Amazon River’s 13 Undiscovered Monsters

We all know that the Amazon river is the largest river by discharge of water in the world. It is also a habitat for many species we do not know exist. More than one-third of species in the world live in the Amazon. Here are Amazon river monsters you might want to check out before planning on a holiday trip to the Amazon.

Pink Dolphins

The Pink Amazon River Dolphins are species of toothed whale classified in the Iniidae family. They are the largest species of river dolphin with adult males reaching 185 kilograms in weight and 2.5 meters in length. Like other toothed whales, they have a melon, an organ that is used for bio sonar. They have one of the widest diets among toothed whales. They feed on up to 53 different species of fish,such as croakers, catfish, tetras and even piranhas.

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***EXCLUSIVE*** RIO NEGRO, BRAZIL - UNDATED: An extremely rare picture of the Amazon river dolphin, pink river dolphin or boto in the Amazon river in Rio Negro, Brazil. These never seen before pictures show how this playful pink dolphin created a splash by flipping onto its back and peeing out the water. The agile eight-foot-long creature somehow managed to line up its 25 stone body so as fire urine over its own shoulder. The extremely rare picture is of a pink river dolphin, also known as an Amazon river dolphin, in the Negros River in Brazil. This potentially endangered aquatic mammal lives in such remote parts of the Amazon basin that scientists cannot be sure how many survive. World class photographer, television presenter and conservationist, Mark Carwardine, 52, from Bristol travelled to deepest Brazil to investigate these charismatic creatures. "I have been a wildlife photographer for more than 25 years and have written many books about whales and dolphins," explained Mark. "But I have never seen this happen nor a photo of a dolphin urinating - it is a very unusual photo. "One theory is they urinate on their backs to avoid the attentions of the candiru fish, a spiny, parasitic fish. "It follows the flow of uric acid and lodges itself into the genitals of mammals to drink the blood." PHOTOGRAPH BY Mark Carwardine / Barcroft Media UK Office, London. T +44 845 370 2233 W www.barcroftmedia.com USA Office, New York City. T +1 212 564 8159 W www.barcroftusa.com Indian Office, Delhi. T +91 11 4101 1726 W www.barcroftindia.com Australasian & Pacific Rim Office, Melbourne. E info@barcroftpacific.com T +613 9510 3188 or +613 9510 0688 W www.barcroftpacific.com

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