The Amazon is home to many thousands of fish species that are found nowhere else in the world. The most big fish The Amazon, which was called the Arapaima by the locals, is a real giant, and some scientists attribute this species to the largest of those that live in freshwater rivers.

The freshwater arapaima is the largest fish in the Amazon, as it can reach approximately 2.5-3 m in length and weigh over 200 kg. Despite the fact that even 100 years ago, large fish of this species were not a rare prey for relevant fishermen, at present, even individuals of 50 kg are rarely found. The popularity of catching arapaima is due to the fact that this meat of this fish is distinguished by excellent palatability. The gradual decline of the arapaima population in the waters of the Amazon has drawn the attention of scientists to this species. Most often, large specimens of arapaima are found in the Brazilian and Peruvian parts of the Amazon, but scientists believe that adult fish can move along the riverbed, migrating for seasonal spawning in more clear waters. Arapaims are found throughout the Amazon, but not so often.

In fact, arapaima is a truly amazing creature, because despite its large size, it can survive in fresh water, where oxygen saturation levels are not too high. The point is that this amazing fish able to breathe not only with gills. She has primitive lung, which allows you to compensate for the lack of oxygen necessary to nourish the tissues of such a large body. Arapaima, living in different parts of the Amazon, emerge to breathe air every 20-30 minutes. Large specimens of arapaima prefer quiet backwaters, total area which does not exceed 140 m, which are many along the entire length of the river. It is the fact that this large fish lives in shallow pools that do not differ in significant size, which makes it extremely vulnerable to fishermen.

Arapaima feeds mainly on bottom fish and crustaceans, but may also include some fruits in the diet, which fall into the river in excess during a flood. This fish has excellent hearing and sense of smell, so it can smell ripe fruits in the water even from a great distance. Adult arapaima are very caring parents. During the breeding season, which falls in November for these fish, they move closer to the sandy shores, where they dig a small depression where the female throws the game. After that, the male is constantly on duty near the hole with eggs, and the female drives away fish that try to approach. Thus, fish provide reliable protection for future generations. After hatching, the juvenile stays near the head of the adult and even rises to breathe with the parent. Only after 3-4 months, the connection weakens, and the juveniles begin an independent life.

The abundance of food in the Amazon River leads to the fact that arapaima grow rapidly and gain weight. The number of arapaima in the waters of the Amazon is gradually declining, since if earlier only large individuals were exterminated by harpoons, now the use of modern nets has made it possible to catch juveniles.

The Amazon Rainforest is a vast ecosystem that provides a habitat for creatures as strange and wonderful as the jaguar, poison frog and a Jesus lizard. But the Amazon is not only home to those animals that simply roam, swing and slide in the trees. In the depths of the Amazon River, the largest river in the world, live creatures so amazing and so terrifying that sometimes they seem even scarier than creepy sea creatures.

Black Cayman

The black caiman looks like an alligator on steroids. They can grow up to six meters long, with larger, heavier skulls than Nile crocodiles, and are the apex predator in Amazonian waters. This means that they are the kings of the river who eat almost everything, including piranha, monkeys, deer and anaconda. And yes, they often attack people. In 2010, a biologist named Days Nishimura was attacked by a caiman while cleaning fish on her houseboat. while she managed to fight him off, he took one of her legs with him. This particular caiman lived under her houseboat for eight months, apparently waiting for a chance to attack.


Green Anaconda
Continuing the theme of giant reptiles, the largest snake in the world lives in the Amazon: the anaconda. While pythons are actually longer, the green anaconda is much heavier; females are larger than males and can reach 250 kilograms, grow up to nine meters in length and reach 30 centimeters in diameter. They are not venomous, but instead use their muscles to constrict and suffocate their prey, which includes capybara, deer, caiman, and even jaguars. Preferring shallower waters that allow them to sneak up on prey, anacondas tend to live in branches of the Amazon rather than the river itself.


Arapaima
Arapaima are giant carnivorous fish that live in the Amazon and surrounding lakes. Encased in an armored casing, they don't bother living in piranha-infested waters, as they are quite efficient predators themselves, feeding on fish and the occasional bird. Arapaima tend to stay close to the surface because they have to breathe air in addition to the oxygen they get through their gills. They make a distinctive coughing sound when they emerge to gasp for air. They can reach 2.7 meters in length and weigh up to 90 kilograms. These fish are so dangerous that even their tongue has teeth.

giant otter
Giant otters are the longest members of the weasel family, with adult males reaching up to two meters from head to tail. Their diet primarily consists of fish and crabs, which they hunt in family groups of three to eight members, and they can eat up to four kilograms of seafood a day. Their good looks are deceiving as they are more than worthy of the other animals on this list and are capable of hunting even the anaconda. Under certain conditions, they can easily keep protection from the caiman. One family of otters was seen devouring a 1.5 meter long caiman in about 45 minutes. While their numbers are declining mainly due to human interference, they are among the most dangerous predators in the Amazon rainforest, earning the local name “river wolves.”

bull shark
Typically ocean-dwelling marine animals, bull sharks are at home in fresh water as well. They were found deep in the Amazon, in Peru, which is almost 4,000 kilometers from the sea. They have special kidneys that can sense changes in the salinity of the surrounding water and adjust accordingly. And you don't want to meet one of them in the river. They tend to reach 3.3 meters in length and weigh up to 312 kilograms. Like all other sharks, they have several rows of sharp, triangular teeth and very strong jaws with a bite force of 589 kilograms. They are also quite partial to humans, being one of the most commonly attacked humans (along with tiger sharks and great whites). Combined with the habit of living near densely populated areas, this has led many experts to label bull sharks with the most dangerous sharks in the world.

electric eel
Electric eels are actually more closely related to catfish than simple eels. They can grow up to 2.5 meters long and can generate charges of electricity from specialized cells called electrocytes. These impacts can reach up to 600 volts, which is enough to knock a horse down. While shock alone is not enough to kill a healthy adult, shocks from an electric eel can cause respiratory failure or heart failure and a person can drown. Many of the disappearances reported in the region have been attributed to eels, which shocked their victims and left them drowning in the river. Luckily for us, eels tend to feed on fish, birds, and small mammals. They locate their prey by sending out small, 10-volt blasts before killing them with large blasts.

piranhas
The most dangerous predator of the Amazon River, about which even horror films are made. The red-bellied piranha is primarily a scavenger. But that doesn't mean they won't attack healthy creatures, given that they can grow to over 30 centimeters and swim in large groups. Piranhas have incredibly sharp teeth, one row in each of their strong upper and lower jaws. These teeth are attached to huge force, which makes them ideal for tearing and tearing the flesh of their prey. Their fearsome reputation mainly comes from tales of their frenzied attacks, where groups of piranhas attack their unfortunate prey and tear it to shreds within minutes. These attacks are rare and are usually the result of starvation or provocation.

Payara, the vampire fish
Any creature named "vampire fish" should automatically be recognized as scary, and the payara is no exception. They are absolutely ferocious predators, capable of devouring fish up to half their own body size. Given that they can grow up to 1.2 meters long, this is no mean feat. A significant portion of their diet is made up of piranha, which should give you some idea of ​​just how dangerous these villains can be. They get their name from the two fangs that sprout from their lower jaw, which are up to 15 centimeters long. Payar fangs are used to literally pierce their prey after a lightning lunge. Their fangs are so large that vampire fish have special holes in their upper jaw to avoid impaling themselves.

Pacu
Another inhabitant of the Amazon, which can be much more dangerous for men than for women. Pacu is a much larger relative of the piranha, known for its distinctive sharp teeth. Unlike most of the creatures on this list, the pacu is actually an omnivore and most of its diet consists of fruits and nuts. Unfortunately for some pacu, "nuts" may not only mean things that fall from trees. Yes, that's right: Paku was sometimes bitten off the testicles of male swimmers in Papua New Guinea after the fish apparently mistook their genitals for a snack. And don't worry you can't head to the Amazon to see these monsters because they're already spreading to Europe.

The waters of the Amazon are even more teeming dangerous monsters that will not leave you the slightest chance. Still want to visit this place? For you, we have prepared a list of the 10 most dangerous animals that live in this river.

black caiman

This is the jock in the world of alligators. The largest individuals reach 6 meters in length. Such creatures have the reaction of a mongoose and the strength of a tiger. Most dangerous predators Amazons who will tear to shreds anyone who falls into their huge maws.

Anaconda

Another huge predator that lives in local waters is the anaconda. This is the largest snake in the world, weighing up to 250 kilograms. Anacondas are 9 meters long and 30 centimeters in diameter. If such a creature wraps itself around a person, he will no longer be saved. These monsters love shallow water, so they spend most of their time in the tributaries of the river.


Arapaima

These giants have armored scales, so even piranhas are nothing to them. Arapaim hunt mainly for smaller fish and birds, but are not averse to eating human beings. Fish grow up to three meters in length and weigh up to 90 kilograms. The monsters are so ferocious that they even have teeth on their tongues.


brazilian otter

Even the otters here are gigantic. These 2-meter animals prey on fish and crabs. However, strength is in numbers: straying into flocks, they kill adult anacondas and even caimans. If for these creatures, which are called river wolves, it is not a problem to kill such strong animals, then people for them are just a snack.


Common vandellia (Brazilian vampire)

Small individuals enter the human body through the anus, vaginal opening and even through the penis. Having settled inside the body, they can cause hellish pain. The poor fellows, who have felt such torment, pray to doctors for salvation.

bull sharks

Such cute little animals most often live in salty ocean water. Unfortunately, sometimes they swim in fresh waters and terrify local residents. Their jaws provide a bite force of 589 kilograms. After meeting with them, usually no one survived.


electric eels

I wouldn't recommend taking these babies. Two-meter eels can hit the victim with a charge of up to 600 volts. And this, by the way, is almost 3 times more than in your outlet. It seems like a killer tension, but it's not.

It's not the discharge that kills. The victim simply stops breathing from the pain shock, and she drowns in the water.


common piranha

These little critters often feature in Hollywood horror films. And it's not without reason that they have gained fame as ruthless killers. The sharp teeth of these fish close and tear the flesh to shreds.

It is noteworthy that piranhas are scavengers. But they do not disdain to eat fresh meat.


Mackerel hydrolic

These underwater bloodsuckers have truly vampire fangs. Only these fangs are found on the lower jaw of hydrolytics. The victim is impaled on them, as if on a stake, and can no longer escape anywhere. There are even special holes in the palate of hydrolics to hide such long fangs.


brown pacu

These fish with human smiles are relatives of the piranhas mentioned earlier. Although the pacu prefer fruits and nuts, they are not averse to biting someone. There were cases when these stupid fish in literally chewed off testicles from men swimming naked. I would never want to be in their place.


The beautiful and majestic Amazon is fraught with many dangers. It attracts lovers of extreme recreation, who pay for the experience with their health and even life.

Amazon is the most big river on planet Earth, its waters and coastal areas are home to huge amount various animals. There are both small and beautiful birds, and deadly snakes, wild cats. Some animals are dangerous to humans, but get along well with each other. We present you the ten most common and terrifying animals of the Amazon.

Jaguar


The largest cat that lives on the banks of the Amazon. The diet of the jaguar includes all kinds of land inhabitants of the jungle, ranging from small mice to deer. The weight of jaguars on average 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 originally feed on carrion. However, this fact does not exclude 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, enabling them to tear off pieces of flesh. Piranhas live large groups, therefore they pose a great danger to most animals.
Many different snakes can be found in the Amazon forests, but the South American rattlesnake- one of the most dangerous snakes for humans. Her bite can easily end in death if you do not help the victim in time. The snake lives in the Amazon jungle far from the river itself. Feeds on 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 poison dart frogs. Dwells on deciduous trees Amazons. The appearance of the frog is as impressive as its poison. Although the frog itself is very small, only 5 centimeters long, its poison is enough to kill 10 adult men. It feeds on all kinds of insects. Even having a motley appearance, the poison dart frog is not afraid of predators and does not need to be disguised, because the motley appearance speaks of danger, and those who do not believe will have to taste deadly poison.

electric eel


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 bodies, which generates a discharge of electricity, delivering a blow of sufficient power to kill or stun prey. For a person, eel does not pose a mortal danger, because the power of its discharge is not enough to kill a person, but it can lead to heart attack or loss of consciousness.

bull shark


Even being inhabitants of salty ocean waters, sharks can feel great in fresh water. Therefore, there are times when the formidable predators of the ocean swim into the waters of the Amazon. It happened that sharks were met near settlements along the Amazon, and this is a considerable 4000 kilometers from the ocean. Due to the special structure of the kidneys, sharks quickly adapt to the salt balance in the water. "Bulls" are often over 3 meters long, body weight can exceed 300 kilograms. The bite force of such a monster is 589 kilograms. Sharks eat everything, they also do not disdain human flesh, it is this 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 overtake the anaconda in length, but its weight is much greater than that of longer snakes. An anaconda can have a mass of over 200 kilograms, reach a length of up to 9 meters, and the body of a snake in diameter reaches 30 centimeters. Anaconda is able to catch a caiman or a jaguar, but at the same time risks becoming a dinner itself. Often her diet consists of capybaras and deer. The anaconda prefers to hunt in shallow water, where it can easily sneak up on its prey without being noticed.

black caiman


Black caimans are the largest predators in the Amazon River. In length, caimans can grow over five meters. As masters of the waters of the Amazon, caimans feed on absolutely everything that comes 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 the alert. Once caimans were on the verge of extinction, but the law prohibiting hunting for them has increased the number of inhabitants of the river.

Arapaima


Arapaima - huge predatory fish living in the waters of the Amazon. The scales of the fish are very durable and serve as an excellent protection for it. Therefore, no piranhas are afraid of arapaime. The diet of fish includes mainly fish and sometimes birds. An underwater predator often swims near 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. The average length of the fish is about 2 meters, but sometimes it reaches 3. The maximum weight that has been recorded is 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 freshwater otter of the mustelid family and the genus of giant otters. They eat most often fish and crustaceans that inhabit the waters of the Amazon. Otters grow up to 2 meters in length (from the muzzle to the tip of the tail). Hunting takes place in communities of up to eight representatives. Many consider otters to be very cute and harmless, but this is far from the truth. Otters are able to catch an anaconda in a flock and tear it to pieces, there have been cases of reprisals against caimans, the dead otters are immediately eaten. Although the number of Brazilian otters is declining, due to poachers in particular, they are considered one of the strongest predators of the Amazon.

The Amazon rainforest is a vast ecosystem that is home to such strange and amazing creatures like the jaguar, poison dart frogs and basilisks. However, the forest is not only the habitat of those creatures that prowl, run or crawl in its wilds. In the depths of the Amazon River, the largest river in the world, live so amazing and scary creatures that, by comparison, Jaws feels like a pleasant and relaxing swim in the ocean.

10. Black Caiman

Basically, the black caiman is an alligator on steroids. Black caimans can grow up to six meters in length, have larger and heavier skulls than Nile crocodiles, and are top predators in the waters of the Amazon River. This means they are basically kings of the river, eating anything they can get their teeth on, including piranhas, monkeys, freshwater perches, deer and anacondas.

Oh yes, it is worth noting that they readily attack people. In 2010, a biologist named Deise Nishimura was attacked by a black caiman while she was cleaning fish in her houseboat. Despite the fact that she managed to fight him off, the black caiman took one of her legs with him. This caiman lived under her houseboat for eight months, apparently waiting for a convenient opportunity to attack.

9. Anaconda (Green Anaconda)


Continuing the theme of giant reptiles, we present to your attention the most large snake in the world, living in the Amazon River - anaconda. Although the length of the body reticulated pythons maybe more, anacondas are much heavier. Female anacondas are usually larger than males and can weigh up to 250 kilograms. The body length of the anaconda can be about 9 meters, and the body diameter can reach 30 centimeters. They are not venomous, but use their formidable muscular strength to constrict and suffocate their prey, which include capybaras, deer, caimans, and even jaguars. Preferring shallow waters that allow them to sneak up on their prey, they tend not to live in the Amazon River itself, but in its branches.

8. Arapaima


Arapaima, also known as puraruku or paiche, is a giant predatory fish that lives in the Amazon and adjacent lakes. Equipped with armored scales, they swim without much fear in piranha-infested waters, and are themselves quite effective predators, feeding on fish and the occasional bird. Arapaima prefer to stay close to the surface, because in addition to the oxygen they get from the water through their gills, they still need to take breaths of air when rising to the surface of the water. Appearing on the surface, they make a characteristic sound, similar to a cough. Their body length can reach 2.7 meters, and weight 90 kilograms. These fish are so ferocious that they even have teeth on their tongues.

7. Brazilian otter (Giant Otter)


Brazilian otters are the largest freshwater otters. Brazilian otters have the longest body length of the mustelid family, and adult males can grow up to two meters when measured from head to tail. Their diet mainly consists of fish and crabs, which they hunt in family groups of three to eight individuals. They can eat up to four kilograms of seafood per day. However, many people find them cute, but don't let their cuteness fool you, they're just as harmless as the other creatures on this list. There have been cases where groups of Brazilian otters have killed and eaten adult anacondas. They can also kill the caiman with ease. During the observation of one of the groups of Brazilian otters, it was noticed that they killed and ate a one and a half meter caiman in 45 minutes. Although their numbers are declining rapidly, in particular due to human interference, they are considered among the most strong predators rainforest Amazons, hence their unofficial nickname "river wolves".

5 Bull Sharks


Despite the fact that bull sharks usually live in the salty waters of the ocean, they thrive in fresh waters. There were cases when they swam so far along the Amazon River that they were seen in the city of Iquitos (Iquitos) in Peru, almost 4,000 kilometers from the sea. Their specific kidneys sense changes in salt levels in the water and adapt accordingly. And you definitely wouldn't want to meet one of them in the river. These sharks often grow up to 3.3 meters in length, and the weight of especially large individuals caught by fishermen reached 312 kilograms. Like other sharks, bull sharks have several rows of sharp, triangular teeth and are incredibly strong jaws, providing a bite force of 589 kilograms. They are also not averse to eating humans, and it is this type of shark that most often attacks people (second and third places are occupied by tiger and great white sharks, respectively). The above characteristics, combined with the fact that these sharks prefer to live near densely populated areas, have led many experts to consider them the most dangerous sharks in the world.

4 Electric Eels


Electric eels are actually more closely related to catfish than to other eels, but you probably don't want to get close enough to see for yourself. They grow up to 2.5 meters in length and can generate electrical discharges with the help of special electrical organs located along their sides. These discharges can reach 600 volts, five times the power of an average American outlet, and enough to knock a horse down. Although one shock is not enough to kill a healthy adult, repeated shocks can lead to heart or respiratory failure, and cases of people passing out and drowning after an electric eel attack are not uncommon. Many of the reported disappearances near the Amazon River have been linked to eel attacks that stunned people with electricity and left them drowning in the river's waters. Luckily for our species, although eels are carnivores, they tend to eat a diet of fish, amphibians, birds, and small mammals. They detect prey by sending out small, 10-volt shocks with their electrical organs, and when they find it, they kill it by releasing strong shocks.

3 Common Piranhas (Red-Bellied Piranhas)


The quintessential horror of the Amazon River, so frightening that it inspired a number of controversial Hollywood films, the common piranha is actually a scavenger first and foremost. However, this does not mean that piranhas do not attack healthy creatures. They can grow up to 30 centimeters in length and usually swim in large groups, so they pose a significant threat to most animals. Like all types of piranhas, common piranhas have incredibly sharp teeth that are arranged in a row on the upper and lower jaws of these fish. These teeth interlock completely, making them the ideal tool for ripping and tearing the victim's flesh. Their intimidating reputation mainly comes from "fever-eating", when a whole group of piranhas surround an unfortunate victim and eat their flesh to the bone in a few minutes. Such attacks are usually the result of a long hunger or provocation.

2. Mackerel Hydrolic (Payara / Vampire Fish)


Despite their diminutive name, hydrolic mackerel is a ferocious predator capable of catching and devouring fish half their size. own body. Given that their body length can reach 1.2 meters, this is quite an impressive feat. Most of their diet consists of piranhas, which should give you some idea of ​​just how ferocious these fanged fiends can be. From their lower jaw grow two fangs that can grow up to 15 centimeters in length. They use these fangs to literally impale a victim on them after they rush at it. In fact, their fangs are so big that they have special holes in their upper jaw to prevent them from piercing themselves with their fangs.

1. Brown pacu (Pacu)


One creature that lives in the Amazon River is much scarier for men than for women. The brown pacu is a much larger relative of the piranha, well known for its distinctive human-like teeth. Unlike many of the other creatures on this list, pacu are actually omnivores and most of their diet consists of fruits and nuts. Unfortunately, for some pacu, "nuts" are not just things that fall from trees. Yes, you understood correctly. There have been several cases of pacu being bitten off the testicles of male swimmers. In Papua New Guinea, several men have died after a pacu mistook their genitals for easy prey. Oh yeah, don't worry if you can't get to the Amazon to see these male-defying monsters - they've already begun to spread across Europe.