Poison Dart Frogs
[ranking: 9]
Numerous types of poison dart frogs inhabit tropical forests in South America; several make their home in and around the Amazon River. They're harmless at first glance, and their vivid colors are quite lovely. But these are among the deadliest creatures on the planet. Their bright hues act as a warning: a potent toxin seeps from their skin.
A single poison dart frog can kill up to 10 adult humans with a simple touch.
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Bull Sharks
[ranking: 6]
Yes, there are sharks in the Amazon River. The bull shark has been found up to 2,500 miles up the river; it makes its way in from Lake Nicaragua. It's one of the most aggressive sharks in existence, and its love of shallow water makes it a hazard for anyone taking a dip.
If that isn't scary enough, it can also grow to be 11 feet long.
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Goliath Birdeaters
[ranking: 7]
Many people are terrified of house spiders. Imagine how they'd feel about an arachnid that's the size of a puppy. This would be the goliath birdeater, the heaviest tarantula in the world. Reaching up to five inches in body length and weighing up to six ounces, it dwarfs almost every other spider.
The spider is found mostly in the swamps and marshes around the Amazon River, where it burrows underground and ventures out at night to nab prey. Though it's not dangerous to humans, it will shed its prickly hairs when approached. These can cause irritation that lasts for days.
Payaras
[ranking: 11]
The payara is known as the vampire fish, and for good reason: it has a huge mouth studded with fangs that can reach up to six inches long. Though there is some debate about the maximum size this fish can reach, researchers believe they can grow to almost four feet in length.
Don't worry, though - they pose no threat to humans. Those fangs are exclusively used to impale smaller fish.
Green Anacondas
[ranking: 3]
Green anacondas live throughout South America. They primarily reside in swamps, marshes, and rivers; this makes the Amazon the ideal home for them. These snakes are gigantic: they can reach up to 30 feet in length and weigh an amazing 550 pounds.
These anacondas don't pose much of a threat on land; they're too heavy and cumbersome to have the ability to move quickly. When they are in water, however, it's a completely different story. They can move with devastating speed, and special openings on the very top of their heads allow them to lie almost completely submerged in water. Once they locate and ambush their prey, these anacondas use their immense size and deadly strength to constrict a victim. Anacondas' meals aren't small, either - they've been known to take down jaguars.
Candirus
[ranking: 4]
The candiru is a type of parasitic fish that lives in the basins of the Amazon River. It's small, typically just a few millimeters in length. What makes it so frightening is the way it feeds. It inserts itself into the gills of a much larger fish, then digs in.
This shouldn't concern you - except for the story about candirus tending to insert themselves in swimmers' bodily orifices. There's only one documented case of this happening, but it's the stuff of nightmares nonetheless.
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