Amazon Mammals

The Amazon is home to more species of plants and animals than any other terrestial ecosystem on the planet -- perhaps 30% of the world's species are found there.

  • More than 300 species of mammal are found in the Amazon, the majority of which are bats and rodents.
  • The Amazon is home to the world's largest rodent, the capaybara which can weigh 200 pounds (91 kg).
  • Two species of freshwater dolphin live in the Amazon river.
  • Edentates -- including sloths, anteaters, and armadillos -- are common residents of the Amazon rainforest and only exist in the New World.
Pictures of Amazonian mammals:
Dusky Titi Monkey (Callicebus spp.)
Dusky Titi Monkey (Callicebus spp.)


Capybara leaving water with a bird on its back
Capybara leaving water with a bird on its back


Cabybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) with young along riverside
Cabybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) with young along riverside


Squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus)
Squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus)


Squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus)
Squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus)



Jaguar



Black Jaguar



Coatimundi



Coati



Woolly Monkey



Capybara totally covered in mud on bank of the Rio Tambopata
Capybara totally covered in mud on bank of the Rio Tambopata


Brown Agouti (Dasyprocta variegata) on clay lick
Brown Agouti (Dasyprocta variegata) on clay lick


Baby Cabybaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) along Rio Tambopata
Baby Cabybaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) along Rio Tambopata


Brown capuchin monkey
Brown capuchin monkey


Squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus)
Squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus)


Giant river otter eating a fish in the Amazon
Giant river otter eating a fish in the Amazon


Pair of giant river otters
Pair of giant river otters


Giant river otter eating a fish in the Amazon
Giant river otter eating a fish in the Amazon


The world's largest rodent, the Capybara
The world's largest rodent, the Capybara


Capybara on bank of the Rio Tambopata
Capybara on bank of the Rio Tambopata


Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus)
Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus)



Pair of tapirs in water


Capybara


Tayra (Eira barbara)


Tapir swimming


Capybara


Capybara

Black Howler Monkey (Alouatta pigra)
Black Howler Monkey (Alouatta pigra)


Black Howler Monkey (Alouatta pigra)
Black Howler Monkey (Alouatta pigra)


Jaguar (Panthera onca)
Jaguar (Panthera onca)


Jaguarundi (Felis yagouaroundi) [local name - Halari or Jaguaroundi]
Jaguarundi (Felis yagouaroundi) [local name - Halari or Jaguaroundi]


Sleeping kinkajou (Potos flavus)
Sleeping kinkajou (Potos flavus)


Margay sleeping atop a tree branch
Margay sleeping atop a tree branch



Woolly Monkey



Squirrel Monkey



Squirrel Monkeys



Giant Anteater



Sloth




Ocelot




Tapir



Capuchin Monkey


Central American Agouti eating a fallen fruit


Mantled Howler Monkey


Juvenile White-throated Capuchin Monkey (Cebus capuchinus)


Tayassu tajacu


Panamanian Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus)


Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata)


Tent-making bat under a palm leaf


Deer in Panama


White-nosed Coati (Nasua narica)


Gray Squirrel


Crab-eating Raccoon (Procyon cancrivorous)


Rufous-naped tamarin (Saguinus geoffroyi)


White-throated Capuchin Monkey (Cebus capuchinus) grooming


Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus)


Central American Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata)


Central American Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata)


Peccary near a wallowing hole


Javelina (Tayassu tajacu) near a wallowing hole


Juvenile collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu)


Juvenile Javelina

Margay (Leopardus wiedii)
Margay (Leopardus wiedii)


Mountain lion (Puma concolor)
Mountain lion (Puma concolor)


Cougar (Puma concolor) [Local name - red tiger]
Cougar (Puma concolor) [Local name - red tiger]


Collared Peccaries
Collared Peccaries


Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)
Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)


Mother Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata) with babies
Mother Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata) with babies



Woolly monkey


Red howler monkey


Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)


Red howler monkey howling


Borugo (Agouti taczanowskii)


Jaguar (Panthera onca)


Headshot of a tapir (Tapirus terrestris)


Ocelot


Woolly monkey


Yellow-handed Titi Monkey


Borugo rodent


Black agouti (Dasyprocta fuliginosa)


Woolly monkeys


Woolly monkey hanging upside down


Jaguar (Panthera onca)


Colombian Ocelot


Yellow-handed Titi Monkey


Common Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus)


Common Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus albigena)


Close headshot of a tapir


Black spider monkey in the Colombian Amazon


Jaguar (Panthera onca)


Jaguar


Jaguar opening its mouth


Close headshot of a tapir


Peccary looking skyward


Tayra


Puma or mountain lion (Puma concolor)

Baby three-toed sloth hugging a stuffed panda in a Trio indigenous community
Baby three-toed sloth hugging a stuffed panda in a Trio indigenous community


Peccary
Peccary


Agouti
Agouti


Red howler monkey
Red howler monkey



White-faced capuchin



White-faced Capuchin (Cebus capucinus)


This article was written by Rhett A. Butler [citation]

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