Astounding Amazonian Animals!

Every year we hear more and more about how the climate is changing. While a great deal has been done to try and combat the human-caused changes we are seeing in the world around us, the same problems continue to pervade the world: rising sea levels, booming atmospheric CO2 levels, and increasing temperatures. However, in our quest to salvage our own situations, we often forget to consider the devastating impacts that our behaviors have had on the other species with whom we share the planet. The Amazon rainforest, in particular, has suffered greatly in this aspect. At one point, the Amazon was considered a cornucopia of biodiversity, with scientists flocking to the area year-round in hopes of being able to further understand the complexity of the forest. Every day new species were unearthed and new information was learned. Today the conditions in the Amazon are a far cry from the safe haven they used to be. Mass deforestation, agriculture, industrialization, and climate change have all endangered, threatened, and caused the extinctions of thousands of plants and animals. In this article, we will examine the details behind these struggling animals. The goal of this is not to make the reader somber, but rather help them appreciate the beauty and value of these amazing species while we still can!

First and foremost, it is important to define the differences between endangered, threatened, and extinct species. Species that are “endangered” are considered to be plants or animals with populations dwindling to the point that they are in danger of becoming extinct. Meanwhile, threatened species are those plants or animals that are deemed likely to become extinct within the next couple of years. These species essentially are fighting for survival. Typically, without some kind of significant intervention, whether that be manmade or natural, these species will go extinct. Finally, extinct species are those that no longer exist on Earth. All of the species in this article currently fall in the endangered category.

Now, let’s take a look at some astounding Amazonian animals!

Blue Macaw

You may recognize this spectacular creature from the movie Rio. The Blue Macaw is known for flying high above the Amazon. Unfortunately, as of 2018, this creature is extinct in the wild, relying on preservation and breeding programs to maintain the species’ survival. Deforestation of their native tree, the Manduvi tree, as well as them being illegally hunted for their vividly colored feathers, has caused them to be a species at risk. The hope is for them to be reincorporated into the wild when the time is right. For now, they are a species on the mend.

Titi Monkey

The Titi monkey, interestingly enough, was first discovered only 12 years ago. After studying the species, scientists almost immediately declared that the species is threatened. Deforestation and war have caused this species to lose much of its Colombian Amazon habitat. Titi monkeys are one of the few mammals that have life-long, monogamous relationships with one other member of the species. They often are found sitting on the same branch with their tails intertwined. Every year they aim to have one new child, asking that the previous child not only help mentor the younger child but also leave to provide for themself. Now, thanks to preservation efforts, the species has been upgraded from threatened to endangered.

South American Tapir

This is one of my favorite animals to ever exist. The reason for this is because it’s something that a lot of us Westerners have never even seen before. The first time I saw it, it was as an animation. I remember thinking at first that it was just a poorly drawn horse. Yet, this magnificent animal has been an Amazonian staple for a very long time. Despite looking cute and bulky, these animals are feared in the Amazon as they can run up to 30 miles per hour. Unfortunately, in today’s day and age the South American Tapir is an endangered species due to logging, poaching, and water pollution.

Jaguar

Unlike the Tapir, the Jaguar is most certainly a species that people outside of the Amazon have heard of. The Jaguar is revered worldwide for its stealth, ferocity, and speed. Unknown to most is the fact that Jaguars are adept swimmers and climbers, making them a feared predator of the deers, armadillos, monkeys, and lizards who they prey upon. In recent years Jaguar populations have dwindled to the point of them being considered endangered. As a species that is typically on the top of its ecosystem’s food chain, the Jaguar has several needs. It needs wide spaces with many different settings so that it can have different ways to capture prey. It needs a habitat to shelter in and raise its young, along with access to water so that it can remain hydrated. All of these needs have been impacted negatively by deforestation, endangerment of its prey, and loss of habitat due to human activity. Without its requisite space to operate as king, Amazonian Jaguars have become a species in danger of extinction.

Pink Amazon Dolphin

The Pink Amazon Dolphin is one of five species of freshwater dolphin in the entire world. Of these species it is not only the largest, stretching to over nine feet long, but also the smartest. In fact, they possess 40% more brain capacity than…us. That’s right. If you are reading this and are in fact human, the Pink Amazon Dolphin might be smarter than you. These dolphins are feared in the Amazon as it is believed that the Pink Amazon Dolphins have abilities based on two myths. The first is that the dolphins can take children by the riverbed to magical underwater cities. The second is that these dolphins or, “botos encantados” as they are called, can morph into handsome men who by night will court and seduce local women. I can only imagine how this myth came about, “Honey, it’s not my fault…it was the dolphin.” All in all, this freshwater species has been impacted the most by the construction of dams. As a species relying entirely on the river it lives in, significant changes to the water level can be a very harmful thing to its species.

Uakari Monkey

These monkeys are known in the Amazon for their bright red faces. Their moniker, Uakari, comes from the Uakari tribe who are known for their red face paint. Scientists curiously looked into their red coloration and found that this color has nothing to do with their melanin. In fact, all of the red coloring on their face is a combination of their vasculature as well as their thin skin. These monkeys spend most of their day living amongst the trees, hanging in the branches, and eating as much fruit as they can find. Deforestation has been a very harmful thing for this species. While it is considered endangered, there is no current preservation for this species of monkey.

Margay

The Margay is known for two things. The first is its eyes. With its large, brown eyes, the Margay resembles “Puss in Boots” from Shrek making the cute-eyes face. This has made them endearing to locals. Secondly, they are known as the “cat that thinks it’s a monkey” due to its playful, swinging, mischievous nature. They are also very smart. Recognizing that they are not powerful enough to track down prey, they work very hard to mimic their prey to gain trust before going in for the kill. They might be the cutest predators ever. Due to their reliance on trees, the Margay is another species that is suffering due to deforestation.

Golden Lion Tamarin

The Golden Lion Tamarin is known for its bright distinctive fur. These animals are endemic to the Amazon. This means that they are originally from, and are limited to, the space in which they currently reside. Endemic species are incredibly important to their environment as they build the ecosystem around them. Thankfully, their importance has been recognized. In recent years, the population of the Golden Lion Tamarin has again risen into the thousands. One third of the population in the wild comes from descendants of human preservation programs. The Smithsonian Zoo even has its own interactive exhibit featuring these adorable orange haired mammals!

Masked Antpitta

How about another bird? This species is a lesser known, often forgotten species of bird. This bird is quiet, friendly with humans, and often harmless. In fact, these birds became comfortable integrating into urban environments in response to their habitat being destroyed. Agriculture and the timber industry have caused this species to fall into the endangered category. However, the hope is that with preservation programs, this species can make a comeback.

Giant Otter

The Giant Otter is a species of otter that is specific to the freshwater rivers of the Amazon. They use their whiskers and underwater vision to quickly detect and track down fish. Growing to six feet long, these animals have long been a staple of the Amazon. Unfortunately, they, like many other species, have been affected by dams, deforestation, and water pollution. Much like the Masked Antpitta, there are several preservation programs in place to try and raise Giant Otter numbers with hopes of reincorporating them into the wild.

These are just ten of the hundreds of endangered species in the Amazon. Some people may wonder why these species cannot salvage their existence by mating with other species. For example, could the Golden Parakeet continue its species by perhaps mating with one of the 115 species of parakeet? Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. Also, I am sure that some of these people are Star Trek fans. We all know of the famous character Spock. Spock is half-human and half-Vulcan. His home planet, Vulcan, is destroyed and he is able to “preserve” the Vulcan species by mating with humans. Clearly, Star Trek doesn’t follow the proper biological definition of speciation. I’ll explain.

A species is considered a species if and only if its members can procreate and create viable offspring that can reproduce on their own. A good explanation of this is the example of mules. A mule is an animal that results from the reproduction of a female horse with a male donkey. Mules are famously desired for their hardworking, docile nature. They are used to plow fields, carry heavy materials, and transport people across rough terrain. However, in terms of reproduction, mules are sterile. So, mules, while adorable, are not considered an individual biological species. So, interestingly enough, species that are analogs of each other, or extremely close in physical or behavioral traits, are often considered separate species because of their inability to reproduce and make viable offspring that can subsequently reproduce. This is why the “Spock” argument wouldn’t work for the golden parakeet. It is considered a separate species because there is no one else with whom it can reproduce.

To finish with some positivity, new species are discovered every single day in all parts of the world. Just this past year, a new species of orange fuzzy bat was discovered in West Africa. In the Amazon, two new species of the previously endangered screech owl were discovered. It’s even possible that there are hundreds of species living in extreme environments, known as extremophiles, that we have never even found. Whether it’s species in the deep sea, volcanic environments, or even hot springs, the possibilities for discovery are endless.

Additionally, conservation efforts are at an all-time high. This is the case throughout the entire world, not just the Amazon. Because of heightened awareness and care for the issues surrounding climate change, the preservation and conservation of the environment has finally become a high priority in the world. Through changes in litigation, attitude, and human behaviors, we’ve been able to make progress with respect to mitigating the impact of our previous actions. By continuing to make this a point of emphasis in the future, we’ll be able to not just help ourselves but also the species mentioned above!

References

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The Christian Science Monitor. (2010, August 12). Scientists discover new monkey species,

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