Golden Lion Tamarin Monkey

 Golden Lion Tamarins are critically endangered due to their habitat being shrunken down into small unconnected areas. They live in southeastern Brazil and normally have up to 2 offspring but can have triplets and quadruplets. They get their names from their impressive manes. Hopefully lion tamarin monkeys will increase in population soon.

Golden Lion Tamarin with offspring 

Golden Lion Tamarin Monkey

Fact File

Speed: 6

Size: 3

Intelligence: 8

Life Span: 8 - 20 years

Diet: Fruit, Insects, and other invertebrates

Harpy Eagle

 The harpy eagle is considered to be the most powerful eagle in the world. They live in central and South America and make their nests in the canopy. They have killer talons which can be up to 3 to 4 inches long. They are the third biggest and heaviest eagle in the world. Sadly, their numbers are declining. Most birds are scared and will keep away from humans but these don't! They have even been known to attack humans!

Harpy eagle nest

Harpy eagle hunting

Fact File

Speed: 7

Size: 7

Intelligence: 8 - you have to be clever to catch monkeys!

Life Span: 25 - 35 years 

Diet: Monkeys, sloths, opossums, anteaters, reptiles and other birds.

Poison Dart Frogs

There are many different types of  poison dart frogs and each one of them are poisonous. The golden poison dart frog is bright yellow to show predators that they are deadly.  This is the same with all frogs- bright colours to warn predators not to eat them. The reason they are called dart frogs is be cause people used to use their poison in darts. Like normal frogs they lay frogspawn which will hatch into tadpoles. Don't touch one of these as it won't end well.

Blue poison dart frog

Golden poison dart frog

Fact File

Speed: 4

Size: 1

Intelligence:  5

Life Span: around 10 to 15 years

Diet: Small insects such as ants and termites

Coatis

Coatis are relatives of racoons that live in South America.  Their long, stripy tails help them balance when climbing trees. They do spend a majority of their time on the ground though, foraging for food. Coatis live in groups called bands. They have many natural predators including jaguars, anacondas, ocelots and maned wolfs. They resemble a red panda with their orangey colours but have a pointier snout. Coatis are normally friendly to people but can attack at times. 

Coati

Fact File

Size: 3

Speed: 6

Intelligence: 6

Life Span: around 14 years

Diet: Fruit, invertebrates, small rodents and lizards

Dwarf Lantern Shark

The smallest shark, a dwarf lantern shark is smaller than a human hand! They live deep down in the ocean so very little is know about them. Their name comes from the presence of light producing photophores on their bodies. Their teeth are designed for cutting and slicing. They are rarely seen and not many people have heard of one. Dwarf lantern sharks are one of the many ocean dwelling creatures that we could find lots more about.

Dwarf lantern shark

Dwarf lantern shark head

Fact File

Size: 1

Speed: 4

Intelligence: Unknown 

Life Span: Unknown 

Diet: Shrimp and small fish

Capybaras

Capybaras may appear to be some sort of hoofed mammal but they are actually the world's largest rodent and are pretty much giant guinea pigs. They live in the swamps, marshes and rivers of South America. They have many predators - jaguars,  anacondas and caimans - and are pretty much defenceless. They live in large groups and will give off a call if they spot danger. Then they will normally run away but will use their teeth when cornered. Their teeth - like any other rodent's- will grow as they mature. Capybara's eyes and nostrils are positioned on top of their head so when swimming they can keep watch without being entirely visible to prey.

Capybara underwater 

Group of capybara 

Fact File

Size: 4

Speed: 5

Intelligence: 6

Life span: 6 to 12 years

Diet: Aquatic plants, grasses, barks and sugar cane

Komodo dragons

  The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world. It is a monitor lizard - a group of reptiles making up some of the largest lizards in the world. The Komodo dragon has a gruesome way of hunting. It will bite its prey and inject deadly venom  into the blood of the unlucky target. Then all it has to do is stalk it's prey until it dies from the venom. They live on some islands in Indonesia - specifically Komodo - and are found nowhere else in the world. Males will fight during the breeding season over a mate and the battles can be brutal. This is definitely a beast to beware.

Komodo dragon feasting

Komodo dragons fighting

Fact File

Size: 8

Speed: 4 - quicker when they need to be

Intelligence: 6

Life Span: around 30 years 

Diet: Almost anything other than veg they can get their claws on. Eggs, deer, buffalo, monkeys and even other baby Komodo dragons.

River dolphins

River dolphins are the only fresh water dolphins. They are mainly spotted in the Amazon rainforest as scientists think the Chinese river dolphin went extinct in 2006. They may be famous for their striking pink colours but they weren't born this way. They are born as a greyish colour and get pinker as they mature. River dolphins - like any other dolphin- use echolocation to find there prey. They are an elusive animal and you will be lucky if you ever see one.

Amazonian River dolphin 

Chinese river dolphin

Fact File

Size: 7

Speed: 5 - slow compared to other dolphins.

Intelligence: 8

Life Span: 30 years

Diet: Fish and crustaceans 

Coming soon…

 We are out on a walk as I write this. We have just picked up the camera trap but I can’t show you the pictures yet. Stay tuned to find out what we have have just caught and what we will spot over 2022.(This may include a badger 🦡  and a fox 🦊 ) I will also post some animal fact files over the year. There might be 2 in one day or 1 in 2 weeks!