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Description
The Amazon basin was once home to its lush environments and charismatic wildlife. 5 million years from now, however, it would all change. The earth’s ongoing ice age has caused this rainforest to dry out, to the point where it becomes a vast area of savanna grasslands. The only forests that remain in this area are in small pockets being dwarfed by these large plains. The prairies also experienced frequent bushfires, either triggered by the sun or lightning. Because of this cooler environment, most animals that are accustomed to the rainforests have disappeared. Other species, on the other hand, are adaptable enough to circumvent these changes and are able replace those who have faded away.

Babuchin
Ancestor: Cebidae spp.
Size: 40 cm (height) 75 cm (length)
Although most arboreal New World monkeys failed to cope with the drying landscape, some of them managed to transition from tree-dwellers to ground-dwellers in response to this. One of them is the babuchin, evolved from a capuchin, which lives life of a baboon, walking on all fours and covering great distances with its long limbs. The babuchin forages in large troops up to 15 to 30 individuals, offering protection against predators. Babuchin communication consists of gestures, and vocalizations as means of expressions, and warnings of danger.

Carakiller
Ancestor: Crested caracara
Size: 1 m (height), 1.2 m (length), 1.2 m (wingspan)
Descended from the caracara, the carakiller is a babuchin specialist. With a crane-like body, and long powerful legs used for kicking and stomping its prey, this bird is perhaps South America’s answer to the secretarybird of Africa. It spends much of its time on the ground, but is still capable of flight. Although it indeed hunts babuchins, it can also eat other prey items, such as small rodents, reptiles and other birds.

Brazilian spineback
Ancestor: Red-rumped agouti
Size: 50 cm (height), 77 cm (length)
The Brazilian spineback is a partially armored rodent evolved from the agouti. Aside from the aptly-named porcupine-like spines on its back, its overall morphology doesn’t look any different than its ancestor, and therefore looks rather primitive and basal. Even if the spines are used for backing into an enemy/intruder for defense, it still isn’t enough, as it is easy prey for larger predators, such as carakillers.

Capypotamus
Ancestor: Capybara
Size: 68 cm (height), 1.2 m (length)
The Amazon River may have dwindled, but that doesn’t mean the prairies is entirely devoid of water. Found in shallow waterways, the capypotamus looks remarkably similar to of hippopotamuses, which it fills the role of. For starters, the capypotamus has lesser hair than its ancestor, the capybara, and so must hydrate itself in the water to prevent it from drying out. Its eyes and nostrils are also positioned upwards, so it can hear and see whilst being submerged.

Swift bear
Ancestor: American black bear
Size: 1.3 m (height), 1.9 m (length)
As black bears are highly adaptable than other bears, one population migrated southwards and had many opportunities to fill a variety of niches that are left vacant. The swift bear, evolved from that population, is the apex predator of the Amazon prairies. It is much more carnivorous than its black bear ancestor, re-evolving carnassial shears (usually found in felids and canids) for slicing flesh. The bear is also more cursorial, with a sleeker build and longer limbs designed to chase after prey.

Streakback
Ancestor: Red-rumped agouti
Size: 1 m (height), 1.2 m (length)
The streakback is another agouti descendant, except larger and more cursorial. It is not related to the spineback, but both species do share the same ancestor. Living in large herds, it has an analogue similar to that of antelopes and gazelles. The stripes on its back are also similar to zebras; when confronted by a predator, a herd of streakbacks scatters in all directions, confusing the predator with their dizzying colorations. The stripes also protects them from blood-sucking flies that carry deadly diseases.

Guanamoth
Ancestor: Guanaco
Size: 2 m (height), 2.1 m (length)
Standing up at 6 feet tall with its neck raised up, the guanamoth is the largest animal found in the Amazonian prairies. It has evolved from a population of 4-foot tall guanacos, which migrated north. As a consequence of adapting in a savanna habitat, it's fur became predominantly shorter than its ancestor. It also possesses a pseudo-ruminant-esque digestion which is less efficient than other ruminants, but more advanced than elephants and rhinos.

Special thanks to YellowPanda2001 !

Description
The Amazon basin was once home to its lush environments and charismatic wildlife. 5 million years from now, however, it would all change. The earth’s ongoing ice age has caused this rainforest to dry out, to the point where it becomes a vast area of savanna grasslands. The only forests that remain in this area are in small pockets being dwarfed by these large plains. The prairies also experienced frequent bushfires, either triggered by the sun or lightning. Because of this cooler environment, most animals that are accustomed to the rainforests have disappeared. Other species, on the other hand, are adaptable enough to circumvent these changes and are able replace those who have faded away.

Babuchin
Ancestor: Cebidae spp.
Size: 40 cm (height) 75 cm (length)
Although most arboreal New World monkeys failed to cope with the drying landscape, some of them managed to transition from tree-dwellers to ground-dwellers in response to this. One of them is the babuchin, evolved from a capuchin, which lives life of a baboon, walking on all fours and covering great distances with its long limbs. The babuchin forages in large troops up to 15 to 30 individuals, offering protection against predators. Babuchin communication consists of gestures, and vocalizations as means of expressions, and warnings of danger.

Carakiller
Ancestor: Crested caracara
Size: 1 m (height), 1.2 m (length), 1.2 m (wingspan)
Descended from the caracara, the carakiller is a babuchin specialist. With a crane-like body, and long powerful legs used for kicking and stomping its prey, this bird is perhaps South America’s answer to the secretarybird of Africa. It spends much of its time on the ground, but is still capable of flight. Although it indeed hunts babuchins, it can also eat other prey items, such as small rodents, reptiles and other birds.

Brazilian spineback
Ancestor: Red-rumped agouti
Size: 50 cm (height), 77 cm (length)
The Brazilian spineback is a partially armored rodent evolved from the agouti. Aside from the aptly-named porcupine-like spines on its back, its overall morphology doesn’t look any different than its ancestor, and therefore looks rather primitive and basal. Even if the spines are used for backing into an enemy/intruder for defense, it still isn’t enough, as it is easy prey for larger predators, such as carakillers.

Capypotamus
Ancestor: Capybara
Size: 68 cm (height), 1.2 m (length)
The Amazon River may have dwindled, but that doesn’t mean the prairies is entirely devoid of water. Found in shallow waterways, the capypotamus looks remarkably similar to of hippopotamuses, which it fills the role of. For starters, the capypotamus has lesser hair than its ancestor, the capybara, and so must hydrate itself in the water to prevent it from drying out. Its eyes and nostrils are also positioned upwards, so it can hear and see whilst being submerged.

Swift bear
Ancestor: American black bear
Size: 1.3 m (height), 1.9 m (length)
As black bears are highly adaptable than other bears, one population migrated southwards and had many opportunities to fill a variety of niches that are left vacant. The swift bear, evolved from that population, is the apex predator of the Amazon prairies. It is much more carnivorous than its black bear ancestor, re-evolving carnassial shears (usually found in felids and canids) for slicing flesh. The bear is also more cursorial, with a sleeker build and longer limbs designed to chase after prey.

Streakback
Ancestor: Red-rumped agouti
Size: 1 m (height), 1.2 m (length)
The streakback is another agouti descendant, except larger and more cursorial. It is not related to the spineback, but both species do share the same ancestor. Living in large herds, it has an analogue similar to that of antelopes and gazelles. The stripes on its back are also similar to zebras; when confronted by a predator, a herd of streakbacks scatters in all directions, confusing the predator with their dizzying colorations. The stripes also protects them from blood-sucking flies that carry deadly diseases.

Guanamoth
Ancestor: Guanaco
Size: 2 m (height), 2.1 m (length)
Standing up at 6 feet tall with its neck raised up, the guanamoth is the largest animal found in the Amazonian prairies. It has evolved from a population of 4-foot tall guanacos, which migrated north. As a consequence of adapting in a savanna habitat, it's fur became predominantly shorter than its ancestor. It also possesses a pseudo-ruminant-esque digestion which is less efficient than other ruminants, but more advanced than elephants and rhinos.

Special thanks to YellowPanda2001 !