Rainforest Animals: 10 Amazing Jungle Creatures. 10. Black Caiman. In the rivers of the rain forest in the Amazon you will come across one of the largest species of alligators in the world. This is a predator can grow up to 20 feet long and feeds on prey including anacondas, other alligators, sloths, monkeys and wild pigs. 9. Jaguar. Jaguars are the third largest cat in the world and also one of the most elusive jungle creatures. They grow to their largest in South America and although sightings and attacks are extremely rare. Like all cats, the jaguar is an obligate carnivore, feeding only on meat. My cat used to eat broccoli, but he was weird. Their powerful bite and sharp teeth are capable of piercing the shells of turtles and even the skulls of humans. A melanistic jaguar is a color morph which occurs at about 6 percent frequency in populations. The jaguar is a near threatened species and its numbers are declining. Threats include loss of habitat from deforestation and poaching. 8. The Red Bellied Piranha. Piranhas come with a very scary reputation. In truth piranhas are mostly scavengers. Usually you can swim in the water with piranhas them without getting bitten. But placing a piece of meat in the water will probably lead to the infamous group feeding frenzy of boiling bloody water. But there are higher animals in the food chain. 7. Pit Viper. Pit vipers are a green snake found primarily in the Amazon rain forest. They are highly venomous and can grow up to 4 metres or 12 feet long. But some only grow as long as 30cm. Many people in the amazon area suffer bites from the pit viper. These are mainly on the upper body because it lives mostly in trees. It is nocturnal and hides in dark places during the day. 6. Assassin bugs. One the most dangerous bugs in the Amazon rainforest is the assassin bugs. They have a trunk that comes out of their mouths allowing them to inject poison into large prey to liquefy organs. Don’t worry, humans aren’t generally liquefied, but the bite can be extremely painful and transmit a parasite that causes Chagas disease, a disease due to the Trypanosoma parasite that causes chronic heart disease and causes many deaths every year. 5. Amazonian Giant Centipede. These creatures grow up to 12 inches long and their venomous bites can inflict extreme pain, fever, and weakness to humans. Even a 4 year old child was killed once by a bite. It’s carnivorous and aggressive, feeding on other insects, frogs, small birds, mice and even tarantulas. 4. Green Anaconda. One of the largest snakes in the world, the green anaconda grows up to 30 feet long and can weigh well over 500 pounds. In the water it can move surprisingly fast. Often feeding large animals, sometimes humans, a green anaconda may only eat once every few months. The stuntman Paul Rosolie wore a suit of armour and lay down to be eaten by a Green anaconda. He said it was to draw attention to the fate of rainforests and their animals. Mmm. He stopped the stunt when he felt his bones start to creak. Shame. 3. Electric Eel. Electric eels can be found in rivers throughout the jungle rainforest. Three different organs in their bodies can generate electricity that's five times more deadly than the average wall socket. Most of the time, humans can survive this shock but multiple shocks can cause dangerous heart rhythms and a heart attack. Researchers think artificial cells could be built that not only replicate the electrical behavior of electric eel cells, but also improve on them. These could be developed as a power source for medical implants and other microscopic devices. 2. Poison Dart Frog. The poison dart frog is perhaps one of the most beautiful creatures in the tropical rainforest. These frogs secrete a powerful poison through their skin capable of causing death in just a few minutes. One frog has enough poison to kill over 20 humans. People living in the jungle coat their weapons with the poison for hunting. 1. Harpy Eagle. Flying above the treetops of the rainforest, the Harpy Eagle is one of the rainforest birds of prey. Swooping down into clearings, they catch smaller birds from trees and have even been known to carry off small deer. They sit at the top of the amazon food chain and control the population of capuchin monkeys which prey extensively on bird's eggs and which may cause local extinctions of sensitive species. Image and Footage Attribution, Creative Commons: go to wondermins.com

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