Hobbies And Interests
Anaconda
The largest of all snakes, anacondas are mostly found in the Amazon River Basin in South America. They make their homes near the shores of rivers because much of their hunting is done by submerging themselves in water and waiting for their prey. Anacondas prefer to eat small rodents, birds and fish, but they can also digest larger animals if one strikes their fancy. They can grow to over 37 feet long and live between 15 and 30 years.
Jaguar
Located in Central and South America, the jaguar is the third-largest big cat behind the tiger and the lion. Though not on the official endangered species list, jaguars are categorized as "near threatened." Because of their muscular, stocky builds, they are able to climb and crawl at a fast pace, making their prey often easy targets. They feed only on meat such as deer, tapir and foxes. Typically, they grow up to eight feet long and live from 12 to 15 years.
Toucan
Located in South and Central America, toucans are red, yellow and black colored birds that have large, sloping beaks. Their diet consists mostly of fruit and leaves, though they will occasionally eat insects as well. They live inside hollow trees, which gives them shelter from the rain and allows them to hide from prey. Toucans can grow to 65 centimeters in height and live up to 20 years in the wild.
Poison Dart Frog
With habitats mostly in South America, poison dart frogs are known for their beautiful colors and patterns, many of which can blend in to their environments. They live near wet marshes and streams and eat a typical diet of ants, spiders, flies and other insects. Some tribes in the rainforest have been known to dip their spears in the poison dart frog toxins to make them lethal weapons. They grow up to seven centimeters in length, but not much is known about their lifespan in the wild. In captivity, however, they can live up to 10 years.