16 Most Dangerous Amazon Animals: Look but Don't Touch

Don't be fooled by its bright color. The golden poison dart frog, one of the tiniest animals in the Amazon, carries highly toxic venom strong enough to kill 10 adult humans. Indigenous tribes have used this frog's potent toxins on blow darts to hunt.

While the golden poison dart frog's skin contains potent toxins, fatal poisoning typically requires ingestion or entry through broken skin; mere touch is unlikely to be lethal.

This dangerous predator, also called the banana spider, has a reputation for being one of the most dangerous animals in South America.

The venom of the Brazilian wander spider causes intense pain and can lead to symptoms like priapism, hypertension — and in rare cases, it can be lethal.

This giant centipede can grow over 12 inches (30 centimeters) and uses pincers to inject poisonous saliva that stuns prey like small mammals, amphibians and even bats.

It’s often found in rotting wood or hidden crevices, and its bite causes severe pain and local swelling but fatalities are extremely rare.

Known for its incredibly painful sting, the bullet ant delivers venom that triggers bullet ant stings — a throbbing pain described as the worst in the insect world. The pain can last for 12 to 36 hours, making this insect feared by locals and researchers alike.

This semiaquatic reptile is one of the Amazon’s most fearsome reptiles. With powerful jaws and the ability to ambush wild pigs, small animals and even larger mammals, the black caiman is a true apex predator of the slow moving rivers and wetlands.

The largest snake on the planet by mass (and one of the longest), the green anaconda is a massive snake that lives in freshwater environments. It kills by constriction and has been known to eat deer, capybaras and even jaguars. These giant snakes are the stuff of legends.

While often sensationalized, the red-bellied piranha can be deadly in the right conditions. These fierce predators have sharp teeth and occasionally engage in feeding frenzies, though such behavior is often exaggerated.

Found throughout the Amazon River, they feed on fish, small insects and carrion.

This shocking inhabitant of freshwater environments delivers up to 600 volts to stun prey or ward off threats. The electric eel is found in shallow waters and slow moving rivers, where its zap can overwhelm even large animals.

This highly venomous pit viper is one of the dangerous snakes in the region. The ferocious South American snake delivers potent venom capable of killing tissue and causing organ failure. It’s an ambush predator that hides in leaf litter.

Yes, there is a dangerous shark in the Amazon River. The bull shark can live in both salt and freshwater, and it’s known to attack humans. Occasionally found near the mouth of the Amazon River, bull sharks are known for their adaptability to freshwater and can be aggressive.

This powerful raptor patrols the canopy with sharp claws capable of seizing monkeys and sloths. While not a danger to humans, the harpy eagle is a fierce predator with the largest talons of any eagle.

These stealthy insects can spread Chagas disease through poisonous saliva and feces. Often found near human dwellings, assassin bugs are small but incredibly dangerous.

Though not predators, wild pigs can be very aggressive, especially in groups. They defend themselves fiercely with sharp teeth and can cause serious injury to humans and other animals in the Amazon.

This dangerous animal is more of a silent threat. It infects small mammals and even humans through contaminated water or undercooked food.

The larval stage can migrate to the brain, leading to neurocysticercosis (not something you want to mess with).

A small, parasitic fish found in the Amazon River, the candiru can enter human orifices and attach itself with sharp spines. While such instances rare and not well-documented, it’s one of the most dangerous Amazon animals due to the extreme medical interventions required if contact occurs.

South America’s largest big cat, the jaguar is both stealthy and lethal. It uses its powerful jaws to crush skulls and frequently hunts along riverbanks for prey. It’s revered and feared across the Amazon basin.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.