Caiman ~ Spectacled
Spectacled Caimans are common, meat-eating reptiles that spend most of their lives in the water. They swim very well, mainly using their tails to propel themselves through the water, and also using their webbed feet. Spectacled Caimans are nocturnal (most active in the evening) and has the widest distribution of any species in the Alligator family.
Capybara
The
capybara is the largest rodent in the world. Capybaras live in the
forest and on grasslands, around lakes, rivers, swamps, marshes and
streams. They make little beds in shallow parts of dirt. Capybaras feed
on grasses, aquatic plants, grains, melons and squashes. They live 8
years in the wild and 12 years in captivity. Their main predators are
humans, jaguars, anacondas, ocelots, pumas, eagles and caimans.
Chinchilla
The fur of the chinchilla is so dense it has the highest concentration of hair per square inch than any other mammal. The ears of a chinchilla take in heat when it is hot and let it flow out like an air conditioner. In cold weather its ears help keep it warm. In the wild, the chinchilla consumes any available vegetation growing at the high elevation of the mountains.
Coati
These close relatives of raccoons inhabit coastal mangrove forests,
lowland savannas, deserts and interior dense tropical forest areas.
Coatis feed by using their long noses, poking them under rocks and into
crevices. Their diet consists of fruits, nuts, leaves, as well as
insects, eggs, fish and even small animals. In turn, coatis are an
important food source for large predators. In the wild, they live 8
years; whereas in captivity their life span extends up to 18 years.
Cougar
Cougars (also known as Puma or Mountain Lions) live where there is
abundant prey, from sea level to 10,000 feet (3,050 m) elevations. They
can jump from the ground to a height of 18 feet (5.5 m). Their favorite
prey is deer, elk, moose, peccary and bighorn sheep. They cover their
kill with leaves and visit for additional meals later. Their main
predators are humans and other mountain lions. The life span is
approximately 12 years in the wild and over 20 years in captivity.
Flamingo ~ Caribbean
Also known as the American Flamingo, is found throughout the northern countries of South America, the Caribbean Islands and are known to nest in the Galapagos. The Caribbean species is morphologically similiar to the other flamingos, all of which possess a specially designed beck, which they use as a pump to suck in water and filter out the small invertebrates that compose their diet.
Flamingo ~ Chilean
Chilean Flamingos are found in east and central South America in or near shallow muddy, alkaline and brackish lakes. They are at the top of the food chain in this unique niche as there is not enough food to sustain larger lifeforms. As a result, humans are the major danger to the Chilean Flamingos due to hunting and habitat loss.
Guanaco
The Guanaco is very close in appearance to what are thought to be its domestic descendants, the Llamas and Alpacas. Guanacos live in Peru and parts of Chile and Argentina where they can be found all the way from sea level to elevations of 4,000 feet where their woolly coats help keep them warm. They are herbivorous, feeding mostly on grasses and small plants in the open lands they inhabitat.
Mara
Maras inhabit the grass and brush-lands of South and Central Argentina where they seek out areas with wide open spaces and an abundance of vegetation; their favorite food items being grasses and herbs. Maras are monogamous throughout their lifetime and will produce 2-3 litters per year of 1-3 young. A group of roughly 15 breeding pairs will give birth and rear their young in a communal den.
Monkey ~ Squirrel
Squirrel Monkeys inhabit the rainforests of South America where they reside primarily in secondary forests at the intermediate level. They spend most of their time foraging in the trees for fruits, insects, nuts and seeds. Here they are also less likely to become targets for their major predators: eagles, snakes and seldom humans.
Peccary ~ Collared
Owing to their external appearance, peccaries (also called javelinas) are often falsely identified as pigs. Though distantly related to pigs, there are some key differences, notably their comparative diets. A peccary's diet largely depends on climate and season and may include roots, bulbs, fruits, nuts, eggs, snakes, fish and dead organic matter.
