By: Hannah Weis

Piranha  They live in freshwater and found in most rivers in South America  Piranhas are known for their sharp teeth. The teeth can bite through a steel fishing hook.  When they are an adult they will eat fish, sick or weakened cattle, and sometimes even human parts.  Piranhas have many myths about them. One myth is that they can turn horses and humans into skeletons within seconds. Which is not true.

Giant Tortoise  They are only found in the Galapagos Islands which is in Ecuador.  Giant Tortoises can weigh up to 660 pounds.  They are very slow and only move 0.16 miles per hour.  Giant Tortoises can be either domed or saddle backed depending on the how much vegetation there is where they live.

Anaconda  One of the world’s biggest snakes.  They are found in tropical South America.  Anacondas can be up to 215 pounds and 17 feet long.  They have teeth. They don’t use their teeth to kill prey, they rely on their size.  They are not a venomous snake so if an Anaconda would bite you, It wouldn’t kill you.

Black Widow Spider  They are found in warmer areas.  A Black Widow Spider’s web is very strong.  The male spider is smaller than the female spider but have longer legs.  The female spider will sometimes kill the male spider after mating.  The female Black Widow Spider is the most poisonous spider in North America.

Jaguar  3 rd largest cat in the world.  Is a near threatened species. Humans kill them and trade their parts to people all over the world.  Lives in the dense rainforest.  Jaguars have an exceptionally powerful bite. They eat deer, birds, fish, monkeys, and spiders.  Life span is years.  Can weigh pounds.

Blue-and-Yellow Macaw  Lives in forest and woodland in tropical South America.  They are an endangered species in Trinidad.  Blue-and-Yellow Macaws only weigh 2-3 pounds.  Wing span is 41 to 45 inches.  Eat palm fruit and other tree fruit.  Have powerful beaks.  In captivity they can live for 109 years old.  Are popular as pets.

Blue Morpho Butterfly  One of the biggest butterflies. Their wing span is 5-8 inches.  The caterpillars are a reddish brown color.  They are almost on the endangered species list. Their habitat is being destroyed.  Blue Morpho Butterflies eat juice from rotten fruits or tree sap.  There are around 80 different species of the Morpho butterfly.