Anaconda, Black caiman, Capybara, Electric eel, Giant anteater

Anaconda
Type of animal	The anaconda is a reptile and cold-blooded. That means it is the same temperature as the air around it. It is a type of snake called a boa constrictor.
Size of animal	They are one of the largest snakes in the world, the same size as one type of python, and can grow to over 37 feet and weigh up to 550 pounds! They continue to grow all their lives, getting bigger and bigger each year.
What it eats	They are carnivores, or meat-eaters. They eat fish, caimans, deers, birds, ducks and turtles.
How it captures prey	They are boa constrictors, which means they squeeze their prey until it cannot breathe. Anacondas also bite their prey with their sharp teeth, hold on with their powerful jaws and pull them under water. The prey may drown. They are nocturnal, which means they hunt at night. They usually wait until their prey comes to them, but they will also hunt. They swallow their prey whole, head first. They don't chew their food. They have a special organ near their mouth that can sense heat. That is how they can find animals to eat.
How it protects itself	Anacondas hide from enemies in the water. They can stay under water for 45 minutes. The colors and patterns on their skin help it hide where they live. Their greatest enemy is humans, who kill them for their skin.
Other facts	Usually they like to stay in the water, but sometimes sun themselves on land. They can live for thirty years. They like to live alone. They give birth to live young; 20 to 100 baby snakes are born at one time. Their nose is on top of their snout, so they can breathe easily when they are in the water. They smell with their tongue. Anacondas have teeth, but they do not have fangs or poison. They only eat once or twice a year.

Black Caiman
Type of animal	They are repitles, and the largest alligators in the world.
Size of animal	Black caimans can grow to 20 feet long. They can weigh up to 3000 pounds!
What it eats	They eat fish like paranha, and animals that enter the water, like capybaras.
How it captures prey	They have a great sense of sight, smell and hearing. They hunt mostly at night and are very quick. They capture their prey with their 75 long, sharp teeth. They don't chew their prey. They swallow them whole.
How it protects itself	Their only enemy is man. They can easily hide because of their skin color. They can also run very quickly.
Other facts	They make a noise that sounds like thunder to talk to other caimans. They spend most of their time in the water, using their long tails and webbed feet to move. They are the largest predator in the Amazon. They will attack people!

Capybara
Type of animal	Capybara are mammals, and a type of rodent.
Size of animal	They weigh about 100 pounds and are about 2 feet tall.
What it eats	They eat grasses, melons and water plants. They are herbivores, which means they don't eat meat.
Who are their enemies?	Capybaras' enemies are jaguars, caimans, large snakes like anacondas and humans.
How it protects itself	They have strong claws and are fast runners. They swim well, even under water. When they swim their noses and ears stay above the water.
Other facts	They are the largest rodents in the world. They are very social and live in groups. They talk to each other by whistling and barking. They love to swim, and they can stay under water for five minutes. Sometimes they will sleep in the water, keeping their noses above the water so they can breathe.

Electric Eel
Type of animal	Electric eels are really a type of fish, and not eels at all!
Size of animal	Electric eels can grow to about 8 feet long and weigh up to 60 pounds.
What it eats	Electric eels eat mostly fish, but will also eat clams, shrimp, and insects. They are carnivores, or meat eaters.
How it captures prey	Electric eels shock their food so it cannot move. A touch from their tail can stop an animal or a person! Repeated shocks could kill people.
How it protects itself	Electric eels may produce a strong shock, five times stronger than you would get if you stuck your finger in a light socket!
Other facts	Electric eels have small eyes and poor eyesight. They talk to other electric eels by giving off electric pulses, similar to bats or dolphins. Even though they are fish, electric eels must take a fresh gulp of air into their mouths from the surface of the water every few minutes.

Giant Anteater
Type of animal	Anteaters are mammals.
Size of animal	Adults can be between 6 and 8 feet long and weigh up to 140 pounds.
What it eats	They eat mostly ants and termites, but they will eat other insects.
How it captures prey	Giant anteaters have a great sense of smell that they use to find its food, 40 times stronger than ours! They don't have any teeth. They use their long snout and 2 foot long tongues to scoop out termites and ants from their nests. A giant anteater can eat a few thousand insects in just a few minutes! Their tongues have to move quickly. Their tongues can go in and out of their mouths 150-160 times a minute! Giant anteaters will not eat all the insects in one nest, so they can come later for seconds!
How it protects itself	When it is frightened, they will stand up on two legs so they look very large, and they can defend themselves with their big claws and strong front legs. Their biggest enemies are jaguars and pumas.
Other facts	Giant anteaters like to stay alone. They do not have a special place to rest. Each night they curl up to sleep with their bushy tails covering their bodies. They wake up very easily. Adult anteaters rarely make sounds. A baby that has fallen off his mother's back will grunt to get her attention. They have a poor sense of sight.

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