The Amazon Rainforest is an incredibly diverse ecosystem that is home to new species of plants, animals, insects, and birds that are discovered every day, and yet there are probably hundreds, if not thousands of species yet to be discovered.

This fact alone draws hundreds of scientists each year to this area of the world to see what they might discover and be able to present to the world of science!

This impressive expanse of ecosystem includes savannas, rainforests, deciduous forests, seasonal forests, and flooded forests. No two ecosystems within the Amazonian rainforest are identical, making this massive area the most diverse and undiscovered in the world.

What is the climate like across this huge expanse of rainforest? It's a hot and humid 79 degrees pretty much throughout the year as an average, but temperatures during the day can reach up to 93 degrees Fahrenheit.

The vegetation in the rainforest produces nearly 20% of the oxygen needed around the world!

The tropical rainforest provides food for the world to eat. The foods we enjoy without giving it much thought include pineapples, coffee, ginger, oranges, bananas, chocolate, black pepper, grapefruit, lemons, nuts, spices, vanilla, mangoes, nuts, tomatoes, and coconuts, to name a few.

Powerful drugs that fight cancer are produced from plants found growing in the rainforest. Many other helpful medicines are produced from Amazon plants as well.

Sustainable resources such as wood, food items, and more are found in the rainforest.

There are nearly 30 million people or 350 indigenous groups of people living within the rainforest of the Amazon. Modern day progress has forced many of these indigenous groups to adopt modern ways of living, including selling items to tourists and abandoning their beloved private way of life.

The shamans or medicine men of these ethnic groups have important knowledge of medicinal plants and foods found in the rainforest. Unless this knowledge is obtained and documented, generations of helpful medicinal information will be hopelessly lost.

The Amazon is home to hundreds, if not thousands, of plant and flower species. Many plants in this area of the world are used as medicine for everything from a headache to a skin rash and much more.

Some of the plant and flower species of the Amazon include: Trillium flower Bromeliad - very popular one is pineapple Water lily Cinchona tree Orchid Coca Castor beans Kapok tree Heliconia Opium poppy FoxgloveFor more please visit our Tropical Rainforest Plants page.

Why are thousands of acres of rainforest being destroyed? The reasons vary, but include the following: Commercial companies exploiting rainforest resources Ranchers clearing land to use for pasture - fires Projects that failed, destroying rainforest in the process such as the flooding caused by failed hydroelectric projects Government subsidies offered to encourage agriculture Poor farmers squatting on public land with the promise of ownership after one year and one day Mining Construction of roads LoggingThe deforestation of the Amazon must be stopped or else the climate of the rainforest and ultimately the world will be adversely affected. The indigenous people of the rainforest have much to lose - their livelihood and perhaps their very lives. Ranchers face the very real possibility of losing all they've worked so hard to acquire. Many of the diverse plant and animal species of the Amazon face extinction if deforestation isn't stopped and we know this will have a global affect, not just a local one. Please see Endangered Species in the Rainforest for more information.

Parts of the Amazon experienced a severe drought in 2005, which resulted in many tree deaths and forest fires. Now, again in 2010, the Amazon is suffering from the worst drought it has seen in 100 years. The rivers are drying up, people are cut off from regular supply deliveries, and the wildlife and plants of the Amazon have been severely affected. It's very possible that this drought will be disastrous if the rainforest of the Amazon doesn't see some significant rainfall very soon.

View the original article here

The endangered species in the rainforest of Brazil include animals and plants that are threatened to the point of extinction if careful steps aren't taken to protect them and the rainforest that they call home.

The rainforest of Brazil is home to over 1,000 bird species, 23 primate species, and just under 1,200 species of reptiles, amphibians, fish, and mammals. There are over 750 tree types and nearly 1,500 plant species in a mere 2.5 acres of rainforest, so you can imagine how many species are throughout the rainforest!

Animal and plant species that are endangered are ones that are in peril of becoming extinct if measures are not taken to protect them and their habitat. The rainforests of the world and Brazil have so many species of animals and plants; they are most at risk of becoming endangered.

There are many reasons, but the main one is that people have not yet made it a priority to preserve the precious natural resources that exist in the rainforest.

Logging, hunting, oil and gas mining, gold mining, farming, ranching, and settling of the land by humans have all disrupted the natural balance of life.

It's an unfortunate truth: the rainforest is slowly being destroyed for short term economic gains, without a consideration to the long term effects that these actions have on the the land, the animals and the people of the region.

Animals of the Brazilian rainforest that are on the critically endangered list include:

The endangered rainforest animals in the Brazilian rainforest include:

Threatened animal species of the Brazilian rainforest include the magnificent jaguar, colorful toucans and parrots, the unique harpy eagle, sea turtles, brightly colored poison dart frog, and the plump, docile manatee. Additionally, there are at least another 60 species of animals whose habitats and very lives are threatened in the rainforest.

It's difficult to wrap the mind around the sheer numbers of species of plants, trees, and flowering plants that exist in the rainforest, but it's important to understand the role they play in the rainforest and in the world's delicate ecosystems.

Unfortunately, there are several species of flora and fauna that are considered endangered in the rainforests of Brazil. Some of the ones endangered include:

Brazil's Atlantic Forest is also currently at great risk with many of the plant species in this area endangered or threatened. Overall, Brazil's rainforest has at least 45 plant and tree species that are potentially extinct if they're not protected.

The Brazilian rainforest produces 20% of the worlds' oxygen supply. The plants, trees, and flowering plants ensure that the worlds' carbon dioxide is recycled into breathable oxygen.

Imagine if the rainforest was gone? It would affect the world many times over due to less oxygen and more carbon dioxide in the air, creating an even more serious greenhouse effect.

Brazil's rainforest provides a number of food items to the rest of the world, including coffee, bananas, tomatoes, cinnamon, Brazil nuts, black pepper, lemons, oranges, corn, cayenne, grapefruit, yams, sugar cane, pineapples, figs, coffee, squash, potatoes, and chocolate, to name a few.

The Western World alone enjoys over 200 fruits from the Brazilian rainforest. The worlds' diet would suffer greatly if the rainforest is destroyed and is no longer able to produce these foods important for the health of nations around the globe.

Did you know that the ingredients for over 100 prescription drugs are from the Brazilian rainforest?

The tropical plants and trees provide ingredients for nearly 25% of the cancer fighting medicines produced in the Western world. The periwinkle plant, found in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, contains Vincristine, which is known as one of the most powerful and successful drugs used to fight acute childhood leukemia. This plant is only found in the rainforest!

Every animal that becomes extinct affects the food chain and the delicate balance of the ecosystem. Typically, the larger animals eat the smaller animals, so if one of the animals in the food chain dies, the others are directly affected. Eventually, the entire food chain or hierarchy is disturbed and destroyed.

Scientists, researchers, conservationists, and many others are actively trying to employ ways of saving the rainforest and the species that live there.

One of the most important solutions to the deforestation and destruction of the Brazilian rainforest, and the reduction of endangered species in the rainforest is a change of consciousness.

The idea that the rainforest is here today to serve us, and that we can simply take whatever we want, regardless of the consequences to those that live there, is a very limited and self centered viewpoint.

We need to consider that it takes nearly a century for a rainforest to return after being stripped or destroyed. It is important that we take a more long-term approach to preserving the rainforest right now.

There are other movements and actions being taken to save the endangered species in the rainforest including:

Generally, the solution to saving the endangered species in the rainforest of Brazil is conservation on all fronts. You can help too by learning about the animals and plants of this area of the world and then researching to see how you can participate physically or financially to help these species survive for many years to come!

View the original article here

If you are the adventurous type, you may plan a trip to the Amazon to see rain forest animals when you visit Brazil. It's a truly amazing experience!

The Amazon rain forest is the home of several hundred species, many that you may never have heard about before. It can be a fun, educational experience on an once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Sixty percent of the Amazon rain forest is found in Brazil. You can experience the sights and sounds of the Amazon on tours that take you the heart of the rain forest. Manaus is the main city to stay in for your visit and you will find plenty of tours ranging from a day or two to a week or more.

Known as the Little Spotted Cat, the oncilla is a feline that lives in the Amazon. It is somewhat smaller than a typical housecat and lives on rodents. Its fur is light colored with black or brown rosettes that are open in the center; this helps them to blend in with the patchy sunlight on the rain forest floor.

The oncilla behaves similar to a housecat by stalking its prey and then pouncing on it. They also purr when they are contented and are agile climbers. While they are nocturnal, they can be seen during the day if they are looking for food.

Similar to the oncilla, the jaguarondi is another cat that makes their home in the Amazon rain forest. Visitors who choose to trek through the area may be lucky enough to see one of these beautiful rain forest animals since they like to be out during the day.

The jaguarondi is referred to as an otter cat because of the short legs and long body and tail. They also have little rounded ears and are solid in color. They mainly travel alone and will climb trees but prefer to be on the ground.

One of the most interesting animals you will find in the rain forest is the capybara. It is the world’s largest rodent, weighing between 35 to 66 kg (77 to 150 lbs). Unlike many wild animals, they enjoy living in groups and during the dry season, you may find fifty to a hundred living together.

Capybaras are great swimmers and often sleep in the water with just their nose showing. When they are trying to escape from predators, they will head for the water where they can be completely submersed for up to five minutes.

The anaconda makes its home in the Brazilian rain forest and is one of the most intriguing rain forest animals. It is one of the largest snakes on the planet and is also known as the water boa because it spends much of its time in shallow water waiting for prey.

Anacondas are meat eaters and they hunt their prey at night. They squeeze their prey to death or drown it. This prey consists of animals such as deer, pigs, and capybaras, along with other rain forest animals. It is one of the most awesome creatures that you could see on a hike through the forest, but I'm sure you won't want to get too close!

No list of rain forest animals would be complete without the monkeys! Howler monkeys are among the largest monkeys in the New World. They live for fifteen to twenty years. They have earned their name because of their style of communication.

Howler monkeys make loud noises at dawn, at dusk, and other times of the day and are considered to be the loudest land animal. Its sound can be heard up to three miles away. Imagine walking through the forest and hearing their howl from high up in the trees!

Capuchin monkeys are considered the most intelligent monkey in the New World. They have been used in movies such as the Pirates of the Caribbean. They are named after the Order of the Friars Capuchin because they look like they are wearing robes.

Capuchin monkeys are kept as service animals much like seeing eye dogs to care for disabled people. They undergo extensive training and are placed with paralyzed people to get things for them and to help them with tasks like opening bottles.

The picarucu is the largest river fish in the world. Weighing in at over 100kg (220 lbs) for the largest of the fish, it is quite impressive to see. It can be up to 2m (6.6 ft) long, which makes it quite a prize for fishermen.

The Brazil government has banned commercial fishing for these fish because of their low population numbers. Locals can catch them for eating, and they can be caught and released in certain areas of the Amazon Basin.

They picarucuhave to be handled with care because of their size. The picarucu is an air breather and needs to be held for five minutes after catching before being released back into the water.The pink dolphin is a nickname for the Amazon River dolphin, the largest river dolphin in the world. It is listed as an endangered species due to overfishing, pollution, and loss of habitat.

The neck vertebrae of the pink dolphin are not fused, allowing it to turn its neck 180 degrees. This helps it catch fish among underwater tree trunks. Amazon legend says that it turns into a handsome man at night to charm the local girls and then turns back into a dolphin by morning!

There are hundreds of mammals and reptiles, thousands of birds and fish, and multitudes of insects in the Amazon. While you may not see many of these on a visit, you will have opportunity to view some of the rain forest animals.

More than one-fifth of the Amazon rain forest has already been destroyed by developers. Visiting the Amazon will give you an insight in the importance of protecting this valuable habitat for many of the world’s animals. It will be an unforgettable experience to see what nature has to offer and to appreciate the importance of protecting it.

View the original article here

Brazil is home to thousands of Amazon rainforest animals, each unique in their own special way. It’s amazing to think about the fact that nearly 60% of the rainforest is in Brazil and in that part of the Amazon rainforest reside almost 1/10th of the world’s animal species!

This beautiful country is diverse in their culture, music, food, and also their animal life. Many researchers and scientists believe there are still hundreds if not thousands of species still to be discovered in the Amazon!

There are nearly 3,000 various species of freshwater fish in the waters of the Amazon rainforest.

Some of the species include:

And several other varieties of carp, cichlids, tetras, piranhas, and catfish.

These are just a small sampling of the thousands of fish in the waters of the Brazilian Amazon!

Just over 600 species of mammals have been discovered so far in the Brazilian rainforest. Here are just a few!

The Amazonian manatee is Brazil's largest water mammal weighing in at 1,000 to 1,200 pounds. A few weighing as much as 3,000 pounds have been found!

They can reach eight to ten feet in length, which means if they were able to stand, they'd be taller than most people. They live in the Amazon River and the tributaries of the river.

Sadly, the manatee is on the endangered species list. Thankfully, zoos around the world have taken in manatees in hopes of preserving the species.

Primate mammals of Brazil include 35 species of tamarins, marmosets, and lion tamarins. Capuchin monkeys, Saki monkeys, Night monkeys, Woolly monkeys, Uarkaris, Muriquis, Spider monkeys, and Titi monkeys account for nearly 70 species of monkey alone!

If you love bats, visit the Amazon rainforest in Brazil! Bats of every size are in the rainforest! There are over 1,000 bat species in this part of the world alone. I find that amazing! The Brazilian free-tailed bat is one of the smallest bats - an adult weighs a mere 0.0286 lbs.

Tapirs are herbivores, feeding on plants due to the fact that their digestive system can only handle a small amount of food at a time.

Here's an interesting fact about tapirs - much of what they put into their mouth travels through their system and exits out the other end undigested. Why is this significant? Tapirs unknowingly spread plant species around the rainforest!

The bird species are one of most prevalent Amazon rainforest animals at just over 1,600 species in all! They actually rank third in the world for the number of bird species that call the Amazon rainforest home.

What sorts of birds could you expect to see? Parrots of all kinds and colors for one! There are nearly 70 species of parrots in the rainforest of Brazil.

Toucans, hummingbirds, penguins, vultures, trogons, swans, ducks, flamingos, eagles, hawks, rheas, owls, and tinamous are just a few of the diverse bird species living in the rainforest.

This isn’t even a complete list of all the bird species that can be found in the Brazilian rainforest!

Brazil’s rainforest contains just under 500 various species of reptiles ranging in size from one-half inch to 30 feet long!

It's no surprise that the anaconda is one of the most fearsome Amazon rainforest animals given that it has the ability to swallow an entire cow and weighs as much as a horse!

The anaconda uses its 30-foot body to surround and crush its prey instead of injecting it with venom. Anacondas are not venomous, but they are definitely an animal that you don't want to encounter!

The caiman may remind some people of an alligator or crocodile because of the long snout and large teeth. It can grow up to 13 feet in length and has bony ridges across its snout.

Caimans hunt at night preying on other reptiles, capybaras, fish, shrimp, and mammals. They live in freshwater rivers and lakes of the Amazon.

Don't let the tiny size of these frogs fool you - a mere 2 ½ grams of this frog's poison can kill a person of 150 pounds! They're very pretty with colors of red, black, black and white, yellow, and green.

Walking through the Amazon rainforest during the day, you might get to see them hopping along the rainforest floor hunting insects to eat. They immobilize their prey or enemies by excreting poison from their skin.

Still More Amazon Rainforest Reptile Species

We would be remiss if we didn't mention that Brazil's rainforest boasts at the minimum 70,000 insect species and at the most 15 million insect species!

It would be impossible to name them all here but some of the species include ants, spiders, and butterflies, to name a simple few. Each day, more species are being discovered!

One of the most interesting species of insect in the rainforest is the leafcutter ant. These are ants that specialize in growing their own fungus, or food, under the ground using leaves they cut with their sharp jaws.

Once they get the leaves back to their underground home, the chew up the leaf, spit it out, add feces and fungus and voila, they have food to eat.

Leafcutter ants can carry 10 times their weight on their back! These ants make a series of mounds in the earth they call home.

The series of mounds of leafcutter ants can take up a lot of space - up to 6,500 square feet in some cases. Within these mounds can be up to 8 million ants!

I am always amazed at the diversity number of Amazon rainforest animals there are in Brazil!

View the original article here

If you are the adventurous type, you may plan a trip to the Amazon to see rain forest animals when you visit Brazil. It's a truly amazing experience!

The Amazon rain forest is the home of several hundred species, many that you may never have heard about before. It can be a fun, educational experience on an once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Sixty percent of the Amazon rain forest is found in Brazil. You can experience the sights and sounds of the Amazon on tours that take you the heart of the rain forest. Manaus is the main city to stay in for your visit and you will find plenty of tours ranging from a day or two to a week or more.

Known as the Little Spotted Cat, the oncilla is a feline that lives in the Amazon. It is somewhat smaller than a typical housecat and lives on rodents. Its fur is light colored with black or brown rosettes that are open in the center; this helps them to blend in with the patchy sunlight on the rain forest floor.

The oncilla behaves similar to a housecat by stalking its prey and then pouncing on it. They also purr when they are contented and are agile climbers. While they are nocturnal, they can be seen during the day if they are looking for food.

Similar to the oncilla, the jaguarondi is another cat that makes their home in the Amazon rain forest. Visitors who choose to trek through the area may be lucky enough to see one of these beautiful rain forest animals since they like to be out during the day.

The jaguarondi is referred to as an otter cat because of the short legs and long body and tail. They also have little rounded ears and are solid in color. They mainly travel alone and will climb trees but prefer to be on the ground.

One of the most interesting animals you will find in the rain forest is the capybara. It is the world’s largest rodent, weighing between 35 to 66 kg (77 to 150 lbs). Unlike many wild animals, they enjoy living in groups and during the dry season, you may find fifty to a hundred living together.

Capybaras are great swimmers and often sleep in the water with just their nose showing. When they are trying to escape from predators, they will head for the water where they can be completely submersed for up to five minutes.

The anaconda makes its home in the Brazilian rain forest and is one of the most intriguing rain forest animals. It is one of the largest snakes on the planet and is also known as the water boa because it spends much of its time in shallow water waiting for prey.

Anacondas are meat eaters and they hunt their prey at night. They squeeze their prey to death or drown it. This prey consists of animals such as deer, pigs, and capybaras, along with other rain forest animals. It is one of the most awesome creatures that you could see on a hike through the forest, but I'm sure you won't want to get too close!

No list of rain forest animals would be complete without the monkeys! Howler monkeys are among the largest monkeys in the New World. They live for fifteen to twenty years. They have earned their name because of their style of communication.

Howler monkeys make loud noises at dawn, at dusk, and other times of the day and are considered to be the loudest land animal. Its sound can be heard up to three miles away. Imagine walking through the forest and hearing their howl from high up in the trees!

Capuchin monkeys are considered the most intelligent monkey in the New World. They have been used in movies such as the Pirates of the Caribbean. They are named after the Order of the Friars Capuchin because they look like they are wearing robes.

Capuchin monkeys are kept as service animals much like seeing eye dogs to care for disabled people. They undergo extensive training and are placed with paralyzed people to get things for them and to help them with tasks like opening bottles.

The picarucu is the largest river fish in the world. Weighing in at over 100kg (220 lbs) for the largest of the fish, it is quite impressive to see. It can be up to 2m (6.6 ft) long, which makes it quite a prize for fishermen.

The Brazil government has banned commercial fishing for these fish because of their low population numbers. Locals can catch them for eating, and they can be caught and released in certain areas of the Amazon Basin.

They picarucuhave to be handled with care because of their size. The picarucu is an air breather and needs to be held for five minutes after catching before being released back into the water.The pink dolphin is a nickname for the Amazon River dolphin, the largest river dolphin in the world. It is listed as an endangered species due to overfishing, pollution, and loss of habitat.

The neck vertebrae of the pink dolphin are not fused, allowing it to turn its neck 180 degrees. This helps it catch fish among underwater tree trunks. Amazon legend says that it turns into a handsome man at night to charm the local girls and then turns back into a dolphin by morning!

There are hundreds of mammals and reptiles, thousands of birds and fish, and multitudes of insects in the Amazon. While you may not see many of these on a visit, you will have opportunity to view some of the rain forest animals.

More than one-fifth of the Amazon rain forest has already been destroyed by developers. Visiting the Amazon will give you an insight in the importance of protecting this valuable habitat for many of the world’s animals. It will be an unforgettable experience to see what nature has to offer and to appreciate the importance of protecting it.

View the original article here

Brazil is home to thousands of Amazon rainforest animals, each unique in their own special way. It?s amazing to think about the fact that nearly 60% of the rainforest is in Brazil and in that part of the Amazon rainforest reside almost 1/10th of the world?s animal species!

This beautiful country is diverse in their culture, music, food, and also their animal life. Many researchers and scientists believe there are still hundreds if not thousands of species still to be discovered in the Amazon!

There are nearly 3,000 various species of freshwater fish in the waters of the Amazon rainforest.

Some of the species include:

And several other varieties of carp, cichlids, tetras, piranhas, and catfish.

These are just a small sampling of the thousands of fish in the waters of the Brazilian Amazon!

Just over 600 species of mammals have been discovered so far in the Brazilian rainforest. Here are just a few!

The Amazonian manatee is Brazil's largest water mammal weighing in at 1,000 to 1,200 pounds. A few weighing as much as 3,000 pounds have been found!

They can reach eight to ten feet in length, which means if they were able to stand, they'd be taller than most people. They live in the Amazon River and the tributaries of the river.

Sadly, the manatee is on the endangered species list. Thankfully, zoos around the world have taken in manatees in hopes of preserving the species.

Primate mammals of Brazil include 35 species of tamarins, marmosets, and lion tamarins. Capuchin monkeys, Saki monkeys, Night monkeys, Woolly monkeys, Uarkaris, Muriquis, Spider monkeys, and Titi monkeys account for nearly 70 species of monkey alone!

If you love bats, visit the Amazon rainforest in Brazil! Bats of every size are in the rainforest! There are over 1,000 bat species in this part of the world alone. I find that amazing! The Brazilian free-tailed bat is one of the smallest bats - an adult weighs a mere 0.0286 lbs.

Tapirs are herbivores, feeding on plants due to the fact that their digestive system can only handle a small amount of food at a time.

Here's an interesting fact about tapirs - much of what they put into their mouth travels through their system and exits out the other end undigested. Why is this significant? Tapirs unknowingly spread plant species around the rainforest!

The bird species are one of most prevalent Amazon rainforest animals at just over 1,600 species in all! They actually rank third in the world for the number of bird species that call the Amazon rainforest home.

What sorts of birds could you expect to see? Parrots of all kinds and colors for one! There are nearly 70 species of parrots in the rainforest of Brazil.

Toucans, hummingbirds, penguins, vultures, trogons, swans, ducks, flamingos, eagles, hawks, rheas, owls, and tinamous are just a few of the diverse bird species living in the rainforest.

This isn?t even a complete list of all the bird species that can be found in the Brazilian rainforest!

Brazil?s rainforest contains just under 500 various species of reptiles ranging in size from one-half inch to 30 feet long!

It's no surprise that the anaconda is one of the most fearsome Amazon rainforest animals given that it has the ability to swallow an entire cow and weighs as much as a horse!

The anaconda uses its 30-foot body to surround and crush its prey instead of injecting it with venom. Anacondas are not venomous, but they are definitely an animal that you don't want to encounter!

The caiman may remind some people of an alligator or crocodile because of the long snout and large teeth. It can grow up to 13 feet in length and has bony ridges across its snout.

Caimans hunt at night preying on other reptiles, capybaras, fish, shrimp, and mammals. They live in freshwater rivers and lakes of the Amazon.

Don't let the tiny size of these frogs fool you - a mere 2 ½ grams of this frog's poison can kill a person of 150 pounds! They're very pretty with colors of red, black, black and white, yellow, and green.

Walking through the Amazon rainforest during the day, you might get to see them hopping along the rainforest floor hunting insects to eat. They immobilize their prey or enemies by excreting poison from their skin.

Still More Amazon Rainforest Reptile Species

We would be remiss if we didn't mention that Brazil's rainforest boasts at the minimum 70,000 insect species and at the most 15 million insect species!

It would be impossible to name them all here but some of the species include ants, spiders, and butterflies, to name a simple few. Each day, more species are being discovered!

One of the most interesting species of insect in the rainforest is the leafcutter ant. These are ants that specialize in growing their own fungus, or food, under the ground using leaves they cut with their sharp jaws.

Once they get the leaves back to their underground home, the chew up the leaf, spit it out, add feces and fungus and voila, they have food to eat.

Leafcutter ants can carry 10 times their weight on their back! These ants make a series of mounds in the earth they call home.

The series of mounds of leafcutter ants can take up a lot of space - up to 6,500 square feet in some cases. Within these mounds can be up to 8 million ants!

I am always amazed at the diversity number of Amazon rainforest animals there are in Brazil!

View the original article here