- In South America's Amazon rain forest, the top feline predator is the jaguar. It preys on monkeys, tapir and deer, and has jaws powerful enough to break through a turtle's shell. The cougar is also found in the Amazon and preys on the same species as the jaguar, although it is a little smaller. In Asia, the top carnivore is the tiger. Capable of weighing over 500 lbs., the tiger uses its camouflage to stalk antelope and deer. In Africa, the leopard is the primary feline carnivore in the rain forests, preying on rodents, antelope and monkeys.
- In the Amazon basin, the caiman is the apex predator of the Crocodilae genus. The black caiman is the largest species and can reach lengths of 17 feet, preying on fish, turtles and birds. The saltwater crocodile of Australia and Asia is even more fearsome, reaching 20 feet in length and capable of surviving in freshwater and the ocean. It has been known to kill humans. In Africa, the apex carnivorous reptile is the Nile crocodile, which grows to 18 feet and preys on large mammals such as wildebeest and zebra, ambushing them as the try to cross rivers.
- In the Amazon, the anaconda is the apex snake predator. Capable of growing up to 17 feet long and weighing over 600 lbs., it kills prey by constriction. It feeds on deer, capybara and wild pigs, although it has been known to prey on jaguars. The Burmese python, found in Asian rain forests, grows to a similar length as the anaconda and is also a constriction killer. In Africa the most formidable snake is the African rock python, which eats antelopes, warthogs and, occasionally, crocodiles.
- One of the world's largest eagles inhabits the rain forests of South America. Weighing over 20 lbs. and with a wingspan of over 6 feet, harpy eagles prey on monkeys and sloths. The crowned eagle is the apex raptor in African rain forests, which, despite only reaching a length of 3 feet, will tackle prey larger than itself, such as monkeys and antelope. In Asia, the black eagle is dominant. With a wingspan of around 5 feet, it tends to swoop onto nests and tree cavities, preying on birds and rodents.
- While prey to other animals such as birds and small mammals, within their genus, certain insects and spiders have become the top carnivorous predators. The Goliath spider, for example, can be as big as a dinner plate and will prey on birds. But even large spiders can themselves fall prey to army ants, whose sheer numbers (colonies can number in the hundreds of thousands), can overwhelm prey many times the size of a single individual.
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