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An agouti eats fruit on the forest floor. |
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Perhaps the loudest animal that shares the rainforest with the jaguar is the howler monkey. A specialized voice box and wide mouth allow the monkey to let loose a loud wail, audible for two miles around, that acts as a siren to warn fellow howlers of approaching danger. Howler monkeys live primarily in groups among the treetops, feeding on fruits, leaves, and the occasional insect. They inhabit tropical forests throughout Central and South America. |
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Curassows can grow to weigh 10 pounds. |
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The coatimundi, or coati, may be relatively small, but this raccoon-like carnivore is fearless. When confronted by a tarantula, the coati uses its paws to brush away the spider's stinging hairs, then eats the insect; when threatened by the jaguar, the smaller animal clambers up the nearest tree and out onto the narrowest branch. Unable to bear the weight of the cat in pursuit, the upper portion of the tree becomes a safe haven for the coati. |
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While the jaguar may be the most powerful animal in the jungle, it's not necessarily the best runner, climber, or swimmer. So the speed of the agouti, a small rodent, may be its best defense against a predator like the jaguar. An underground dweller ranging from the jungles of Mexico to Brazil, the agouti scurries along the forest floor in search of tasty roots and fruit. Although it would make a measly meal for such a large cat, the agouti is still potential prey and must be on its guard at all times. |
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The odd-looking curassow, a tropical bird, is often saved from becoming jaguar prey by its ability to fly. Flight gives birds an added element of protection from land-dwelling predators, even when the birds venture down to the rainforest floor to collect tasty fruits like mammae. Curassows range throughout Mexico and Central America. Some species can weigh as much as 10 pounds when fully grown. |
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A coati hunts for a tasty spider. |
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