8 Animals that Live in the Amazon River

The Amazon River is an interesting biome home to even more interesting creatures, some of which you will find fascinating and some that will haunt you in your sleep. It is full of life but can be a very dangerous place to live in for both people and animals.
I will point out eight animals that evolved to call the Amazon River home.

 

FISH

Arapaima

The arapaima is a carnivore that eats crustaceans and fish in the Amazon River basin floodplain’s slow-moving and typically oxygen-deficient rivers. It defends itself with flexible and overlapping scales against its only predator caimans.

Pacu fish

The Pacu fish is an omnivore that eats fruit, seeds, decaying plant matter, grains, snails, and other fish. It is known to live for approximately 15 years, living in fresh rivers and lakes. Its species has survived in the harsh environment by having plenty of offspring. But it won’t stop large birds and crocodiles from eating them.

Piranha 

This is probably the first animal you think of when you think of the Amazon River. Believe it or not, it’s an omnivore consuming Insects, seeds, fish, snails, worms, various plants, other piranhas, dead/dying birds, or mammals that fell in the water. It can live for 10 years in the Amazon basin. Using shoals of 1000 piranhas for protection against caimans, river dolphins, turtles, otters, birds, and other larger fish. 

Electric eel

The electric eel is a carnivore that eats small mammals and fish. It can live for 15 years in fresh rivers and lakes. It uses an electric shock to ward off anything that wants to eat it. It is the reason it has no predators. 

 

REPTILES

Black caiman

The black caiman is a species of alligator that lives in the Amazon. It is a carnivore with a diet consisting of catfish, piranha, capybara, turtles, deer, cats, and dogs. It lives in slow-moving rivers, streams, and lakes and ventures into flooded savannahs and wetlands with no fear of predators because of its massive size.

Green anaconda

The green anaconda is the biggest snake in the world. It’s a carnivore, eating fish, amphibians, birds, mammals, and other reptiles. It can do this for as long as it lives, which is 10 years. It lives in swamps, marshes, and streams located in the Amazon. Surviving because of its massive size, but it won’t stop caimans and jaguars from making a meal out of it.

 

MAMMALS

Giant otter

The giant otter eats crabs and fish in slow-moving rivers and creeks within forests, swamps, and marshes where it lives. Its defense mechanism is aggressiveness which could help it defend against jaguars.

Amazon River dolphin

The Amazon River dolphin is a carnivore that eats fish. It can live for 30 years in freshwater. It has keen eyes and hearing to avoid caimans, jaguars, and anacondas.

These creatures are only found in the Amazon and are fascinating in their rights. They’ll still be there as long we keep them safe and protected. 

 

About the Author

Luis Joaquin Arbon is an incoming Grade 6 student and he has been homeschooled since 2019. He is enrolled in Ben Button Online Tutorial Services (BUBOTS) from January 2022 to improve his writing skills.

He loves to read and especially enjoyed the Horrible Histories books and The Hobbit. He also likes to play board games (popular and DIY) with his sisters. His favorite is Clue.