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Ten Animals of the Amazon River Basin

By Laura Klappenbach, About.com

The Amazon rainforest is a moist broadleaf forest that blankets 5,400,000 square kilometers of the Amazon River basin in South America. The shear vastness of this forest is difficult to comprehend. It stretches across the boundaries of nine nations—Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. Its biodiversity is unparalleled—an estimated one in ten animals on the planet inhabits the Amazon rainforest. Listed here are a few of the better-known species from the Amazon rainforest and its surrounding habitats.

1. Capybara

Photo © Dagsjo / iStockphoto.
Capybaras are a species of large rodent native to South America. Populations of capybaras are found in Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia, Uruguay, and Argentina. They live in a variety of habitats but prefer habitats that are close to water such as flooded grasslands, lowland forests, rainforests, and marshes.

2. Jaguar

Panther - Panthera onca.Photo © Ewanchesser / iStockphoto.
Jaguars are widely distributed. Their range extends from southern Arizona and New Mexico to northern Argentina and Brazil. The Amazon Basin contains the largest population of jaguars. Their preferred habitat is that of tropical lowland forests. They also inhabit scrublands, coastal forests, and swamps.

3. Ocelot

Photo © Matte6969 / iStockphoto.

4. Giant Anteater

Photo © Tom Brakefield / Getty Images.

5. Goldon Lion Tamarin

Photo © Enjoylife2 / iStockphoto.

6. Red Howler

Photo © Rkhalil / iStockphoto.

7. Green Poison Dart Frog

Photo © Karen Baard-de Bloois.

8. Toucan

Photo © Ranplett / iStockphoto.

9. Three-toed Sloth

Photo © Kevin Schafer / Getty Images.

10. Harpy Eagle

Photo © Michael Schamis / Flickr.

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