The Amazing Amazon
No, not the company.
Hi! Today I am writing about the Amazon! There are so many amazing creatures, so let's dive in!
Jaguar:
Jaguars are part of the cat family, and their scientific name is Panthera onca. Jaguars have the strongest bite force of any big cat. They don't bite the neck, they crush the skull. They have amazing jumping abilities; zoos have documented jaguars jumping up to 10 feet high, and in the wild, they often drag their prey up that high. There are also black jaguars, just jaguars that have a slightly different genetic makeup, and have black fur. One regular jaguar mom can have one black baby and one patterned baby. Well, technically, the pattern is still there, but it's hard to see.
Capybara:
Capybaras are the largest rodent on earth. They have ever growing teeth, like a beaver, and they keep them sharp by having a hard layer in front, and a soft layer in back, like a pencil. That way, when they chew and gnaw, their teeth get sharper. They are also incredible swimmers, and can hold their breath for five minutes straight!
Spider Monkey:
Spider monkeys are a type of monkey that swing through the treetops with their long arms, legs and tail. They have a prehensile tail, a tail that can grab things, and support their weight. They swing through the trees, eating fruit.
Prehensile-Tailed Porcupine:
As their name suggests, they are a porcupine with a prehensile tail. The end of their tail is the only part of them that doesn't have quills. A common belief is that porcupines can shoot their quills. Not true. They are just loosely attached, so if a lion tries to bite or swipe at them, they can get a pawful or faceful of quills. Quills are actually made of keratin, which is the same material that makes up our fingernails and our hair. Quills are actually specialized hairs that nature and time made into an amazing defense.
Macaws & Parrots:
Macaws:
Macaws are flashy, colorful birds that are beautiful to look at, at least the males are. The females are typically a bit drab, so they can protect the nest.Parrots:
Parrots are also flashy, colorful birds when they are male. The one species that does this differently are the eclectus parrots. They live in the Solomon Islands, and the males are completely green, except for the bottom of their wings, which are red. The females are completely red, the bottom of their wings being blue.Giant River Otter:
Giant river otters, are, like the name, large otters that live in rivers. They work together in a pack to hunt. They have amazing hunting abilities, and a lot of the same characteristics as river otters and sea otters.
Amazonian Pink River Dolphin:
Yes, there are pink dolphins in the Amazon River! They can survive in fresh water, but unlike sea dolphins, they don't have large pods. Sea dolphins can have pods up to 1,000 strong, whereas these river dolphins have from 2-15 members in a pod.
The answer to the previous question.....
The Everglades!It has just the right mix of salt and fresh water so that both alligators and crocodiles can live together.
This post's question is, What is one other cat of the Panthera genus?
Very informative and well-written. You’ve got a talent.
ReplyDeleteSuper interesting! I like the questions at the end. They made me think.
ReplyDeletepanthera leo
ReplyDeletePanthera tigris
ReplyDelete