Animals in Brazil

Brazil is home to one of the most diverse wildlife populations on the entire planet. This is due in part to the sheer size of the nation. Brazil makes roughly have of South America. However, the great diversity of Brazilian wildlife is due mostly to the fact that 60% of the Amazon Rainforest, one of the world's most diverse ecosystems, rests in Brazil. The Amazon Rainforest, which makes up most of Brazil's undeveloped territory, provides the nation with over 2.5 million species of mammals, birds, fish and insects.

One of the most unique of these animals is the bald-headed uakari. Also known as the bald uakari, it is a monkey with a short tale, long hair and, of course, a bald head. However, its most prominent feature is its bright red face. There are four know varieties of this creature, but they are all tree-dwellers and prefer to remain near water and areas that experience seasonal flooding.

One of the scariest looking creatures in Brazil is the Goliath Birdeater Spider, a member of the tarantula group of arachnids. The Goliath Birdeater Spider received its name when it was reported by some early explorers to the region that they saw the spider eating a hummingbird. This massive spider can grow to have a leg span of over a foot and is quite intimating visually, but, like most tarantulas, it is generally harmless to humans, preferring to maintain a diet of insects.

With so many amazing creatures populating the nation, it is difficult to stand out, but one creature that manages to do so is the arapaima. Also known as the pirarucu and the paiche, the arapaima is recognize by some experts as the world's largest fresh water fish. This massive fish grows, on average, to about 6.6 feet and over 200 pounds. However, there have been some exceptional arapaima that have been measured at over 8 feet and over 400 pounds.