Herbivore
"Tambaqui"
Colossoma macropomum
Photo courtesy © William L. Fink
| Name: | Tapir |
| Description: | They look like a cross between a pig and an elephant. Other people think they look like a big rat. They can live to be 25-30 years old. They are mainly nocturnal and usually solitary. |
| Habitat: | South American rainforests, parts of central America, and Southeast Asia. They like dense forest. |
| Diet: | Their diet is mostly grass, green shots, twigs, and shrubs |
| Predators: | Their predators are: poachers (their skin makes excellent leather) and big cats. Also the jaguar. |
| Name: | Tambaqui |
| Description: | They have an impressive set of large teeth and molars(their teeth are just about like a humans) which can crack open the tough shells of many seeds and fruits. the Tambaqui can grow to around a meter in length and weigh between 50-70 pounds. The Tambaqui is a "seed disperser" for many |
| Habitat: | Rivers in the Amazon Basin and the Amazon. They also live in the Orinoco River system. |
| Diet: | Fruits, seeds, berries, and zooplankton. |
| Predators: | Fisherman and jaguars have also been known to catch them. |
"Tambaqui"
Colossoma macropomum
Photo courtesy © William L. Fink
"Tent-making Fruit Bat"
Artebius sp.
Photo © Michael & Patricia Fogden/CORBIS, courtesy Ron Kalasinskas
| Name: | Fruit Bat |
| Description: | Some species of the fruit bats are also known as flying foxes. There are many different species of fruit bats. They love to eat fruit and some actually sleep in fruit trees. Many have a dog-like face which closely resembles a foxes. Fruit bats are multicolored. They have excellent sight and they have many teeth. |
| Habitat: | Rainforest. Often roost in caves (some roost in trees). Central America to Africa to Asia to Australia. |
| Diet: | Most friuts except for citrus. |
| Predators: | Humans and other animals. |