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Life in the water
is pretty similar to life on land. Water bodies are their
own ecosystems and, like in the forest, animals must compete
with each other to survive. However, different types of
animals will be seen at different types of water bodies.
Along the Amazon River and its tributaries exist many types of
fish including the infamous piranhas. These rivers carry
many freshwater fish because all the water that the rivers drain
from the Amazon Basin are carrying rainwater. These fish
are targets or many animals such as hawks, anacondas, dolphins,
otters, alligators (caiman), and piranhas.
Although the
Amazon River is known notoriously for its piranhas, there are
other dangers that lurk in the river and its tributaries.
Snakes such as the anaconda can grow to be very large and are
capable of suffocating victims as large as human and swallowing
them whole. Another hazard in the waters is a small catfish
called candiru. These fish are about 2 cm long and are
the only vertebrate parasites. They can attack other fish,
mammals such as dolphins, manatees, and humans, and other animals.
Frogs exist along the banks of freshwater lakes. Many of
these frogs are poisonous and are capable of crippling even the
largest animals.
Besides fish,
snakes, and amphibians, mammals exist in the water too.
Pink dolphins are known to scour the Amazon River looking for
food. Otters live more closer to slow moving rives and
manatees (sea cows) live in open lakes in groups looking for
vegetation to feed on.
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