Why Does the Amazon River Create Monsters
Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00 Huge and strange animals that look like fabulous monsters live in the Amazon forests.
00:07 Now you will learn about why this river generates such creatures and who can lurk in the most remote jungle.
00:15 Jaguar is the third largest panther, second only to lions and tigers.
00:22 That's just in terms of rage and combat skills, she can compete with them on equal terms.
00:29 Among her relatives, she is distinguished by the brutal style of hunting.
00:33 Lionesses usually strangle their victim and tigers either also cut off oxygen or break their necks.
00:40 But jaguars act differently.
00:42 At the base of the skulls of the victims of these predators, traces of powerful bites are usually found,
00:49 which crush the cervical vertebrae, break the occipital bones and interrupt the vessels.
00:57 The jaws of this cat are incredibly strong.
00:59 The jaguar is one of those predators that can really literally bite off the victim's head.
01:05 In addition, the jaguar has very powerful paws, which it can use with surgical precision.
01:13 At the same time, the jaguar is a cautious, cunning and versatile fighter.
01:20 He ambushes in the thickest thickets, swims and hunts well in the water, climbs trees perfectly,
01:27 and can fall on the victim from the height of the second or third floor to solve the issue of his lunch with one blow.
01:34 And this cat is also braver than the wolverine, because it hunts not only herbivores, but even crocodiles,
01:42 and the enemy's native element right in the water.
01:47 But why is this cat so cool?
01:50 The answer to this question is at the same time an explanation of why the Amazon creates real monsters.
01:57 The jaguar, with all its advantages, although it is one of the most effective predators of these places,
02:05 is still not only the king of the jungle, and all its advantages are needed by the cat just to survive.
02:15 In almost any other corner of the planet, a predator with the capabilities of a jaguar would become the dominant species.
02:21 But in the Amazon basin, it is only one of many.
02:25 For example, his manner of biting through the back of the victim's head was developed simply because the creatures that the jaguar hunts are invulnerable to strangulation,
02:35 and so powerful that it is almost impossible for them to break their necks in another way.
02:42 Extremely harsh living conditions forced the jaguar to become a more formidable hunter than a lion or tiger.
02:49 Although the spotted cat is inferior to its larger cousins in size and shared power, it surpasses them in, let's say, special skills.
02:59 For example, this is a special vision.
03:03 You know that cats have it much better than humans, but the jaguar has it even better than most of its relatives.
03:11 The vision of this spotted predator is not only incredibly sharp, clear, and has a night vision mode, but also has unmasking capabilities.
03:22 Many animals have learned mimicry.
03:25 They are able to blend in with the environment, which makes them almost invisible.
03:30 Jaguar doesn't care about this ability.
03:35 His vision is able to penetrate through this disguise, so even in the colorful rainforest it is possible to cope with him.
03:43 In addition, this cat has the most powerful bite among all felines.
03:50 Simply because otherwise it is impossible to cope with the shells of turtles, caimans, and armadillos.
03:59 As you understand correctly, jaguars open the powerful shells of turtles and are able to cope even with the frontal armor of an adult crocodile.
04:07 And at the same time, the cat can catch prey even at the height of the seventh floor, because with a mass of up to 220 pounds, up to 100 kilograms, this predator practically flies between the branches at a great height,
04:21 climbs the crowns of the tallest trees, and catches monkeys, as well as other super clever animals.
04:29 Handsome, don't you agree? He deserves your like.
04:33 The Amazon River Basin is one of the most mysterious places in the world.
04:38 This river competes with the Nile for the title of the longest.
04:43 But what the Amazon has no competitors in is the size of the pool and fullness of water.
04:50 If we take into account the remote tributaries, the area of the Amazon Basin is more than three times the area of the whole of Mexico.
04:58 Most of this vast territory is occupied by jungles that have been growing there for more than one million years.
05:05 A very large amount of water, fertile soil, high humidity, and a warm climate have led to the fact that for dense vegetation, here is the best place in the world.
05:18 The jungle in such conditions has become incredibly dense and diverse.
05:23 Do you know that the saying that the Amazon is the lungs of the planet?
05:28 If this is an exaggeration, then only a little, because the local tropical forests produce about 20% of the planet's total oxygen.
05:38 But this miracle of nature has another, dark side.
05:44 Due to such favorable conditions for the life of flora, its own unique ecosystem has been formed here.
05:50 The Amazon Basin is almost another world. A very harsh world.
05:56 In the wild, there is a real arms race. Predators are developing new ways to overcome the victim.
06:05 Meanwhile, the prey is trying to find a new defensive weapon.
06:11 In the Amazon Basin, this race got a real boost of steroids.
06:15 Therefore, there are most of the creatures that it is best for a person never to encounter.
06:22 Unless Australia can be found, no less dangerous creatures. But there are much fewer of them.
06:29 It was the Amazon that became home to the largest and strongest snake in the world, the anaconda.
06:37 This reptile reaches a length of about 16 feet, about 5 meters, and this is for her. Very usual dimensions.
06:45 A snake that was almost twice as large got into the Guinness Book of World Records.
06:51 And according to the rumors of the local population, there are real giants in the impenetrable thickets.
06:58 The length of this legendary snake can reach some incredible 50 feet, or 15 meters.
07:07 Such a snake would be able to hang down from the sixth floor, and the tip of its tail would remain in the window when the head would have already touched the ground.
07:17 There is no documented evidence of the existence of such giants, or they are unreliable.
07:23 But admit it, it would be stupid cool to meet a huge monster snake in the thickets of the rainforest, which could hunt elephants,
07:32 and try to stretch it along to accurately measure the length.
07:36 So, even if such reptiles exist, it is unlikely that we will know about it for sure in the coming years.
07:43 What do you guys think? Share your opinion in the comments.
07:48 But even an ordinary anaconda is one of the most terrible predators on the planet.
07:55 The whole body of an anaconda is a weapon consisting of twisted tight muscles, powerful as steel cables.
08:02 Even an ordinary anaconda can deal with a wild boar, and be dangerous for both a jaguar and a black caiman.
08:10 These snake attacks the victim with lightning speed.
08:14 While the prey is in shock, the snake is already wrapping its rings around it.
08:20 The anaconda does not try to find a neck to strangle the prey. The snake doesn't need it.
08:25 Instead, the reptile simply crushes the victim with a mass, and squeezes her whole body in her arms.
08:32 The rings immobilize the limbs, and do not allow you to fight effectively, run, or counterattack.
08:42 The prey tries to breathe, but at the exhalation of the victim, the snake makes an additional effort and squeezes the chest harder.
08:50 So, there is less space in the lung for the next breath.
08:54 Gradually, the prey loses strength. Pretty scary, don't you agree?
08:59 This is not the end though. When the victim is almost given up, the anaconda squeezes her body even harder to break bones, and cause critical damage to internal organs.
09:11 Do you feel sorry for the anaconda prey? Well, she can only hope that this stage will be fatal for her.
09:17 After all, the snake eats its prey whole, slowly swallowing it.
09:22 Do you see these two bones in the hands of the scientist?
09:26 These are the vertebrae of two snakes. The one he holds in his right hand belongs to an anaconda.
09:34 Can you imagine how long a monster should be if its vertebrae is several times larger than the bone of this giant snake?
09:41 We are talking about the largest snake in the history of the planet, Titanoboa.
09:48 According to scientists, the largest anacondas weigh about 480 pounds, about 210 kilograms.
09:57 The Titanoboa is five times more massive, a snake weighing about a ton, where the whole mass is powerful musculature.
10:05 This creature died out millions of years ago, so there is no need to be afraid of the monster.
10:10 But guess where these creatures lived? That's right, in the Amazon Basin.
10:16 Of course, the Amazon Basin is also home to venomous snakes, some of the most dangerous in the world.
10:25 Was there any doubt about it?
10:27 This place amazes with the variety of ways that the local inhabitants can use if they want to fight.
10:34 Kaisaka is a venomous snake that has infrared vision.
10:40 It captures the body heat and preys mainly on small rodents.
10:46 But its venom is designed to protect the owner from an aggressive deer, not just from a mouse.
10:54 The Kaisaka is a relative of the rattlesnake, so its venom also has a similar effect.
11:00 It is a hemotoxin, a substance that destroys blood.
11:05 The complex chemical composition of the poison gives it a combined effect.
11:10 Tissue necrosis begins at the bite site.
11:14 But the main thing is the effect on the circulatory system.
11:18 There are abundant internal bleedings, which weaken the body.
11:24 Then the heart and kidneys fail.
11:26 There is an antidote for the Kaisaka poison.
11:29 But in order for a person to survive, the serum must be injected as soon as possible.
11:34 According to statistics, the venom of this particular snake affects people living in the Amazon Basin most often.
11:41 Such a huge number of dangerous creatures can easily be explained by the highest population density among all the biomes of the planet.
11:52 A biome is a collection of ecosystems of a certain climatic zone.
11:56 So, the Amazon Basin is, of course, a huge territory.
12:01 But at the same time, there are several times more living beings here than in any other place on the planet with the same area.
12:10 Think about it.
12:13 10% of all animal species known to science live right here, in the basin of a single river.
12:21 And this is not because scientists are lazy and we're looking for living beings only here.
12:26 On the contrary, the Amazon is still being explored.
12:29 And apparently, hundreds or even thousands of species unknown to science live on the territory of this local jungle, which are waiting just to be found.
12:39 Well, or they're not waiting.
12:41 And then scientists are waiting for a lot of unpleasant surprises.
12:46 Millions of species of insects, which means tens of billions of their representatives.
12:51 Thousands of species of birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
12:55 Hundreds of species of mammals, including very large ones.
12:59 This diversity of species is another reason why the Amazon breeds monsters.
13:05 Just statistically, the more living creatures in general, the more dangerous they are.
13:13 In addition, the diversity of species is also affected by the level of climate favorability.
13:18 The Amazon is warm and humid all year round.
13:22 Of course, these conditions are great for the development of pathogenic bacteria.
13:27 So, if you decide to travel through the impenetrable thickets of the local jungle, do not forget about the danger.
13:35 Even if no one bites or if no one stings you.
13:41 There are enough contagious diseases here, and because of the humidity, infection easily penetrates into the smallest wounds and scratches.
13:48 But diseases and a high probability of inflammation, even small skin lesions.
13:54 This is not enough to restrain the development of living beings, if conditions are conducive to this.
14:01 And here the conditions are excellent.
14:05 Therefore, if people do not interfere with deforestation and development of territories for agriculture,
14:11 the population of many species in the Amazon basin will be consistently high.
14:16 And this means a large number of predators.
14:19 Much more than in many other regions of the planet.
14:23 For example, the territory of Canada, which is larger than the Amazon basin,
14:31 has more than 30 species of snakes, but only 4 of them are poisonous and may pose some kind of danger to humans.
14:37 There are hundreds of species of venomous snakes in the Amazon basin.
14:41 So, there are several dozen dangerous ones among them.
14:45 The largest venomous snake of the Amazon basin is the Bushmeister.
14:51 It lives in the most remote corners of the jungle.
14:55 That's the only reason people are lucky to rarely encounter it.
15:00 The Bushmeister is really a terrible monster.
15:03 For her, 7 feet long, or 2 meters, is the norm.
15:07 And sometimes there are twice as long individuals,
15:10 which makes her a rival of the King Cobra for the title of the largest venomous snake on the planet.
15:16 The poison has a combined effect, simultaneously hitting the nervous system and affecting the victim's blood.
15:24 Interestingly enough, this snake is one of the best ambushmasters ever.
15:29 She is able to freeze completely in one place, which gives her the perfect disguise.
15:35 In a stationary position, she will wait for prey for days.
15:39 Thanks to a not-too-active lifestyle, she can afford to eat very rarely.
15:45 Once a month, or even less.
15:48 Imagine this. An animal walks through the forest and constantly monitors the environment.
15:53 Otherwise, there is no way to survive there.
15:57 Everything seems to be in order. No unnecessary movement, no rustle, no threats.
16:01 Suddenly, teeth dig into the leg and a terrible pain permeates the entire body.
16:06 And this is just the beginning.
16:09 Then the poison begins to act, until the poor animal realizes, in shock,
16:13 that a huge snake the length of a car suddenly appeared next to her out of nowhere.
16:19 If you think that only large animals are dangerous in the Amazon basin,
16:26 then you're definitely mistaken.
16:28 Literally anyone can pose a threat here.
16:32 From an insect to a cute at first glance animal that seems defenseless until it screams in your face.
16:40 For example, this cute little toad.
16:44 Look at how adorable it is, right?
16:47 You won't understand right away that a hundred of these crumbs could exterminate all the jaguars on the planet.
16:55 Therefore, spotted babies, like most other living creatures, avoid this amphibian.
17:00 Vividly, the frog is called a terrible leaf climber.
17:06 And such a name is not an exaggeration.
17:09 It is one of the most venomous creatures on Earth.
17:13 So don't be surprised by its bright coloring.
17:16 The leaf climber does not disguise himself.
17:20 At a length of about one and a half inches, up to four centimeters,
17:23 it is not afraid of anyone and stands out among the foliage on purpose
17:27 so that it is noticed from afar and not touched.
17:30 And it works.
17:32 Most animals at the sight of this creature behave like Homer from that meme, you know?
17:37 The key feature of the frog is that its entire body is covered with poison.
17:43 Most toxins need active interaction with the circulatory system.
17:49 Or at least the mucous membrane of the victim.
17:51 But not the poison of a leaf climber.
17:54 It works through the skin.
17:56 That is, just touching this little monster with your finger
18:00 is enough for the poison to take effect in a couple of minutes.
18:04 The total amount of poison on one frog is 500 times more than it takes to stop one person's heart.
18:12 But people have a fairly high resistance to poisons relative to body weight.
18:19 The amphibious creature acts for sure.
18:21 So what kind of poison is this?
18:24 It is called a batrachotoxin.
18:27 And it is one of the most mysterious toxic substances in the animal world.
18:32 The substance is incredibly poisonous and has a complex effect.
18:37 First of all, it destroys the heart.
18:41 Due to the combined structure,
18:44 the poison causes both an increase in the heartbeat and a malfunction in its rhythms.
18:48 And subsequently, a complete cardiac arrest.
18:52 The toxin acts in a matter of minutes.
18:55 But these are very painful minutes.
18:57 In addition, the poison also affects the nervous system, causing irreversible changes in it.
19:03 As a result, pain, cramps, loss of muscle control.
19:08 There is no antidote to the toxin.
19:11 Nothing at all.
19:13 But for some reason, scientists have proved that when combined with scorpion venom,
19:17 the toxic properties of batrachotoxin increase by 12 times.
19:22 We don't know why this information is needed.
19:26 Maybe scientists are afraid that frogs will unite with scorpions and try to take over the planet?
19:31 While with such weapons, they kind of have a chance.
19:35 After all, researchers can't even say exactly where this toxin even comes from.
19:42 That it's from toads, this is obvious.
19:44 But no one knows how they produce it.
19:47 Perhaps there are special glands in the amphibian's body that have not yet been found.
19:53 Perhaps it's all about the diet, we don't know.
19:56 Substances that structurally resemble batrachotoxin have been found in some beetles.
20:02 If a leaf climber eats these beetles,
20:06 it can accumulate and process these compounds to secrete on the surface of the skin in the form of poison.
20:12 But no one knows for sure.
20:14 In captivity, yes, it occurred to someone to keep these little monsters in captivity.
20:19 Do not do that.
20:21 They gradually lose their poisonous properties.
20:24 That is, they can kill not a whole herd of bulls, but only two or three individuals in one touch.
20:31 You probably guessed that people learned how to use the poison of these amphibians centuries ago, don't you?
20:37 Of course, as a weapon.
20:40 Local tribes lubricate arrows with them.
20:43 Therefore, you should not quarrel with the aborigines.
20:46 And as it is, a terrible leaf climber is a cute creature.
20:50 Instead of webbing, it has little fingers that help him stick to the leaves.
20:55 This animal spends most of its life on them.
21:00 Thanks to this property, the species got its name.
21:03 Now get ready.
21:05 The Amazon Basin is home to about a hundred species of frogs with venom,
21:10 which can be dangerous for large animals.
21:13 And the leaf climber is just one of them.
21:17 We will not describe the other 99.
21:20 Otherwise, after this video, you would get so excited about them that you would start catching insects with your tongue.
21:27 But you must admit, 100 species of poisonous frogs for one river is a lot.
21:31 After all, each species is a population of many thousands or even tens of thousands of individuals.
21:38 The peculiarity of the Amazon is that there are representatives of any order of animals can be dangerous.
21:45 Dozens of species of poisonous scorpions, hundreds of species of insects, a meeting with which you will definitely not like.
21:54 And every year, our new ones are found.
21:57 So there are several species of ants that can be dangerous to humans in the Amazon Basin.
22:02 And they are about as dangerous as a meeting with a man-eating lion.
22:08 For example, this little ant.
22:10 Do you think these insects can only cause inconvenience in large numbers?
22:15 No, no, no, no.
22:17 The bite of this ant alone causes pain, which experienced people have compared to a bullet hit.
22:23 In all things to a very strong poison.
22:26 Unlike snake venom, this toxin could not stop the heart.
22:30 Nope, he has to make you suffer.
22:34 The bite of at least three of these ants will make you forget about getting close to their colony forever.
22:41 Even the name of the insect is appropriate.
22:45 Ant bullet.
22:47 Or here are stray ants.
22:49 They rely on group work.
22:52 Their coherence is admired, especially from afar.
22:55 After all, if you find yourself next to their colony, then the only thing you will think about is how to get out of here as soon as possible.
23:03 Unlike most other ants, these do not create ant hills, do not build large above-ground palaces or underground tunnels.
23:12 They just travel, as can be easily understood from the name.
23:18 But in their wanderings, they are more like not cute tourists, but some Genghis Khan or Attila with his horde,
23:25 who walked across Eurasia with fire and sword more than a thousand years ago.
23:31 Stray ants just go and demolish, devour, destroy literally everything in their path.
23:40 There are thousands of creatures in their colony, and the most ordinary worker is cooler than a hornet.
23:47 And the soldier ants generally resemble some kind of insect special forces.
23:53 Vagrant ants march in clear columns, with warriors constantly patrolling the borders.
24:00 They protect others from external threats.
24:04 Worker ants are only called such.
24:08 In fact, they are the greatest hunters.
24:13 Among them, there are scouts who go ahead and look for the best routes,
24:17 as well as those who attack the victim who was unlucky enough to be on the path of this huge family.
24:24 The actions of these individuals are perfectly coordinated both in combat and in travel,
24:31 when they carry everything they need, get food, and distribute it so that there is not a single hungry individual.
24:39 In the center, there are ants that carry larvae, eggs, and most importantly, the queen.
24:45 When a colony finds something tasty, it pounces on the target as a single organism.
24:52 In a matter of minutes, only bones will remain from the bird.
24:56 At night, the colony stops its flow, equips a temporary base,
25:02 which it guards no worse than the United States guards the Pentagon.
25:07 And in the morning, they take off again and go.
25:10 Moreover, even water barriers cannot stop these purposeful kids.
25:15 If the stream is narrow enough, then the ants create something like a living bridge.
25:21 Some individuals turn into its supports, while others carry everything they need on the backs of their fellows.
25:28 And if the reservoir is wide, then ants build live rafts according to the same scheme.
25:35 Moreover, most of the ants that are at the bottom of such a ship survive,
25:39 since their respiratory organs remain above the water.
25:43 It's so effective in its design.
25:46 And these are only two types of ants.
25:49 Can you imagine what other creatures live there?
25:53 However, why imagine? We'll just tell you.
25:57 In general, small creatures in the Amazon can be even scarier than huge monsters.
26:03 Look, this is Candiru.
26:05 And it loves men who think the world is a toilet.
26:09 It likes to eat them.
26:12 If a man comes to the shore of the Amazon to relieve himself,
26:16 there is a chance that this little creature will penetrate directly into his urethra up the stream.
26:23 You know the way, don't you?
26:26 The Candiru is so small that it easily climbs up into the urethra or even into the bladder.
26:32 And feeds on the surrounding cells and blood.
26:35 It spreads its gills, on which there are thorns.
26:39 These thorns cause small but painful wounds.
26:43 Did we say that this is dangerous for men?
26:47 It's a joke. It is dangerous for everyone and is quite capable of getting into the body of a woman as well.
26:53 And you can only remove the fish operationally.
26:57 It is worth admitting that there is almost no reliable evidence of such a peculiar attack on people.
27:02 Only scattered data and, of course, rumors.
27:06 Usually, the Candiru parasitizes fish, takes them into their gill slits,
27:12 spreads its own gills there, mutilates the host, and drinks its blood.
27:17 Vampire fish.
27:20 There is no exact data on the dangers to humans.
27:23 But it's still not worth the risk, don't you agree?
27:26 The most famous dangerous fish of the Amazon is, of course, the piranha.
27:30 At first glance, it looks pretty nondescript.
27:34 Grey-green color, rounded body.
27:37 Except that the expression of the muzzle is some kind of aggressive, angry.
27:42 But it is one of the most dangerous predators on the planet.
27:45 At least in its ecological niche.
27:48 To be in a pond where piranhas live is like falling into a bear trap that not only captures,
27:55 but also eats its victim.
27:57 The main advantage of these voracious fish is the quantity.
28:01 Several dozen fish can live in a flock.
28:04 And each of them is voracious and incredibly aggressive.
28:09 Fish are not considered intelligent creatures.
28:12 But piranhas have surprisingly effective attack tactics.
28:15 They pounce on the prey of the whole pack and try to surround it from all sides.
28:23 Each fish acts autonomously.
28:26 But their habits make the interaction of piranhas during an attack very effective.
28:31 The fish instantly approaches the target, tears off a piece of flesh directly from the live prey,
28:38 and then swims off to swallow the food.
28:41 During this short moment, the place of one piranha is taken by another,
28:46 which stings directly into the area of the previous lesion.
28:51 One fish spends less than a second to attack.
28:54 And since the fish surrounded the prey and even line up in a live queue to tear off a piece of it,
29:00 it turns out that a flock of these creatures attacks virtually continuously.
29:06 Do piranhas scare you?
29:08 Or do you dream of having them in your home aquarium?
29:11 Let us know in the comments.
29:14 For its size, the piranha has very strong jaws.
29:19 They can even snack on a bamboo tube,
29:21 which is so large in diameter that it barely fits in the fish's mouth.
29:26 It's as if you could have a snack at your table you're sitting at.
29:31 In addition, piranhas have rather large and sharp triangular-shaped teeth,
29:36 which are ideal for tearing off pieces of meat.
29:40 Even one fish can cause significant inconvenience to relatively large animals,
29:48 since the wound will bleed profusely after the bite.
29:51 But a dozen piranhas are already a threat to a medium-sized young deer.
29:56 And a big pack is capable of coping with anyone at all.
30:01 Probably the scales of adult caimans are inaccessible to them because of their strength and thickness.
30:07 But an anaconda will be eaten by a flock of piranhas in six or seven minutes.
30:12 And a cow that weighs half a ton will be gnawed to death in a quarter of an hour.
30:17 By the way, piranhas are able to swim into the ocean, although this fish spawns only in fresh water.
30:23 They usually lie in wait for their prey in muddy water,
30:27 but at the same time they can comfortably exist both at great depth and in shallow water.
30:34 Usually they still hunt other fish, and look for places where there can really be a lot of play.
30:40 These creatures have monstrous appetites.
30:44 But mammals should also be wary of meeting such a predator.
30:47 At the moment, not a single fatal outcome of a piranha attack on a person has ever been recorded.
30:53 But who knows, maybe there was just no one to tell about it.
30:57 Moreover, sometimes the fish attacks a person, especially if it disturbs the flock.
31:04 Here's another reason not to go into the Amazon water.
31:09 Scared? So we're kind of uneasy too.
31:13 Just promise me that if you go to travel to the Amazon, you will remain as careful as possible.
31:18 And do not go into the water, and do not touch or even approach the local fauna.
31:25 It may seem that a piranha is a terminator that destroys anything at all, and is not afraid of anyone.
31:33 But you already know the secret of the Amazon, don't you?
31:38 Monsters live here precisely because each predator has its own dangerous enemy,
31:43 which forces species to constantly compete, becoming stronger, more dangerous, and scarier.
31:49 So piranhas also have their own hunter.
31:52 Moreover, the fish does not go into large shoals. It does not need it.
31:56 We're talking about the giant arapaima, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world.
32:01 Imagine a pike or perch as long as an adult lion.
32:06 That's the creature we're talking about.
32:08 The most common arapaima reaches 7 feet or 2 meters in length, but most larger specimens are often found.
32:15 For example, it is about 10 feet long, about 3 meters.
32:20 And according to unconfirmed reports, there are also real giants.
32:25 A river fish over 14 feet long, over 4.5 meters, and weighing like a small motorcycle.
32:34 Of course, if piranhas can attack livestock, it is obvious that simple superiority in size will not take this predator.
32:41 Arapaima has a number of superpowers that make this fish an excellent hunter who feels confident even in this green hell.
32:52 Of course, aggressive nature, great speed, powerful jaws, all this is in the arsenal of this fish.
33:00 But the main thing is its armor. It is difficult to find a fish with stronger scales, about 10 times stronger than bone.
33:07 At the same time, the scaly cover is layered, which creates a kind of natural chainmail of sorts.
33:14 Arapaima can withstand the assault of a whole flock of piranhas and go on the counterattack, destroying the enemy.
33:24 Oh yes, that's not all. Arapaima can breathe atmospheric air. Therefore, it likes to hunt in shallow water.
33:31 Even if she is above water, it will be able to survive.
33:35 Probably the opportunity to breathe oxygen dissolved in the air appeared due to the fact that the Arapaima settles in small backwaters,
33:43 where plants and other fish already drink all the oxygen from the water.
33:48 Arapaima does not have lungs, but there are special tissues that are located in the pharynx and on the swim bladder.
33:54 An Arapaima floats to the surface every 5 to 20 minutes and takes a breath, the characteristic sound of which can be heard from afar.
34:02 And to understand that, it is better not to approach this reservoir.
34:08 It is unlikely that the Arapaima is dangerous to humans, but if it catches even small birds out of the water, who knows?
34:17 Against the background of many of our other heroes, the Brazilian birdeater will seem like a cutie to you.
34:22 At least because for an adult and healthy person who does not suffer from allergies, the venom of this spider does not pose an excessive threat.
34:30 Although, of course, it causes terrible pain. I mean, what can you do without that?
34:35 In the Amazon basin, everything causes terrible pain.
34:39 The toxin that the birdeater secretes is not strong enough to stop a person's heart for one reason.
34:46 It is not intended to protect the spider from predators, but it's for hunting.
34:51 Such poisons are designed against small animals, on which they should act as quickly as possible.
34:57 The venom of the birdeater copes with this task perfectly.
35:01 But the main weapon of this huge spider is geoaggression.
35:05 He does not weave a web on which he sits for hours and waits for prey.
35:12 Instead, the birdeater goes out to patrol the surrounding area to actively catch its prey with powerful paws.
35:20 Some individuals can reach a diameter of almost a foot, 30 centimeters.
35:26 This makes it one of the largest spider species in the world.
35:31 They can grow to such gigantic dimensions only in the Amazon.
35:38 In an area with an extremely high content of oxygen and moisture in the air.
35:42 These sizes, combined with eight strong paws and venomous mandibles,
35:47 allow the spider to hunt not only insects, but also to catch small rodents, frogs, lizards, and birds.
35:56 The birdeater's hunting of birds is probably the most impressive sight associated with this spider.
36:02 That's why it got its name.
36:05 But in the Amazon basin, of course, there are spiders that are dangerous to humans.
36:09 I mean, could it really be otherwise?
36:12 In fact, there are a lot of them here.
36:15 And there are dozens of arthropod species that are dangerous to us.
36:19 But especially it is necessary to tell about a wandering spider.
36:23 Unlike birdeaters, they do not build a den in burrows or crevices in trees.
36:29 But they don't weave a big web either.
36:32 In accordance with their name, these spiders prefer a nomadic lifestyle
36:36 and constantly walk through the jungle in search of prey.
36:39 They are not very big, but they have a very dangerous poison.
36:44 The most amazing thing about these spiders is their generosity.
36:48 Perhaps there is no other spider in the world that injects as much venom as this one during a bite.
36:54 The reason for this phenomenon is difficult to understand.
36:59 On the one hand, the poison of the wandering Amazon spider is twice as toxic as the poison of the black widow.
37:04 That is, it poses a danger not only to humans, but also, for example, to an elephant.
37:09 On the other hand, it is resource intensive to produce such a powerful toxin,
37:14 so the spider has to hunt more often.
37:17 Well, maybe this predator just loves reliability.
37:21 Unlike the birdeater, it often crawls into human habitation.
37:27 It does not attack first, but it is quite easy to provoke an attack.
37:31 There are hundreds of spider species in Brazil, but this one accounts for 50% of all human bites.
37:37 The venom of a wandering spider is a neurotoxin that attacks the nervous system,
37:43 causing terrible pain, attacking the heart, and stopping the work of the lungs.
37:48 There are a lot of creatures in the waters of the Amazon itself that can be very dangerous,
37:54 and they themselves sometimes look literally like aliens.
37:57 For example, a freshwater stingray.
38:01 Usually, representatives of this family of fish live in the salty waters of the oceans,
38:07 but the Amazon is quite full-flowing and rich in food,
38:11 so that millions of years ago, these creatures chose it as a place for their habitat.
38:16 In general, freshwater stingrays are not aggressive creatures,
38:23 but they have extremely formidable weapons, which they resort to if they are frightened.
38:27 And these creatures are very timid.
38:29 There is simply no other way to survive in these tropical waters.
38:32 The weapon of this stingray is the spikes that are on its tail.
38:36 Moreover, the spikes seem to be hiding from the side.
38:40 They are not at all at the very tip, and are placed far enough from the base.
38:45 Therefore, it is not possible to notice the sting immediately,
38:49 which makes the weapon even more dangerous.
38:52 At the same time, its length is like the palm of an adult.
38:56 The thorn is sharp and strong enough to damage internal organs.
39:00 And besides that, it's poisonous.
39:03 The toxin can cause death if ingested by most small and many medium-sized animals.
39:09 If a thorn injures a person's arm or leg, then they will most likely survive.
39:15 But terrible pain, cardiac arrhythmia, difficulty breathing,
39:20 the experience is very unpleasant, but you can survive.
39:23 However, if the thorn wounds the body, this will be the last trip.
39:27 The strange-looking fish that live in the Amazon may have more powerful weapons than some kinds of spikes.
39:35 It is here that the electric eel lives,
39:39 which generates one of the most powerful charges among all its kind.
39:44 The eel uses its weapons for hunting and for protection from predators.
39:50 If a fish is frightened, it generates a charge into the water
39:53 with the help of special organs that can stop the heart of a large crocodile,
39:57 cope with a bull or a jaguar.
40:00 No blue lightning bolts go through the water,
40:03 and the more terrible the victim of the eel looks.
40:06 It begins to twitch, her body is pierced by powerful convulsions,
40:11 and the animal becomes helpless, and eventually its heart just can't stand it.
40:18 An electric shock from a short circus of the household network
40:21 is a rather serious threat that makes you behave carefully with each outlet.
40:25 The electrical shock of the eel is at least five times stronger.
40:29 The most frightening thing is that, like many other Amazon monsters,
40:33 this fish does not stop halfway.
40:36 If she gets into a fight, she is going to the end.
40:41 Did you mess with the eel? Simply retreating is not enough.
40:46 They will continue to shock even when the enemy flees.
40:49 And only then will it definitely finish off the enemy,
40:53 unless of course it somehow manages to jump out of the water.
40:57 An eel can strike at a sufficiently large distance.
41:01 Depending on the environmental conditions,
41:04 the charge can hit the target at a distance of up to several feet,
41:07 several meters, from the eel.
41:10 Therefore, this fish is one of the few predators capable of using long-range weapons.
41:15 To show the coolness of different creatures,
41:19 they often talk about how they deal with black caimans.
41:23 These are the local relatives of the crocodile.
41:26 By the way, do not confuse black caimans with ordinary ones.
41:30 The former are relatively timid, almost never attack large game,
41:34 and they themselves do not grow larger than seven feet, two meters.
41:38 But the black caiman is another matter.
41:42 This creature can be dangerous to any inhabitant of the Amazon.
41:45 So the reptile is at the top of the food chain.
41:48 More precisely, it shares with jaguars and anacondas this spot.
41:52 So don't think this reptile is a whipping boy.
41:55 On the contrary, only the most insidious and dangerous animals
42:00 manage to fight and defeat a huge toothy predator.
42:04 Usually, a caiman gets what it wants, and it usually wants meat.
42:10 The length of this fighter can exceed 23 feet, seven meters,
42:14 and the weight can reach over a ton.
42:17 This makes it the largest local predator.
42:20 It hunts any large animals, deer, capybaras, anacondas, tapirs, catfish.
42:26 Of course, the black caiman leads a predominantly aquatic lifestyle.
42:31 The Amazon rainforest is replete with thickets of trees
42:35 that grow either near the water or directly from it.
42:39 Shady nooks are an ideal place for an ambush of such a predator.
42:43 It rushes at the victim from the water, or less often, by land.
42:48 Although such an animal is not capable of a long cross-country hunt,
42:52 it makes a leap towards several feet, several meters, at lightning speed.
42:58 Its main weapon is powerful jaws with long fangs.
43:02 The caiman tears off pieces of meat with the help of powerful lateral movements of its huge, massive head.
43:08 But the reptile can also strike with its tail, or bend it under itself, and then only use its teeth.
43:15 Black scales play an important role.
43:18 On one hand, it is one of the best natural defenses of reptiles in the whole world.
43:23 Strong, thick, strong.
43:26 In addition, its color serves both as a means of disguise and as a way to warm up more effectively.
43:33 This is important for the cold-blooded reptile, which spends most of its life in the shade and poorly lit places.
43:39 The jaws of the black caiman are powerful enough to easily hold even a large ungulate weighing several people's weight.
43:48 The most amazing thing is that even in such dangerous and difficult conditions, people manage to live there.
43:54 And we're not talking about ordinary citizens of Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia.
44:01 We're talking about aboriginal tribes that have been living in the local jungle for thousands of years.
44:06 This is not a myth, but a reality.
44:10 Even in the 21st century, impenetrable forests are inhabited by tribes that have practically no connection with modern civilization.
44:18 Most of them chose isolation intentionally.
44:24 Their representatives are aware of the existence of other people with their cities, state borders, money, and other newfangled inventions.
44:32 But such tribes refuse to make any contact.
44:37 And any aliens' attempts to impose their culture on them are answered with weapons.
44:42 It would seem that they're ordinary arrows.
44:45 But if they're soaked in the poison of some local frog, then you should definitely not touch them.
44:51 However, there is an opinion that there are still such tribes of aborigines who have never had contact with modern civilization at all and live unknown to anyone in the most impenetrable thickets.
45:01 Where did they come from there?
45:04 Humans appeared in America more than 22,000 years ago.
45:08 Then the eastern coast of Siberia was connected with modern Alaska by land crossing.
45:15 People from Asia, for some mysterious reasons, ventured on a dangerous journey to America, which was considered an entirely new world.
45:23 If you want to learn more about human settlement and their interaction with wildlife, let us know in the comments.
45:30 For hundreds and thousands of years, people have spread across both Americas, and even went into the most impenetrable thickets of the Amazon jungle.
45:41 That is, the local aboriginal tribes are direct descendants of those people.
45:45 Some tribes are gradually assimilating with the citizens of the countries where their historical land is located.
45:52 Some maintain contact with civilization, but live according to ancient customs.
45:58 But there are also tribes that absolutely stop any outside contact.
46:03 How do you think you would react to this?
46:06 Leave these people alone? Or not?
46:10 Let us know in the comments section.
46:11 On the territory of the Amazon, there are scary animals in the water, on the ground, on trees, and what about the air?
46:19 Of course there are.
46:21 Amazonia is one of the habitats of harpies.
46:24 Due to the fact that these birds maneuver between trees of one of the densest and densest forests of the planet, their wingspan is not the largest among all birds.
46:36 A condor has a wingspan of up to 10 feet, 3 meters.
46:40 A golden eagle has a wingspan of 7 feet, more than 2 meters, and harpies have a little less than 7 feet, up to 2 meters.
46:48 But at the same time, this bird is one of the most massive and largest feathered predators of the modern planet.
46:55 Her clawed paw is larger than an adult's palm.
47:00 The powerful blow of such sickle-shaped claws, enhanced by the speed of flight, is no weaker than the blow of a leopard's paw.
47:07 The harpy's head is almost the same as a human's, only with a sharp beak that could leave a mark on metal.
47:12 These birds do not attack humans, at least under "normal" conditions, as we would call them.
47:19 They don't need to.
47:21 Instead, they fly between the branches and collect monkeys and sloths like apples.
47:28 But teasing this bird or approaching its nest is not worth it even for the bald ones from Fast and Furious.
47:35 From the wrath of the harpy, no sports car will help you.
47:39 Another winged creature here that can be dangerous is the vampire bat.
47:44 It will not be treated either by a languid man in black, or by a teenager glowing in the sun with a lacquered hairstyle and a love for silent girls.
47:55 And this predator hunts carefully.
47:58 It tries not to disturb its victim, and just rather drink its blood from small, almost imperceptible punctures on its neck.
48:04 But this vampire bat is dangerous because it carries various diseases in its saliva.
48:09 And yes, it bites people.
48:12 The vast biodiversity of the Amazon concerns not only animals, but also plants.
48:17 And yes, some of them are dangerous too.
48:21 Fortunately, there is no evidence yet that the local trees have rebelled like ants.
48:25 And the vines that strangle people are a myth. At least we hope so.
48:31 But it is from the Amazon plant that curare poison is isolated, one of the most famous toxins in the world.
48:38 And the poison, which is secreted by a plant called strychnos, is so strong that its nails are moistened with resin for hand-to-hand combat.
48:49 Then even a scratch could be fatal for the enemy.
48:52 All these are just some of the dangerous species of plants and animals that live in the Amazon forests.
48:58 In fact, there are even more of them.
49:01 But it is a mistake to believe that this land generates only monsters that seek to destroy all life in their path.
49:08 There are many incredible, beautiful representatives of flora and fauna in the Amazon forests.
49:15 Bright flowers, beautiful birds, cute creatures.
49:19 Yes, the local animals can look impressively beautiful, such as these predatory ocelot cats with big eyes and spotted coats.
49:29 In fact, a huge number of dangerous creatures are a consequence of not bad, but good living conditions.
49:38 It's like a paradox, but good conditions provoke population growth.
49:44 This means an increase in the number of dangerous animals.
49:47 In addition, a lot of herbivores means there will be a lot of predators.
49:51 This, in turn, causes greater competition between the species, an increase in the number of predators, and a more intense arms race between hunter and prey.
50:02 And after all of this, do you still really want to visit the Amazon?
50:07 Let us know in the comments and don't forget to subscribe.
50:11 There are many mysterious and amazing places in the world that we want to tell you about still.
50:15 still.