Plants and Animals of the Amazon

The Amazon River can be called one of the wonders of the planet. By the degree of fame, it vies with the Nile and the Ganges. The unique ecosystem of the longest waterway on earth attracts fans of tropical flora and fauna. Plants and animals of the Amazon affect species diversity. Here you can meet unique and very dangerous living creatures.

Amazon Basin

The Amazon basin is the largest lowland on our planet. It covers an area of more than six million square kilometers. Almost all of this area is covered with moist tropical forests (Amazon jungle). This tropical forest is the largest in the world. The center of the region is the Amazon itself - the most full-flowing river on earth. It is difficult to imagine, but its tributaries collect water from nine countries: Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Bolivia, French Guyana and Suriname.

Flora and fauna of the Amazon

The region has an incredibly great importance due to the fact that it is a unique ecosystem. The plant and animal life of the Amazon is unique. It is so diverse. And many representatives of local fauna and flora are endemic and are found only in this territory.

It is worth noting that in the Amazon there is the largest variety of plants. Strange as it may seem, the region has not been studied to this day, and so many animals and plants of the Amazon are still unknown to science. Some researchers believe that the actual number of plant species in the region is three times larger than is known today. Science knows only about 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds, 125 species of mammals and countless invertebrates and insects. In the river there are more than two thousand fish and a lot of reptiles.

The Vegetable World of the Amazon

Until 2011, the wild forests of the Amazon were subjected to ruthless cutting. And the reason for this was not only wood. People have adapted to clear the liberated land for agricultural activities. However, it is worth remembering that the most diverse vegetation on the whole planet has been concentrated in the river basin. Amazonian forests play a very important role on the Earth. They are a huge source of oxygen. In addition, forests maintain the required level of groundwater, preventing the destruction of soil cover. In the jungle of the Amazon, there are over 4000 species of trees - this is the fourth part of all known breeds in the world.

In the forests grow palm trees, myrtle, laurel, begonias, mangroves. And from the fruit there are pineapples, bananas, guava, mango, orange, fig tree. The humid tropical forests of Amazonia can be considered a world genetic fund. Even in small areas, species diversity is striking. So, for example, on ten square kilometers of forest you can meet up to 1500 varieties of flowers, 750 species of trees. With all this, as we mentioned earlier, not all tropical riches are studied and described by scientists. One can only guess what other plants grow in the depths of the Amazon.

Valuable representatives of the flora

Many representatives of the plant world are of great value. So, for example, in the forests of the Amazon grow giant nuts, to be exact, walnut trees of bertholecium. They are famous for their amazing taste. In each shell, weighing up to twenty kilograms, contains about twenty nuts. Collecting such fruits can only be in a completely windless weather, because inadvertently wind-blown nuts can cause significant damage to the collector.

No less interesting is the dairy tree, which gives a sweet drink that resembles milk. But cocoa is obtained from the fruit of the chocolate tree . In the forests of the Amazon grows a huge number of trees, which can be listed for a long time. Among them there is a rubber tree, a balsa. The latter is famous for its lightest wood. On rafts of such trees, the Indians fuse along the river. Sometimes their size is so great that on such a dam fits a whole village.

But of course, most of all in the Amazon palms. In total, there are more than one hundred species. Interesting is the fact that they are all very valuable for a person. Of these, fiber, wood, nuts, juice and much more are obtained. And only the rattan's palm is disliked by many, and the Indians generally call it the "rope of the devil". The fact is that this plant is the longest tree on Earth. It is more like a vine and at times reaches 300 meters in length. The thin trunk of the palm tree is studded with incredibly sharp spines. Rattan palm creates impassable thickets, braiding trunks and branches of bushes and trees nearby.

Victoria Regia

The nature and animals of the Amazon are sometimes so amazing that they strike the imagination. The most famous plant of these places can be considered a water lily with a beautiful name Victoria Regia. This giant plant, whose leaves reach several meters in diameter and are able to withstand up to 50 kilograms of weight.

The largest water lily in the world blossoms from March to July. Her flowers exude a delicate apricot fragrance, each of them reaches forty centimeters in diameter. You can see this miracle of nature only at night, since it only begins to dissolve the flower in the evening. On the first day of flowering petals have a white color, the next day it becomes light pink, and then even dark crimson and even purple.

Fauna of the Amazon

The Amazonian rainforest is full of rare animals, some of which are on the verge of extinction: a baker, sloth, arachnid, battleship, freshwater dolphin, boa, crocodile. The animal world of the Amazon is so diverse that it is difficult to count all its representatives.

Near the coast of the river you can meet a stunning creation, reaching 200 kilograms. It's a tapir. He, as a rule, moves along the trails along the river, seeking for food algae, twigs, leaves and fruits.

Near the reservoirs live such Amazon animals as capybaru (the largest rodents in the world). Their weight reaches 50 kilograms. Outwardly, animals resemble guinea pig. And near the river banks waiting for his victims anaconda, which is rightly considered an incredibly dangerous creature.

The most dangerous animals of the Amazon

Rainforests are not only incredibly interesting places, but also unsafe. Not all their inhabitants are of a mild temper. The most dangerous animals of the Amazon terrify anyone. Yes, it's not surprising, because a meeting with one of them can lead to the most unfortunate consequences. No wonder some of the inhabitants of the jungle have long become heroes of numerous horror films.

Dangerous animals Amazons are impressive in size and capable of causing harm not only to their fellow human beings. One of their list is an electric eel, which can grow up to three meters and weigh at the same time up to forty kilograms. Fish can generate a discharge of up to 1300 volts. For adults, an electric shock, of course, is not fatal, but very unpleasant.

The waters of the Amazon are home to the largest freshwater fish in the world. Their length is two meters, and some individuals reach and three meters. The weight of the biggest fish was 200 kilograms. It is believed that Arapaims do not pose a threat to people, but in 2009 there was a case of attack on several men, because of what they were killed. Therefore, it is worth to be afraid of such inhabitants. Because they can not be called harmless.

Yet it is worth remembering that the wild animals of the Amazon live in a dangerous world, where every minute of their life is filled with a struggle for survival.

In the jungle, a Brazilian wandering spider dwells, which is also known as banana. It is believed that he is incredibly toxic. In addition, he is on the list of the largest spiders on the planet (13-15 centimeters). Interesting is the fact that the insect does not always inject poison to its victim, it happens only in 30% of cases.

But the spotted dwarf is incredibly dangerous for humans. A nice little frog with colorful covers reaches no more than five centimeters. But at the same time on her skin contains so much poison that he is able to kill 10 people at once.

The five most dangerous creatures

The most dangerous animals of the Amazon are jaguars, caimans, anacondas, piranhas and mosquitoes. These representatives of the fauna are a threat to the jungle and represent a danger not only to people, but also to forest inhabitants.

Jaguars are the largest representatives of felines in the Western Hemisphere. Males weigh on average up to one hundred kilograms. The ration of animals includes up to 87 different creatures from mice and to deer. Of course, people attack them quite sharply. Basically, this situation can occur if the animal is forced to defend itself. But still it is worthwhile to understand that a wild predator is not a plush toy or a cute pussy.

Black caimans live in the waters of the Amazon. They grow up to five meters in length. At one time, their merciless extermination led to the fact that they were on the verge of extinction. But in the future the situation was adjusted as a result of the adoption of the strictest laws. Caymans prefer to hunt at night, and attack from ambush. Most animals feed on fish (and even piranhas), as well as aquatic vertebrates. Larger specimens attack jaguars, anacondas, wild cattle and even humans.

Meeting in the jungle with an anaconda is not the most pleasant event. Its weight reaches one hundred kilograms, and the length of the body can reach up to six meters. Anaconda is the longest snake in the world. Most of the time she spends in the water, but sometimes creeps out on land to warm herself under the sun's rays. It feeds on reptiles and quadrupeds, attacking them on the shore.

The most famous inhabitants of the Amazon are piranhas. They have incredibly sharp teeth and powerful jaws. Each fish reaches thirty centimeters and weighs about a kilogram. For piranhas, a flocky way of life is characteristic. In large groups, they swim in search of food, devouring everything that comes their way.

For a man, incredible danger is represented by mosquitoes. They are the main threat to the forests of the Amazon. Feeding on blood, they spread incredibly dangerous diseases that kill livestock and people. From their bite, you can get yellow fever, malaria, filariasis. For this reason, it is the mosquitoes that lead the list of the most dangerous inhabitants of the jungle.

Manatees

What else is interesting Amazon? The nature and the animal world of the jungle is certainly dangerous, but among its inhabitants there are very nice creatures. Such as manatee. Unlike their brethren, they have a more modest size (2-3 meters) and weigh up to 500 kilograms, animals live in the fresh waters of the Amazon.

They have practically no hypodermic fat, and therefore they can live only in a warm environment at a temperature of not less than fifteen degrees. Feed on manatees only by algae, eating the day before 18 kilograms.

Pink dolphin

Another charming resident of the river is the pink dolphin. Dolphin babies are born with a bluish-gray color, but gradually acquire a stunning pink shade. Adult individuals weigh up to 250 kilograms and grow to two meters. Dolphins feed mainly on fish, sometimes eating piranhas.

Instead of an afterword

The Indians, even in ancient times, called the Amazon "parana-tago", which in translation means "queen of rivers". It is difficult to disagree with them, because this unique river with its incredibly diverse flora and fauna, in something dangerous, and in something mysterious, worthy of such a title.