The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world, found in 9 countries in South America. In the Amazon rainforest it is possible to find abundant flora and fauna, so it is considered a natural sanctuary of countless very special species. It is estimated that more than 1,500 species of animals live in the Amazon, many of which are endangered.
Each animal attracts attention for specific reasons, whether for its beauty, behavior or rarity. Some Amazonian species are recognized and feared for their power and danger. It should be noted that no animal is cruel by nature, as is still understood in some situations. They simply have a hunting and defense mechanism that can make them potentially lethal to humans and others who threaten their well-being or invade their territory. In this article by Animal Expert, we will summarize some curiosities about the 11 dangerous animals of the Amazon.
- This species of spider belongs to the family Ctenidae and is considered by many experts to be one of the most dangerous and deadly spiders in the world.
- While it is true that this paired species Phoneutria phera.
- Which also inhabits the jungles of South America.
- Has a more toxic venom.
- It is also true that banana spiders carry the highest number of bites in humans.
- This is due not only to the more aggressive nature but also to synantropic habits.
- They usually live on banana plantations and can be found in ports and in the city.
- So they maintain frequent contact with humans.
- Especially agricultural workers.
It is a large, imposing-looking spider whose adult specimens usually occupy the entire surface of an adult’s palm. They have two large front eyes and two small eyes located on either side of their thick, hairy legs. Large, powerful tusks attract attention and allow the poison to be easily inoculate to defend or immobilize fangs.
In South America, there are more than 100 species of scorpion belonging to the genus Tityus. Although only 6 of these species are toxic, their bites kill about 30 human lives each year in northern Brazil alone, so they are also on the list of dangerous and toxic animals in the Amazon. These frequent attacks are justified by the large adaptation of scorpions in urban areas, in contact with people almost daily.
Tityus toxic scorpions have a potent poison in the bulbous gland, which can be inocular with a curved sting in the tail. Once injected into the other person’s body, the neurotoxic substances of the venom cause paralysis almost instantly and can cause a heart or respiratory attack. It is a defense mechanism but also a powerful hunting tool.
The famous green anaconda is a constrictor snake endemic to the Amazonian rivers, which forms the family of boas. It is a species of snake known as one of the heaviest, since a specimen of this type of snake can weigh up to 220 kg, there are controversies as to whether or not it is the largest of them. In fact, the crosslinked python (Python reticulatus) is usually a few centimeters higher than the green anaconda, although the body weight is much lower.
Despite the bad reputation gained in most films that took its name, green anacondas do not attack humans, as people are not part of the food chain. In other words, green anacondas do not attack humans to feed. Rare anaconda attacks on humans are defensive when the animal feels threatened in one way or another. In fact, snakes generally have a more peaceful than aggressive personality. If they can escape or hide to save energy and avoid confrontation, they certainly will.
Meet the most venomous snakes in Brazil in this peritoAnimal article
Another on the list of dangerous animals in the Amazon is the crocodile-a-u. It is a species of the genus Melanosuchus that has survived. The body can measure up to 6 meters wide and has a mostly uniform black color, being one of the largest crocodiles in the world. In addition to being an excellent swimmer, the crocodile-a-u is also a fierce and very intelligent hunter, with very powerful jaws. The diet includes everything from small mammals, birds and fish to large animals such as deer, monkeys, capybars and wild boars.
Electric eels have many names in popular culture. Many people mistake them for water snakes, but eels are a species of fish that belongs to the gymnotidae family. In fact, it is a unique species in its genus, with more particular characteristics.
Undoubtedly, the most recognized feature and also the most feared of these eels is the ability to transmit electrical currents from inside the body to the outside. This is possible because the body of these eels has a very special set of cells that allow you to emit powerful electric shocks up to 600 W (a voltage higher than any power outlet you have in your home) and is therefore considered one of the animals. Amazon. Eels use this special ability to defend themselves, hunt prey, and also to communicate with other eels.
Among the most venomous snakes in the Amazon is the northern jararaca, a species that has carried out a large number of deadly attacks against humans. This alarming amount of bites in people can be explained not only by the reactive personality of this snake, but also by its great adaptation to inhabited areas. Although they live naturally in the forest, these snakes have become accustomed to finding a lot of food in cities and the population, as human waste often attracts rats, geckos, birds, etc.
These are large snakes that can easily reach 2 meters wide. Copies are found in brown, greenish or grey tones, with stripes or spots. These snakes are distinguished by their effectiveness and their enormous hunting strategy. Thanks to an organ known as light pits, which lie between the snout and eyes, they are able to easily detect the body heat of warm-blooded animals. In identifying the presence of prey, this snake camouflages itself among the leaves, branches and other elements of the road and waits patiently until it recognizes the exact moment of a deadly attack. And they rarely make mistakes.
The term piranha is commonly used to refer to several species of carnivorous fish that inhabit the amazon rivers. Piranhas, also known as “caribes” in Venezuela, belong to the vast subfamily Serrasalminae, which also includes some species of herbivores. They are voracious predators characterized by their sharp teeth and great carnivorous appetite, being among the dangerous animals of the Amazon. However, they are medium-sized fish that are usually between 15 and 25 centimeters long, although specimens larger than 35 centimeters have been recorded. They are animals capable of devouring whole birds and mammals in minutes, as they usually attack collectively, but piranhas do not attack humans or are as ferocious as the films show.
When they talk about dendrobatidae, they refer to a family and not just to one species. The superfamily dendrobatidae that is related to the family Aromobatidae and includes more than 180 species of frogs known as arrowhead frogs or poisonous frogs. These animals are considered endemic in South America and parts of Central America, inhabiting mainly in the Amazon rainforest. On their skin they carry a powerful poison called batracotoxin, which was once used by the Indians at the tip of the arrows to cause the rapid death of the animals they hunted to feed and also of the enemies that invaded their territory.
The species of dendrobatidae considered the most toxic of the Amazon is Phyllobates terribilis. These yellow amphibians have small discs on their paws, allowing them to cling to the plants and branches of the wet Amazon rainforest. It is estimated that a small dose of their venom can kill up to 1,500 people, so these arrowhead frogs are among the most toxic animals in the world.
The ant corrector is one of the dangerous animals of the Amazon, it may seem small in sight but these species of ants are relentless hunters, which have powerful and very sharp jaws. They are commonly called soldier ants or warrior ants because of the way they attack. Marathon legionnaires usually never attack alone, but call a large group to fire prey larger than their own. Currently, this nomenclature informally refers to more than 200 species belonging to different genes in the Family Formicidae. The soldier ants of the subfamily Ecitoninae predominate in the Amazon rainforest.
Through the bite, these ants inject small doses of toxic poison that weakens and dissolves the tissues of their prey. Soon, they use the powerful jaws to dismember the slaughtered animal, allowing them to feed like their larvae. For this reason, they are known as the smallest and most voracious predators of the Amazon.
Unlike most ants, soldier ants do not nest if they do not carry their larvae and set up temporary camps where they find good food availability and safe haven.
Freshwater stingrays are part of the neotropical fish genus called Potamotrygon, which has 21 known species. They live throughout the South American continent (with the exception of Chile), the greatest diversity of species found in Amazonian rivers. These stripes are voracious predators that, with their mouths stuck in the mud, cut worms, snails, small fish, patella and other river animals to feed.
In general, these rays lead a quiet life in the Amazon rivers. However, when they feel threatened, they can activate a dangerous self-defense technique. Many tiny spines stick out of your muscle tail, which are usually hidden by an epithelial sheath and are covered by a powerful poison. When the animal feels threatened or senses a strange stimulus in its territory, the thorns covered in poison protrude, the stingray wiggles its tail and uses it as a whip to scare away potential predators. This powerful poison destroys the skin and muscle tissue, causing severe pain, breathing difficulties, muscle contractions and irreversible damage to vital organs such as the brain, lungs and heart. Therefore, freshwater rays are among the dangerous animals of the Amazon and are also more toxic.
Another animal on the list of dangerous animals in the Amazon is the jaguar, also known as the jaguar, is the largest feline that inhabits the Americas and the third largest in the world (behind only the Bengal tiger and the lion). In addition, it is the only one of the four known species of the genus Panthera that can be found in America. Although it is considered a very representative animal of the Amazon, its total population extends from the southern tip of the United States to northern Argentina, including much of Central and South America.
As you can imagine, it is a large carnivorous feline that stands out as an accomplished hunter. The diet ranges from small and medium-sized mammals to large reptiles. Unfortunately, it is one of the most endangered animals. In fact, the population has been virtually eliminated from the U.S. territory and is reduced throughout South America. In recent years, the creation of national parks in the jungle regions has collaborated in the preservation of this species and in the control of sports hunting. Although it represents one of the most dangerous animals in the Amazon, it is one of the most beautiful creatures and, as mentioned above, threatened by human activity.
Learn more about forest animals in this Animal Expert article
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