Brazil is what’s known as a megadiverse country. That means it has everything from
sections of the Amazon rain forest to portions of what’s known as the Atlantic forest,
all located within its boundaries, which means that there are countless biomes for the various
animals to live in. Because of that, it sports an impressive amount of mammals, birds, and
reptiles that aren’t located elsewhere in the world. There’s no way to fit all of
these incredible animals on a single list, so we have gone in search of some of the most
fascinating so that you don’t have to. Before we begin, be sure to hit the like button
to help us out! Now, here are ten Unique Animals Only Found in Brazil.
Number 10: Anteater When you think of Brazil, your mind might
not instantly go to anteaters...but a large population of these strange-looking animals
lives in the savannas and the dry tropical forests of the region. They use their long
snout and even longer thin tongues to reach inside of ant hills and feed. Their tongue
is covered in a series of small hooks which, when paired with their sticky saliva, are
used to grab the insects inside. Their tongue reaches up to two feet in length.
They are highly territorial animals, using their long, curved foreclaws to chase others
out of their chosen territory. They have an interesting absence of teeth and an extremely
heightened sense of smell. They are sometimes known as the ant bear, due to their physical
appearance and can weigh up to one hundred and twenty-one pounds.
Number 9: Piranha Mammals aren’t the only thing that Brazil
is known for. They also are well known for having piranha live in their bodies of freshwater.
These fish have become famous for their sharp teeth and the fact that they are predators,
which hunt in large schools. These omnivorous animals will eat almost anything – some
of the piranha living in the Amazon river have even been witnessed eating cows to the
bone. They have a single row of interlocking teeth
on each jaw. The fact that their teeth interlock means that, of all the bony fish in the world,
the piranha have the strongest bite. Their bite force has been measured up to seventy-two
pounds strong. They lay their eggs in holes found in the banks of the Amazon river. Piranhas
are known for being cannibalistic if prey is scarce. They will eat young piranha just
as quickly as they will eat water snakes, otters, or even people.
Number 8: Giant Otter The giant otter lives in the rainforest of
Brazil. They are highly endangered, largely due to illegal hunting. The furs of the giant
otter are highly regarded among poachers and illegal trading rings. They are also suffering
from habitat destruction and pollution. While not technically an apex predator, they are
only hunted by three animals in the wild – the anaconda, the caiman, and the jaguar. This
is one of the reasons why they are sometimes known as the river wolf.
Their main diet is actually made up of piranha! They are one of the very few animals to feed
off of the carnivorous fish. The white spot on their throat differs from giant otter to
giant otter and is how the animals are capable of identifying one another. They can reach
up to seventy-five pounds and, if nut hunted, will live up to thirteen years in the wild.
Out of every species of otter in the world, the giant otter is the largest. In fact, they
are double the size of the Asian short-clawed otter!
Number 7: Ocelot The ocelot are nocturnal cats, well known
for being incredibly solitary. In fact, their only threat is that of encroaching urban development,
which is pushing these beautiful creatures further into the forests. They are more than
happy to swim, especially in pursuit of prey, and also have a wide variety of animals that
they are willing to eat, ranging from monkeys to iguanas to fish.
The Amazon rain forest of Brazil is their largest home environment. They are most active
at dust and only have a lifespan of about ten years – but can live up to twenty years
in captivity. Their unique fur coloration allows them to easily blend in with the thorn
forest and tropical forest that they call home, especially during the twilight hours.
Between the fact that they excel in camouflage and are naturally reclusive in nature, it
has proven to be exceptionally difficult to gather much research data on these large cats.
Number 6: Maned Wolf Much like its name implies, the maned wolf
has a massive ‘mane’ that stands up in a bristle when danger is near. Their long
legs allow them to stand up above the tall grasses of its territory, giving them the
opportunity to look out and spot prey hidden below. They can stand up to thirty-five inches
high at the shoulders. Their legs are black, to help blend in with the shadows among the
high grass, and the rest of their coat is a golden red.
Unless it’s cold out, the maned wolf avoids hunting during the daytime. They are solitary
animals and use their large ears to help locate their prey. They live mostly in the Brazilian
Cerrado. They are actually the only reason that this section of Brazil has any amount
of preservation efforts put into it. They are so well regarded in Brazil that they are
featured on the 200 reais banknote.
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Number 5: Marmoset Most commonly seen in Sugarloaf Mountain,
Rio de Janeiro, the marmoset makes for an interesting sight. These tiny monkeys seldom
get taller than seven inches. Their long, banded tail is their most well-known attribute.
They live in the Brazilian coastal Atlantic forest and seldom live past six years.
Widely considered one of the cutest wild animals native to Brazil, tourists often try to catch
sight of these tiny monkeys. The common marmoset uses their long claws to cling to trees, where
they then chew a hole in them. They then eat the exudates and the insects found inside.
Number 4: Brazilian Ruby hummingbird The Brazilian Ruby hummingbird is large for
its species/ The females are green above and cinnamon below, while the males have a red
throat and tail, paired with a copper-colored back and a green head. They feed almost exclusively
on the nectar of the various plants found in the jungles of Brazil, by using their straw-like
tongue. Their tongue can flick out up to thirteen times a second.
Paraty, located in Rio De Janeiro, actually offers a bird-watching tour. The Brazilian
Ruby hummingbird is one of the most common birds to see on this tour, and one of the
most popular due to its speed and the bright colors of its feathers.
Number 3: Capybara Capybara are large, barrel-shaped mammals.
They can reach four and a half feet long and up to twenty-four inches tall. Despite their
size, they are actually closely related to domestic guinea pigs. They live mostly in
the dense forests and savannas of Brazil, near bodies of water. This location is chosen
because they are semi-aquatic in nature. Their fur might look thick, but it’s not.
They can actually get sunburned through it! Their forelegs are shorter than their hind
legs, which means that they tend to hop along instead of walk. They are incredibly social
animals, living in large groups of up to twenty, both males, females, and juveniles. Despite
their size, they can run up to twenty-five miles per hour, webbed toes, and fast-drying
fur. They are the world’s largest rodent and are capable of holding their breath for
up to five minutes at a time. Interestingly enough, they can also sleep submerged underwater,
leaving only their noses above the water.
Number 2: Three Toed Sloth Perhaps one of the most well-known and well-loved
animals on this list is the three-toed sloth, of which there are four unique species. These
are the brown-throated, the pygmy, the pale throated, and the maned three-toed sloths.
All of these sloths have three fingers on their foot – the easiest way to tell them
apart from the double-toed sloth. The three-toed sloths have long, curved claws
which they use to both cling to tree branches and to hook on branches as they jump between
them. They are almost completely arboreal – that means they only come down from trees
to defecate. They have a six-month gestation period and only have a single offspring.
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Number 1: Ramphastos toco The Ramphastos toco, also known as the toco
toucan, thrives in both the east and south sections of Brazil. These animals are known
for their huge yellow bill and their striking plumage. The majority of their body is black,
save for white patches on their tail and their throat, and both a blue and orange circle
around their eyes. The females lay two eggs per nesting season,
which are incubated by both the male and the female. Their beak might look like it would
be heavy, but it’s actually hollow, made from keratin with thin rods of hollow bones
to help support it.
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