Animals Of the Amazon Rainforest Amanda McNeely
Standards  CCSS. SCIENCE-LS. 2. Living things cause changes on earth. Living things function and interact with their physical environments. Living things cause changes in the environments where they live; the changes can be very noticeable or slightly noticeable, fast or slow.
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Facts about the Amazon Rainforest It is home to more than…. 40,000 different kinds of plants 1,300 different bird species 430 different species of mammals 3,000 types of fish 2.5 million kinds of insects 370 different species of reptiles 470 varieties of amphibians
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A is for‌. Amazon Pink River Dolphin
Amazon pink river dolphins are mostly pink but they can also be gray and brown. Their brain capacity is 40% larger than humans. They eat crabs, catfish, small turtles, and small fish. The Amazon pink river dolphin is endangered because of the rising pollution in the Amazon River. 3
B is for‌. Black Caiman
Black caimans are the largest predator in the Amazon River. Their predators are humans and jaguars. The black caiman can weigh up to 3,000 pounds and live up to 80 years old. 4
C is for‌. Capybara
The capybara is the largest rodent in the world. Their predators are jaguars, anacondas, caimans, and humans. It is easy for capybaras to swim and dive because of their webbed feet; they are able to stay underwater for up to five minutes. 5
D is for‌. Discus Fish
Discus fish have red eyes and small mouths. They live in the calm and deep parts of the Amazon River. Discus fish eat small fish, worms, and insects. Their predators are birds, bats, larger fish, and turtles. 6
E is for‌. Electric Eel
Electric eels can produce a surge of at least 600 volts; this is five times the power of an electric wall socket. Electric eels use their electric shock to stun their prey. They eat fish, birds, amphibians, and small mammals. Electric eels need to come to the surface of the water because they breathe air. 7
F is for‌. Fishing Bat
The fishing bat has long, sharp claws to catch fish and strong legs to carry and hold them. They hunt at night and snatch fish from the water by looking for ripples. A fishing bat can eat up to thirty fish a night. 8
G is for‌. Giant River Otter
Giant river otters have webbed feet and water-repellant fur to keep them warm and dry as they swim. Their ears and nostrils close while they are underwater. Giant river otters eat fish, crustaceans, and snakes. The giant river otter is the rarest otter in the world because they are endangered. 9
H is for‌. Harpy Eagle
The talons of harpy eagles are as large as bear claws. Their legs are as thick as a man’s wrist. Harpy eagles eat monkeys, sloths, deer, foxes, macaws, snakes, iguanas, and many more medium-sized animals. 10
I is for‌. Iguana
Iguanas have razor-sharp teeth and sharp tails. If a predator grabs onto their tails, they can detach from their tails and grow another one. They are agile and love to climb trees. Iguanas can jump down forty feet to the ground and survive. They eat flowers, leaves, and fruit. 11
J is for‌. Jaguar
Jaguars are great swimmers and they do not avoid water like most cats. They eat turtles, caiman, fish, capybaras, and deer. Jaguars are the largest South American cat; they can weigh up to 250 pounds. 12
K is for‌. Kinkajou
Kinkajous have a strong tail that they use as an extra arm for gripping; they also use their tail as a blanket when they sleep in the treetops. A kinkajou can turn its feet backwards to run in any direction. They have long tongues that they use to slurp honey from hives and insects from nests. Kinkajous also eat small mammals and fruit. 13
L is for‌. Leaf-cutter Ant
Leaf-cutter ants live in underground nests that are connected by a series of tunnels. They eat mostly fungus and have fungus gardens in their underground nests. Leaf-cutter ants carry leaves and cut them into small pieces to create mulch. They use the mulch for their fungus gardens. 14
M is for‌. Macaw
Macaws have a long tongue that they use as a tool for eating fruits. They use their toes to grip tree branches; they hold and examine items with their toes. Macaws eat nuts, snails, fruit, insects, and damp soil. There are seventeen species of macaws. 15
N is for‌. Night Monkey
Night monkeys are nocturnal animals; they sleep during the day and are awake at night. Because they are nocturnal, they are able to avoid the birds that would hunt them during the day. They are small and can run rapidly along tree branches. Night monkeys eat fruits, leaves, bark, insects, and flowers. 16
O is for‌. Ocelot
Ocelots have keen hearing and sight to catch prey; they eat rodents, rabbits, iguanas, frogs, fish, birds, and monkeys. Ocelots cannot chew very well so they rip apart their prey and swallow it whole. They can swim very well and they love water. Ocelots live in the Amazon Rainforest, but they can be found in The United States as well. 17
P is for‌. Poison Dart Frog
Poison dart frogs can be blue, red, yellow, gold, copper, green, or black. Their colors ward off predators. The gold poison dart frog has enough venom to kill ten men. They eat beetles, termites, and ants. Poison dart frogs can live up to be 15 years old. 18
Q is for‌. Quetzal
Male quetzals grow twin tail feathers that are three feet long. They have strong beaks that they use to hollow out rotten trees or stumps to make holes for nests. Quetzals eat fruit, lizards, insects, and small animals. 19
R is for‌. Red-bellied Piranha
Red-bellied piranhas have sharp, triangular teeth that they use to attack prey. They eat fish, insects, fruits, seeds, algae, plants, and small animals. Red-bellied piranhas hunt alone unless they are starving; if they are starving they will hunt in groups and attack larger animals. 20
S is for‌. Spider Monkey
Spider monkeys eat nuts, fruits, leaves, spiders, and bird eggs. They have long arms and tails that can help them grip tree branches. These monkeys move along the trees with ease despite having no thumbs. Spider monkeys can live to be up to 22 years old. 21
T is for‌. Toucan
The toucan’s large bill is used as a weapon to protect them from predators. The colorful bill is also used for camouflage in the rainforest. Toucans eat fruit, insects, eggs, small birds, and lizards. 22
U is for‌. Uakari
Uakaris have short tails, unlike most species of monkeys. They have powerful jaws that they use to crack Brazil nuts. Uakaris eat fruit, leaves, insects, and nuts. They only live in the Amazon Rainforest. 23
V is for‌. Vampire Bat
Vampire bats are the only mammals that feed completely on blood. Vampire bats drink the blood of mostly cows and horses; however, they sometimes feed on humans. They bite their prey and drink the flowing blood by licking it up with their tongue. 24
W is for‌. Woolly Monkey
Common woolly monkeys stay mostly in the tops of trees; they use their long tails to move from tree to tree. When they are on the ground, they walk on their two hind legs and use their tail for balance. Common woolly monkeys eat fruit, seeds, leaves, and flowers. 25
X is for‌. Plain Xenops
The plain xenops uses its upturned beak to chisel and pry into dead branches. They eat termites, ants, spiders, insect eggs, larvae, and millipedes. The plain xenops is a tiny and active bird. 26
Y is for‌. Yapok (Water Opossum)
Yapoks have webbed hind feet that make them exceptional swimmers. They are nocturnal and they build their homes under the ground of river banks. Yapoks eat fish, insects, and crustaceans. 27
Z is for‌. Small-eared Zorro
Small-eared zorros are members of the same family as dogs and foxes. They eat mostly fish; however, they do eat small mammals, reptiles, insects, birds, frogs, and fruit. Small-eared zorros make their homes in hollow logs or dens of other animals. 28