What fish live in the Amazon. The most dangerous animals in the Amazon rainforest. Valuable representatives of the plant world

The Amazon rainforest is one of the most interesting and at the same time unsafe places in the world, as it is inhabited by very dangerous creatures that can kill a person. So, here is a list of the ten most unusual and amazing, but deadly animals that live in the basin of one of the longest rivers in the world - the Amazon.

The electric eel is a fish that lives in the fresh waters of the Amazon near the muddy bottom. They can grow from 1 to 3 meters and weigh up to 40 kg. An electric eel is capable of generating voltages up to 1300 V. with a current strength of up to 1 A. For a person, such an electric shock is not fatal, but very painful and can even cause a heart attack.

This rare feline lives in the rainforest and is the largest cat in the Western Hemisphere (only lions and tigers are larger in the world). Males (on average 90-95 kg, but there are individuals reaching 120 kg) are larger than females by approximately 20%. The jaguar's diet consists of 87 different animals, from deer to mice. These predators attack people extremely rarely, mainly when they are forced to defend themselves.

A species of large crocodiles that grow up to 5 meters in length. At one time, these creatures were on the verge of extinction in the Amazon region, but strict laws against hunting have increased their numbers. Hunts at night, preferring to ambush. The black caiman mainly feeds on fish (including piranhas), aquatic vertebrates, and larger individuals can attack livestock, jaguars, anacondas, and humans.

The mass of the anaconda can reach approximately 100 kg, and the length is 6 meters. It is one of the longest snakes in the world. It mainly leads an aquatic lifestyle, occasionally crawling ashore in order to bask in the sun, sometimes crawling on tree branches. It feeds on various tetrapods and reptiles, lying in wait for them on the shore, less often on fish. In nature, an adult anaconda has no enemies.

piranha

These fish have sharp teeth and powerful jaws. They reach lengths up to 30 centimeters and weight up to 1 kg. Most of the time they spend in search of prey, hunting in huge flocks. They feed on everything that comes their way, especially fish.

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The Amazon rainforest is a huge ecosystem that provides habitat for such unusual and beautiful creatures as the jaguar, poison dart frog and helmeted basilisk. But in this environment live not only animals that prowl, swing and slide through the trees. In the muddy waters of the Amazon River, the deepest river in the entire world, creatures so amazing and terrible live that the sight of their jaws is more terrible than some jaws floating in the marine environment.

10. Black caimans (lat. Melanosuchus niger)

Photo. black caiman

The black caiman is like an alligator pumped on steroids. It can grow up to six meters in size, and has a larger and heavier skull than the same Nile crocodile, and in the Amazonian waters it is at the top of the food chain. This means that they mainly reign in the rivers, they eat almost everything that can get into their teeth, including perches, piranhas, monkeys, anacondas and deer.

And, of course, they are able to attack people, which happens periodically. In early 2010, biologist Diis Nishimura was attacked by a caiman while cleaning fish on her houseboat, and although she managed to fight it off, she lost one of her legs. This particular caiman had been waiting for her under the houseboat for nine months, apparently waiting for the moment to strike.

9. Giant anacondas (lat. Eunectes murinus)

Photo. green anaconda

Continuing the theme of gigantic reptiles, we should recall the largest snake in the whole world that lives in the Amazon: the anaconda. While reticulated pythons are actually considered the longest snakes themselves, green anacondas are much heavier; females are generally larger than their males and can grow up to nine meters (over 29 feet) long, weigh 250 kilograms (550 pounds), and reach 30 centimeters (12 inches) in diameter. These are not venomous snakes, but instead of venom, they rely on their enormous muscular strength to grip and suffocate their prey, among which you can find capybara, caiman, deer and even jaguar. She likes shallow water, which allows her to stealthily sneak up on her prey. As a rule, these snakes live in the tributaries of the Amazon, and not in the main channel of the river.

8. Arapaima (lat. Arapaima)

Photo. Arapaima caught

Arapaima according to the IGFA world record is the largest fish living in water bodies. Arapaima, also known as "pirarucu" or "paiche", are giant carnivorous fish that live in the Amazon and nearby lakes. Studded with armored scales, they don't mind living in piranha-infested waters, as they are quite agile predators that eat fish and randomly passing birds. As a rule, arapaima are near the surface, because they need to breathe ordinary air, and also receive oxygen from the water with their gills. They make a characteristic cough when they surface. The arapaima's proximity to the surface of the water makes it vulnerable to human hunters, who can easily attack with harpoons. Some indigenous communities consume Arapaima meat and tongue, turning them into jewelry and other items.

They grow up to 2.6 meters in size and gain about 90 kilograms (200 pounds) in weight. These fish are so dangerous that even their tongue is littered with teeth.

7. Giant otters (lat. Pteronura brasiliensis)

Photo. giant otter

The name itself speaks of them, these animals are very large, and these are really very large otters. They are the longest of the 13 otter species, with adult males growing up to two meters (over six feet) in length (from head to tail). It is difficult to distinguish between a male and a female giant otter because there is no fundamental difference in head or body size. This species can make up to nine different sounds and it can be very loud.

Their main food consists of crabs and fish, which they catch in family groups of two to seven individuals, and are capable of eating up to four kilograms (nine pounds) of seafood per day. Don't look at their cute faces, they deserve to be on this list more than any other animal, as it has been observed that in groups they can kill and eat anacondas. They are also able to give a serious rebuff to the caiman. One day, a family of otters was spotted eating a 1.5-meter (5-foot) caiman, which took them approximately 45 minutes. Although their numbers are declining, due in large part to human activity, they are among the most advanced predators in the Amazon rainforest.

6. Ordinary vandellias (lat. Vandellia cirrhosa)

Photo. Candiru

However, candiru prefer other fish, with the help of spines they attach themselves inside the gills of larger individuals and feed on the blood of their owner.

5. Blunt sharks (lat. Carcharhinus leucas)

Photo. blunt shark

Given that, technically, animals that live in the ocean cannot be in fresh water, this does not apply to blunt-nosed sharks, since they feel great in both sea (salty) and river (fresh) water. They have been found very far in the depths of the Amazon, almost 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles) from the sea. This fish has special kidneys that can recognize differences in salinity and adapt accordingly. And you definitely do not want to meet such a fish in river water. They usually grow up to 3.1 meters in size, and these sharks have been reported to weigh 312 kilograms (690 pounds). Like many sharks, they have multiple rows of sharp, triangular teeth and extremely powerful jaws capable of closing with a force of 589 kilograms (1,300 pounds). It is also worth mentioning that this species of shark is particularly unfriendly to humans, as they are among the top three sharks that most often attack humans (along with great white and tiger sharks). Also given their habit of swimming near densely populated areas, this has led many experts to call them .

4. Electric eels (lat. Electrophorus electricus)

Photo. Electric eel experiments

In fact, the electric eel is much closer to catfish than to eels, but you probably don't want to be near one of them to find out. Reaching up to 2.5 meters (8 feet) in size, they are able to generate blasts of electricity from special cells called electrocytes located on their sides. These electrical discharges can reach up to 600 volts, this discharge is enough to make a horse buckle and fall. Although a single shock is not enough to kill a healthy average person, multiple shocks can cause the heart and lungs to collapse, and it is usually the shock that causes people to drown. So .

Most of the disappearances recorded in the Amazon have been attributed to eels, which put their victims into a state of shock and left them to drown in the river. Luckily for us, this type of eel tends to eat a diet of amphibians, fish, small mammals, and birds. They seek out their prey by emitting small 10-volt electrical discharges from their electrocytes, after which they stun or kill them.

3. Common piranhas (lat. Pygocentrus nattereri)

Photo. Piranha

This is the real horror of the Amazon River, this animal is so feared that it has become the inspiration for many dubious Hollywood films. But in fact, the common (red-bellied) piranha feeds on carrion. But it is not at all worth understanding that they are not capable of attacking living beings; after all, it's worth considering that they can grow to over 30 centimeters (12 inches) in length and swim in large groups. Like all piranhas, red-bellied piranhas have incredibly sharp teeth lined up in a single row on each of their powerful lower and upper jaws. These teeth clench with great force, which is why they are the perfect weapon for tearing and eating flesh. Their fearsome reputation is largely fueled by rumors of their "feast madness" where a group of piranhas gather around an unlucky prey and gnaw them to the bone in a matter of minutes. Such attacks rarely occur and are usually the result of starvation or provocation.

2. Payars (vampire fish, lat. Hydrolycus armatus)

Photo. Payara teeth

Anything called "vampire fish" is automatically associated with a scary animal, and payara is no exception. These fish are incredibly ferocious predators, capable of eating fish up to half their size. Given that they can reach up to 1.3 meters (four feet) in length, this is not at all worth understanding that this is the limit. They mostly like to eat piranhas, which may give you some idea of just how tough these sharp-toothed beasts can be. They get their name from the two fangs that grow from the lower jaw and they are able to grow up to 14 centimeters (six inches) in length. Fish use them to literally impale their prey, and then viciously tear it to pieces. In fact, their fangs are so large that they have special holes in the upper jaw, designed to prevent their own piercing.

This voracious carnivore is fast and aggressive. They, as a rule, leave a small fish in their mouths, and then, skillfully maneuvering, begin to swallow. However, if the prey is too large, the payars may cut it into smaller pieces first and then swallow it.

1. Pacu (lat. Colossoma macropomum)

Photo. pacu teeth

Certainly a far more dangerous animal for males than females, this is the pacu, which is larger than its closest relative, the piranha, and is known for its distinctive humanoid teeth. They look very similar to piranhas but have flatter, stronger teeth designed for crushing, and one fisherman reportedly died after having his testicles bitten off.

Fish expert Henrik Carl said the pacu is not usually dangerous to humans, but it does have a "pretty severe bite". He said: “There have been cases in other countries, such as Papau New Guinea, where some men's testicles have been bitten off. They bite because they are hungry, and testicles are just right for that. They usually eat nuts, fruits and fish, but human testicles are just a natural target."

Oh, and don't worry if you can't get to the Amazon to watch these monsters, they can already be found in Europe where they have already begun to breed.

The Amazon Basin is not without reason considered one of the most dangerous places in the world, home to a huge number of predators. I invite you to find out what is found in the waters of the Amazon, and why this place is considered so life-threatening.

black caiman

We can say that this is an alligator on steroids, their muscles are much larger, and they can grow up to six meters in length. These are undoubtedly the top predators of the Amazon River, local kings who indiscriminately eat anyone who comes across their path.

Anaconda

Another giant monster of the Amazon is the well-known anaconda, the largest snake in the world. The weight of a female anaconda can reach 250 kilograms, and this is with a length of 9 meters and a diameter of 30 centimeters. These predators prefer shallow water, so most often they can be found not in the river itself, but in its branches.

Arapaima

brazilian otter

Brazilian otters grow up to 2 meters in length and feed mainly on fish and crabs. However, the fact that they always hunt in large groups allows them to successfully get more serious prey: there were cases when these harmless-looking creatures killed and ate adult anacondas and even caimans. No wonder they are called "river wolves".

Common vandellia or candiru

bull shark

Most often, bull sharks live in the salty waters of the ocean, but they feel just as great in fresh water. There were cases when these bloodthirsty predators swam so far along the Amazon that they reached the city of Iquitos (Peru), located almost 4 thousand kilometers from the sea. Considering that sharp teeth and powerful jaws provide these 3-meter creatures with a bite force of 589 kilograms, you definitely would not want to meet them, but they are not averse to feasting on a person!

electric eels

We would not advise you to approach them in any case: two-meter creatures are capable of generating electrical discharges with a voltage of up to 600 volts. And this is 5 times the current in an American outlet and enough to easily knock a horse down. Repeated strikes by these creatures can lead to heart or respiratory failure, causing people to lose consciousness and simply drown in the water.

common piranha

It is difficult to imagine more terrible and ferocious creatures, this is the real quintessence of the horror of the Amazon River. We all know that the sharp teeth of these fish have repeatedly inspired Hollywood directors to create creepy films. However, in fairness, it is worth noting that piranhas are primarily scavengers. But, unfortunately, this does not mean at all that they do not attack healthy creatures. Their incredibly sharp teeth, located on the upper and lower jaws, close very tightly, which makes them an ideal tool for tearing flesh.

Mackerel hydrolic

These meter-long underwater inhabitants were also called vampire fish. On the lower jaw they have two sharp fangs that can grow up to 15 centimeters. They use these devices to literally impale the victim on them after they rush at it. The fangs of these fish are so large that nature had to take care of the safety of the hydrolics themselves. So that they do not pierce themselves with them, they have special holes in the upper jaw.

brown pacu

A fish with human teeth, the brown pacu is a larger relative of the piranha. True, unlike the latter, these freshwater prefer fruits and nuts, although they are generally considered omnivores. The problem is that "stupid" pacu are unable to tell the difference between nuts that fall from trees and male genitalia, which has left some male swimmers without testicles.

The Amazon rainforest is a vast ecosystem that is home to strange and wonderful creatures such as 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 world's largest river, there are creatures so amazing and scary that, in comparison, the movie "Jaws" seems 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 largest snake in the world that lives in the Amazon River - the anaconda. While reticulated pythons can be longer in length, 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 due in part to human interference, they are considered one of the strongest predators of the Amazon rainforest, hence their unofficial nickname "river wolves".

5 Bull Sharks

Despite the fact that bull sharks tend to 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 incredibly strong jaws, providing a bite force of 589 kilograms. They are also not averse to feasting on 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 them 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 mackerels are ferocious predators capable of catching and devouring fish that are half their own body size. 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-depriving monsters - they've already begun to spread across Europe.

The Amazon rainforest has long been known as the most dangerous place, where a huge number of strange and wonderful creatures live, the meeting with which does not bode well. However, the threat lurks not only in the forest. The waters of the Amazon River are no less scary. Just look what monsters live there - you will think a million times before you go there!

black caiman

Anaconda

Arapaima

The huge arapaima predator is equipped with armored scales, so it fearlessly swims among piranhas, eating fish and birds. The length of these terrible fish is almost three meters, and the weight is 90 kilograms. The ferocity of these creatures can be judged by their teeth, which are even on the tongue!

brazilian otter

Common vandellia or candiru

bull sharks

Most often, bull sharks live in the salty waters of the ocean, but they feel just as great in fresh water. There were cases when these bloodthirsty predators swam so far along the Amazon that they reached the city (), located almost 4 thousand kilometers from the sea. Considering that sharp teeth and powerful jaws provide these 3-meter creatures with a bite force of 589 kilograms, you definitely would not want to meet them, but they are not averse to feasting on a person!

electric eels

We would not advise you to approach them in any case: two-meter creatures are capable of generating electrical discharges with a power of up to 600 volts. And this is 5 times the current in an American outlet and enough to easily knock a horse down. Repeated strikes by these creatures can lead to heart or respiratory failure, causing people to lose consciousness and simply drown in the water.