South America

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.