Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Cryptids and Mythological creatures were real? What would that be like? How would they affect the environment? How would they be classified? Find out in this encyclopedia that mysteriously appeared fro...
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Animal Class: Mammal
Diet: Omnivorous
Though they look like a cross between a Sasquatch and a Cyclopes, Mapinguari are actually their own species that are more closely related to Sloths.
The large mouth on their chest is used for eating meat. However, they also have a smaller mouth a few inches below their eye that they use to eat plants. This mouth is hidden beneath their hair.
Their smaller mouth can mimic the cries of other animals and they can use it to either lure in prey or scare off other predators.
Mapinguari live throughout South America from Venezuela to Chile, but they are more common in the more forested parts of the continent.
The long claws on their hands and feet are used for hunting, protection, and to help them climb trees.
Mapinguari sleep in trees and many of them like to hang from them like Sloths.
Despite having one eye, Mapinguari have excellent eyesight and their night vision is extremely admirable.
When they are younger, they are great at jumping over long distances and can even jump from tree to tree. This ability gradually decreases as they get older.
Deforestation has become a major threat to the Mapinguari population. They are now classified as an Endangered species because of it.
Their hair has the ability to grow back incredibly fast after it is chopped off. There have been instances where a fully shaved Mapinguari had its entire body become fully covered in hair in 24 hours or less.
Mapinguari can swim, but they are very clumsy in the water and 55% of them drown on their first try. Some will even go their whole live without entering the water if they observe another individual drown.
Mapinguari can live for up to 50 years, but it is believed that individuals that live deep in the Amazon Rainforest have longer lifespans.
Extra Fun Fact: It was once thought that Mapinguari were actually a surviving species of Giant Ground Sloth.
