Argentina: Political System
Tthe official name of the country is:
- República Argentina
- Republic of Argentina
According to DISEASESLEARNING.COM, Argentina has been a federal, republican presidential democracy since 1994. “En Unión y Libertad” is the country’s motto and refers to the historically fought for federal statehood (unity) and the right to self-determination (freedom). See AbbreviationFinder for more information about Argentina politics, and acronyms as well.
The president is the head of the state. He has the option of governing by decree and is elected directly in one or two ballots every four years. He has to reach 45 percent or more to win in the first round, or he has to be ten percentage points ahead of the runner-up. The number of terms is limited to two consecutive terms. But after four years, the former president can run again for office.
On October 28, the wife of the previous President – Néstor Kirchner (born 1950), President since 2003 – the Peronist Cristina Elisabeth Fernández de Kirchner (born 1953) was elected the first woman in the office of President in the first ballot. She will succeed her husband in this office in 2007.
The legislature consists of two chambers, the parliament and the senate. Half of the members of the Chamber of Deputies – currently 257 – are directly elected every two years for four years. The Senate consists of 72 senators who have also been directly elected by the people for six years since 2001 – three from each province and three from the city of Buenos Aires. A third of the Senate is renewed every two years. The deputies of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are elected in the provinces by majority voting.
Argentina is a founding member of the UN, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The country also belongs to the Mercosor, the customs union of South America. The country also belongs to the Organization of American States (OAS) and the World Trade Organization.
National anthem
Based on flag descriptions by Countryaah.com, the national anthem of a country is usually a piece of music underlaid with a text, which is supposed to express the state, life or national feeling of a country. It is usually played on particularly festive occasions, such as state visits, special holidays or to honor politicians, business leaders, etc. It is also played at the award ceremony on the occasion of major international sporting events.
The introduction of the national anthems in European countries goes back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The numerous former colonies that had become independent usually introduced their national anthems and also their national flags after they gained independence.
- Check top-mba-universities for public holidays, sports events, UNESCO world heritage sites and major places to visit in Argentina.
The national anthem of Argentina was written by Alejandro Vicente López y Planes (1775-1857), an Argentine writer and later President of Argentina (1827), and set to music by Blas Parera (1777-1820). It was sung for the first time in 1913. Usually only the first verse including the chorus is sung.
In spanish language
| Oid, mortales! El grito sagrado:Libertad, Libertad, Libertad!
Oid el ruido de rotas cadenas: Ved en trono a la noble Igualdad. Ya su trono dignísimo abrieron Las provincias unidas del Sud! Y los libres del mundo respond: Al Gran Puebl Argentino Salud! Y los libres del mundo respond: Al Gran Puebl Argentino Salud!(Choir):Sean eternos los laureles Que supimos conseguir. Coronados de gloria vivamos O juremos con gloria morir.De los nuevos campeones los rostos Marte mismo parece animar: la grandeza se anida en sus pechos a su marcha todo hacen temblar. Se conmueven del Inca las tumbas y en sus huesos revive el ardor, lo que ve renovando a sus hijos de la patria el antiguo esplendor.(Choir)Pero sierras y muros se sienten retumbar con horrible fragor, todo el país se conturba por gritos de venganza de guerra, y furor. En los fieros tiranos la envidia escupió su pestífera hiel, su Estandarte sangriento levantan provocando a la Lid mas cruel.(Choir)No los véis sobre México y Quito arrojarse con saña tenaz? y cuál Iloran bañados en sangre Potosí, Cochabamba y la Paz? No los veis sobre el dreary Caracas luto, y Ilantos, y muerte esparcir? No los veis devorando cual fieras todo pueblo que logran rendir? (Choir) A vosotros se atreve Argentinos el orgullo del vil invasor: vuestros campos ya pisa contando tantas glorias hollar vencedor. Mas los bravos que unidos juraron su feliz libertad sostener a estos tigres sedientos de sangre fuertes pechos sabrán oponer. (Choir) El valiente Argentino a las armas corre ardiendo con brío y valor, el clarín de la guerra, cual trueno en los campos del Sud resonó. Buenos Aires se opone a la frente de los Pueblos de la ínclita unión, y con brazos robustos desgarran al Ibérico altivo león. (Choir) San José, San Lorenzo, Suipacha, ambas Piedras, Salta, y Tucumán, la Colina y las mismas murallas del tirano en la banda oriental, son letreros eternos que dicen aquí el brazo Argentino triunfó, aquí el fiero opresor de la Patio su cerviz orgullosa dobló. (Choir) La victoria al guerrero Argentino con sus alas brillantes cubrió, y azorado a su vista el tirano con infamia a la fuga se dio; sus banderas, sus armas se bark por trofeos a la libertad, y sobre alas de gloria alza el Pueblo trono digno a su gran Majestad. (Choir) Desde un polo hasta el otro resuena de la fama el sonoro clarín, y de América el nombre enseñando les repite: mortales oid. Ya su trono dignísimo abrieron las Provincias Unidas del Sud, y los libres del mundro responden al gran Pueblo Argentino Salud. (Choir) |
And in the English translation
| First verseHear, you mortals! The hallowed call:
freedom, freedom, freedom! Hear the clang of broken chains: Follow the throne of noble equality. The United Provinces of the South have already shown the dignified throne! And the free people of the world answer: Hail to the great Argentine people! And the free people of the world answer: Hail to the great Argentine people!Refrain Eternal be the laurel that we knew how to get. Crowned with glory let us live or we swear to die glorious. |
Argentina: writers and poets
- Jorge Luis Borges(1899-1986) Argentina’s most respected writer abroad was best known for his short stories. He also edited numerous poems, essays and collections of quotations and worked as a translator. With Adolfo Bioy Casares he published works under a pseudonym. Borges, scion of an upper class family, was a highly educated academic with the usual years of schooling in Swiss boarding schools. Most familiar with the world’s literatures, he loved metaphysical literature. As director of the Argentine National Library and half blind, he practiced the profession of writer. Critics see Borges as a forerunner of postmodernism. Borges’ unsurpassed stylistic device is deception. The mixture of reality and pretended reality in Borge’s work makes the authors of the secondary literature sweat.
- Julio Cortázar (1914-1984) writer, Cortázar initially worked as a teacher after his studies until he taught French literature at the University of Mendoza from the mid-1940s. In 1951 he emigrated for political reasons and worked as a translator for UNESCO. He also dealt with literary translations, e.g. the works of Edgar Allen Poe. Cortázar’s novels and short stories are inspired by surrealism. His most influential work was the novel “Rayuela” (Ger. Rayuela. Heaven and Hell, 1963).
- H. Bustos Domecq (1899-1986) pseudonym of Jorge Luis Borges and Adolfo Bioy Casares
- José Hernandez (1834-1886), writer, Hernandez is best known today for his novel “Martín Fierro” (published in 1872 and 1879), an important contribution to Argentine “gaucho literature”
- B. Suarez Lynch (1899-1986), pseudonym of Jorge Luis Borges
- Alejandro Vicente López y Planes (1775 – 1857), writer, Planes wrote the text of the Argentine national anthem and became President of Argentina in 1827
- Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (1811-1888), journalist and teacher, Sarminento also made a contribution to “Gaucho literature” with his famous essay “Facundo” (1845). Sarmiento was president of the country between 1868-1874.
Argentina: visual artists
- Erminio Blotta (1892-1972), sculptor
- César Antonio Pelli (born 1926), architect, including “Petronas Towers” in Kuala Lumpur, “Carnegie Hall Tower” in New York, “Ohio Center for Performing Arts” in Cinncinati
- Emilio Pettoruti (1892-1971), painter
- Benito Quinquela Martín (1890-1977), painter
- Xul Solar (1888-1963), surrealism painter
- Raúl Soldi (1905-1994), painter and sculptor
Argentina: musicians
- Daniel Barenboim (born 1942 in Buenos Aires), conductor, since 1992 general music director of the German State Opera in Berlin
- Facundo Cabral (born 1937), singer and songwriter
- Marciano Cantero (born 1960), singer in the South American band “Los Enanitos Verdes”
- Andrés Calamaro (born 1961), rock musician and songwriter, member of the band “Los Rodríguez”, which was very successful in Spain in the 1990s
- Alberto Cortés (born 1977), singer
- Sergio Denis (born 1949), singer
- Charly García (born 1951), singer and rock musician; he was a member of the band “Serú Girán’s”, which shaped Argentine rock music
- Carlos Gardel(1890-1935), Charles Gardés came to Buenos Aires in 1893. He lives with his single mother in the Abast district and is known in the neighborhood as “El Morocho del Abasto”. His voice is already noticed at school age. From 1906 he concentrated only on singing. From 1910 onwards he called himself Carlos Gardel. In 1913 a “duel” between the singers José Razzano and Carlos Gardel took place in the Calle Guardia Vieja in the Barrio Abasto. Since then, the Duo Gardel-Razzano has been singing together (for a total of 15 years). The two become so famous that they can also perform in Uruguay and Brazil. Gardel meets the great tenor Enrico Caruso. In the 20s Gardel only sang tango. He separates from his partner, composes, goes on a European tour and becomes the most famous tango singer in the world. On June 24, 1935, Carlos Gardel and some companions died in a plane crash at Medellín Airport in Colombia. Carlos Gardel’s original recordings were declared World Document Heritage by UNESCO in 2003.
- Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla (1921-1992) was born in Mar del Plata. He was a bandoneon player and composer. He became famous as the founder of Tango Nuevo and today this renewal of the traditional Argentine tango has world-wide recognition.
Argentina: Nobel Prize Winner
- Bernardo Alberto Houssay (1887-1971), 1947 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (the official name of the Nobel Prize for Medicine), together with Carl Ferdinand Cori and his wife Gerty Cori
- César Mílstein (1929-2002), 1984 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, together with Niels Kaj Ferne and Georges Jean Franz Köhler
- Luis Federico Leloir (1906-1987), 1970 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Argentina: politicians
- Raúl (Ricardo) Alfonsín (born 1927), President from 1983-1989
- Ricardo Balbín (1904-1981), influential Radical Party politician
- Arturo Frondizi (1908-1995), President from 1958-1962
- Tamara Bunke (1937-1967), guerrilla fighter on Che Guevara’s side. Tamara Bunke was born in Argentina as the daughter of Jewish-German immigrants. However, they returned to the former GDR in 1952. From there she went to Cuba and joined the liberation movement.
- Fernando de la Rúa (born 1937), President from 1999-2001
- Eduardo Duhalde (born 1941), President from 2002-2003
- Leopoldo Fortunato Galtieri (1926-2003), from 1976-1983 was a leading member of the military dictatorship and jointly responsible for the murder of up to 30,000 people.
- Ernesto Che Guevara(1928-1967), is certainly the world’s most famous revolutionary of the 20th century. He first took part in the 1956 “invasion” of Cuba under the leadership of Fidel Castro. He had met Fidel Castro in July 1955 in Mexico City. After the victory of the revolutionaries in Cuba and the flight of Batista on January 1, 1959, he was Minister of Industry and Head of the National Bank until 1965. Not filled by this post, however, he went to the Congo, disguised as a businessman and under a different name, to help the revolutionaries there. But when he failed there, he moved to Bolivia with his faithful in 1966. There he and his few dozen loyal followers quickly got on the defensive and in the end only fought for his survival. At the beginning of October 1967, he and his small remnants were caught and captured by the Bolivian army. In the small town of La Higuera he was interrogated by, among others, the CIA agent and Cuban exile Felix Rodríguez and then murdered by a drunken sergeant on October 8, 1967 on orders from “above” and soon afterwards buried in a place initially unknown to the public, the airfield in Vallegrande, around 30 kilometers away. It was not until ten years later (1977), at the urging of Fidel Castro, that his remains were transferred to Cuba, where they were solemnly buried in a state ceremony in Santa Clara in a mausoleum specially built for him. interrogated by the CIA agent and Cuban exile Felix Rodríguez and then murdered by a drunken sergeant on October 8, 1967 on orders from “above” and soon afterwards buried in a place initially unknown to the public, the airfield in Vallegrande, about 30 kilometers away. It was not until ten years later (1977), at the urging of Fidel Castro, that his remains were transferred to Cuba, where they were solemnly buried in a state ceremony in Santa Clara in a mausoleum specially built for him. interrogated by the CIA agent and Cuban exile Felix Rodríguez and then murdered by a drunken sergeant on October 8, 1967 on orders from “above” and soon afterwards buried in a place initially unknown to the public, the airfield in Vallegrande, about 30 kilometers away. It was not until ten years later (1977), at the urging of Fidel Castro, that his remains were transferred to Cuba, where they were solemnly buried in a state ceremony in Santa Clara in a mausoleum specially built for him.
- Néstor Kirchner (born 1950), President since May 2003
- Carlos Menem (born 1930), President from 1989-1999
- Juan Perón (1895-1974), President from 1946-1955 and 1973-1974
- Eva Perón (1919-1952), Perón’s second wife. She became an icon of the country.
- Isabel Perón (actually: María Estela Martínez de Perón; born 1931), president from 1974-1976, Perón’s third wife
- Juan Manuel Ortiz de Rosas (1793-1877), dictator from 1829-1833 and from 1837-1852
- José de San Martín (1778-1850), general, liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru from their dependence on Spain.
- Jorge Enea Spilimbergo (1928-2004), poet and Marxist
- Jorge Rafael Videla (born 1925), general and dictator from 1976-1980
Argentina: actors, directors
- Norma Aleandro (born 1936), actress, films: “Everything I love about you” (2004), “The son of the bride” (2001), “Affair” (1989)
- Héctor Alterio (born 1929), actor, exerted a great influence on Argentine cinema with his Nuevo Teatro and left the country due to political persecution
- Pablo Alarcón (born 1946), actor, played in soap operas and telenovelas in Argentina and Costa Rica
- Lola Berthet (born 1980), actress, plays in Argentine soap operas and telenovelas
- Alexis Bledel (born 1981), actress, known from the series Gilmore Girls; Bledel’s father is from Argentina, she was born in the USA
- Itati Cantoral (born 1975), actress, is mainly known from Mexican film productions, she is the daughter of the songwriter Roberto Cantoral and the Argentine acting legend Itatí Zucchi.
- Segundo Cernadas (born 1972), plays in soap operas and telenovelas
- Grecia Colmenares (born 1962), actress, plays in soap operas and telenovelas
- Ricardo Darín, (born 1957), actor
- Andrea Del Boca (born 1965), actor, plays in soap operas and telenovelas
- Florencia De La V (born 1976), actress and transvestite, plays in soap operas and telenovelas
- Catherine Fullop (born 1965), actress
- Julian Gil (born 1970), actress
- Susana Giménez (born 1945), actress and presenter
- Araceli González (born 1967), actress, plays in soap operas and telenovelas
Argentina: athletes
- Gabriel Batistuta (born 1969), footballer, played in the Italian Seria A at the clubs AC Florence, AS Roma and Inter Milan
- Jorge Castro (born 1967), world boxing champion, Castro became a professional boxer in 1985, but suffered a serious accident, so that the doctors advised against continuing his career. From 1987 he was back in the ring. His fight against John David Jackson in the mid-1990s was particularly legendary. Castro was way behind on points. The referee wanted to stop the fight due to an injury to Castro, but at that moment Castro knocked his opponent out
- Juan Martin Coggi (born 1961), world boxing champion, Coggi became a professional boxer in 1982. He won his first world title in 1987 welterweight against the Italian Patrizio Oliva.
- Guillermo Coria (born 1982), tennis player, won several international tournaments. His greatest success so far was reaching the final at the French Open 2004, which he lost to his compatriot Gastón Gaudio.
- Juan Manuel Fangio (1911-1995), Formula 1 racing driver, initially he drove at rally events in South America. In 1949 he came to Europe and won the San Remo GP. He then got a driver’s contract with Maserati. In 1950 he moved to Alfa Romeo in Formula 1. In the same year he won his first world title, which was followed by four more by 1957. Other stations in his career up to then were Alfa Romeo (1950-1951), Maserati (1953-1954), Mercedes (1954-1955), Ferrari (1956) and Maserati (1957).
- Luis Firpo (1894-1960), boxer, started his professional boxing career in 1917. In 1923 Firpo was the first Latin American ever to attack the world heavyweight title. However, in a dramatic and controversial fight, he lost to Jack Dempsey.
- Juan Antonio Flecha (born 1977), cyclist, won a stage in the Tour de France in 2003. Flecha is currently driving for the Dutch Rabobank team.
- Victor Galíndez (1948-1980), world boxing champion, won the title against Len Hutchings in 1974
- Gastón Gaudio (born 1978), tennis player, won the French Open in 2004
- Emanuel Ginóbili (born 1977), NBA basketball player, San Antonio Spurs
- Ivan Gabriel Heinze (born 1978), soccer player with a German-Argentine passport, stations of his career have been Real Valladolid, Sporting Lisbon, and Paris St. Germain. He currently plays for Manchester United.
- Santos Laciar (born 1959), world boxing champion, became world flyweight champion in 1981
- Diego Armando Maradona (born 1960), he is certainly one of the most successful football players of all time. Maradona was born in a barracks district in the south of Buenos Aires. The poor family from Corrientes Province had six children. At the age of 10, Diego was discovered by a talent scout. Playing in the youth team of the “Argentinos Juniors”, he became a ball boy and in first division games he stood out during the halftime breaks for his ball acrobatics. His career was unprecedented: at theage of 16 in the national team.In 1980 Argentina won the World Youth Championship with him.1981/1982 the first Argentine championship title with the “Boca Juniors”.1982 to FC Barcelona. There won the “Copa del Rey”.In 1984 Maradona came to SSC Napoli. There he became the star of the team and led the team to many national titles. The fans adored him.
In 1986 Argentina won the World Cup in Mexico. (3-2 victory over West Germany). In the quarter-finals against England, Maradona scored two goals (one of them by hand, as it turned out later). The captain of the Argentine team justified himself by “hand of God” and not his.
- Lionel Messi (born 1987 in Rosario/Argentina)Messi is considered the best and, above all, fastest football player in the world. He has lived in Barcelona since he was 13 and has played in the first team of FC Barcelona since 2004. In 2009 he was voted both European Footballer of the Year and World Footballer of the Year.
- Carlos Monzon (1942-1995), world boxing champion
- David Nalbandian (born 1982), tennis player, Nalbandian was in the top ten between 2003-2005. He won several international tournaments. His greatest success was participation in the finals in 2002 at Wimbledon. However, he clearly lost the decisive match against Australian Lleyton Hewitt.
- Pascual Perez (1926-1977), world boxing champion, became a professional boxer in 1952. Peréz was 1954 flyweight world champion against the Japanese Yoshio Shirai.
- Carlos Reutemann (born 1942), Formula 1 racing driver from 1972-1982
- Gabriela Sabatini (born 1970), tennis player, she won the doubles in Wimbledon with Steffi Graf in 1988 and the Masters tournament in the same year, the US Open in 1990 and the Masters tournament again in 1994
- Javier Saviola (born 1981), footballer, currently plays for Sevilla FC. Previous positions were at FC Barcelona and AS Monaco.
- Paola Suárez (born 1976), tennis player, celebrated successes especially doubles with the Spaniard Virginia Ruano Pascual. They won the French Open, the US Open and the Australian Open together between 2001-2005.
- Diana Taurasi (born 1982), WNBA basketball player
- Juan Sebastian Veron (born 1975), footballer, played for the clubs Sampdoria Genoa, AC Parma, Lazio Rome, Manchester United and Chelsea FC. He is currently in the service of Inter Milan.
Argentina: animals
Mammals
The north of Argentina is particularly rich in species. Monkeys, raccoons, coatis and anteaters, tapirs and umbilical pigs live here. The domestic big cats include the jaguar, puma and ocelot.
Agoutis
The agoutis (Dasyprocta) are a genus of rodents from the family of the agoutis and acouchis (Dasyproctidae). They have slender bodies and a thick and coarse coat that is usually dark orange or brownish in color.
They live in forests, dense bushland and savannahs, but also in fields and plantations. They are usually diurnal.
Their underside is white or yellowish.
The animals reach a head-trunk length of 40 to 65 cm – with a weight between 1.5 to 4 kg.
As pure herbivores, agoutis feed on fruits, nuts and leaves. Stems or roots. In the Amazon region, they are almost the only animals that can open hard Brazil nuts with their teeth.
There are eleven types of agoutis, two of which are found in Argentina:
– Azara agouti (Dasyprocta azarae), which occurs in southern Brazil and northern Argentina
– Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata), which occurs from southern Mexico to Argentina
American otters
American otters (Lontra) are a genus of predators from the subfamily of the otter (Lutrinae) and of the family of the marten (Mustelidae). The animals are very similar to the Eurasian otter and also have their size.
Their fur is very dense and water-repellent. It is colored brown on the top while the underside is light brown or grayish in color. The snout and throat are whitish or light gray in color.
American otters have a head-body length of 45 to 85 cm – with a tail length of 30 to 55 cm. Their weight varies between 5 and 15 kg, with the males becoming significantly heavier than the females.
The otters are predominantly crepuscular or nocturnal, while during the day they stay in structures that they have dug themselves or that they have taken over from other animals. They are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for up to around 8 minutes.
The animals are solitary animals, the only prolonged relationship being that of the females with their young. Their territories cover a length of up to 60 km along a body of water. They mark the boundaries of their territory with urine, feces or with the help of their anal glands.
Their diet consists mainly of fish, amphibians, turtles and other reptiles and crustaceans. Sometimes they also eat birds and their eggs, as well as small mammals or insects.
The animals can be found almost all over the American continent – from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego (Chile and Argentina), although over time it has been wholly or largely exterminated in a number of regions.
These otters can always be found in the vicinity of water and live along rivers and lakes, in swamp areas, at river mouths, but also on the coasts of the sea.
There are four species of the American otter:
– North American otter (Lontra canadensis) occurs in large parts of North America from Alaska and Canada in the north to Flori da and in the southwest of the USA.
It can be found on rivers, large ponds, lakes and salt marshes on the seashore. It prefers waters with dense bank vegetation.
– South American river otter (Lontra longicaudis).
– Southern river otter (Lontra provocax).
Anteaters
Of the anteaters from the suborder Vermilingua there are four different species from three different genera.
The different species reach a length between 20 to 140 cm – with a weight between 300 g up to 50 kg for the great anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla).
You can find a detailed description of the anteater at Goruma here >>>
Andean foxes
The genus of the Andean foxes (Lycalopex) belongs to the tribe of real dogs and to the family of dogs (Canidae). The Andean Jackal (Lycalopex culpaeus) is the largest and the Sechurafuchs (Lycalopex Sechurae) the smallest animal (species) from the genus Lycalopex.
The animals are found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru.
Andean foxes reach a head-trunk length between 55 to 120 cm, with a tail length of 25 to 50 cm. Their fur is relatively thick with a thick undercoat and long top coat. The top of the body is gray and yellow-brown, the underside is usually pale in color. Their heads, ears and necks usually have a reddish hue. Its long, bushy tail is colored black at the tip. They have a certain resemblance to coyotes.
They are usually nocturnal and omnivorous. In addition to sheep and brown hares, rodents, birds, lizards, frogs and insects as well as fruits and sugar cane are also part of their diet.
Howler monkeys
The howler monkeys (Alouatta) are a genus from the family of the spotted monkeys (Atelidae), which is found in Central and South America.
There are a total of twelve different species of the genus Alouatta.
They got their name because of their loud screaming, which they utter mostly early in the morning.
Howler monkeys, with a head-trunk length of 60 to 90 cm, are among the largest monkeys on the American continent after the spider monkeys. Their tail is roughly the same length as their body.
Their weight is between 4 and 10 kg, with the males being noticeably larger and heavier than the females. Their coat color ranges from yellow-brown to red to black,
The animals are pure herbivores that feed mainly on leaves and less often on fruits and flowers.
The black howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) is found in the north of Argentina.
Armadillos
Armadillos (Dasypoda) live exclusively on the American continent, with the exception of two species only in South America.
In Costa Rica and Panama, for example, one finds the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), which inhabits large parts of South and Central America up to and including the southeastern USA, as well as the Central American bare-tailed armadillo (Cabassous centralis). All other species can be found in southern Brazil, in Bolivia and Paraguay as far as Argentina.
In Paraguay, for example, 12 of today’s 21 species are found.
Most armadillo species prefer semi-deserts, savannas and steppes with thorny bushes or dry forests. A loose subsoil is required to lay out your buildings.
The Andean bristle armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus) can be found in the high elevations of the Andes. Some species are found also in the tropical rainforest in the Yungas forests of Bolivia or in wetlands, such as the UNESCO World Natural Heritage “Pantanal”.
The animals are extremely different in size depending on the type. Thus, their head-body length varies
between 12 to 100 cm – with a weight of a few 100 g up to 45 kg.
Characteristic of the animals is the strong and arched back armor, which covers almost their entire body surface.
Their food usually consists of insects, but some species also feed on plants or smaller vertebrates.
21 different species are currently known of the animal.
Jaguars
Jaguars are the largest big cats on the American continent.
But since they are still hunted for their beautiful fur and their habitat is getting smaller and smaller, their population is endangered.
You can find a detailed, illustrated description of the animal here >>>
Capuchin monkeys
The capuchin monkeys (Cebinae) belong to the subfamily of the capuchin monkeys (Cebinae) and to the family of the capuchin monkeys (Cebidae). The subfamily is divided into the two genera:
Hooded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus), which have one with a tuft of hair and have 8 species, as well as unconsolidated capuchin monkeys with 14 species.
Capuchin monkeys reach a head-trunk length of about 30 to 55 centimeters, the tail becomes 30 to 55 cm long. The females are about 2 to 3 kg lighter than the males, who bring it to 3 to 4 kg. The trunk is slim, the front and rear limbs are approximately the same length. The fur usually brown or black. The arms, legs and tail are often darker, and sometimes the color of the shoulder area or chest contrasts with the rest of the body. In the hooded species, the hairs form on the top. The diet of the capuchin monkey consists of fruits or seeds and other parts of plants. In addition, insects, spiders and other small animals as well as bird eggs and small vertebrates are on their menu.
It is interesting that the animals use stones to dig up roots or crack nuts.
The different species of capuchin monkeys can be found from Honduras across the Amazon basin to southeastern Brazil and northern Argentina. Their habitat are forests, whereby they can be found in rainforests as well as in dry deciduous forests, in mangrove and mountain forests. The animals live together in groups.
In Argentina the following species of capuchin monkey can be found, the unconscious ones are not found here:
– Azara capuchin monkey (Sapajus cay), the animal is found in the Argentine provinces of Chaco, Formosa, Jujuy and Salta.
– Black capuchins (Sapajus nigritus), the animals can be found in the northeast of Argentina (Misiones).
Llamas
Llamas are a pet species of wild guanacos.
A detailed description of the animals can be found at Goruma here >>>
Long-tailed cats
The long-tailed cat (Leopardus wiedii) is also known as Margay, Bergozelot or Baumozelot. The animal belongs to the family of cats (Felidae).
With a head-trunk length between 45 and 80 cm and a tail with a length between 35 and 50 cm, the animal is slightly smaller than an ocelot.
Its weight fluctuates between 2.5 and 4 kg. The cat’s fur is yellow-brown with dark, ring-shaped spots arranged in stripes. Your head is short and rounded.
The long-tailed cat lives mainly in tropical and subtropical rainforests. Now and then you can find them on coffee or cocoa plantations.
Their diet consists of rodents, smaller primates, possums, squirrels and tree rodents, but also birds and their eggs, lizards and tree frogs.
They also eat hares, agoutis and pakas.
The long-tailed cat is found in Central and South America – east of the Andes – from northern Mexico to Uruguay and Argentina.
Maned Wolves
The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest wild dog in South America, but it is rarely seen because it has unfortunately become very rare.
He is mainly in grasslands and can be clearly recognized by the black spot on the red-brown fur on the neck and by the legs, which are black down to the knees.
The animals have a head-trunk length over 110 cm, with a weight between 20 to 35 kg.
Their prey includes rabbits, rodents, birds, and even insects. The seven-banded armadillo is partly one of the prey animals. Vegetable foods such as fruits also play an important role.
In contrast to wolves, the animals bark and do not form packs.
Coati
coati (Nasua), also referred to as trunk bears, a genus of the family of the small bear (Procyonidae).
They got their name because of their trunk-like, elongated snout with the movable nose.
Their head-torso lengths range from 45 to 70 cm, while their yellow and brown banded tail are between 40 and 70 cm long.
Your shoulder height is about 30 cm. Their weight is between 3.5 to 6 kg.
While their front legs are rather short, the hind legs are rather long. Usually the males are larger than the females.
The coat of the Nelson coati is short and silky. In the two other types, the hair is longer and rather coarse.
The color of the back ranges from a light brown to reddish and even black. On the abdomen, their coloration ranges from yellowish to dark brown, with the muzzle, chin and throat usually being whitish, while the feet are black.
With their snouts, they search the ground, crevices and cavities for food, which consists mainly of fruit.
But neither do they disdain invertebrates and even larger rodents.
There are three types of
coati: – South American coati (Nasua nasua) – from Colombia to northern Argentina and Uruguay.
– White-nosed coati (Nasua narica) – from Arizona to the Gulf of Urabá in northwestern Colombia.
– Nelson’s coati (Nasua nelsoni) – on the island of Cozumel.
Peccaries
The peccaries or peccaries belong to the family of the Tayassuidae. Its four species belong to three different genera.
– Bisampekari, Weißbartpekari (Tayassu pecari)
The Bisampekari or Weißbartpekari has a head-trunk length between 80 to 110 cm,
a shoulder height between 45 to 60 cm – with a weight of 20 to 50 kg. Males and females are about the same size.
The animals can be found from southern Mexico via Central America and the northeast of South America to Argentina.
– Chaco peccary (Catagonus wagneri)
The Chaco peccary does not occur in Guatemala. It lives in the thorny dry forests and savannah areas of the Gran Chaco in southeastern Bolivia, Paraguay and in northern Argentina.
– Collar pekari (Pecari tajacu)
The 14-30 kg collar peccary has a body length of 75 to 100 cm, a shoulder height of 40 to 60 cm and a tail length of 1 to 5 cm. Males and females are about the same size.
Their distribution area extends from the southwest USA (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas) over Central and Central America, up to the Río de la Plata in Argentina. The animals can also be found in Trinidad.
Its habitats are primeval forests, savannas, grass steppes and semi-deserts, but they can also be found in the higher foothills of the Andes. The animals prefer steep river valleys and thickets
– Giant pekari (Pecari maximus)
The giant peccary is only found in Brazil.
With a length of up to 1.40 m and a weight of around 40 kg, it is the largest of the peccaries.
Ocelot
The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a species of predator from the family of cats (Felidae) and the genus of the leopard cats (Leopardus).
A detailed description of the animals can be found at Goruma here >>>
Pampas
foxes Pampas foxes (Lycalopex gymnocercus) are a genus from the family of dogs (Canidae) and the tribe of real dogs (Canini). The animals love open regions with tall grass. The head-trunk length of the males is about 60 to 70 cm and that of the females about 53 to 68 cm – with a shoulder height of about 40 cm. The average weight of a male is 6 kg and that of a female (female) around 4.5 kg.
The animals are single-colored, mottled gray, with a noticeable black spot on the lower half of the rear. Their tail, 27 to 36 cm long, is gray with 2 black spots. The sides of the head are clearly red in color, while the sides of the abdomen are whitish to slightly greyish in color.
Their characteristic eyes are slanted and set forward.
The animals, like all foxes, live in permanent pair bonds. Although the animals are carnivores, they also eat fruit when necessary.
In Argentina, district sizes of 55 to 460 ha = 0.55 and 4.6 km² were determined for a family group. They live in buildings in their territory where they also raise their offspring. The construction can be an earthwork, but also a natural rock cave or caves in roots and in fallen trees. Occasionally, the structures of other animals, such as armadillos, are also inhabited.
Pampas foxes are found in northern Argentina, eastern Bolivia, western and central Paraguay, southeastern Brazil and Uruguay.
There are five subspecies of the animal:
Lycalopex gymnocercus antiquus
• Lycalopex gymnocercus domeykoanus
• Lycalopex gymnocercus gracilis
• Lycalopex gymnocercus gymnocercus
• Lycalopex gymnocercus maullinicus
Pampas
cats The Pampas cat (Oncifelis colocolo) belongs to the genus Oncifelis in the family of cats (Felidae).
The animals reach a head-trunk length between 45 to 70 cm, with a shoulder height of 30 to 35 cm and a weight between 3 to 6 kg.
Their mostly ringed tail reaches a length of up to 30 cm. The color of the fur varies depending on the subspecies, but is usually yellowish-brown or gray-brown. In the area of the snout, throat and abdomen, the fur is predominantly whitish in color. The ears are rather small and pointed and are hairy whitish inside.
In the cold regions of the Andes, their fur is significantly longer than in the warmer regions
The animals are solitary and mainly nocturnal. The cat can climb well, but still lives mainly on the ground.
The animals are found in the foothills and alpine regions of the Andes as well as in the wooded regions of the plain. It avoids densely forested areas and prefers light forests, their edges and tree and shrub steppes.
Their diet consists of smaller mammals, such as mice, guinea pigs, rabbits and possums. But birds and their eggs, reptiles and amphibians are also on their menu.
The greatest threat to this cat is the destruction of its natural habitat, so large parts of the pampas are used for cattle breeding. There are seven subspecies of the animal
Pumas
The Puma (Puma concolor) has a narrow body up to 130 cm long, a shoulder height of 65 cm and a strong, around 70 cm long tail with a black tip.
It occurs in almost all of South and Central America, as well as in some US states.
You can find a detailed description of the animal at Goruma here >>
Skunk
The skunk from the family Mephitidae is divided into the following four genera, which in turn are divided into 12 species
• Fleckenskunks (Spilogale), the genus consists of four species that occur in North and Central America.
• Stink badgers (Mydaus), the genus is made up of two species found on the Southeast Asian islands.
• Striped skunks (Mephitis), the genus consists of two species that occur in North and Central America.
• The Weißrüsselskunks (Conepatus), the genus is made up of four species that are found all over the American continent.
With a head-trunk length of about 12 to about 50 cm, a tail length of 7 to 40 cm and a weight of 200 g to 4.5 kg. Are they comparable to the size of a house cat? The basic color of the animals is black or dark brown, while the face, trunk and tail are provided with white stripes or spots.
The animals are usually crepuscular or nocturnal and during the day they retreat into buildings they have dug themselves or into burrows taken over by other animals, such as marmots, badgers or ground squirrels. But they also spend the day in crevices or hollow tree trunks. In the evening or at night they go in search of food. They usually stay on the ground, only the Spotted Skunks also climb trees.
The strip skunks hibernate for a few weeks during the cold season.
The animals eat small mammals such as rodents and rabbits, birds, lizards, snakes and amphibians as well as insects and other invertebrates, but also fruits, nuts and tubers are on their menu.
A closer “acquaintance” with the animal can quickly become unpleasant if it thinks it has to defend itself.
The only thing that helps against the stinking secretion from his anal glands is a bath in tomato juice, if at all.
If the secretion comes into contact with the mucous membranes, vomiting and headaches are possible consequences.
Contact with the eyes can even cause temporary blindness.
Tapir
The genus of Tapir (Tapirus) have – according to the type – a head-body length of 100 to 250 cm, a body height of 75 to 120 cm and a weight of 110 to 320 kg
The different types of animals live in both the Flat land as well as at heights up to about 3,600 m. They are loners and feed mainly on leaves, fruits, twigs and other parts of plants.
Their existence is considered threatened, which is particularly due to the destruction of their habitats.
There are five species of the genus Tapir (Tapirus), with the lowland, mountain and Kabomani tapir occurring in South America.
The lowland tapir is found in the north of Argentina, in Brazil, Colombia, and Paraguay and Venezuela.
The mountain
tapir lives in the Andes of Ecuador, Peru and Colombia The kabomani tapir lives in parts of Brazil (Amazon, Rondônia and Mato Grosso), French Guyana and Colombia
The Central American tapir is found in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama.
Saddleback tapirs, on the other hand, are only found in Southeast Asia:
Tayra
The Tayra (Eira barbara) is a species of predator from the marten family (Mustelidae).
Their torso is elongated and slender, with relatively short limbs.
The short and rather dense fur is dark brown in color, while the head is a little lighter. A yellowish or whitish spot on the throat is noticeable. The tail is long and bushy. These animals have a head-trunk length of 55 to 70 cm – with a tail up to 48 cm long. Their weight is between 4 and 5 kg.
The animal can walk well, climb but also swim very well.
Their diet consists mainly of tree squirrels, rodents such as sting rats, rabbits and small pintail deer. Birds, invertebrates and fruits are also on their menu.
The tayras are found in Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Paraguay and northern Argentina – including Brazil.
They mainly inhabit tropical rainforests. The animal is both diurnal and nocturnal.
Their food depends on the prey animals found in the range.
Among them are cotton rats in Belize, as well as birds, reptiles and possums.
But they also eat leaves, grass and fruits.
Weasel Cat
The weasel cat (Puma yagouaroundi) – also known as Jaguarundi – has an elongated body with a mean length of about 65 cm and a tail about 45 cm long. The animal has relatively short legs and small round ears and weighs around 9 kg.
There are two color variants of the species, but they do not form subspecies: The gray morph has a gray to black colored fur and the red morph, whose color varies from light brown to olive brown to bright chestnut red. The weasel cat lives as a crepuscular ground animal on the edges of forests and in bushes. The animal is found in the south of the US state of Texas over the coastal plains of Mexico and Central America, in Venezuela and as far as Argentina and Bolivia.
Woolly
pouch rats Woolly pouch rats (Caluromys) are a genus from the family of pouch rats (Didelphidae) and are divided into three different species.
Their head-torso length ranges from 18 to about 30 cm – with a weight between 200 to 500 g. The animals also use their 25 to 50 cm long, half-haired tail as a prehensile tail.
Their fur is soft and long and is colored reddish-brown or gray and has a white pattern every now and then. Their ventral side is yellowish in color. The black stripe on her face is striking.
They mostly live in forests and there mainly on trees. The crepuscular and nocturnal animals can climb very well and are loners
Their diet consists mainly of fruits, seeds, leaves, insects, but also small vertebrates.
You can find the animals from the south of Mexico to the north of Argentina.
The three species of the genus are:
– Derby woolly rat (Caluromys derbianus), which is found from southern Mexico to Ecuador.
– Brown-eared woolly rat (Caluromys lanatus, which can be found from Colombia to northern Argentina.
– Yellow woolly rat (Caluromys philander), which is found between Venezuela and southern Brazil.
Miniature guinea pigs
The dwarf guinea pigs (Microcavia) are a genus of mammals in the family of guinea pigs and the subfamily of the actual guinea pigs (Caviinae). The family consists of three species: Microcavia australis, Microcavia shiptoni and Microcavia niata.
The dwarf guinea pigs weigh up to about 450 and are about 20 cm tall, making them the smallest members of the guinea pig family. The color of their fur is brownish to gray-brown. The animals are found in the arid regions of Argentina and Bolivia. Their diet consists largely of leaves and fruits, with the help of fleshy plants for their water needs. You can climb up bushes and smaller trees.
The animals are diurnal and spend the night in self-dug earthworks, where the females also give birth to their offspring. Their age is between four and seven years.
Idol snake
The idol snake (Boa constrictor) reaches sizes between 3 and 4 m and feeds on smaller and larger mammals as well as on birds and reptiles.
The prey is embraced and strangled by contracting the muscles.
Yellow anaconda
The yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) is up to approx. 4 m in length – with a weight of approx. 40 kg – somewhat smaller than the large anaconda.
The yellow anaconda can be found in the northeast of Argentina (Chaco, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Misiones, Santa Fé, Corrientes), in the southeast of Bolivia, in the southwest of Brazil (Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná São Paulo) as well as in Paraguay and Uruguay.
You can find a detailed description of the yellow anaconda at Goruma here >>>
Reptiles (excluding venomous snakes)
Spectacled Caiman
The olive-green and 2 m long spectacled caiman, one of the alligators, lives in slowly flowing or stagnant waters such as rivers, lakes or swamps in northern Argentina.
Lizards and geckos
But of course it is not the only representative of the reptiles. As in most southern countries, lizards and geckos are widespread here.
Koehler
Turtle One of the turtles is the local coal turtle.
You can find a detailed description of the coal tortoise at Goruma here >>>
Poisonous snakes
General information on coral snakes
This mostly very pretty snake of the genus Micrurus (coral snake, coral otter) with its black and white or yellow and red rings occurs in 79 species with various subspecies.
They can be found in the southern states of the USA via Mexico, Central America and almost all of South America – with the exception of Chile. Often, however, not nationwide but only in parts of the country or even in smaller regions.
They live mainly in moist, warm habitats and are between 60 to 150 cm long. Their head is barely wider than the trunk and their tail is short. They have The nocturnal snakes usually live hidden in holes in the ground, between dense vegetation or under stones and feed on small reptiles – more rarely on small mammals, amphibians, and young birds.
Bites are extremely rare in humans. They have a very effective neurotoxin, which interrupts the connection between nerves and between nerves and muscles (synapses).
In addition, numerous species have poisonous parts that destroy muscle tissue (myotoxins). Without an antiserum, paralysis and even fatal respiratory arrest can be expected.
Amazon coral snake
With a length of over 1.50 the Amazon coral snake (Micrurus spixii) is the largest species of the coral snake genus. It is also known as the giant coral snake.
They can be found in the south of Argentina, in Brazil (Amazonas, Para, Tocantins, Mato Grosso), in the south of Colombia and Venezuela and in the north-west of Bolivia.
Argentine coral snake
The Argentine coral snake (Micrurus pyrrhocryptus) is found
in the north of Argentina (Santa Fe, Mendoza, Formosa), in the southwest of Brazil (Mato Grosso), in the west and southwest of Bolivia and in Paraguay
Painted coral snake
The painted coral snake (Micrurus corallinus) – known in English as “Painted Coral Snake – has great intense red and slightly smaller black rings, bounded by narrow white rings.
It comes in Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande do Norte Bahia, Santa Catarina, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, São Paulo, Paraná and in Mato Grosso do Sul) and in
the northeast of Argentina (Misiones) and Paraguay.
Mesopotamian coracle snake
The Mesopotamian coracle snake (Micrurus baliocoryphus) can be found in Argentina (Entre Rios, Correintes, South-West Misiones) as well as in Paraguay
Schwarzkopf Coral Snake
The Schwarzkopf Coral Snake (Micrurus corallinus) is found in the northeast of Argentina Misiones), in Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande do Norte, Bahia, Santa Catarina, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, São Paulo, Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul) and in Paraguay
South American coral snake
With a length of up to 1.20 m, the South American coral snake (Micrurus lemniscatus) is one of the large coral snakes. You can find them in:
Argentina, northern Bolivia, in Brazil (Amazonas, Goias, Rio Grande do Sul Rio de Janeiro), in the east of Ecuador,
French Guyana, Guyana, Colombia, Paraguay, in the east of Peru, in Suriname,
Trinidad and in Venezuela
The snake has the following five subspecies:
– Micrurus lemniscatus carvalhoi
– Micrurus lemniscatus diutius
– Micrurus lemniscatus frontifasciatus
– Micrurus lemniscatus helleri
– Micrurus lemniscatus lemniscatus
Southern coral snake
The southern coral snake (Micrurus frontalis) is found in Brazil in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in Paraguay and in the northeast of Argentina (Corrientes, Entre Rios, Misiones).
The basic color of the snake is black with red and white rings
Vermejo Coral Snake
The Vermejo Coral Snake (Micrurus pyrrhocryptus) is found in the north of Argentina (Santa Fe, Mendoza and Formosa), in the south-west of Brazil in the state of Mato Grosso, in the west and south-west of Bolivia and in Paraguay
General
information about lance vipers The genus of the lance vipers (Bothrops) belongs to the subfamily of pit vipers (Ctotalinae) and to the family of vipers (Viperidae).
The genus of the lance viper comprises 45 species of snakes, some of which in turn have subspecies.
The smallest species or subspecies reach a length between 50 to 70 cm and the largest can be over 2 m long.
Their poison has tissue-destroying parts (proteases), blood-damaging and kidney-damaging parts.
It is worth mentioning that the enzyme reptilase in the venom of Bothrops atrox and Bothrops jararaca is used in diagnostics to determine coagulation disorders and as a therapeutic agent for anticoagulation.
The animals are viviparous. They get their name from their triangular head shape, which is reminiscent of a lance tip.
Brazilian lance viper (Bothrops moojeni)
This snake is found in Argentina (Misiones), Brazil (Piaui, Parana, Sao Paulo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Goias, Maranhao and Bahia) in Bolivia and Paraguay.
Chaco lance
viper The Chaco lance viper (Bothrops diporus) occurs in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay.
There are no subspecies of the snake
Cotiara lance viper
The Cotiara lance viper (Bothrops cotiar) is found in the northeast of Argentina in Misiones and in Brazil in Sao Paulo, Parana, Santa Catarina and in Rio Grande do Sul.
There are no subspecies of the snake
Diporus lance viper
The Diporus lance viper (Bothrops diporus) is found in Argentina (La Rioja, La Pampa, Cordoba, San Luis, Mendoza, Catamarca, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán, Jujuy, Salta, Formosa, Chaco, Santa Fé, Corrientes and Misiones, Rio Negro).
Also in Brazil (São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and Mato Grosso do Sul), in Bolivia and Paragua y.
Crescent lance viper
The crescent lance viper (Bothrops alternatus) occurs in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
There are no subspecies of the snake
Jararaca Lance Viper
The Jararaca Lance Viper (Bothrops jararaca) occurs in Argentina (Misiones), in Brazil (South Bahia, Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo,
Parana, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and Mato Grosso) as well in north-east Paraguay before
There are no subspecies of the snake. You can find a detailed description of the snake here >>>
Jararacussu lance viper
The Jararacussu lance viper (Bothrops jararacussu) occurs in Argentina (Misiones), southern Bolivia, Paraguay and
Brazil (Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio Grande do Sul and Bahia)
. There are no subspecies of the snake.
Jonathan`s lance
viper The Jonathan`s lance viper (Bothrops jonathani) is found in Argentina and Bolivia (cochabamba)
There are no subspecies of the snake.
Matogrossa Lance Viper
The Matogrossa Lance Viper (Bothrops matogrossensis) occurs in Argentina (Salta), Bolivia, Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul, Amazonas, Rondonia, Goias, Tocantins, São Paulo), Paraguay and Peru.
There are no subspecies of the snake.
Montegrosso lance viper
The Montegrosso lance viper (Bothrops matogrossensis) is found in Brazil (in the south of Mato Grosso do Sul, in the Amazon region, in Rondonia, Goias, Tocantins and in the state of São Paulo).
Also in Argentina (Salta), in Bolivia and in Peru.
Yararanata lance viper (Bothrops ammodytoides)
The snake occurs only in Argentina.
There are no subspecies of the snake
Tropical rattlesnake
You can find the tropical rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus) in Argentina (Mendoza, La Pampa, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Fe, Córdoba, La Rioja, Catamarca, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán, Chaco, Formosa, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Misiones).
On the Caribbean island of Aruba, in Brazil (including in Rio Grande do Sul, Roraima, Amapá, Roraima, Goias, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro), in Guyana and French Guyana. Also in Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela (Cojedes).
The snake is considered to be the most poisonous rattlesnake. It should be noted that there are a total of 43 species of the genus rattlesnakes (Crotalus) There are
seven subspecies of the tropical rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus):
– Crotalus durissus cumanensis
– Crotalus durissus durissus
– Crotalus durissus marajoensis
– Crotalus durissus ruruima
– Crotalus durissus terrificu
– Crotalus durissus trigonicus
– Crotalus durissus unicolor
More poisonous animals
Banana spiders
The genus of the banana spiders (Phoneutria) comprises eight different species, all of which are very aggressive and extremely poisonous. They are also known as the Brazilian wandering spiders.
The most dangerous species is Phoneutria nigriventer. This species of spider is found in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The females are between 30 and 50 mm in size, while the males are smaller, at most 40 mm.
The basic color is dark brown with light stripes.
Their venom can kill a healthy adult human in a matter of hours.
However, the spider does not inject venom with every bite. There is also a counter serum.
Most spider bite accidents occur in the home during the day.
The spider species live in South America, from Ecuador to northern Argentina.
However, the main distribution area of the spiders is Brazil.
Every now and then individual spiders in banana boxes made their way to Europe, where they always caused a great deal of excitement.
Birds
Aguja
The Aguja (Geranoaetus melanoleucus, also known as Blue Hawk, referred Kordillerenadler, belongs to the genus Geranoaetus, to the subfamily of buzzard-like (Buteoninae), to the family of Accipitridae (Accipitridae) in the order of raptors (Accipitriformes).
Have the birds a bluish, slate gray to blackish or dark brown upper side.
The upper part of the chest is colored in the same way and is clearly distinguishable from the whitish underside. Cheeks and throat are somewhat lightened; shoulder
plumage, small and medium arm covers are ash gray. The underside is up to and including the under tail covers Leg fletching whitish.
The birds reach a body length between 60 and 75 cm and a wingspan of 150 to 185 cm.
The weight of the males reaches around 1.7 kg, while the females bring it to around 2.3 kg.
The birds can be found along the Andes as well as in other more climatically temperate regions of South America, where it populates open and semi-open landscapes in various ways and occurs at altitudes of over 3,000 m.
Their prey consists mainly of small and medium-sized mammals, but also birds and insects.
They build their clumps on cliffs, in tall trees or on cacti.
Andean condor
The Andean condor, one of the largest birds in the world, causes a stir. It belongs to the New World vulture family and lives on cliffs and mountains at heights of around 3,500 m.
The males reach a length of 120 cm and a wingspan of 320 cm.
The females, on the other hand, are smaller and lighter. One can distinguish the females from the males not only by their height but also by the color of their eyes, since their eyes are red and those of the males are gray.
The Andean condor is mostly black in color with a downy white ruff, but is naked and dark red on the neck and head. He has an excellent sense of smell, which is rather unusual for birds, reaches top speeds of 55 km/h and can live to be over 65 years old.
His food consists of carrion dying animals or animals killed by predators, which he then eats directly at the place of discovery. A detailed description of the condor can be found here >>>
Gray-headed geese
The gray-headed geese (Chloephaga poliocephala) belongs to the genus of the mirror geese (Chloephaga), to the subfamily of the half geese (Tadorninae), to the family of the duck birds (Anatidae) in the order of the geese birds (Anseriformes).
The gray geese have a gray head and neck, which gives them their name, which merges into a chestnut-brown plumage in the front area, which is colored gray-brown further back. Their plumage flanks are white and have black lines.
The legs and feet are orange-red and the beak gray-black.
The males weigh an average of 2.3 kilograms, the females are only slightly lighter.
One distinguishing feature, however, are the significantly longer wings of the males.
The animals are found in the mountain regions in the south of South America, for example in Argentina and Chile.
Their habitats are grasslands in river valleys, lakes and marshland, as well as on the coast.
It is worth mentioning that the wheat-growing areas in the province of Buenos Aires are among their most important wintering spots, but where they are heavily hunted. Overall, the geese are widened, but are no longer common.
Long-
tailed blackbird The long-tailed blackbird (Sturnella loyca) belongs to the genus of the larkbird (Sturnella) to the family of the starchy (Icteridae) in the subordination of the songbirds (Passeri) and in the order of the passerine birds (Passeriformes).
They have dark back plumage and a striking red chest plumage.
The birds reach a length of 25 to 28 cm with a weight between 75 to 90 g.
Nandu
The most conspicuous bird of the pampas is without doubt the rhea, which belongs to the order of ratites.
With a top height of about 130 to 150 cm, a back height of about 100 cm and a weight of 20 to 25 kg, it is the largest bird in the New World.
In addition to long, strong feet, it has soft plumage and surprisingly long wings for a flightless bird about 250 cm long.
Hawks and herons are also part of the avifauna of the pampas.
Parrots, flamingos and hummingbirds are more common in the north.
The hummingbirds are among the smallest warm-blooded animals. Not only are they able to stand in midair, but they are the only birds that can fly backwards.
Their low weight and the very fast flapping of the wings (approx. 80 beats/ sec.) Contribute to these flying skills.
Hummingbirds mainly feed on nectar to provide the energy they need for strenuous flying.
Their very long beak is striking, which is a perfect adaptation to their diet, since the nectar required is usually deep in the calyx of the flower.
Guardian birds
The bird has a brownish dorsal plumage, a gray neck, a black breast with a subsequent white belly side.
His legs appear reddish.
insects
In the north of the country are the malaria areas, to which one should definitely not travel without the necessary precautions.
Malaria is transmitted by the anopheles mosquito.
It is best to protect yourself from bites with long clothing, insect sprays or creams.
Another dangerous mosquito is the yellow fever mosquito. In the event of a bite, this transmits viruses that trigger yellow fever. In contrast to malaria, you can get vaccinated against this disease at least 10 days before you travel.
Mosquito bites should still be avoided by wearing appropriate clothing and mosquito nets.
In addition, various species of ants, bees, flies, wasps and numerous types of butterflies and termites live here.
Underwater world
Very close to the Atlantic coast are some species of dolphins and whales, including orcas (killer whales) and baleen whales. Together with the elephant seals as well as fur seals and Moravian seals that live on Península Valdés, they represent one of the main attractions for tourists. Picking
out individual fish species does not seem feasible in view of the unbelievable diversity of the space in this representation, but some should be named anyway. In addition to hake, sardines, mackerel and dorados, the notorious piranhas and sharks are also found in Argentina.
Dolphins
The dolphins (Delphinidae) belong to the family of the dolphins, to the subordination of the toothed whales (Odontoceti) in the order of the whales (Cetacea). Dolphins are mammals that live in the water.
The dolphin family comprises 40 species and can be found in all seas. It is always a great pleasure for water sports enthusiasts to be accompanied by a family of dolphins.
Depending on the species, they reach a length between 1.5 m and 4 m. They have a streamlined body, which enables them to reach high speeds at high speeds. In the head is the melon, which plays a role in echolocation.
In many species the jaws are separated and form a kind of elongated beak.
Maned seals
The maned seal (Otaria flavescens), also known as the South American sea lion, belongs to the genus Otaria, to the family of ear seals (Otariidae) in the order of the predators (Carnivora).
The animals are light to dark brown on the upper side and yellowish-brown on the underside, often with large and irregular spots distributed over the whole body. Their mane, after which they were named, appears a little lighter.
The males (bulls) reach a size of up to 2.50 m – with a weight of up to about 400 kg – rarely more.
The females are significantly smaller with a size of about 2 m and a weight of up to about 150 kg.
You can find the animals on the Pacific coast from Peru to Tierra del Fuego and along the Atlantic coast to southern Brazil.
There is also a colony on the Falkland Islands in the Atlantic.
The animals must not be confused with the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus),
a much admired colony of which has made its home on Pier 39, part of Fisherman’s Wharf, in San Francisco
Orcas, killer whales
The killer whale (Orcinus orca) belongs to the family of the dolphins (Delphinidae), to the subordination of the toothed whales (Odontoceti) in the order of the whales (Cetacea). It is also called orca or great killer whale.
The names killer whale and killer whale were given to them by whalers because of their brutal hunting methods.
In the south of Argentina they have developed a special method for hunting seals.
You let yourself drift onto the beach in a wave, capture a seal and roll back into the water.
The species is distributed worldwide, but prefers to live in coastal waters at higher latitudes.
The males or killer whale bulls are up to 9.8 m long, while the females (cows) reach a maximum length of 8.5 m – with a maximum weight over weight of 6 tons = 6,000 kg.
Particularly striking is the up to 1.8 m high triangular fin of the bulls, which led to their designation “killer whale”.
Noteworthy is their high-contrast black and white coloration, with the back being black, while the belly and a spot behind each eye are white.
Important plants
Trees
The rainforests in the north of the country are home to trees such as rosewood, rosewood and the medically important guaiac wood trees. The evergreen tree has ovate, entire leaves and can grow up to 15 m high.
In Catamarca, a province in the interior of Argentina, the white quebracho tree dominates the vegetation. Coniferous forests with spruce, cypress, pine and cedar grow in the Andean foothills and on Tierra del Fuego.
At the border with Chile there are dummy beeches. These trees reach a height of about 30 m and are also namedSouth beech and Robel beech known. Nahuel Huapi National Park is famous for its araucaria forests. Algarrobo trees
dominate the Gran Chaco savannah. These play a special role for the Wichi Indians. They use their fruits, which are processed into flour, to prepare various dishes and can also brew beer from them. However, the trees have to give way to more and more roads and cultivation areas. Only a few trees will be found in the pampas. Only eucalyptus, American plane trees and acacias grow here.
Other plants
Patagonia is almost treeless. Here bushes and grasses shape the picture. In the northern highlands of the Andes, some tree-high cacti and thorn bushes grow. In the west of the Andes, however, you can admire huge vineyards.
Crops
In addition to soybeans, corn, tobacco, peanuts, sunflowers, lemons, tea and wheat are among the most important crops.
One of the types of Quebracho, the Quebracho colorado, is used to make tannic acid.
Medicinal plants
The mate shrub grows at heights of 150 to 800 m and can reach a size of 6 to 14 m when grown in the wild. Most of the time, however, it is grown and thus only grows to about 5 m. Drinking mate tea is very widespread, not least because the plant is said to have many different health-promoting properties. Among other things, it should strengthen the immune system, cleanse the blood and suppress the appetite and slow down aging.
The bark of the white quebracho tree is said to have properties that provide relief from breathing difficulties.
The eucalyptus tree is also known under the names fever tree and blue gum tree. It belongs to the myrtle family, grows very quickly and reaches a size of 6 m. Typical of the tree with the reddish to light brown bark are the older, drooping, leather-like leaves that are up to 20 cm long. Both the dried leaves and the essential oil are used as remedies. It promotes expectoration, relaxes cramps and when applied locally it promotes blood circulation. Therefore, eucalyptus is used for colds of the airways and as an oil externally for rheumatic complaints.
That made from the wood of the guaiac tree. The essential oil obtained has a stimulating effect on liver and kidney functions. A medicine against gout and rheumatism is obtained from its core and sapwood
Introduced plants
Some of the trees that grow in the pampas do not originally come from Argentina, but were imported. The eucalyptus actually comes from Australia and the American plane trees have reached Argentina from North America.
