Typical Animals of Brazil – See exclusive list!

When the subject is the typical animals of Brazil, know that the country has an expressive diversity of biomes throughout its territory and that it is worth knowing in our article today.

Brazil’s tropical conditions have allowed countless animals to thrive and have revolutionized the environment around our land. From otters to various species of poisonous frogs, these colorful animals roam the most diverse places in our territory.

Brazil is home to a huge variety of plant and animal species, where the magic of evolution has produced beautiful, fascinating and sometimes frightening creatures. We compiled a list of some Brazilian animals that inhabit our country and that call attention for their unique characteristics.

1 Typical Animals of Brazil  – Jaguarundi

The Jaguarundi is a medium-sized wild cat found in the Amazon basin, whose main characteristic is the variable color of its coat, which makes it unique among all wild cats.

The animal lives in areas of lowland cerrado and is a species commonly known as the “Feline of the New World”.

2 Candiru

The candiru fish, also known as the vampire fish, is a species of catfish considered a freshwater parasite. Adults can reach 16 cm in length and are found throughout the Amazon basin.

Candiru are known to live in the gills of larger fish and feed on the blood of their prey. There have even been reports of Candida entering the urethra of human males.

3 Typical Animals of Brazil  – glass frog

Glass frogs are members of the Centrolenidae family. Although they are usually green, what makes them so attractive is that their internal organs can be seen through the translucent skin on their lower body.

They are small creatures that can reach a length of 3 centimeters and have been known to eat their young.

4 Lizard Jesus Christ

The Jesus Christ lizard, or common basilisk, has amazing water-running abilities, hence the name. When escaping from a predator, the lizard spreads its fingers to reveal a special web that, with enough force, can cut through water up to 20 meters.

They are found throughout the rainforests of Central America and Brazil, usually in low lying areas.

5 bull sharks

It is a true carcharid commonly found in shallow, warm waters along coasts and rivers. Known for its aggressive nature and presence in freshwater systems, the bull shark can be found from the Amazon River to the Manaus region.

6 Typical Animals of Brazil  – capybaras

The capybara is a large semi-aquatic rodent that inhabits aquatic areas in Central and South America. Closely related to other rodents such as chinchillas and guinea pigs, the capybara is the largest rodent in the world, weighing 75 kilograms and reaching almost 1.4 meters in length.

Despite their large size, these mammals have adapted well to life in the water and have a number of distinguishing features that contribute to their amphibious lifestyle, including the webbed skin between their toes, which is especially useful when swimming.

7 Pirarucu

Within the Amazon Basin, pirarucu live in various types of habitats, such as the region’s floodplain lakes and the main tributaries of the Amazon River, including the Madeira and Machado rivers. Much of the water that makes up the arapaima’s habitat is also deprived of oxygen, as it is located in swampy areas of the rainforest.

8 electric eels

Electric eels live in Brazilian waters and are capable of delivering 500 volts of shocks. The electrical shock produced by an electric eel is powerful enough to kill any large mammal, including humans.

Thanks to the eel’s complex circulatory system, the animal can grow up to 2.5 meters and only needs to surface once every 10 minutes. Electric eels tend to live in calm water beds and feed on fish and small mammals.

9 Pink dolphins

The pink dolphin is a robust species of dolphin easily recognizable by its long snout. Adults are between 1.53 and 2.4 meters long, but this depends on the subspecies in question. The largest animal of this species recorded to date was a female, weighing 98.5 kg.

10 Piranhas

Many different fish are known as “piranhas”, but the number of species is a matter of debate. Most piranhas are no more than half a meter in length. For example, red-bellied piranhas grow to about 51 centimeters, while black-bellied piranhas grow to about 28 centimeters.

11 Goliath Tarantula

Goliath bird-eating spiders, which feed on birds, are usually dark to light brown in color like other tarantulas, are covered in a thick coat of hair, and are very sensitive to movement and vibration. It is considered one of the largest spiders in the world and also the heaviest.

12 Typical Animals of Brazil  – otters

Otters live in rivers, lakes and freshwater streams. They are occasionally seen in agricultural canals and small dam reservoirs, although they prefer gently sloping riverbanks and remote areas with prominent vegetation.

So, what did you think of our list of typical animals in Brazil? Which one seemed most curious to you? Comment below in the comments!