has been cut by deadly shark attacks. There have been over 60 attacks and 22 of them were fatal. If we calculate it, it turns out that the probability of a fatal outcome as a result of an attack is about 37%, on average throughout the world this indicator tends to 16% (twice as low). On such days, surfing on the beaches of Recife is prohibited and no one swims outside the city beaches.

There is no conclusive evidence to blame a particular shark species for every attack, but more often two species are blamed for this. Firstly, they live close to the coast and in river estuaries, as well as tiger sharks, which can be seen in deeper waters.

Until 1992, there were no shark attacks in this region of Brazil, as well as throughout the country. So what has changed?

Many people blame the development of a port in the south of Recife, which has led to large-scale changes in the local marine life. Local estuaries have disappeared and in recent years the level of cargo shipment has increased. Local damage environmentis seen as one of the main causes of bull shark attacks, while the debris thrown overboard attracted tiger sharks to follow the ships.

The bad news is that there are plans to build a port in the north of Recife, so this could be much worse than it was before.

1. Kissing bug

Photo. Kissing bug (lat.Rhodnius prolixus)

So we got to the most dangerous animal in South America that does not terrorize the Amazon basin. This is an insect with a rather attractive name, the kissing bug, which was given due to the fact that it loves to stick around the lips, eyelids. In fact, this insect has several other names that make it a little less attractive: the predator bug and the vampire bug, two of which should give some idea of \u200b\u200bwhat they do.

Chagas disease is caused by the simplest animal responsible for African sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis), Trypanosoma cruzi. Infection has two stages: the acute stage, which begins immediately, and the chronic stage, which can persist throughout life and cause serious health problems for decades.

Most infected people show no symptoms and may be completely intact. However, about 30% will have medical problems later in life, with a high percentage of them progressing to potentially fatal heart and neurological diseases.

There is no cure for Chagas disease, although early treatment can stop its progress.

Instructions

South American rainforests are located in the Amazon lowland. The fauna of this vast region is very diverse. Some, and its most diverse representatives, are interesting because they have perfectly adapted to life in trees.

The broad-nosed American primates, for example, are arboreal. Some of the most interesting are cybids and marmoset monkeys. Main feature cybids or chain-tailed monkeys is a long and strong tail, which plays the role of the fifth limb in these primates. The tail of the cybida clings to branches when moving in the crowns of trees. Tiny marmosets or clawed ones have claws on their toes, thick hair, and tufts on the tips of their ears. The body length of the marmoset monkey is 13-37 cm. At the same time, the length of the tail, which they use when moving as a counterweight, is from 15 to 42 cm. They live in the upper tier of rain forests. They rarely go down to the ground. Omnivorous.

Sloth is an animal that lives only in South America, another representative of the fauna that prefers life in the crowns of trees. Sedentary, spends most of the time in a hanging position. He descends to the ground extremely rarely. It feeds on leaves and tree shoots.

Tamandua, or four-fingered, is a mostly nocturnal animal. Spends most of the time in trees, has long claws and a prehensile tail. They move slowly on the ground. In contrast, the large anteater, also found in the Amazonian forests, lives only on earth.

Some representatives of raccoons and rodents - nosoha, kinkajou or flower bear, koendu or arboreal chain-tailed porcupine - and also certain types marsupial rats or possums. The largest representative of the rodent family, the copybara capybara, whose body length reaches 120 cm, also lives in the forests of the Amazon.

And the forests are inhabited by a large number of amphibians and reptiles - the water boa anaconda, a tree dog-headed boa constrictor, many poisonous snakes and lizards, reptiles live in the rivers. The Orinoco crocodile is the largest South American animal. The body length of individual individuals reaches 5 m. But perhaps the most famous river inhabitant is the bloodthirsty predator piranha. Interesting representatives of amphibians are tree frogs.

The forests are inhabited by many birds - gocyans, harpies, black-billed herons, sun herons, a large number of parrots, among which the largest species is the macaw. The hummingbird is a typical representative of the birds. One of the species of these birds - hummingbirds - are the smallest birds in the world. In addition, the South American rainforests are home to a huge number of insects - ants, beetles, butterflies.

The South American savannah and subtropical steppes do not have such large herbivores as in Africa. Here you can see small Pampas deer, several species of llamas, armadillos, anteaters, and wild peccary pigs. Nutria and marsh beavers live on the shores of water bodies. In addition to the same predators as in the rain forests, here you can find cougars, cats and pampa foxes, Magellanic foxes, and maned wolves.

In the remote mountainous regions of the continent, there are 2 species of llamas - vicuña and guanaco - spectacled bear, some species of marsupials. Of the birds in the Andes, the condor is ubiquitous - the largest bird of prey in the world.

The fauna of the Galapagos Islands is peculiar. There are many large reptiles here - land turtles, iguanas. Among the birds, there are representatives of both tropical and Antarctic fauna - parrots, cormorants, penguins. Mammals are not numerous - seals, some species of rodents, bats.