Animals found in Bolivia

Llama

​Llamas are domesticated. They have been used for centuries as pack animals.

The wool is very soft, light and warm. Unlink sheep's wool it does not shrink when washed. 

Alpaca

​Alpacas are much smaller than llamas. They are not pack animals but are bred instead for their wool. It is used for knitting and weaving. Blankets, jumpers, hats, gloves, scarves and ponchos are all made from the wool. 

Guanaco

​Guanacos are wild animals. They live in the steep and rocky mountains. They live in herds. They can run over 50km an hour. Cougars, jaguars and foxes hunt them. 

Jaguar

The jaguar is the largest big cat in South America. It lives in the rainforest. It is a very good climber and swimmer. The name jaguar comes from the Native American name yaguar which means "he who kills with one leap". 

Maned Wolf

The maned wolf looks like a fox. However, it is not a fox. It is not a wolf either. It lives in grasslands which are scattered with bushes and trees. 

It does not hunt in a pack but prefers to hunt alone. It usually hunts after sundown. It kills its prey by biting it on the neck and shaking it. They like to eat rabbits, birds and fish. They also like to eat vegetables and fruit. 

Giant Otter

The giant otter is an endangered species. They were hunted for their pelts. 

Chinchilla

​The chinchilla is a rodent. They live in colonies called "herds". They are an endangered species. In the wild chinchillas live in burrows or crevices in rocks. They are agile jumpers and can jump up to 1.8 m. 

Andean Flamingo

​The Andean flamingo is one of the rarest flamingos in the world. They like to eat fish, algae, crustaceans and plants.

Capybara

​The capybara is the largest rodent in the world. It lives beside lakes and rivers in savannahs and forests. 

It is a herbivore. It likes to eat tree bark, plants and fruit. 

Amazon River Dolphin

​The Amazon river dolphin is sometimes called the pink river dolphin because some of these dolphins are pink in colour. 

Tapir

​Tapirs are large animals that look like pigs. They are herbivores. Tapirs like to live in jungles and forests. 

Andean Condor

The Andean condor is a large black vulture. It has a white ruff of feathers around its neck. 

It is a scavenger and likes to eat carrion. It is a national symbol of Bolivia. 

Blue Morpho Butterfly

The Blue morpho butterfly likes to live in the forests. 

Jabiru

The jabiru is a large stork. It lives near rivers and ponds. It likes to eat dead fish and fresh carrion. 

Sloth

Sloths got their name because they are very slow moving animals. Sloths eat buds, tender shoots, and leaves. They live in tropical rainforests. 

Vicuña

Vicuña are similar to guanacos. They are wild animals.  Long ago it was against the law for anyone other than royalty to wear items made from vicuñas wool. 

​​Viscacha

​
​​Viscacha are rodents. They are chinchillas but look like rabbits. 

Armadillo

​The word armadillo means "little armoured one" in Spanish. They have a leathery armoured shell on their backs. They like to eat insects and grubs. 

Anteater

Anteaters like to eat ants and termites. They have long snouts and a long sticky tongue. 

Peccary

​The peccary is like a pig. Peccaries are omnivores. They eat roots, grasses, seeds, fruit and small animals. They live in dry shrub land. 

Puma

Pumas are also known as cougars and mountain lions. They live in swamps, mountains and forests. They hunt at dawn, dusk and through the night. They jump on their prey and kill them with a bite to the back of the neck. 

Rhea

The rhea is a large flightless bird. They live on grasslands, pampas and shrub lands. They eat fruits, seeds, roots and insects.  

Caiman

Caimans are found in a variety of habitats such as marshes, swamps,  mangrove rivers and lakes. They have scaly skin. They are mainly nocturnal. Caimans like to eat fish, birds, insects, small mammals and reptiles. 

Piranha

​Piranhas are omnivores. They have very sharp teeth. They eat plants, animals and algae. They have even been known to attach humans. 

Squirrel Monkey

Squirrel monkeys live in tropical forests. They do not use their tails for climbing but use it instead for balancing. 

Toucan

​Toucans live in the forests.