South America stretch from the deep forest of Amazon to the Andes mountains. Across its region, there is a wide range of fauna with various features, sizes, and characteristics.
There are some wild animals that only live in Amazon. Moreover, there are some interesting faunas roaming the higher areas of the Andes. Here are some of the example.
1. Giant Galapagos Tortoise
The Giant Galapagos Tortoise is a well-known animal from South America with a unique trait. It is one of the largest living animals in the Galapagos Island. These tortoises can grow up until 500 pounds and five feet tall in the highland area.
Where in dry lowland they have a smaller size and longer neck. They have no teeth so munching grasses, leaves, vines and fruits are in the diet especially after enjoying the sun and soak themselves in warm temperature and hide in their shells when the temperature drops.
2. Anaconda
The tropical side of South America is filled with large animals. One of them is the second largest snake in the world, The Anaconda. It can reach 3 to 4.5 meters or more.
They have heavy body structure even though they are non-venomous snakes. This nocturnal reptile is a night animal that preys its food by constriction their bodies. What do they eat? Almost everything from Capybara, Caiman, bird, to pigs.
3. Capybara
You can expect large animals in South America. One of them is the largest rodent in the world. The Capybara is 4 feet with 62 cm tails. Imagine its size that weight about 66 kg, webbed feet and covered with reddish-brown fur.
Spot this large furry friend among the savannas or go deeper to the dense forests of South America. What is so unique about them? A distinct scent that can not missed.
Another fact about them is they are Autocoprophagous, which means they eat their own faeces when not being a herbivore and eating grass, squashes or melons.
Listen to their purrs and whistles that they use to communicate with one another. You can only spot the, during the night as they nap through the day.
4. Southern Right Whale
Some aquatic mammal in the southern part of the world has large features. Take for example the southern right whale that can be spotted around South America all the way to Antarctica. They migrate depending the seasons.
The Southern Right whale has callosities’ head and a mouth in the shape of an arch. The large mammal feed mainly on krill, plankton, mysids and other tiny crustaceans. The broad back with no dorsal fin and dark grey or black skin makes them look vicious on water.
5. Piranha
The fresh rivers in South America, especially in the Amazon Basin and the Orinoco, is a home for the Piranha. The omnivorous fish is 26 to 43 centimetres long with sharp teeth on both jaws.
These tight teeth feed on other fish, insects, fruits and actually very shy on people and rarely attacks them for no reasons. They are among the rest of the wild animals that live in the Amazon forest.
6. Andean Condor
The Andean Condor un in the Andes Mountain is probably the largest flying bird in South America. The Andes are situated from Venezuela, Chile and Peru.
People can spot this no flapping wings bird in the 5,000 meters height open grasslands. With around 15 kilograms body weight and 10 feet wingspan they can take long flights and grabs cows, llamas, cows, deer, sheep, deer, and even whales as their food source.
Uniquely The Andean condor has unique pecking and varied vocalizations as a way to communicate.
7. Llama
Yes, there are Llamas in the wild running free around the Andes Mountain. They are in abundance in higher altitude areas. Don’t confuse them with Alpaca they are very different (read the differences between llama and alpaca).
They are easy to spot with 5.9 feet height from head to toe. People actually breed them in Europe, America and Australia as livestock. With their unique feature and humming sound, it is very hard not to fall in love with these furry animals from the south.
8. Caiman
Caimans are a kind of alligator inhabitant the Central and Southern part of America. Some of them grow up to 3 feet long, bony scutes, slender teeth and bony septum.
The largest is the Black Caiman with almost more than 5 feet. These ventral armour alligators are very good at hunting piranha, turtles, birds and other little creatures.
9. Coatimundi
The reddish or yellow-brownish Coati is a close relative of the raccoon family. They are about 11 kg and 127 cms long. You can spot them in large groups as they are very sociable.
Hear the female Coatimundi grunting or snorting during breeding season. This tree-climbing animal eats fruits and invertebrates as part of their diets such as insects eggs, larval beetles, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, termites and ants.
Found large and interesting animal in South America. They are living comfortably in the vast high altitudes mountains and deep Amazon forest. Some of them may have scary looking yet perfectly harmless.