Yacare Caiman
Yacare Caiman (Caiman yacare) Description: Although they superficially resemble American alligators, Yacare caiman are brownish, medium-sized caiman up to 10 feet in length with a more triangular snout and toothier profile than their American cousins. Habitat: Rivers, lakes and other wetlands, especially those with floating mats of vegetation. Range: Northern Argentina, southern Brazil, Southern Bolivia and Paraguay. Diet: Aquatic invertebrates (particularly snails), fish, snakes and other vertebrates. Life Span: Unknown but likely 50 years or more based upon life spans of related crocodilians. Family Life: During the rainy season (which varies with locality), adult females construct mound nests of rotting vegetation and mud. They lay 21 to 38 eggs in a chamber inside the mound. Females guard the nest for several weeks during incubation unless hunting pressure forces them to abandon the eggs. The caiman hatchlings are precocious, meaning they must fend for themselves and receive little or no parental care. Status: Generally stable and at low risk of endangerment, but many historical populations have been depleted. Rainforest Building open daily from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm South America’s Yacare Caiman are also known as Jacare caiman, Paraguayan caiman, Red caiman and Piranha caiman to name a few. Although these ancient and amazing creatures do eat piranha, they are sometimes called Piranha caiman because their lower teeth are easily visible like those of their pointy-toothed fish neighbors. While all crocodilians (alligators, crocodiles, caiman and gharials) eat fish, many species focus on certain prey species. Yacare caiman search mats of floating vegetation for aquatic snails, crack open the shells with their crushing jaws and dissolve the shell fragments with their powerful stomach...
Pygmy Marmoset
Pygmy Marmoset (Callithrix pygmaea) Description: Tiny grayish brown monkeys with yellowish highlights and naked faces. Length: 6.5″-9″ (16.5-23cm) including tail. weight: 4-7 oz. (113-198g). Habitat: Flooded and riverbank forests within the upper Amazonian rain forest. Especially, the tangled branches and dense foliage of the high canopy below tree top level. Range: South America; western Brazil, southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador and eastern Peru. Diet: Sap or tree gum, insects, flowers and fruit. Life Span: 5 to 8 years. Family Life: This sociable monkey lives in family groups of 4 to 15 animals. The group defends their territory from other Pygmy Marmosets with noisy calls and chases to protect their favorite food–tree sap. Status: Threatened primarily by habitat destruction and the illegal pet trade. Unfortunately, Pygmy Marmosets face the same problems that many creatures face worldwide. As more suitable habitat is developed these amazing creatures are forced into progressively smaller, less suitable habitats. This is particularly true in the world’s shrinking rain forest regions which are home to more than half of the planet’s species. Frequently, biologists lack basic information on many species. Without accurate information, especially population numbers, it becomes very difficult to adequately protect such wildlife. As with most other “cute” animals, they are too often collected and over-collected. In this case, the illegal pet trade further reduces their numbers. Rainforest Building open daily from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm Pygmy Marmosets are one of the world’s smallest primates. They weigh less than a navel orange and could sit in the palm of your hand. Some of their calls are so high pitched that you can’t even hear...
Maned Wolf
Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) Description: Both males and females are 4-4.5 feet in length excluding the tail, up to 34 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh between 44 and 50 pounds. Habitat: Grassland, savannas and swampy areas. Range: Central and eastern Brazil, eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina and Uruguay. Diet: Rodents such as mice and other small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, fruit and vegetables. Life Span: Up to 13 years in captivity, not known in the wild. Family Life: Males and females live solitary lives except during breeding season and in captivity. Status: Endangered due to habitat destruction by farmers. The animal that is commonly described as looking like a fox, but on stilts, is the maned wolf. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is home to two of these vanishing creatures, a male and a female. The maned wolf is unique from other wolves because it does not like the cold. Therefore, our pair has access to a heated enclosure during the winter months, though they venture into their outdoor exhibit on warmer days. They are also very shy mammals that keep to themselves in captivity and in the wild. In fact, they live their lives alone, except during the breeding season when they seek out a mate. A female maned wolf will usually give birth to 2-5 cubs after a gestation period of 9 weeks. There are about 4000 maned wolves left in the wild, and this number is dwindling due to their habitat being destroyed by...
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