Exotic Animals #1

 The Giant Otter are the largest of the river otters and among the most rare and endangered. Male giant otters grow to a length of 6 feet including the tail fully grown specimens weight between 50-70 lbs the guianas are the last stronghold of the giant otters.

Golden hand tamarin is a new world monkey it is found in guyana and other various parts of south america. they live in cooperative groups of 4 to 15 members with little competition among a group even between males only one female will breed in the a group with the other females suppressing the instinct the gestation period is 140-170 days and mothers typically give birth to two off spring. Young tamarins are cared for primarily by the father and turned over to the mother to nurse however the entire group helps with the care of the young defense is a priority in a group, and when one tamarin is threatned the others will rush to its defense. The golden handed tamarin is territorial and can be very aggressive, with sharp canines and claws instead of fingernails on all fingers and all but the large toe. the golden handed is a expectional climber and spends most of its time among the vines and branches of the trees they are quick and agile they also are superb jumpers known it jump distances of over 60 feet from one tree to the ground with no injury. There diet consists of fruits,flowers, insects,frogs,spides,lizards, and nectar. they measure about 8.1 inches to 11 inches including the weight is about 550 grams. Life expectancy is approximately 10 years in the wild and 16 years in captivity. there natural predators are small cats, birds of prey, and snake. dues to the destruction of their natural habitat the livelihood of the species is at risk.

Saki monkeys,are new world monkeys they are closely related to the beared saki of genus chiropotes. sakis are small sized monkeys with long bushy tails their furry rough skin is black,grey or reddish-brown in color depending upon the species. the faces of some species are naked but their head is hooded with fur their bodies are adapted to the life in the trees, with strong hind legs allowing them to make far jumps. sakis reach a lenght of 30 to 50 cm with a tail just as long and weigh up to 2kg they also are diurnal animals they live in the trees of the rainforest and only occasionally go on to land they mostly move on all fours, sometimes running in a upright position on the hind legs over branches,and sometimes jumping long distances. For sleeping they roll themselves in a catlike in the branches they are generally very shy,cautions animals. sakis live in a family federtions,which consist of parents and their off spring  with mated pairs usually forming lifelong pair bonds. they are also territorial animals,defending their territory in relation to other families sakis know a set of communications possibilities while. they  have bird like twitter serves as connection among family members, a loud roar serves to warn other animals off their territory.   

Jaguaruni is a medium sized wild cat that ranges mainly in south america the average lenght is 30inches with 20 inches of tail and a weight of about 13.2 lbs.It has short legs and an appearance somewhat like an otter,the ears are short and rounded the cat is unspotted uniform in color,and varying from blackish to brownish gray or from foxy red to chestnut two color phases were once though to represent two distinct species; the gray one called jaguarundi and the red is called exra. the cat is closely related to the much larger and heavier cougar as evident by its similar genetic structure. Studies have indicated that the cougar and the jagurundi are next most closely related to the modern cheetah of africa. Its habitat is lowland brush areas close to a source of running water it occasionally inhabits dense tropical areas as well. This cat is comfortable in trees, but prefers to hunt on the ground it preys on fish, small mammals,reptiles, and birds.

The south american tapir is one of four species in the tapir family, along with the mountain tapir,malayan,baird tapir. It is the largest wild land animal in south america it is brown in color and has a low,erect mane running from the crown down the back of the neckthe south american tapir can attain a body lenght of 6 to 8ft with a 2to 4in short stubby tail and weigh 600lbs it stands somewhere between 2.5 to 3.5 at the shoulders the species are excellent swimmers and divers they can also move quickly on land,even over rigged mountainous terrain. The species has a life span of 25 to 30 years in the wild the main predators of the tapir are the black caiman,orinoco caiman, both critically endangered, are large enough to take the tapirs, as the american crocodile only exists in south america in the far north.The large cats such as the jaguar and cougar which often the tapir at night when they leave the water and sleep on the riverbank they are known to run to the water when scared. The tapir is a herbivore using its snout they feed on leaves,buds,small branches,shoots and aquatic plants.

Melanistic jaguar or a black panther is black in colour variant of one of several species of larger cats which are known by the term panther in various parts of the world.Its called puma in central and south america.Melanism is most common in the jaguar where it is carried by the dominant allele, and the leopard where it is due to a recessive allele, a pair or series of a gene coding sequences. Close examination of the color of these black cats will show that the typical markings are still there, but are hidden by the excess black pigment melanin, giving an effect  similar to that of printed silk. Melanistic and non-melanistic animals can be litter mates. In those species that hunt mainly at night, the condition is not detrimental albino or leucistic individuals of the same three species are known as  white panthers. It is thought that melanisim may confer a selective advantage under certain conditions since it is more common in regions of dense forest,where light levels are lower. Recent,preliminary studies also suggest that melanism might be linked to benefical mutations in the immune systems.

Cuvier's dwarf caiman this species is the smallest of the alligator family. Males grow to about 1.3-1.5 meters, while females grown 1.2 meters they can reach a mass of about 6-7 kg they are a reddish-brown body color. The dorsal surface is mostly plain and nearly black, while the upper and bottom jaws are covered with several dark and light spots.The tail is marked with encircling band to the tip most of these caimans have brown eyes,but some have also been known to have gold-yellow eyes the dwarf caiman do not have the same dental formula as other caiman.Most caimans have 5 premaxillary teeth in the upper jaw but this species has only 4.Scale characteristics allow the differentiations between all other species the dwarf caiman has 17-20 longitudinal rows on their dorsal and its tail and has bands of 7-9 rows it also has more osteoderms ( bony plates) covering its skin than any other species.

Tayras also known as wennako are members of the weasel family who live in tropical forest in burrows in the ground, in hollow trees,or in nests made in tall grass.Most tayras have dark brown or black fur with a lighter patch on the chest.

Capybara are the largest living rodent in the world its closest relatives are the guinea pigs there name means master of the grasses capybaras have heavy,barrel-shaped bodies and short heads with reddish-brown fur on the upper part of their body that turns yellowish-brown underneath.Adult capybaras may grow to 4.5 feet in lenght and weigh up to 150lbs the top recorded weight is 240lbs capybaras have slightly webbed feet,no tail,and 20 teeth.Their back legs are slightly longer than their front legs and their muzzles are blunt with eyes,nostrils,and ears on top of their head.Females are slightly heavier than the males.Capybaras reach sexual maturity within 22 months and breed when conditions are perfect,which can be once per year or throughtout the year.The male pursues a female and mounts when the female stops in water capybara gestation is about 150 days and usually produces a litter of four capybara babies,but may produce between two and eight in a single litter birth is on land and the female will rejoin the group within hours of giving birth.The capybara are semi-aquatic mammals found in the wild in south america they are also social animals,usually found in groups,between 10 and 30. Although sometimes the groups are larger of up to 100 capybaras controlled by a dominant male there also excellent swimmers and can survive completely for up to five minutes an ability they will use to evade predators if necessary. they have a lifespan of 4-8 years in the wild they are a favorite food of the jaguar,puma, black caiman. They are a preferred prey of the anaconda, the heaviest snake in the world.

The South American Coati is a species only from south america they are diurnal animals,and they live both on the ground and in trees they typically live in the forest they are omnivorous and primarily eat fruit,invertebrates,other small animals and bird's eggs.Coatis search for fruit in trees high in the canopy,and use their snouts to poke through crevices to find animal prey on the ground.They also search for animal prey by turning over rocks on the ground or ripping open logs with their claws. Females generally live in large groups,called bands,consisting of 16 to 30 animals. Males, on the other hand are usually solitary and considered a separate species due to the different social habits and were called coatimundis, a term still sometimes used today. Neither bands of females nor solitary males defend a unique territory, and  terrtories therfore overlap.Group members produce soft whining sounds,but alarm calls are different,consisting of loud woofs and clicks.When an alarm is sounded,the coatis typically climb tress,and then drop down to the ground and disperse coatis typically sleep in trees.Predators of the coatis include foxes,jaguars,jaguarundis,domestic dogs,and people they can live in the wild up to seven years and in captivity for 14 years.

Bush Dog is a canid found in central and south america.In spite of its extensive range,it is very rare it was originally discovered as fossils in brazilian caves and though to be extinct it is the only species in its genus, speothos. The bush dog has soft brownish-tan fur,with a lighter reddish tinge on the head,neck and back and a bushy tail. The underside is dark,sometimes with a lighter throat patch. Adults typically have 55-75 cm of head and body,plus 13cm of tail and weigh 5-7kg.legs and snout are short relative to body lenght: the typical height is only 25-30 cm. The teeth are adapted for its carnivorous habits. The total amount of teeth is 40 he also has webbed feet a very good swimmer they are found in small packs of about 12 to 15.

The Jaguar is a big cat it is the only panthera species found in the americas. it is the third largest feline after the tiger and lion. this spotted cat most closely resembles the leopard physically,although it is usually larger and  of studier build and its behaviorial and habitat characteristics are closer to these of the tiger.while dense rainforest is its preferred habitat,the jaguar will range across a variety of forested and open terrain. it is strongly associated with the presence of water and is notable,along with the tiger,as a feline that enjoys swimming. the jaguar ia a largely solitary stalk and ambush predator,playing an important role in stabilizing ecosystems and regulating the populations of prey species. the jaguar has developed an exceptionally powerful bite, even relative to the other big cats this allows it to pierce the shells of armoured reptiles and to employ an ususual  killing method it bites directly through the skull of the prey between the ears to deliver a fatal blow to the brain.