The Amazon comprises the largest tropical forest in the entire world, covering the territory of 9 South American countries. In the Amazon, we find abundant fauna and flora, which is why it is usually considered a natural sanctuary for numerous very particular species. It is estimated that more than 15,000 species of animals live in the Amazon, many of them in danger of extinction.
Although all animals attract attention for particular reasons, whether for their beauty, their behavior or their rarity, some Amazonian species are recognized and equally feared for their power and danger. It is worth clarifying that no animal is cruel by nature, as we still hear on certain occasions. They simply have hunting and defense mechanisms that can make them potentially lethal to humans and other individuals that threaten their well-being or invade their territory. And in this article on our site we summarize some curiosities about the 11 most dangerous animals in the Amazon
1. Banana Spider (Phoneutria nigriventer)
This araneomorphic species belongs to the Ctengae family and is considered, by many experts, as one of the most dangerous and lethal spiders in the worldAlthough it is true that its related species Phoneutria phera, which also lives in the South American jungles, has a more toxic venom, it is also true that banana spiders carry out the greater number of bites to beings humans This is due not only to its more aggressive character and great agility, but also to its synanthropic habits. They usually live in banana plantations and can be found in ports and in the middle of the city, which is why they maintain frequent contact with human beings, especially with agricultural workers.
This is a spider of large size and imposing appearance, whose adult specimens usually occupy the entire surface of the palm of the hand of an adult person. It has two large frontal eyes and two small eyes located on each side of its thick, furry legs. Its long reddish fangs attract attention and allow it to easily inject its poison to defend itself or immobilize its prey.
two. Scorpions Tityus
In South America, there are more than 100 species of scorpions belonging to the genus Tityus. Although only 6 of these species are poisonous, their bites claim about 30 human lives each year in northern Brazil alone, which is why they are part of the list of the most poisonous animals in the Amazon and dangerous. These frequent attacks are justified by the great adaptation of scorpions to urban areas, making their contact with people almost daily.
Venomous Tityus scorpions store a powerful poison in their bulbous gland, which they can inoculate using the curved stinger on their tail. Once injected into another individual's body, the neurotoxic substances in the venom cause paralysis almost instantly, and can lead to cardiac or respiratory arrest. It is a defense mechanism, but also a powerful hunting tool.
3. Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
The famous anaconda is a constrictor snake endemic to Amazonian rivers, which makes up the boa family. Although it is recognized as the heaviest snake species, since it can weigh more than 220 kg, there are controversies about whether or not it is the largest. This is because the so-called reticulated python (Python reticulatus) is usually a few centimeters longer than anacondas, even though its body weight is much lower.
Despite their notoriety, largely due to the movies that bore their name, anacondas hardly attack humans, since we are not part of its food chain. That is to say: anacondas do not attack humans for food. Rare anaconda attacks on people are defensive, when the animal feels threatened or attacked in some way. Actually, snakes in general have a rather elusive character than aggressive. If they can run away or hide to save energy and avoid a confrontation, they will surely do so.
4. Caiman or black crocodile (Melanosuchus niger)
Another one of the most dangerous animals in the Amazon. The black caiman, also known as “Jacaré-açú” in the Brazilian Amazon, is the only species of the genus Melanosuchus that survived. Its body can measure up to 6 meters in length and it exhibits an almost always uniform black coloration, being among the largest crocodiles in the world. As well as being an accomplished swimmer, the Black Caiman is also a ruthless Hunter with really powerful jaws. Their diet includes everything from small mammals, birds and fish to large animals, such as deer, monkeys, capybaras and wild boars.
5. Electric eel (Electrophorus electricus)
Electric eels have many names in popular culture, such that they can be called trembling, pilaké, moray eel, trembling, gimnoto, among others. Many people confuse them with water snakes, but eels are a species of fish belonging to the family Gymnotidae. In reality, it is a unique species of its kind, with very particular characteristics.
Without a doubt, the most recognized, and equally feared, characteristic of these eels is their ability to transmit electric currents from inside their your body to the outside. This is possible because the organism of these eels has a set of very special cells that allow it to emit powerful electrical discharges of up to 600 W (a higher voltage than any plug we find in our home), and it is for this reason that it is considered one of the most dangerous animals in the Amazon world. Eels use this peculiar ability to defend themselves, catch their prey, and also to communicate with other eels.
6. Yellow bearded viper (Bothrops atrox)
Among the most poisonous snakes in the Amazon, we find the Bothrops atrox viper, a species that has been involved in a high number of lethal attacks to human beings. This alarming number of bites to people is explained not only by the reactive nature of this snake, but also by its great adaptation to inhabited areasDespite living naturally in the vast forests, the "yellow-bearded" vipers have become accustomed to finding abundant food in the environments of cities and towns, since human waste tends to attract mice, lizards, birds, etc.
They are large snakes that can easily reach 2 meters in length Specimens can be found in shades of brown, olive or gray, with or without stripes and spots. These vipers stand out for their very effective and ingenious hunting strategy. Thanks to an organ known as “ loreal pits”, which is located between their snout and their eyes, they are able to easily detect the body heat of blood animals. hot. When identifying the presence of some prey, the viper camouflages itself between leaves, branches or other components of the path and waits patiently there until it recognizes the exact moment for a lethal attack. And they rarely fail…
7. Amazon Piranhas
The term 'piranha' is popularly used to name various species of carnivorous fish that inhabit the rivers of the South American Amazon. Piranhas, also called "caribes" in Venezuela, belong to the vast Serrasalminae subfamily, which also includes some herbivorous species. They are voracious predators characterized by their teeth They are very sharp and because of their great carnivorous appetite, being another of the most dangerous animals in the Amazon. However, they are medium-sized fish, which usually measure between 15 cm and 25 cm, although specimens with more than 35 cm in length have been recorded. From being able to devour whole birds and mammals in a matter of minutes, since they usually attack in groups, piranhas hardly attack human beings and are not as ferocious as the movies portray.
8. Dendrobatids or arrowhead frogs
When we talk about dendrobatids, we refer to a family and not to a single species. The superfamily Dendrobatidae, which is related to the family Aromobatidae, comprises more than 180 species of anuran amphibians that are popularly called "arrowhead frogs" or "poison dart frogs". These animals are considered endemic to South America and part of Central America, inhabiting abundantly in the Amazon jungle. On their skin they carry a powerful poison called " batracoxine", which used to be used by Indians on the tips of their arrows to cause the rapid death of the animals they hunted for food and of the enemies that invaded their territory.
The Dendrobatidae species considered the most poisonous in the Amazon is Phyllobates terribilis. These yellow-colored amphibians have small discs on their legs, so they can hold on to the plants and branches of the humid Amazon jungle. It is estimated that a small dose of their poison can kill up to 1,500 people, making these arrowhead frogs among the most poisonous animals in the world.
9. Army Ant or Soldier
They may seem small at first glance, but these ant species are relentless hunters, possessing strong and razor-sharp jaws Their popular name derives from their attack strategy: soldier ants, also known as warrior ants, legionnaires or marabouts, never attack alone, but form numerous groups to bring down prey much larger than their own. Currently, this nomenclature informally designates more than 200 species belonging to different genera of the Formicidae family. In the Amazon rainforest, soldier ants of the Ecitoninae subfamily predominate.
Through their stings, these ants inject small doses of a toxic poison that weakens and dissolves the tissues of their prey. They then use their powerful jaws to dismember the downed animal, allowing them to feed themselves and their larvae. For this reason, they are known as the smallest and most voracious predators in the entire Amazon.
Unlike most ants, army ants do not build a nest, but carry their larvae and establish temporary camps where they find good food availability and safe shelter.
10. Freshwater stingrays
Freshwater mutts make up a genus of Neotropical fishes called Potamotrygon, which has 21 known species. Although they inhabit the entire South American continent (with the exception of Chile), the greatest diversity of species is found in Amazonian rivers. These rays are voracious predators that, with their mouths stuck to the mud, suck up worms, snails, small fish, limpets and other river animals for food.
In general, these rays lead a quiet life in the Amazonian rivers. However, when they feel threatened, they can activate a dangerous self-defense technique. Protruding from its muscular tail are numerous tiny spines, which are usually hidden by an epithelial sheath, and which are covered by a powerful poison When the animal feels threatened or perceives an unusual stimulus in its territory, the venom-covered spines bristle, the ray shakes its tail and uses it like a whip to ward off potential predators. The powerful toxic formula of this poison destroys skin and muscle tissue, causes intense pain, and can also cause shortness of breath, muscle spasms, and irreversible damage to vital organs such as the brain, lungs, and heart. In this way, the freshwater mutt ray is one of the most poisonous and dangerous animals in the Amazon.
eleven. Jaguar (Panthera onca)
The jaguar, also known as the yaguareté, is the largest feline that lives in the American continent and the third largest in the world (behind the Bengal tiger and the lion). In addition, it is the only one of the four known species of the Panthera genus that can be found in America. Despite being considered a very representative animal of the Amazon, its total population extends from the extreme south of the United States to the north of Argentina, including a good part of Central and South America.
As we can imagine, it is a large carnivorous feline that stands out as an excellent hunter. Their diet includes from small and medium mammals to large reptiles. Unfortunately, it is one of the animals that is in an alarming danger of extinction. In fact, its population has been practically extirpated from the North American territory and is reduced throughout the South American territory. In recent years, the creation of National Parks in jungle regions has contributed to the preservation of this species and to the control of sport hunting. Despite representing one of the most dangerous animals in the Amazon, it is one of the most beautiful creatures and, as we say, threatened due to human activity. Don't miss the article on "Curiosities of wild cats" and discover much more about these incredible animals.
