7 Amazon River Animals to See on Your Cruise

When you hear the word Amazon you instantly associate it with discovery and adventure. It is one of the longest river in the world traversing 4000 miles. In fact, it is still well debated whether it is the longest river in the world.

You already know the Amazon is in South America, but did you know that it flows through about 9 countries starting in Brazil and includes Peru and Bolivia?

What will you see on your Amazon tour?

Beauty and wonder. You will be treading in the steps of intrepid explorers from the past like the famous Percy Fawcett. You will have quite a tale to tell.

When you are there look out for these 7 amazing amazon river animals.

1. Three-Toed Sloth

These are charming and endearing creatures. You will find them hanging upside down in the trees. They are solitary animals that enjoy their own company.

They travel the jungle using the jungle highway or vines that connect the jungle canopy. It is amazing that sloths sleep a staggering 15 hours a day. That’s more than most teenagers.

They move slowly because of their very slow metabolism. However, they can move when faster when they need to. For example, you may be surprised to know they can swim.

Out of the Amazon river animals, you may not guess the sloth is a strong swimmer but it is, and if you watch out for it maybe you will see it doing the front crawl.

2. Big Black Crocodile

Better known as the Caiman. This animal is both terrifying and appealing all at the same time. It looks a little bit like a big crocodile but is black instead of green or grey.

This animal uses its natural features to hunt effectively. For example, it will hunt at night when it is difficult to spot the creature coming. The black Caiman is the biggest predator in the water.

Their teeth are impressive and fearsome looking. Although, you may be surprised to know they do not actually use their teeth when eating. They use their teeth to grab and then drown their prey.

Get your camera ready, you do not want to miss this one. Check out this great article on other scary Amazon predators you would not want to meet alone on a dark night here.

3. Red Piranha

These little fish are famous for when they are on a feeding frenzy. Used by villains in James Bond movies and the like, they are well known. You will have to know what you are looking for to spot them.

The red is actually on their bellies. It will not be the first thing you see. Instead, look out for silver specs in the water. You may be surprised to learn that they can grow quite big, up to 13 inches.

4. Big and Blue

This is the Blue Morpho butterfly. It is fairly common in the Amazon and you should see many of them with ease. It is a stunning sight to see.

There is something enchanting about these creatures as they moved effortlessly and peacefully around the jungle. You may be interested to know that the bright color is to warn off other males.

5. Little Monkeys

These are most likely the squirrel monkeys. They look a little bit like a wise old Chinese man. They have beautiful white whiskers that are offset by a black mouth.

They are usually in the jungle trees but you will see them along the river and sometimes on the ground foraging for food.

Some of these monkeys are really tiny, as small as 25cm. Some species of squirrel monkey are also endangered. Keep your eyes peeled for this one.

6. Big and Pink – Can You Guess?

Did you think of flamingoes? I should have added it swims like a fish. It is true you will likely see some flamingoes but we are referring to the famous pink dolphins.

This highly intelligent creature lives in groups of 2 to 4. They are endangered from river development but you will still see them. They actually have the largest body of any other freshwater dolphin.

You may be surprised to learn that they are born grey in color and turn pink as they get older.

7. A Rare Prize – The Jaguar

Keep your eyes on the lookout for this rare and beautiful creature.

Jaguars are a little like a leopard but they are bigger. They can be 4 to 7 feet long not including the tail. A full-grown animal weighs about 300 pounds. It is famous for its round black spots.

Jaguars are, of course, meat eaters. However, just like many people, they enjoy fish. Jaguars can swim and catch fish when the fancy takes them.

You may be surprised to learn that their belly skin is very loose. This means they can be kicked or scratch in a vulnerable place without being hurt too much. Clever cat.

Beautiful Amazon River Animals – Just the Beginning

So which of these beautiful animals do you want to see? There is plenty of choice. The Amazon is teeming with life and diversity. Whatever animals you like you will be spoilt for choice when touring the Amazon. The Amazon river animals mentioned here, are just the beginning of what you can expect to see.

When traveling on the water you will have the advantage of a wider view and perspective than you can sometimes see when actually in the Jungle. Check out this great article on 7 reasons why traveling by boat is awesome.