 rivers clean
Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis)
The Amazonian manatee is the largest mammal living in the Amazon River at over 1,000 pounds (454 kilos) and 9 feet (3 meters) long. They are found in the northern Amazon River Basin and its tributaries and are locally known as “seacows”. Their skin is thick, wrinkled and grey in color. The manatee is an herbivore so it depends heavily on vegetation near the rivers, over the years soil erosion from deforestation has been affecting its food supply making it scarcer. During the wet season the manatee can eat up to 110 pounds a day to build up reserves for the dry months.
For centuries the Amazonian manatee has been hunted by local Indians who consumed their meat and used their oil and fat. Demand for the animal expanded making it commercially profitable. Another factor affecting its population is accidentally getting caught in commercial fishing nets. They are classified as vulnerable in the endangered species list.
Amazonian manatee or seacow
Tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis)
The tucuxi is locally known as bufeo gris or bufeo negro. Tucuxi, pronounced “too-koo-shee” is one of the two species of river dolphin that live in the Amazon River and its tributaries, the other one is the pink dolphin. The tucuxi looks like a bottlenose dolphin with dark gray to light gray coloration but much smaller in size. On average a tucuxi grows between three to five feet long and their weight range is between 95 to 120 pounds. Their diet consists mainly of fish.
Tucuxi, one of the two species of river dolphins in the Amazon River.
Giant Amazon River turtle (Podocnemis expansa)
The giant Amazon River turtle is also known as Charapa turtle, Arrau turtle, Tartaruga-da-amazônia, or Araú. An adult turtle can grow to more than 3.3 feet (1 meter) in length and they often weight up to 200 pounds, female turtles have a larger shell and are heavier than male turtles. This species of turtles do not leave the water, only females do to lay their eggs on the sandy beaches and immediately return to the water. Once the eggs hatch the hatchlings get the attention of predators, mostly birds, it is believed that only five percent make it to the river. Because of their low survival rate this species has been included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as a conservation dependent species.
Only five percent of hatchlings will make it to the river.
Giant Amazon River turtles from the Baltimore National Aquarium.
Arapaima (Arapaima gigas)
The arapaima is locally known as pirarucu or paiche and it is the largest freshwater scaled fish known to humans. It lives exclusively in the Amazon River and can reach a length of over nine feet long (almost 3 meters long) and weight over 440 lbs (200kg). This species is a favorite among fishermen and have become a victim of overfishing. Because they come to the surface every five to fifteen minutes to breathe in air, they are easy to catch. Fishermen usually use harpoons and nets. Its meat is part of the culinary culture of the Amazon and is sought after for its taste. The arapaima is considered to be a living fossil that has not evolved for more than 20 million years and had no predators other than men.
According the BBC, errors in its classification has pushed the species closer to extinction. The latest taxonomic review was done over 160 years ago. Today they know that there are at least four species of arapaima. While some populations are increasing others are being overfished and driven to extinction.
Arapaima in captivity at the Vancouver Aquarium.
Electric eel (Electrophorus electricus)
The electric eel is an electric fish capable of generating electric shocks of up to 600 volts, five times the voltage generated by a U.S. household wall socket. This species live in the muddy waters of the Amazon River and its tributaries and it has a limited vision, therefore heavily relying on its electric field for hunting and self defense. Their bodies contain electrocytes, cells capable of storing power, and when threatened they will discharge electricity making them a feared pre