Animals

10 animals you can Encounter in the Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon rainforest has one of the most diverse types of animals and plants that can only be seen in the Amazonas region. Unfortunately, some of these animals may no longer roam the earth in decades. Below we list a selection of 10 animals that you may encounter on a tour through the Amazon rainforest.

1. JAguar

The first animal on the list is the least likely to be seen in the wild. The jaguar’s habitat has declined over time due to deforestation. Additionally, the jaguar has fallen victim to hunting in the recent years. Of this animal there are still about 170,000 on earth, which makes the animal almost threatened. The jaguar is South America’s largest cat. If you are lucky, you might get to see the jaguar on one of our tours!

2. pink river dolphin

The Amazon pink river dolphin is the largest species of river dolphin. The river dolphin, like other dolphins, is very friendly to humans. They are often seen alone or in pairs. The pink river dolphin has a very diverse diet consisting of more than 53 fish species. During our trips it is possible to see how the river dolphins are fed.

3. Squirrel monkey

The squirrel monkey is a very small monkey that roams the trees of the rainforest. This monkey species has a size of 25 to 35 cm when it grows. They tend to live together in groups, sometimes in groups of more than 500 members. They live in the wild for about 15 years. Are you able to spot them while on tour?

4. Toucans

The most popular toucan (toco toucan), can only be seen in South America. The toucan has a colorful beak and nests in rotten trees. Toucans prefer eating small fruits. They are wary of many Amazonian predators, such as snakes and jaguars.

5. Caimans

Spotting caimans is part of our tours. When the sunsets in the evening and you shine a torch over the river, the eyes of the caimans light up. During our tours it is possible to spot 6 different types of caimans. The black caiman is the largest caiman and can grow up to 15 feet.

6. Snakes

During a tour through the Amazon it is possible to find many different types of snakes. The two most famous snakes that can be found in the Amazon are the boa contrictor and the anaconda. In total there are 17 species of venomous snakes in the Amazon region. So, watch your step!

7. Tarantulas

The three most common tarantulas in the Amazon are the red tarantula, pink toe tarantula and the black tarantula. Most tarantulas have hair on their bodies to protect themselves from predators. When attacked, they let go of the hairs that cause an irritating effect when they get into the attacker’s eyes. Some of these species can grow up to 13 inches.

8. Sloths

During our tour there is a good chance that you will encounter sloths. Our guides know where these critters are and are happy to show them to you. These slow animals live their entire lives on top of the trees of the Amazon rainforest and eat a lot of leaves. The reason these animals have come this far in evolution is because they are very difficult for predators to recognize.

9. Piranhas

These biting fish mainly live in the Amazon area. Piranhas hunt other types of fish in groups and even occasionally eat their own. Although piranhas often appear in the media as very dangerous fish, it is very rare for the fish to collide with humans. During our tours we will encounter these fish while sailing the Amazon River.

10. Frogs

The Amazon rainforest is known for having many different species of frogs. The frogs come in all shapes, sizes and colours, and in some cases are poisonous. The ancient inhabitants of the Amazon used the poison from the frogs to hunt. It is possible to encounter the following types of frogs in the Amazon region: tree frogs, poison dart frogs, glass frogs, cane toads and the smooth sided toad.