What is a mammals?

Mammals are animals that have hair, are warm-blooded, and nourish their young with milk. Some modern-day
mammals include people, apes, cats, bats, dogs, tigers, mice, moose, aardvarks, beavers, elephants, gorillas, sloths,
pandas, hamsters, horses, whales, and dolphins.

Types of Mammals

Monotremes: The monotremes are primitive egg-laying mammals. Modern-day monotremes include the echidnas
(spinyant-eaters)andtheduck-billed-platypus.

Marsupials: Marsupials are another group of mammals; their young are born in an extremely immature state; most
female marsupials have pouches. Some marsupials include the koala, kangaroo, and the numbat.

Placental mammals: Placental mammals are mammals whose young are born at a relatively advanced stage (more
advanced than the young of other mammals, the monotremes and marsupials). Before birth, the young are nourished
through a placenta. The placenta is a specialized embryonic organ that is attached the mother's uterus and delivers
oxygen and nutrients to the young. Most mammals are placental mammals, like cats, dogs, horses, and people.

Diet
Mammals have to eat a lot to maintain their high body temperature. Diets vary from genus to genus. As with most
animal groups, there are more herbivores (plant-eaters) than there are carnivores (meat-eaters).

Types of Mammalian Diets:

Herbivores (plant eaters) - including beavers, cows, horses, pandas, sloths, and others

Carnivores (meat eaters) - including whales and dolphins, dogs, tigers, lions, and others

Omnivores (eat plants and meat) - people, some bears, and others

Insectivores (eat insects) - aardvarks, anteaters, pangolins, and others

Venomous Mammals: Only a few mammals are venomous, including the duckbilled platypus (males only), several
species of shrews, and the Solenodon (a small insectivore).

Mammal Extremes

Fastest mammal (also the fastest land animal): the cheetah (60-70 mph = 97-110 kph)

Slowest mammal - the sloth (less than 1 mph, or 2 kph)

Biggest mammal, biggest animal that ever lived on Earth - the blue whale

Biggest land mammal- the African Elephant

Tallest mammal - the giraffe

Smallest mammals - the pygmy shrew (weighing 1.2-2.7 gm) and the bumblebee bat (weighing about 2 gm)

Loudest mammal - the Blue Whale. The second loudest is the Howler Monkey.

Smallest newborns - marsupials (pouched mammals, like the kangaroo)

Smelliest mammal - the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

The only venomous mammals - duckbilled platypus (males only), several species of shrews, and the
Solenodon
 Fat - The blue whale has the thickest layer of blubber, but ringed seal pups have the greatest percentage of
fat (about 50 %).

EXTINCTION OF THE DINOSAURS

(Picture by NASA). At the end of the Cretaceous, 65 million years ago, not only did the dinosaurs disappear
completely, but so did flying reptiles (pterosaurs), and marine reptiles (ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs). In fact, between
60 and 80% of all animal species, including many marine forms, disappeared. Most turtles, crocodiles and primitive
birds also disappeared but some survived to give rise to modern forms.

There have been numerous theories to account for the extinction of dinosaurs. But during the 1980's strong evidence
was obtained to support the idea, originally proposed by Luis Alvarez, that a global catastrophe, caused by the impact
of an asteroid, comet or meteorite, was responsible. Enormous amounts of debris would have been thrown into the
atmosphere, making the Earth so cold and dark that cold-blooded animals like dinosaurs were unable to survive.

EVOLUTION OF MAMMALS

The survivors of the Cretaceous/Tertiary catastrophe included some small, squirrel-like animals that were to give rise
to the dominant life forms of the next era - the fur-bearing, warm-blooded mammals that eventually gave rise to the
human species. The period between the extinction of the dinosaurs and the present day is called the Age of Mammals
or Cenozoic.

Mammals appeared on the earth long before the extinction of the dinosaurs; in fact, dinosaurs and mammals
originated within 10 million years of each other, in the late Triassic about 200 million years ago.

By late Cretaceous small primitive marsupials (mammals that brood their young in a pouch, like opossums), and
insectivores, similar to shrews and hedgehogs, were quite abundant and widespread. But only after the dinosaurs
were gone did the mammals begin their great diversification and become the dominant land animals. Then, within 10
million years, there were mammals of all kinds living in many different habitats on land, in the sea and in the air. There
were herbivores, carnivores, whales, bats. During the Cenozoic there was also tremendous radiation in other groups
including birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, leading gradually up to the peak of biological diversity that occurred in
the recent past.

GEOGRAPHIC CHANGES AND EVOLUTION

The geography of the world changed dramatically during the time when animals and plants were evolving. The major
continental land masses were initially fused together into one giant continent named Pangaea during the Paleozoic
era.

In the Mesozoic, Pangaea gradually broke up into the present-day continents, which have been moving apart from
each other, by continental drift, ever since. This idea of continental drift was first based on the remarkably close fit
between the coastlines of major continents, most notably the west coast of Africa with the east coast of South
America. It is now supported by measurements, which show that the continents on either side of the Atlantic Ocean
are still moving apart from one another, at the rate of several centimeters per year. Continental drift was actually a little
more complicated, with the North American plate drifting around in the Pacific Ocean for quite a long time. A large
chunk of the North American plate was recently found in Argentina, left there after the two continents bumped into
each other then moved apart. Learn more about This Dynamic Earth.

The separation of the great land mass into different continents allowed biological evolution to take quite different paths
in different parts of the world. And the formation of oceanic islands, often by volcanic activity, produced many more
isolated areas where evolution could experiment with different forms.

Breakdown of this isolation, either by geological changes or by transport of organisms between the isolated areas, has
often led to extinction of the endemic forms, and so loss of diversity.

During the Cenozoic era (the last 66 million years), there was a gradual lowering of temperatures as well as the
gradual establishment of different climatic zones of the earth -the tropics, the temperate zones and the cool climates of
the higher latitudes. The culmination of the cooling trend was the Pleistocene epoch, or Great Ice Age, of the last 1.8
million years. During this time vast expanses of North America and Eurasia were periodically covered with enormous
continental glaciers. These glaciers advanced during the four ice ages (glacial periods) and retreated during the three
interglacials. We are probably now living in the fourth interglacial stage. During the glacial periods the sea level
became much lower because so much water was converted to ice. Consequently land bridges, especially the Bering
land bridge across the Bering Sea joining Asia with North America, became available for animal migrations.

During the Cenozoic the mammals reached their peak of evolution, producing a tremendous variety of species, many
of them very large. The segment of the fauna containing these large creatures (those weighing more than about 100
pounds) is called the Megafauna. Most of these animals are extinct.

EVOLUTION OF MAMMALS ON DIFFERENT CONTINENTS

Mammalian evolution in the Northern hemisphere.

We know about the Pleistocene mammals not only from fossils but also from carcasses, especially of the woolly
rhinoceros, which have been found in petroleum deposits in Romania. Mammoths, complete with flesh, hair and
stomach contents, have been found frozen in the ice in Siberia.

Some members of the Pleistocene megafauna were restricted to certain areas. For example, the woolly rhinoceros,
giant deer, the moose-like giraffe shown in the slide, and the cave bear were found only in Eurasia and Africa. But the
Bering land bridge has been present intermittently through the entire Cenozoic period. It allowed the entry of many of
the large mammals that were to subsequently dominate the North American fauna, including the woolly mammoth,
imperial mammoth, mastodon, bison, deer, sheep, cattle and many large carnivores. Slide shows a reconstruction of a
Pleistocene scene in North America. Notice the saber-toothed cat with its enormous canine teeth.

The Bering land bridge also allowed animals that evolved in North America to colonize Asia. Horses and camels
originated in North America and from here spread to Asia and South America. They subsequently (8,000 years ago for
horses) became extinct in North America. Horses did not reappear in this country until Columbus' second voyage in
1493. See slide of the evolutionary history of the horse - one of the most complete fossil series available, often used
as a classical example of evolution.

Mammalian Evolution in South America.

At the beginning of the Cenozoic era, there was a land bridge between North and South America, as there is today.
This land bridge allowed primitive mammals to colonize South America from the North. This land link was later (during
the Eocene) broken, and those animals which had settled in South America then evolved in complete isolation from
the rest of the world. Over about 40 million years these primitive groups diversified in many unique ways.

The placental mammals (those that carry their young in a uterus, using a placenta to provide nutriment) of South
America evolved as herbivores, many of them large and slow moving, like the ground sloth Megatherium which
reached up to 29 feet tall when standing upright on its hind legs. The ground sloth was the largest and heaviest of all
land mammals (there may have been a sighting in 1994!). Other South American mammals evolved single-digit feet
ending in strong hoofs, exactly like those of modern horses, and others possessed a well-developed trunk and
massive legs like the elephant's. These are examples of convergent evolution.

The marsupials (mammals that carry their young in a pouch, like kangaroos) evolved in the other direction, becoming
carnivores. One of them bore an amazingly close resemblance to the independently evolved saber-toothed cat of
North America, which was a placental mammal. This is another example of convergent evolution.

New forms of wildlife continued to arrive in South America even after the continent was cut off from North America.
These "island hoppers" were able to cross the stretches of water then separating the continents because of their small
size and/or their ability to swim. They included primates which gave rise to the New World monkeys, including howler
monkey, marmosets, capuchins, woolly monkeys and spider monkeys; and rodents which evolved into a number of
families, several of which are found nowhere else in the world. These include the capybara, the agouti, the coypu, the
cavy (Guinea pig) and the chinchilla. In South America there is a greater variety of rodents than anywhere else in the
world.

The Invasion of South America. In the upper Pliocene, 3 million years ago, the isthmus of Panama reappeared as a
result of changes in the earth's crust. This was a disaster for many of the animals that had evolved in isolation in
South America. South America was invaded by deer, camels, raccoons, tapirs, horses, mastodons, bears, peccaries,
rabbits, shrews, cats, dogs, weasels and rodents. For some reason these animals were able to displace many of the
South American species, driving many of them to extinction.

Some of the new arrivals (e.g. mastodons and horses) survived only for a brief period. Others were very successful,
for example the camel family which has given rise to the vicunas, guanacos, alpacas and llamas. The camels as well
as the horses subsequently became extinct in North America where they originated.
Another group of uniquely South American mammals, the edentates (sloths, armadillos and anteaters), survived the
competition with the invaders and are still abundant in South America. The armadillos, like their primitive ancestors,
are armor-plated mammals in which the armor plating is composed of separate shields and hinged bands. But the
related species of one extinct group, the glyptodonts, had a single-piece carapace similar to that of tortoises. These
glyptodonts, some of which were as big as a Volkswagen and armored like a tank, survived up until quite recent times
and may have been hunted by primitive Indian tribes; piles of glyptodont bones have been found alongside various
human artifacts.

A few of the animals that had evolved in South America migrated in the reverse direction, becoming established in
North as well as South America: the anteater, porcupine, opossum and armadillo.

South America provides a spectacular example of how evolution can take off in novel directions when a region is
isolated for a long enough period of time. It also provides a dramatic lesson in how apparently well adapted species
can often be driven to extinction when exotic species (those coming from outside) are introduced.

Mammalian Evolution in Australia.

The mammalian fauna of Australia also evolved in isolation since the early Cenozoic (Eocene), but in this case the
isolation remained complete. For unknown reasons, Australia was apparently originally populated entirely by
marsupials rather than placental mammals. Today the native mammalian fauna of Australia is made up of marsupials
of many different kinds, that occupy ecological niches similar to those occupied by placental mammals in other parts of
the world. Evolution produced marsupial mice, a marsupial mole, and, most impressive, a marsupial wolf (almost
extinct) and a marsupial lion (extinct), all of which bear striking resemblances to the corresponding placental forms.
These are examples of convergent evolution. Other Australian marsupials occupy the same ecological niches as
certain placental mammals in other continents, but are rather different in appearance. For example the wallabies and
kangaroos occupy the niche of browsing and grazing mammals which is occupied by the ungulates (hoofed mammals)
in other parts of the world. The Koala, a tree-climbing, slow-moving herbivore, occupies the same niche as the tree
sloths of South America. The Koala is now being considered for Endangered Species listing in this country; its
population has plummeted because of destruction of eucalyptus forests in Australia. Around Christmas 2001 over 100
fires, most deliberately set, burned 1.2 million acres in southeast Australia, including huge areas of koala habitat.
Thousands of koalas were lost out of less than 100,000 remaining.

Australia did produce some giant forms such as giant kangaroos, which are now extinct.

HUMANS ENTER THE NEW WORLD

During the last ice age (20-11,000 years ago), so much sea water was frozen into the ice caps that the sea level fell
about 300 feet. This exposed a 1,000 mile-wide strip of land connecting the two continents called the " Bering Land
Bridge", but at the glacial maximum of 18-20,000 years ago the continental glacier (the Laurentide Glacier) stretched
all the way to the Pacific Ocean, blocking animal and human movement between the continents. At about 14,000
years ago a warming trend opened up an ice-free corridor between the main Laurentide glacier and the smaller
Cordilleran ice sheet along the coast. This made it possible for early humans to migrate from Asia into the unglaciated
lands of North America. Then during the present interglacial, melting ice caused the sea level to rise, cutting off the
land connection between Asia and North America.

Early humans are believed to have arrived in North America about 11,500 years ago, soon after the ice-free corridor
opened up. These people are known as the Clovis people, named after the town in New Mexico where their distinctive
spear points were found in 1932. Clovis points have been found in association with mammoth bones at several
locations in North America, suggesting that the Clovis people hunted these animals. At some sites (e.g. Murray
Springs) bones of other large mammals have been found, including Horse, Camels, Bison, Lion, and Dire wolf.

Peru has a diverse geography, from the Pacific Ocean bordering the long desert coast to the Andean mountains and
the rainforest. Because of this wide geographical range and different altitudes and climates, animals have adapted
and survived in this environment.

Peru is home to more than 500 species of mammals, of which 70 are endemic and close to 100 are threatened,
vulnerable or endangered.

Peru is among the top 7 countries in world in mammal diversity.

More tan 110 species of mammals have been registered for the Tambopata National Reserve.
 Although Tambopata is known for being one of the best places in amazonia for wild life observation,
mammals are among the most elusive and defficult to spot.

Jaguar, Otorongo, Tigre

Panthera onca

Characteristics:

1. Size up to 2m. Weight 150kg. Height

80cm.

2. Body with spots, big and heavy. Its designed for

strenght and not for speed.

3. Very good sight and hearing. Binocular and

color vision.

4. Very strong, they can crag prey 200kg for more than 2km.

Diet: Feeds on capibaras, deer, pecaries, turtles, caimans, birds, agoutis, fish, etc. They carry their pry to woody areas.
Reproductive habits: Female gives birth 1 to 4 cubs of 700 to 900 grs. They remain with mother 2 years. Sexual maturity
3 years.

Curiosities: Biggest cat of the americas. There are albino variations, some individuals dark brown or black colored, but
spots are always visible with certain degree of light. Some people called them Panthers. They are active 60% of day. Live
11 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity.
Great swimmer. Only predator humans. There are some representations of jaguar deities in Chavin culture, Mochica and
Tiahuanaco. Only in the 60s aprox 20,000 skins were exported to USA. This diminish their population.

Habitat and behavior: Terrestrial top predator, solitary, nocturnal and dirnal. Prefers places near water. Primary forest
and forest edge.

Puma, Lluichi puma

Puma concolor

Characteristics:

1. Size 2 m. Weight 100 kg.

2. Uniform colored body, from yellowish brown to dark

reddish. Tip of tail is darker and snout is lighter than
rest of body.

3. Very good sight and hearing, binocular and color vision.

4. Very agile, they can jump up to 8m distance and jump from a 20 m height.

Diet: Feeds on deer, agoutis and pacas, snakes, small rodents and even insects when food is scarce. It can attack cattle
in places where its territory has been reduced and so their prey.

Curiosities: Excelent hearing and sight, secretive and good swimmer. Shy, if they encounter a man , do not attack and
prefer to run. Live aprox. 18 years old.
Representations of Puma were found in Chancay textiles, Pukara ceramics and Mochica sculpture. During Inca times
hunting of this animal was organized due to the damage it caused to Vicuas in the highlands.
Reproductive habits: Sexual maturity at 3 years old. Copulation lasts 1 minute. Females give birth 1 to 4 babies of 250
to 450 grs. Open their eyes after 10 days.
Habitat and behavior: Terrestrial, solitary hunter, nocturnal and diurnal but it prefers to look for food at night. All types of
forest and open areas; prefers upland, rocky terrain and avoids marsh and wetland.
Ocelot, Tigrillo, Ocelote

Leopardus pardalis

Characteristics:

1. Size 1 m long, tail 40cm. Smaller than other felines.

Weight 8 to 15 kg.

2. Tail shorter than hindlimb.

3. Color and binocular vision.

4. Four fingers in forelimbs and five in hindlimbs.

Diet: Carnivorous (rodents, snakes, birds, lizards, etc.) Captures prey on the ground, never on branches.

Reproductive habits: Usually 1 to 2 babies, rarely 3. Female cares of the baby. Nest is made by vegetation in a tree hole
under a bush. Live up to 20 years.

Curiosities: Similar to Margay but bigger. Fur is short and smooth. Good sight and hearing senses. Before eating a bird
they take all feathers off. They mark territory urinating in plants and scratching trunks and branches with claws.

Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal and diurnal. Terrestrial. They climb only to cross creeks or to rest. They hunt on the
ground, solitary. All forest types and disturbed areas with adequate cover.

Margay, Huamburushu
Leopardus wiedii

Characteristics:

1. Size 55 cm. Weight 3kg aprox.

2. Big head and feet.

3. Tail longer than hindlimb, longest

among all the cats, it helps it to keep
the balance on trees.

4. Only cat in the new world that can go down from trees head first.

Diet: Feeds on small vertebrates, arthropods, fruit and occasionaly leaves. Food associated to arboreal life.

Reproductive habits: Sexual maturity 2 years old. Live up to 20 years in captivity.

Curiosities: It can jump vertically 2.5m in one push.

Habitat and behavior: Arboreal. Crepuscular habits, solitary. Found in mature forest; seldom recorded in second growth
or disturbed reas.

Jaguarundi, Pantera
Herpailurus yagouarondi

Characteristics:

1. Size 60cm and tail 50cm. Weight 8kg.

2. Body long and thin, no spots, uniform color red,

brown gray or black.

3. Small head, small rounded ears.

 4. It moves more like a tayra or an otter than a feline

Diet: Feeds on birds, reptiles and small mammals. Also some arthropods.

Reproductive habits: Give birth to 2 to 3 babies. Live up to 15 years.

Curiosities: Long neck and short legs. Long and thin tail. Good hearing and sight, binocular and color vision. One of the
rarest felines in the continent and unlike other felines the jaguarundi does not jump to their prey but Follow them.

Habitat and behavior: Diurnal and nocturnal. Terrestrial but it climbs trees relatively easy. Solitary or in pairs. Found in
a variety of habitats including forest, savannah, and cultivated areas, often near water. It favors dense brush and is less
common in primary forest

Gray or Brown Brocket Deer, Venado cenizo

Mazama gouazoubira

Characteristics:

1. Both males and females reach 55 and 65 cm height and 110

cm long. Weight 30 kg.

2. Coloration varies depending on the region but it is usually light

brown and gray to light brow and reddish with a grayish
shade.

3. Undertail, genitals and belly whitish.

4. The first year of age males develope non branching antlers, 15 cm long.

Diet: Feeds on flowers and fruits.

Reproductive habits: One to two offsprings.

Curiosities: Less abundant than red brockets, very rare to see.

Habitat and behavior: Diurnal, solitary. Primary and secondary forest, often near streams

Red Brocket Deer, Venado colorado, Venado rojo

Mazama americana

Characteristics:

1. Size 1 m long. Weight 35 kg.

2. Reddish body.

3. Antlers only in males, females lack them.

Diet: 100% ruminant with complex stomach where it ferments vegetal matter.
Feeds mainly on fruits but also leaves, flowers and fungus.

Reproductive habits: Sexual maturity 13 months. Only one baby born with
spotted hair. Live 8 years in the wild and 13 years in captivity.

Curiosities: They can even swim to scape from danger. Very shy and remain motionless when in danger; When in
extreme danger they hit the ground with forelimbs.

Habitat and behavior: Diurnal and nocturnal. Terrestrial, solitary or in couples. Live in areas with dense undergrowth.
Primary and secondary forest.
There are two species of deer in Tambopata, but the commonly seen in one is the shy Red brocket deer, also highly
sought after by their meat. They are quiet and secretive. As with most Amazon mammals, they are smaller versions of
relatives, or equivalents elsewhere.

The Red brocket deer is only a meter in length, small compared to North American deer, the Jaguar is small compared
to tigers and lions, the Tapir is small compared to buffalo, bison, or elephants, which could be said to be their
equivalents, and the peccaries are small compared to wild boar or warthogs. These are all adaptations to life in the
tangled ultra crowded habitat that is the rainforest. Size breeds clumsiness.

Great long-nosed Armadillo, Carachupa, Armadillo

Dasypus kapleri

Characteristics:

1. Size 95 cms. Weight 8 Kg.

2. Poor vision, good sense of smell and excellent

hearing.

3. Relatively elongated snout. Narrow, close-set ears.

4. Bony shell with a dome-shaped profile and 7 to 9 movable bands of scales on mid-back.

5. Base of long, armoured tail is thick and flattened, especially in adults.

6. Scarce hair or absent.

Diet: Insects, prefering ants and termites.

Reproductive habits: Female gives birth 4 to 5 babies which are nursed in a den until they can move by themselves.

Curiosities: They sleep in holes on the ground that they dig with its claws.

Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal, terrestrial and solitary. Found in forest floor, especially near swamps or streams.

Long nosed nine banded armadillo, Carachupa, Armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus

Characteristics:

1. Size 45 cm. Weight 6 kg.

2. Poor vision but good sense of smell.

3. 9 rings on the shell to allow protection and mobility of

the trunk.

4. Digs very fast with thick claws.

Diet: Many types of insects, prefering beetles, termites and ants, soil worms, eggs of birds that nest in the soil and
fungi but in low percentage.

Reproductive habits: During courtship female lays on her back. Sexually mature = one year old. Litter always 4
individuals of the same sex. Lives up to 12 to 15 years.
Curiosities: Sticky saliva. Good swimmers, they can dive up to six minutes. They build big underground galeries
where it spends part of the day hiden and protected. Its shell is used to make charangos.
Armadillo contributed to research for leprosy since its the only animal that has it in a natural form in nature.

Habitat and behavior: Both diurnal and nocturnal. Solitary.

Giant Armadillo, Yugunturu, Armadillo gigante

Priodontes maximus

Characteristics:

1. Very large, size 1.3 mts and weight 30 Kg.

2. Poor vision but good sense of smell.

3. Grayish bony shell with yellow edges. Pinkish

underparts, not fully covered by shell.

4. Large legs and feet with massive claws on

front feet.

5. Tail covered with pentagonal scales.

6. It balances itself with tail and hindlegs to reach higher termite nests.

Diet: Prefers termites but also ants, spiders, worms, larvae, carrion and snakes.

Reproductive habits: Female gives birth 1 or 2 babies. They live 12 to 15 years.

Curiosities: Shell is formed by bony plaques with 13 bands, combined with flexible skin covering head, body legs and
tail. Hair scarce or absent. Sleeps in big holes digged by claws.

Habitat and behavior: Mainly nocturnal, solitary and terrestrial. Rainforest and savannah.

Giant Otter, Lobo de ro, Nutria de ro Pteronura brasiliensis

Characteristics:

1. Weight between 25 to 32 kg.

Size from 1.5 to 2 m. Tail 45 to
66 cm.

2. Fur dark chocolate brown, often with

creamy markings on their neck that form a bib-like pattern.

3. This bib is unique to the individual, and is very useful in the field for identifying individuals.

4. Tail very thick and muscular at the base, becoming flattened 1/3 of the way down, creating a sword-shape.

Diet: Fish, aprox 4 kg per day, and other acuatic animals. To look for food they fish in lakes of few km and sometimes
they have to go tu further places. Biggest in the Mustelidae family.

Reproductive habits: Live aprox 9 years in the wild and 14 in captivity. Sexual maturity 2 - 3 years old. Female gives
birth 4 babies.
Curiosities: Males and females cannot be distinguished by size. They communicate through territorial marks, sounds
even underwater.
Geographical range in the southamerican tropical forest was from Venezuela to northern Argentina. Today only in small
remaining patches. Giant otters were near extinction at the end of 60s due to indiscriminate hunting; from 1946 to 1973
more than 24 000 skins were exported from peruvian amazon and 20 000 from Brasil.
In 1970 only a small population existed in remote areas. Nowadays we estimate there are 1000 to 3000 giant otters in
Southamerica. Manu has the largest population.
Habitat and behavior: Largest in the family. Semi-acuatic life, diurnal (they sleep in dens near shore). Found in bodies
of black and white water with slow current like rivers, creeck or lakes. Usually found in groups of 4 to 9 individuals, rarely
solitary.

Southern River Otter, Nutria - Lontra longicaudis

Characteristics:

1. Size 90 cm. Weight 9 kg.

2. Head rounded and flattened, with small,

round ears set low on the head.

3. Paws are webbed, five toes on

each paw. Otters front legs are
shorter than their back legs, and this
allows them to swim better.

4. Ears and nostrils can be closed when they dive underwater.

Diet: Feeds on acuatic wildlife like fish, molluscs and crustaceans but its considered an opportunist because they can
also eat insects, reptiles and birds.

Reproductive habits: Give birth generally three babies. Babies open their eyes after 44 days. Female takes care of the
baby and it abandon den aproximately after 52 days. Live up to 23 years in captivity.
Curiosities: Great swimmer and diver, normally they are aprox 30 seconds underwater but they can remain down for
even 8 minutes!. In the past this animal was extremely hunted and almost extinguished in most of its range. Between
1950 and 1970 the price of its fur was 50 usd aprox.
Habitat and behavior: Mainly diurnal, solitary or in pairs. Generally in pairs only during breeding season. Found in
bodies of moving clear water.

Two toed sloth, Pelejo, Perezoso

Cholepus hoffmani

Characteristics:

1. Size 60 cm. Weight 10 kg.

2. Two strong claws on forefeet and three on hindfeet.

3. Symbiotic relation with algae but less obvious than three

toes.

4. Considered Leshmaniasis reservoirs

Diet: Different type of leaves, small twigs and even fruits.

Reproductive habits: Joins mate only to copulate. Female gives birth only one baby and it stays in
moms belly for two years.
Curiosities: More females than males in a proportion of 11:1. No tail. Both species of sloths have
forelimbs longer than hindlimbs that allows them to climb easily.
Habitat and behavior: Mostly nocturnal and solitary. Mature and secondary forest.

Brown throated three toed sloth, Pelejo, Perezoso

 Bradypus variegatus

Characteristics:

1. Size up to 70 cm. Weight aprox. 5 kg.

2. Slowest animals of earth. 0.2 Km / hour. (4 mt/min) in the

trees; and 0.1 Km / hour (2.4 mt / min) in the soil.

3. Head can turn around to an angle of 270 degrees.

4. Algae grow in hair. Good for camouflage.

Diet: Strictly vegetarian. Mainly eats Cecropia leaves.

Reproductive habits: Female gives brith to one baby. At the age of nine
months it can hold on to the branches by itself. Reaches full size at the age of two
years old. They live up to 25 years.
Curiosities: They come down to the ground from the tree they feed periodically, once a week to defecate and urinate.
Generally sleep 20 hours per day. Good swimmers. Only live in Tropical America.
Habitat and behavior: Arboreal, solitary, nocturnal and diurnal. Mature and secondary forest.

Capybara, Ronsoco, Capibara

Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris

Characteristics:

1. Size 1.3m. Weight 60 kg.

2. Large, rectangular head; and arched, rounded

rump.

3. Fur dark reddish brown without distinctive markings.

4. Tail not visible.

5. Large, webbed feet.

Diet: Herviborous, grass and acuatic vegetation. Most of the times subemerged while eating.

Reproductive habits: Sexual maturity 18 months. Give birth once a year up to 7 offsprings. Live in families of 2 to 8
individuals but sometimes seen in groups of 20. Live up to 12 years old.

Curiosities: Only in southamerica. Biggest rodents in the world. They can remain up to 10min underwater. They have
adaptations to anphibian life like eyes, ears and nostrils located at the same level on the head that allows them to
have all body underwater while their senses detect a potential predator (Jaguars, Caimans and humans).

Habitat and behavior: Diurnal, terrestrial. They rest during the day, midday they take a bath, dusk and night fish.
Always found near water, it occurs in lowland forest, swamp, lagoons, gallery forest, and flooded savannah.

Bamboo Rat, Rata del bamb, Cono cono

Dactylomys spp.

Characteristics:

1. The head and body are 30 cm with a tail measuring

approximately 40 cm.

2. The fur is soft and lacks spines and bristles. Only the base of the tail is haired.

3. Head is grayish beige with darker stripe between ear and eye.
Diet: Feeds on soft leaves and shoots.
Curiosities: Easily noticeable by their vocalizations; often between 7:00 and 7:30pm. Males have a gland in middle of the
chest, which imparts a strong musky smell.
The eye has a horizontal pupil, like a goat. Occurs in pairs.

Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal rodents from the Echimyidae family. All rodents from this family have spiny hairs and
robust tails and are solitary. All are tree dwelling rats. Bamboo rats will feed of tender shoots and leaves of bamboo and
are never found outside of it.
This rodent has conspicuous vocalizations (You will hear them barking between 7:00 and 7:30 pm.) and lives in
environments of dense vegetation near watercourses, generally associated with the presence of bamboo patches,
where they are cryptic.

Brown Agouti, Auje, Aguti

Dasyprocta variegata

Characteristics:

1. Size 50cm. Weight 5kg.

2. Body brown colored.

3. Five toes in frontlegs and three in backlegs.

Diet: Feeds on fallen fruits, nuts and roots.

Reproductive habits: Give birth 2 to 6 offsprings.

Curiosisities: Important seed dispersor because it collects palm fruits and bury them as reserve/storage in different
places; Many times they forget and allows regeneration of a new plant.
When alarmed or aggressive their hairs bristle. There are reports of 5m jumps! . Since this species needs to run to
scape from predators they do not store fat but they store food burying it. They cause damages in Yuca plantations.

Habitat and behavior: Terrestrial and lives in fallen trunks and Heliconias. Diurnal

Pacarana

Dinomys branickii

Characteristics:

1. Weight 15 kg. Size 79 cm, tail 17 cm long.

2. Hair dark brown to blackish with two white bands along

back.

3. Wide legs with four toes with long and strong nails.

4. Short and rounded ears. Upper lip has an incision (cut) and long whiskers.

Diet: Herviborous. Fruits, leaves and seeds.

Curiosities: Most uncommon species from six species of rodents closely related like pacas and agoutis. Some
evidence places the pacarana as closely related to the prehistoric giant rodents that ruled South America millions of
years ago.
Also known as Count Branickis terrible mouse,it is known as the "pacarama" ("false paca")

Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal, silent and solitary. Prefers areas near water, hides in caves

Paca, Majz, Picuro

Agouti paca

Characteristics:

1. Similar to a small dog, 80 cm long. Weight 9 kg, 70%

is edible.

2. Reddish-brown colour with four obvious white lines or

stripes from shoulder to rump on each side.

3. Very short, inconspicuous tail.

4. Bright red eyeshine.

Diet: Herviborous, feeds on fallen fruits, leaves, roots, seeds and tubers.
Reproductive habits: Live 10 to 12 years. Offsprings open their eyes, walk and eat inmediately and next day they are
able to swim and dive.
Curiosities: Prefers to be closer to rivers or in flooded forests. Good swimmers. Hunted for their meat. Four incisors
that dont have root, 2 upper and 2 lower very sharp and evergrowing.
Pacas depend on darkness, silently movements and absence of odor to hide from predators. Unlike agouti, Paca does
not need to run, they do not bury food and do not store fat in their body making quality of their meat better.
Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal, they have phobia to the light. Terrestrial, solitary or in pairs, couples occupy a
territory of 3 to 4 has. They urinate on their couple so they do not tolerate an unfamiliar odor. Forest, secondary brush.

Brazilian Rabbit, Conejo de monte

Sylvilagus brasiliensis

Characteristics:

1. Size 40 cm. Weight 850 grs.

2. Very small tail, legs and ears.

3. Coloration varies from shiny gray to blackish on the back, fainting to the
sides.

4. Ventral part is withish except for a small dark spot on the throat.

Diet: Herbivorous, prefers green herbs and fungus.

Curiosities: Two pairs of upper incisors. Elongated ears. Adaptations for jumping.
Natural vector of Mixomaosis, viral disease not mortal for other rabits of genus
Sylvilagus but mortal for european rabits; thats why it was deliberately introduced and irradiated in Australia to
eliminate european rabits introduced and now has become a plague.
Habitat and behavior: Solitary, nocturnal and crepuscular. Inhabits tropical forest and grasslands

Common rice rat, Rata

Oryzomys capito

Characteristics:

1. Medium-sized, terrestrial, dark mouse.

2. Upperparts dark, blackish or reddish-brown, sides paler or orangish;

belly greyish-white. Ears medium-sized, blackish, and nearly naked.

3. Dark tail is about equal to, or slightly longer than, head and body, and
nearly naked with no terminal tuft.

4. Hind feet relatively long and narrow.

Diet: Omnivorous, feeds on fruits, adult insects and larvae, fungus.
Reproductive habits: Give birth 1 to 6 offsprings.
Curiosities: Sexual maturity 50 days. Live up to 3 years.
Habitat and behavior: Terrestrial, mainly nocturnal. Primary or secondary forest and forest edge. Frequents most
habitat types but most often encountered in terra firme forest or near very small creeks

Spiny mouse, Ratones

Neacomys spinosus

Characteristics:

1. Very small, size 7 to 10cm.

2. Their coats have stiff hairs that function similar to the

spines of a porcupine.

Diet: Insects and small fruits.

Habitat and behavior: Terrestrial and nocturnal. Mature forest,
especially dense vegetation near creeks and small streams, or
seasonally flooded forest

Water rat, Ratones

Nectomys squamipes

Characteristics:

1. Size 15 to 25 cm.

2. Soft, glossy fur, upperparts dark, blackish-brown grading to

orange on sides; belly whitish grey, contrasting sharply with
colour of sides and back.

3. Tail long and thick, sparsely haired with a slight tuft at the tip.

4. Hind feet large and broad, fringed with silvery white hairs on side, and partially webbed.

5. Eyeshine dull reddish.

Diet: Tadpoles, small fish and insects.

Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal and semiacuatic. Grassy areas, and along creeks and small streams in mature,
lowland forest.
Curiosities: It is a well-known (and well-studied) carrier of the exotic trematode Schistosoma mansoni, a parasite
causing Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease commonly found in South America

Southern Amazon Red Squirrel, Ardilla colorada

Sciurus spadiceus

Characteristics:

1. Size 45 to 60 cm. Weight 500 to 600 grs.

2. Reddish brown hair.

3. Tail longer than body.

Diet: Feeds mainly on palm nuts and other trees.

Reproductive habits: Sexual maturity 1 year. Give birth 2 babies. During breeding season female is chased by 6 or
more males that dispute aggressively.
Curiosities: Pair of sharp upper incisors and space due to the lack of canines. They sleep in holes covered by
leaflitter.
Habitat and behavior: Diurnal, terrestrial and arboreal. Solitary but it can feed with other individuals in the same tree.

Bolivian Squirrel, Ardilla - Sciurus ignitus

Characteristics:

1. Brownish body

Diet: Feeds on nuts, fruits, fungus and insects.

Reproductive habits: Generally nest in green leaves put on top of a
palm tree. Sexual maturity 1 year.
Curiosities: Pair of sharp upper incisors and space due to the lack of
canines.
Habitat and behavior: Diurnal, terrestrial and arboreal. Solitary

Bicolored arboreal rice rat, Rata - Oecomys bicolor

Characteristics:

1. Size 17 to 22cm.

2. Upperparts uniform reddish-brown, contrasting with pure white belly.

3. Long, brown tail with a slight tuft of hairs at the tip.

4. Hind feet short and broad.

5. Eyeshine bright reddish-orange.

Reproductive habits: Give birth 4 5 babies. Sexually mature 3 months of age.

Habitat and behavior: Arboreal, prefers flooded areas with palms, Primary or secondary forest and clearings; favors
low vines near creeks or in seasonally flooded forest. Often occupies roofs and rafters of buildings near forest, where
it is easily seen

Bicolor-spined Porcupine, Puercoespn

Coendou bicolor

Characteristics:

1. Size 40 cm.Tail 50 cm. Weight 4 kg.

2. Stocky with a bulbous snout, and small eyes, face white with pink nose
and lips.

3. Body conspicuously covered with rounded, stiff, barbed quills

with pale yellowish tips.

4. Short, muscular tail is prehensile (grasping), naked on top near

the tip and curls backwards, grasping with the upper surface.

Diet: Feeds on leaves but also soft stems, fruits, seeds, roots, tubers, insects and small reptiles.
Reproductive habits: Give birth one baby. Sexual maturiry 3-4 years.
Curiosities: Spikes used as defense mechanism. They can throw them making muscle contractions and spikes can
perforate the enemys skin. They have a strong unpleasant smell.
Habitat and behavior: Arboreal. Come down to the ground to eat and to go from one tree to another. They prefer
trunk holes to hide and sleep. Nocturnal.Primary or secondary lowland forest.

Common Opossum, Zorro, Muca, Zarigueya

Didelphis marsupialis

Characteristics:

1. Size 60 cm. Weight 2 to 3 kg.

2. Black hair overlay soft yellow or cream underfur, giving an overall

mottled, dirty appearance.

3. Ears large, black, and naked.

4. Long tail mostly naked with one-third to one-half black, and the tip white.

5. Face and cheeks pale cream or yellowish orange with a blackish line between ears extending to the eyes.

6. Whiskers black.

Diet: Feeds on insects, soil worms and small vertebrates like snakes. Also fruits and in dry season nectar.
Reproductive habits: After 12 to 13 days gestation 20 larvae-like offsprings are born and progresively die until 4 to 6
babies remain; transportes in mothers pouch.
Curiosities: Generally terrestrial but climb trees when in danger. Unpleasant odor. As a protection against predators
they spray urine of fetid odor hat burns the skin. Chased in rural areas because they eat chickens.
Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal, solitary, arboreal and terrestrial. Primary and secondary forest. Also around
buildings near forest.

Brown four eyed Opossum, Zorro caf

Metachirus nudicaudatus

Characteristics:

1. Size 25 cm. Weight 400 grs.

2. Short and soft hair. Back, uniform coffee color to cinnamon

color on the sides and under ears. Belly is paletyellow.

3. Head is proportionally big and pointed with long bare

ears, big mouth, armed with sharp teeth.

4. Big, black rounded eyes with whitish spots near the eyes which gives them the nickname of four eyed
opossums.

5. Long tail with little hair; bicolor coffee and white, tip completely white. Tail used for balance to climb bushes.

6. Females dont have pouch.

7. Curiosities: Live 3 4 years.

8. Diet: Fruits, snails, eggs and very small vertebrates like frogs, lizards, rodents and birds, also some insects.
9. Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal, mainly terrestrial but also arboreal, inhabits lowlands of dense forest.

Short-tailed Opossum
 Monodelphis adusta

Characteristics:

1. Size 10 cm. Weight 35 gr.

2. Short tail, slightly prehensile.

Diet: Probably invertebrates, fruits and small vertebrates.

Habitat and behavior: Less arboreal than most oposums.

Water Opossum, Comadreja de agua

Chironectes minimus

Characteristics:

1. Sleek opossum with a pronounced pattern of silvery grey

and black patches on the back.

2. Tail naked and black with a short white tip.

3. Hind feet conspicuously webbed. Front feet unwebbed,

with an elongated bone in the wrist, appearing to form an
extra digit.

4. Both males and females have a pouch.

Diet: Fish, crustaceans and invertebrates they capture in water.

Curiosities: Rugged long fingers allow them to capture slippery prey like fish.
Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal, terrestrial and semi-acuatic. Small rivers and streams and other bodies of water in
forested areas. Never found far from wter.

Western Woolly Opossum

Caluromys lanatus

Characteristics:

1. Is a strongly arboreal.

2. Having a comparatively large encephalization quotient and smaller litter size.

3. The tail is long and heavy in more than half of its extension.

Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal arboreal and solitary.

Diet: It feeds on fruits, nectar, invertebrates and small vertebrates. In dry season takes nectar of flowers.

Common Gray four-eyed Opossum

Philander opossum

Characteristics:

1. Size 30 cm. Weight 300 grs.

2. Slender; greyish above, cream-yellow below.

3. Conspicuous white spot over each eye.

4. Prehensile tail blackish with a contrasting white tip.

Diet: Nearly half their diet is insects, ground worms, birds, lizards, eggs and anphibians. Rest is leaves, seeds and
fruits like papayas and bananas.
Reproductive habits: Females sexually mature 6 to 8 months; Live up to 2 years old

Curiosities: Good swimmer. When it is asleep, it rolls into a ball and the eyes are not visible, but the bright spots
above the eyes give the appearance of an awake and alert opossum.
This species and other didelphids are reservoirs of Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan that causes "Chagas" disease.
Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal, arboreal and mainly terrestrial and solitary. Forest, secondary brush, and clearings,
especially near the edges of small creeks and streams

South American Coati, Coati, Achuni

Nasua nasua

Characteristics:

1. Size 90cm. Weight 6 -7kg. Males are bigger.

2. Slender head with elongated nose and mouth similar to a pig.

Small ears.

3. Hair pale brown or black with lighter stomach. Most of the times
rings on tail.

4. Long non prehensile tail, used for balance.

Diet: Mainly insects but also fruits. Sometimes frogs, lizards and mice. They dig up turtle and caimans eggs. They
use their sensitive nose to locate their prey.
Reproductive habits: Give birth 3 to 5 babies that stay in nest 5 to 6 weeks. Males are sexually mature at 3 years old
and females 2 years old.
Curiosities: They come down trees head first. Long tail help them to keep the balance when they climb.
Habitat and behavior: Diurnal, terrestrial or in lower levels of forest. Males solitary and females live in groups of 5 to
12 individuals.
Nests like a platform, made by twigs but most of the times they nest in big palms since the crown doesnt need to be
modified.

Crab-eating Racoon, Mapache, Achuni

Procyon crancrivorus

Characteristics:

1. Size 80cm. Weight 8kg.

2. Brown or grayish brown, short and dense hair. Underparts lighter.

3. Just like a racoon, black mask on their eyes.

4. Their tail has rings. They have much shorter hair than
their cousins the raccoons, and are slightly larger.

Diet: Feeds on acuatic invertebrates like molluscs, crabs and even fish; some anphibians and insects.
Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal and solitary. Terrestrial, generally near bodies of water but they climb well. During
day they rest in tree holes.

Tayra, Manco
Eira barbara

Characteristics:

1. Size 65 cm. Weight 5 kg.

2. Long bushy tail, long neck, and robust head.

3. Color varies with geographic range, but generally tayras have dark brown body with a paler colored head, and
a white diamond-shaped patch on its chest.

4. Long claws used for climbing.

Diet: Omnivorous, feeds mainly on small mammals like spiny rat, other small vertebrates, fruit and insects. There are
reports of Tayras attacking bigger mammals like capuchin monkeys, sloths and deers. Feeds also on honey.

Reproductive habits: They open their eyes after 40 days of being born.
Curiosities: They have been used by natives to control rodents pests. Eira in Guarani laguage means honey eater.
Although terrestrial, they are good tree climbers, they have been observed as high as 30 m.

Habitat and behavior: Mainly diurnal. Terrestrial and arboreal. Solitary or in pairs but also seen in groups of 3 or 4
individuals

Bush Dog, Perro de monte, Sacha Perro

Speothos venaticus

Characteristics:

1. Size 23 to 30 cm high, 60 to 75 cm long; tail 12 to 14

cm.Weight 5 to 7 kg.

2. Back and sides are rufous to reddish, head and neck are generally
paler. Limbs and tail are darker, sometimes black.

3. Different to other dogs because of its resemblance to a weasel.

Diet: Feed on rodents, agoutis, pacas and birds.

Reproductive habits: Give birth 1 to 6 babies, average 3.
Curiosities: Live in groups of 4 to 12 individuals. Diurnal. Hunt different animals specially agoutis, capybaras, deer
and birds.Good swimmer and can also hunt prey in water.
Good diggers, they can excavate one meter in 30 minutes. They sleep in fallen trunk holes, dry and clean. Difficult to
see. Population is reduced.
Habitat and behavior: Aparently diurnal, terrestrial, usually in small groups of 4 to 12 but sometimes solitary. Rare to
see because its very sensitive to habitat loss. Absent in settlements and disturbed reas.

Short-eared Dog, Perro de monte

Atelocynus microtus

Characteristics:

1. Large size, obscure coloration and small ears, relatively

shorter than in any other species of wild dog.

2. Hairs of the tail can be erected when the animal is

excited.

3. Extremely rare to see.

Diet: Small animals and fruits.

Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal, terrestrial, probably solitary. All info published until now is about individuals in
captivity.
At Cocha Cashu, sightings and tracks of the species are strongly associated with rivers and creeks, and there are five
reliable reports of short-eared dogs swimming in rivers.

Kinkajou, Chosna
Potos flavus

Characteristics:

1. Size 70cm. Weight 3kg. Males bigger than females.

2. Dense hair, brownish on the back and yellowish on the

stomach.

3. Long and prehensile tail used to grab when climbing.

Diet: Feeds on fruits, flowers, honey, insects and leaves. Its unusual long tongue helps to extract honey, flowers and
insects nests. They feed mainly in tree tops.
Reproductive habits: Only ine baby per year, rarely two. They live up to 24 years in captivity. Sexual maturity 2 years
old.
Habitat and behavior: Solitary or in pairs, abundant in disturbed areas. Totally arboreal and nocturnal.

Olingo

Bassaricyon gabbii

Characteristics:

1. Size 40 cm. Weight 1.5 kg.

2. Short hair, light brown with cream undersides and neck.

3. Tail has 11-13 dark brown rings. Non prehensile.

Diet: Big insects, small mammals, birds, fruits, nectar.

Reproductive habits: Give birth only one baby. Sexual maturity two years old. Live up to 15 years old.

Curiosities: Non prehensile tail. Sometimes confused with kinkajou but kinkajou is larger, reddish and has prehensile
tail. Less common than kinkajous. Good seed dispersors of balsa wood and kapok tree.
Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal, arboreal. Jump actively between branches making 3 m jumps

White-lipped Peccary, Huangana

Tayassu pecari

Characteristics:

1. Size 100 cm. Weight 30 kg.

2. Body gray with a white spot at the base of the

mouth.

3. Adults and subadults use gland secretions from their backside to

mark trees and rocks from its territory. They rub on them. They
emanate a fetid odor specially when alarmed.

4. Travels in big troops of 50 to 300 iindividuals.

Diet: Their teeth are adapted to eat a wide variety of food, fruits, roots, leaves, fungus, eggs, worms, snails, insects,
amphibians, lizards and snakes. They have stomach with four chambers.
Reproductive habits: Each herd subdivides in small family groups. Number of females can be larger than males in a
proportion 3 to 1, generally females dominate males.

They give birth 1 to 4 babies and they depend on their mother during 24 weeks but can walk and run after one hour of
being born. Both parents and other members of the group care of the offsprings. Live 13 years in captivity.

Curiosities: When alarmed by the presence of a predator jaguar or puma - the herd disperse in all directions. Not
aggresive but can be dangerous when herd runs away uncontrolled. They communicate by low level vocalizations,
sounds with teeth that change depending on the activity. Between 1965 and 1976 more than 5 million skins and
leather from these two species were exported from Peru.

Habitat and behavior: Gregarious. Travel long distances visitiing each area for hours or days. Nocturnal and diurnal.
Limited to large tracts of mature, evergreen forest with little human disturbance.

Collared Peccary, Sajino

Tayassu tajacu

Characteristics:

1. Weight 11 to 25kg. Size 90cm.

2. Body dark bgray with a white band like a collar on the neck.

3. They have same odorous glands like White lipped peccaries.

4. Live in groups of 5 to 20 individuals

5. Diet: Unlike White lipped peccaries these are mainly hervibores, feed on leaves, seeds, roots, fungus and
occasionally eggs, fish, snakes and frogs.
6. Reproductive habits: Females sexual maturity 33 34 weeks and males 46 47 weeks. Females can
copulate with many males. Offsprings can run only few hours after being born.
7. Curiosities: They always stick together, eat and sleep together. The exception are old individuals that
separate from the group to die isolated. Live 8 10 years in the wild, 24 in captivity. They can reproduce in
captivity. They lick and eat clay.
8. Habitat and behavior: Solitary or in small groups. Mainly diurnal, territorial. All forest types, savannah, desert
and agricultural reas.

Tapir, Sachavaca
Tapirus terrestres

Characteristics:

1. Size 2.2 m. Weight 320 kg. Height 1 m.

2. Small trunk in the snout.

3. short and rough horsehair along the nape.

4. Forelimbs with 4 toes and hindlimbs with 3. They walk on their

hooves.

5. Bad eyesight but excelent sense of hearing and smell.

Diet: Feed on vegetation, herbs, acuatic vegetation, leaves, shoots, soft branches, fruits, etc.
They cut them with their sharp teeth and pull them with their long and prehensil snout, movile and delicate. Unlike
cows that have stomach divided in 4 sections, the tapir has a simple stomach with a chamber with microorganisms to
digest the cellulose. In flooded forests they prefer palm swamps.

Reproductive habits: Female gives birth only 1 baby every 1 years. Young have hair with white spots that
disappear after 6 months. Sexual maturity 2-3 years.

Curiosities: Biggest terrestrial vertebrates in the amazon. They inhabit southamerica since the Pleistocene (2 million
years ago). 20 million years ago members of the genus Tapirus already existed in the northern hemisphere and their
descendants have changed very little.

The Tapir is a strange creature which belongs to its own family - Tapiridae. There are also Tapirs in the southeast
Asian tropical rainforests, and in prehistoric times, existed in Europe and North America, but they were hunted to
extinction.

It is barrel shaped, with very short legs and a thick gray hide, the perfect shape for its habitat. As it walks along the
forest, its short legs and barrel-like body allow it to essentially pummel through brush at high speeds. They basically
eat herbs and tender leaves from the undergrowth.

They have a short snout, very mobile, which lets them pick leaves easily. They also have a short stiff mane on their
neck, which provides a little protection from bites on their vulnerable back. They are also favoured by hunters.
They defecate in the water near river shore. Great swimmers. Easily domesticated. Main predators, Jaguar, Black
caiman and humans.

Habitat and behavior: Terrestrial, mainly nocturnal but both. Solitary but they congregate in breeding season in the
mammal claylicks, specially near creek beds and swamps with dense brush.

Giant Anteater, Bandern, Oso Bandera

Myrmecophaga tridactyla

Characteristics:

1. Size almost 2 meters of which 90

cms are tail. Weight 40 kg.

2. Tail is so long and leafy like a banderole. This gave origin to

its common name.

3. Elongated snout and extensible tongue, this measures 60 cms.

4. To shelter and sleep it puts its head between front legs and tail coiled to the body

5. Diet: Ants and termites. It captures them opening nests with its claws and sticking ants, eggs,larvae to its
tongue. They can eat up to 30,000 ants in one day. They also eat larvae of beetles and eventually fruits. They
never destroy completely a termite nest, they only eat a portion to guarantee their survival.
6. Reproductive habits: They give birth only one baby. Mother carries it the first 6to 9 months. They live up to
25 years.
 7. Curiosities: Teeth are very small. Sticky saliva to feed on ants and termites. Social life dominated by sense of
smell. They produce odoriferous secretions by anal glands. To capture termites they can retract tongue up to
150 times per minute!
8. Habitat and behavior: Terrestrial, solitaire. Nocturnal and diurnal. Forest and savannah. Most common in
areas with conspicuous termite mounds.

Southern Tamandua, Shihui, Hormiguero

Tamandua tetradactyla

Characteristics:

1. Medium-sized. Long prehensile tail, almost naked, pink

with irregular blackish spots.

2. Poor vision and great sense of smell.

3. May be blonde on head, upper back and legs, with a black vest; or entirely blonde; or
blonde with a partial vest.

4. Four large claws on powerful forelimbs, five claws on hind limbs.

5. Feeds on ants and termites but also bees and honey.

Diet: Feed of ants and termites even the very toxic ones like army ants or leafcutter ants.

Reproductive habits: They give birth only one baby.

Habitat and behavior: Mainly nocturnal, arboreal or terrestrial and solitary. Forest, second growth and Savannah.

Curiosities: Tamanduas walk on the outside of the hand with the claws turned inward. Sometimes used by
Amazonian Indians to rid their homes of ants and termites. Tamanduas commonly reproduce in captivity and have
survived for more than 9 years.

Silky anteater, Serafn de platanar

Cyclopes didactylus

Characteristics:

1. Size from 15 to 20cms. Weight 200 grs.

2. Very small, prehensile tail fully furred to tip dorsally, long and conical.

3. Upperparts smoky gray-gold with silver iridescence, midback usually with dark
brown stripe from shoulder to rump.

4. Two claws on forefoot, four claws on hind foot.

5. They prefer kapok trees. The silky fiber that protects the seeds is very similar to hair of
this anteater.

6. They prefer arboreal ants

Diet: Prefers arboreal ants, Eat between 100 to 8000 ants per day.

Reproductive habits: Female gives birth to one baby that she places in a nest of dry leaves in a treetrunk hole.

Curiosities: It is very similar to a balsa wood flower and to a kapok tree seeds cover. It will defend itself with quick,
forceful slashes of the, powerful-claws.
Silky anteaters rarely spend more than one day in the same tree. Their principal predators are harpy eagles and
spectacled owls.
Habitat and behavior: Nocturnal, solitary and arboreal. Mature forest and tall secondary forest.

Black Spider Monkey, Maquisapa, Mono araa

Ateles belzebuth chamek

Characteristics:

1. Weight 8 to 12kg. Males heavier.

2. Body size 50cm and tail 80cm.

3. One of the biggest neotropical primates. Monkeys with the longest limbs in America.

4. Four fingers in hands and feet. Thumbs absent.

5. Prehensil tail with bare tip to grab better

Diet: 90% fruits, but also flowers and soft leaves.

Reproductive habits: Polygamous. Groups normally 2 to 8
individuals; sometimes up to 20. When ready to copulate male
and female sit one in front of the other and smack, push and bite
each other. They give birth only one baby which is independent
after 17 months. Sexually mature 3 4 years.
Curiosities: Estimations say that 45% of time resting, 30% eating and 25% traveling.
Live up to 20 years old.
They are represented in the Nazca lines. Great seed dispersor since it rapidly eats flesh and seed, pass throught
digestive tract and is expulsed far from mother tree.
Females have a well developed clitoris that can be confused with male sexual parts.

Habitat and behavior: Upper levels of the forest. Commonly seen in family groups. Generally formed by various
females, their young and one adult male or not male at all!. Found in pristine or little disturbed forest.

Brown Capuchin Monkey, Machin negro

Cebus apella

Characteristics:

1. Size 1 1/2m aprox. Weight 4kg. Males are bigger and more
robust than females.

2. Called Capuchin for the hairy hood on the head.

3. Very strong mandibles. With a bite they can break seeds

of Huicungo (Astrocaryum spp.), no other group of
primates can do this.

4. Prehensil tail.

5. Fingers on this species are short.

Diet: Omnivorous. Mainly feeds on fruits and some vegetation but also birds, eggs, small mammals like opposums,
lizards that it finds when destroying vegetation. Break and eat heart of palms, new flowers. Brown capuchins have a
bite as strong as a bulldogs.

Reproductive habits: Polygamous. Each group has various adult males and females. They give birth one baby (very
rare twins), once every two years. Female cares of baby. She prefers to copulate with the dominant male of the troop.
Males leave the troop when they are sexually mature 7 years and females 4 years!

Curiosities: Led by a dominant male who gives an alarm call when any threat is nerby. This gives them the chance to
feed first. The association with squirrel monkeys is common. Brown capuchin monkeys often travel with squirrel
monkeys: they have a mutually benefitial relationship. They are not entirely dependant on this relationship, so you won
t always find them together. Brown capuchins will give off alarm calls when predators such as eagles are spotted and
squirrel monkeys, who sometimes travel in groups of 300 will increase the disturbance area of the troop, scaring off
more insects and small wildlife than capuchins alone. Squirrel monkeys also help with the patrolling, and they are also
benefited by the increased disturbance created by the capuchins heavier bodies. When these monkeys give off the
alarm call you will see hundreds of individuals scantering for cover under large leaves or inside vine tangles. It is like
raining monkeys!

Habitat and behavior: Groups of 3 to 15 individuals.

White-Fronted Capuchin Monkey, Machn blanco

Cebus albifrons

Characteristics:

1. Weight about 3 kg.

2. This species has relatively long limbs compared to trunk size.

3. Conspicuous white spot on the forehead.

4. Prehensile tail.

5. Fingers short

Diet: Feed mainly on fruits, seeds and small arthropods.

Reproductive habits: One baby every one or two years.
Curiosities: Groups led by a male and female. More voracious
than brown capuchins. There are reports of white capuchins eating
squirrels and other small rodents.
Habitat and behavior: Troops live alone, almost never associated with squirrel monkeys. Diurnal, arboreal
(they use all levels of the forest). Live in groups of 7 to 30 individuals. Found in not or little disturbed forest

Red Howler Monkey, Coto Mono, Mono aullador

Alouatta seniculus

Characteristics:

1. The hyoid bone is modified for the production of the howling calls indicative of
members of this genus; this bone is larger in males than in females.

2. Weight 10 Kg. Size 90 cms.

3. Large and robust, with a large head and dark reddish or orangish fur.

4. Prehensile tail without hair on the bottom side, which is used for grasping during locomotion and feeding.

5. Sound can be heard for more than 5 km.

6. Diet: Mainly leaves, fruits and flowers. They have bacteria in their stomach to digest cellulose in the leaves.
This change in the anatomy is important since a third part of its body volume is intestines that have this
function. In the neotropic is the only primate totally vegetarian.
Unlike other monkeys, howlers are relatively slow-moving (slow metabolism) due to a diet poor in sugar and
proteins (some fruits, flowers and mainly leaves). Over half their waking hours are spent resting, because of
their low levels of energy (low sugar) and long digestion times. They are an easy target for parasitic flies
(Botfly) that deposit larvae in their flesh. Its not uncommon to see sick and weak individuals with huge holes
all over their bodies causing their rejection from the group and eventually death!
Reproductive habits: Male that joins a new group can kill present youngsters. Polygamous. Give birth only
one baby (rarely twins) every one or two years, female takes care of it.
 Curiosities: A monkey renowned for the loud call the males make that allows communication between
neighbouring groups telling them where the troop is currently feeding. They do not keep an exclusive territory.
Howling occurs in the mornings and each time the troop moves to a new feeding site, this helps them save
energy by avoiding having to patrol a territory and conflicting with neighbours. Sightings of two howler monkey
groups crossing have resulted in terrible fights. They produce the roaring passing air through a cavity of the
hioides, an enlarged bone in the throat of the howlers, working as a resonance box making it one of the
loudest sounds made by any animal: the call can travel over 1.6km and up to 5km! Howler monkeys usually
live in groups of 4-11 individuals, with one or more males. They are active in the daytime, usually preferring
the midstory and canopy layers of the forest, only descending to the ground to drink water, eat clay and even
to swim across rivers!
7. Curiosities: Half of day or more resting or sleeping. Easy to locate by leftovers of food that falls from where
they are perched and also by the impressive sound in the mornings and afternoons.
Howling has different functions. At dawn they mark the position of the troop before moving to look for food.
Troops are territorial so they howl to advertise other troops their location. They confront in loud choruses for
several minutes, the loudest wins, the other goes away.
They can descend to the ground to eat clay, drink and cross rivers. Good swimmers.
8. Habitat and behavior: Diurnal, very slow movements. Use mid and upper levels of the forest. Troops of 7 to
20 individuals.

Dusky Titi Monkey, Tocn

Callicebus spp.

Characteristics:

1. Body 30-45cm; Tail 39 50cm. Weight 800 gr. to 1.2kg.

2. Ventral side, inner side of the limbs, and the sideburns of the face are orange in color.

3. Non prehensile tail.

4. Diet: Their diet consists mainly on fruits including figs and its complemented by leaves,
flowers, eggs, insects and bamboo shoots. They are very common in secondary
forest and bamboo forest. Most of it includes Ficus spp.
5. Reproductive habits: They mate for life (monogamous like Aotus) and the female gives birth to just one
infant. The bond between the male and the infant is very strong, and the male carries the baby for most of the
time as well as grooming, playing, and sharing food with the infant, exchanging the baby only for the mother
tomilk it
Juveniles abandon family after 2 or 3 years.
6. Curiosities: Female is able to see colors = She leads the group. Males are color blind. Frequently come back
to sleep in the same tree night after night. For a small species like this one the cost of lactation is high; since
male does not do this, it has more energy to move fast carrying extra weight. Male takes care of and plays
with the baby.
When young grows becomes more independent and spend less time with father.
Their name in Eseeja is Oho Oho, imitating the sound they make. They frequently come back to sleep in the
same tree night after night.
7. Habitat and behavior: Generally found in low canopy forest, near rivers. They live in family groups of 2 to 5
individuals. A family group consists of an adult male and female and their offspring from several seasons.
They are diurnal and arboreal, both sexes vocalise.
synchronously early in the morning and in the afternoon, probably to announce their presence in their territory.

Night Monkey, Mono Nocturno, Musmuqui

Aotus spp.

Characteristics:

1. Size 40 cm. Weight 1 kg aprox.

2. Only nocturnal monkey in the world. In Peru five species.

3. They have color vision unlike other nocturnal mammals.

4. Non prehensile tail.

5. Diet: Feeds mainly on fruits, insects, nectar and leaves; sometimes lizards,
frogs and eggs.
6. Reproductive habits: Only one baby per year, stays with family for 2 and half years. Male carries the baby.
Monogamous, behavior shared only by Aotus spp and Callicebus spp.
7. Curiosities: Also called the Owl monkey. It is the only monkey in the world with nocturnal habits. In Per we
have 5 species.
Subadult males only scream when looking for mate or adult males that dominate a territory but always with full
or semi full moon and clear sky. Aotus have evolved nocturnal to avoid predators like falcons and eagles. Only
predator of Aotus is the Virginia Owl. They also avoid competition with bigger monkeys since they repell
smaller monkeys from fruiting trees.
Important for science (antimalaria drugs). They are natural hosts of human malaria.
Small home range 2 sq Km. Unlike other monkeys these use the same tree to sleep in and same feeding
routes. More active during nights with no moon.
8. Habitat and behavior: During the day live and sleeps in tree holes sharing refuge with other mammals. Live
in small groups of 2 to 5 individuals. Male, female and Young.

Saddleback tamarin, Pichico

Saguinus fuscicollis

Characteristics:

1. Small body.

2. Small nails in all fingers.

3. Long and non prehensile tail.

4. They protect themselves in treetops saving energy to move only if necessary and eating flower
s nectar.

5. Form groups of 2 to 12 individuals.

6. Diet: Eat fruits, flowers, nectar and sap of trees to compensate low content of calcium in
fruits, insects and small prey like frogs, snails, lizards, spiders. They do not eat leaves but sometimes will eat
shoots.
Fruits they eat are small and sweet; Important genus Pouroma, Ficus, Cecropia, Inga y Miconia. When fruits
are scarce, sap and nectar are important.
7. Reproductive habits: Female gives birth two identical twins. Groups consist of one breeding female, one or
more adult males and their young. While female looks for food, males take care of the babies. Female
copulates with both males without having confrontations.
8. Curiosities: Tamarins have evolved with their small body due to its insectivorous diet. This Tamarins were
used in 1977 by the Worlds Health Organization in experiments that ended up in the elaboration of hepatitis B
vaccination

Habitat and behavior: Abundant specially in disturbed areas. Dense vegetation and tangled lianas are their favorite
roosting places. They gives them protection against predators like tayra and falcons and probably have high density of
insects they feed on.
 Large Fruit-eating Bat
Artibeus lituratus

Characteristics:

1. Very large and stocky.

2. Coloration reddish brown and hair extends to the uropatagio (tails membrane,
between tail and hindlegs).

3. Four bright white stripes on the face.

Diet: Feeds on big fruits from canopy.

Habitat and behavior: Common and well distributed in tropical forest. Live in small
groups under dense vegetation, treeholes and caves.

Most forest types, especially lowland rainforest

Long nosed bat

Rhynchonycteris naso

Characteristics:

1. Small, elongated face.

2. Tiny; fur grizzled greyish, with two inconspicuous, undulated whitish stripes
down the back.

3. Distinctive tufts of pale fur along forearm.

4. Nose long, projects beyond lower jaw.

5. Diet: Feeds on insects that fly over the surface of water.

6. Habitat and behavior: Aerial. In groups on branches, lianas or over
trunks close to surface of water. They prefer quite places and penumbra in creeks, lakes and river margins
where they are camouflaged.
7. Curiosities: Colonies count up to 50 bats. If one approaches, the whole colony may suddenly fly off
simultaneously and land in a similar place at some distance.
8. Feed on tiny insects over water such as rivers, ponds and lakes. They are one of the most commonly seen
bats.
Their fur blends perfectly with tree bark and when they feel theatened they start to move back and forth like
leaves in the wind and if approached too closely the whole group flies off.
Bats are the only mammals that can fly. They all use echolocation. High frecuency sounds are emitted through
their mouth or nose, and the returning echoes inform the bats about the characteristics of nearby objects.

Echolocation enables bats not only to navigate in the complete darkness of caves and low light of the forest
understory, but also to hunt flying insects. Most echolocation sounds are ultrasonic (above human hearing range).
Bats are beneficial to man; they eat enormous quantities of insects, pollinate many important plants like balsa wood,
rubber tree and help regenerate the forest by dispersing seeds.
Worlwide, they are the second largest order of mammals with 950 species. First rodents with 2050 species! The Bat
falcon is specialized at preying on bats, and has incredible maneauverability. It is usually seen along forest edges and
active at dusk.

Common Long-tongued Bat

Glossophaga soricina

Characteristics:

1. Small brownish bat with base of hair white.

2. Mouth elongated with groove (long narrow channel) splitting lower lip, and very long
tongue.

3. Small noseleaf

Diet: Feeds on nectar and pollen.

Habitat and behavior: Lives in small colonies in any dark and quite place.
Primary forest, disturbed areas and around buildings.
Curiosities: Flies for about four hours and for about 28 mi (45 km) to feed each
night. It is an important pollinator and seed disperser of many tropical plants.

Greater Bulldog Bat, Greater Fishing Bat

Noctilio leporinus

Characteristics:

1. Large bat; fur short, bright rust-orange with pale stripe along back.

2. Enormous hindfeet with large sharp claws.

3. Upper lip is split and droops down forming cheek pouches.

4. Strong, moldy odour

Diet: Fish.
Curiosities: This genus includes fishing bats. Easily identified by the peculiar shape of their upper lip that are
split up in the middle; Long, thin and pointed ears. Shiny hair and wings joined on the back not on the sides.
Hindlimbs are extremely developed and adapted for fishing small prey they grab with their claws.
Habitat and behavior: Wet lowland and coastal areas including rainforest and swamps. Usually hunts over
medium and large rivers.

White line Sac-winged bat

Saccopteryx bilineata

Characteristics:

1. Medium-sized blackish bat with two undulated white lines on the back.

2. Wing sacs, prominent in males, in front of forearms near elbow

3. Diet: Feeds on insects that fly on the surface of water.

4. Habitat and behavior: Aerial, near water, on barks of big trees grouped in
Harems. Primary and secondary lowland rainforest.
5. Curiosities: During a hovering display, males fan scents from the wing
membrane towards roosting females. In addition, males emit songs to attract
and retain females into their harem

Yellow-shouldered or Hairy-leged Bat

Sturnira lilium

Characteristics:

1. Small bats.

2. Short and light fur; shoulders from

yellowish to orange.

Habitat and Location: Both in primary and

secondary forests, also farms.
Diet: Feeds on fruits.

Little brown bat

Myotis spp.

Characteristics:

1. Small brown bat.

2. Long tail completely enclosed in membrane between

legs.

3. They have the most numerous dentition, 4 upper incisors

and 6 lower, 3 premolar and molar teeth on each. side,
up and down

Diet: Feeds on small insects.

Curiosities: Distributed worlwide. Everywhere in tropical forests. Crepuscular and at dawn, with clear
conditions.
These voracious insectivores help control pest insect populations, and also serve as bio-indicators.
Predators may include raptors that catch a bat in flight, or raccoons that reach a roost. However, predation on
little brown bats is not prevalent.
A long-lived bat, individuals in the wild have reached 33 years of age.

Spear-nosed Bat
Phyllostomus hastatus

Characteristics:

1. Big bat.

2. Short tail.

3. Lower lip with irregular protuberances with a V shape on

the chin.

4. Coloration has two phases, one is brown blackish or black and other is brown reddish that can be very
intense.

Diet: Omnivorous and eats insects (beetles), small vertebrates (reptiles, mammals), nectar, and pollen
(especially Ochroma), and fruit (especially Cecropia). Individuals forage within 6.2 mi (10 km) of their roosts
Habitat and behavior: Lives forming colonies in treeholes, caves, house roofs, palms leaves and other
dense trees.
Curiosities: Important pollinator and seed-disperser of certain tropical trees