The Amazon River can be called one of the wonders of the planet. In terms of fame, she competes with the Neil and the Ganges. The unique ecosystem of the longest waterway on earth attracts lovers of tropical flora and fauna. Plants and animals of the Amazon amaze 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 territory is covered by tropical rainforests (Amazonian 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 hard 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 is incredibly important because of its unique ecosystem. The flora and fauna of the Amazon is unique. It is so diverse. And many representatives of the local fauna and flora are endemic and are found only in this territory.
It is worth noting that in Amazonia there is the largest variety of plants. Oddly enough, but the region is still poorly studied, and therefore many animals and plants of the Amazon are still unknown to science. Some researchers believe that the real number of plant varieties in this region is three times more 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. The river is home to more than two thousand fish and many reptiles.
Amazon plant world
Until 2011, the Amazonian wild forests were ruthlessly felled. 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 entire planet has concentrated in the river basin. Amazonian forests play a very important role on the globe. They are a huge source of oxygen. In addition, forests maintain the required level of groundwater, preventing the destruction of soil cover. Over 4, 000 species of trees grow in the Amazon Selva - this is one fourth of all known species in the world.
Palm trees, myrtle, laurel, begonias, mangrove trees grow in the forests. And from fruit there are pineapples, bananas, guava, mango, orange, fig tree. The rainforests of the Amazon can be considered the global genetic fund. Even in small areas, species diversity is striking. So, for example, on ten square kilometers of the forest you can find up to 1500 varieties of flowers, 750 species of trees. With all this, as we mentioned earlier, not all tropical riches have been studied and described by scientists. One can only guess what other plants grow in the depths of the Amazon.
Valuable representatives of the plant world
Many representatives of the plant world are of great value. So, for example, in the forests of the Amazon grow giant nuts, or rather, walnut trees of bertolecia. They are famous for their amazing taste. Each shell weighing up to twenty kilograms contains about twenty nuts. Such fruits can be harvested only in completely calm weather, since inadvertently ripped nuts from the wind can cause significant harm to the collector.
No less interesting is the milk tree, which gives a sweet drink that resembles milk. But from the fruits of the chocolate tree get cocoa. In the forests of the Amazon there is a huge number of trees that can be enumerated for a long time. Among them are rubber tree, balsa. The latter is famous for its lightest wood. On rafts from such trees, the Indians are rafting down the river. Sometimes their dimensions are so large that on such a raft fits a whole village.
But of course, most of all there are palm trees in the Amazon. In total, there are more than one hundred species. An interesting fact is that they are all very valuable to humans. They produce fiber, wood, nuts, juice and much more. And many people dislike only the rattan palm, and the Indians generally call it the "rope of the devil." The fact is that this plant is the longest tree on Earth. It looks more like a liana and sometimes reaches 300 meters in length. The thin trunk of the palm tree is dotted with incredibly sharp spikes. The rattan palm tree creates impenetrable thickets, braiding the trunks and branches of nearby bushes and trees.
Victoria regia
The nature and animals of the Amazon are sometimes so amazing that they amaze the imagination. The most famous plant in these places can be considered a water lily with the beautiful name Victoria regia. This is a giant plant, the leaves of which reach several meters in diameter and are able to withstand up to 50 kilograms of weight.
The largest water lily in the world blooms from March to July. Her flowers exude a delicate apricot aroma, each of them reaches forty centimeters in diameter. You can see this miracle of nature only at night, since the flower begins to dissolve only in the evening. On the first day of flowering, the petals are white in color, the next day it becomes light pink, and then even dark crimson and even purple.
Fauna of the amazon
The Amazonian rainforests are full of rare animals, some of which are on the verge of extinction: a baker, a sloth, an arachnid monkey, an armadillo, a freshwater dolphin, boa, and a crocodile. The fauna 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 creature, reaching 200 kilograms. This is tapir. As a rule, he moves along the paths along the river, looking for algae, twigs, leaves and fruits for food.
Near the reservoirs live such animals of the Amazon as capybara (the largest rodents in the world). Their weight reaches 50 kilograms. Externally, the animals resemble a guinea pig. And on the banks of the river awaits its 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 of their inhabitants are meek. The most dangerous animals of the Amazon terrify anyone. Yes, this is not surprising, because a meeting with one of them can lead to the most sad consequences. Not for nothing that some inhabitants of the jungle have long become the heroes of numerous horror films.
Dangerous animals of the Amazon are impressive in size and can cause harm not only to their brothers, but also to humans. One of their list is electric eel, which can grow up to three meters and weigh up to forty kilograms. The fish is capable of generating a discharge of up to 1300 volts. For adults, electric shock is, of course, not fatal, but very unpleasant.
The largest freshwater fish in the world live in the Amazon. Their length is two meters, and some individuals reach three meters. The weight of the largest fish was 200 kilograms. Arapaimes are not considered to be dangerous to people, but in 2009 there was a case of an attack on several men, because of which they died. Therefore, it is worth fearing such inhabitants. Since they can not be called harmless.
Nevertheless, 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.
A Brazilian wandering spider, also known as a banana, lives in the jungle. It is believed that it is incredibly toxic. In addition, he is on the list of the largest spiders on the planet (13-15 centimeters). An interesting fact is that an insect does not always inject poison to its victim, this happens only in 30% of cases.
But the spotted woodpecker is incredibly dangerous to humans. A cute little frog with colorful covers reaches no more than five centimeters. But at the same time, her skin contains so much poison that he is able to kill 10 people at once.
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 thunderstorm in the jungle and pose a danger not only to people, but also to forest inhabitants.
Jaguars are the largest feline in the Western Hemisphere. Males weigh up to one hundred kilograms on average. The diet of animals includes up to 87 different creatures from mice to deer. Of course, they attack people quite sharply. Basically, this situation can happen if the animal is forced to defend itself. But still it’s 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 improved as a result of the adoption of strict laws. Caimans prefer to hunt at night, and attack from an ambush. Animals feed mainly 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 body length can reach up to six meters. Anaconda is the longest snake in the world. She spends most of the time in water, but sometimes creeps out to land to bask in the sun. She feeds on reptiles and tetrapods, 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 flocking way of life is characteristic. In large groups, they swim in search of food, devouring everything that comes in their way.
Mosquitoes pose an incredible danger to humans. They are the main threat to the Amazon forests. Feeding blood, they spread incredibly dangerous diseases that kill livestock and people. From their bite, you can get yellow fever, malaria, filariasis. For this reason, mosquitoes are the leaders in the list of the most dangerous inhabitants of the jungle.
Manatees
What else is interesting about the Amazon? The nature and wildlife of the jungle is certainly dangerous, but among its inhabitants there are very cute creatures. Such as manatee. Unlike their counterparts, 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 virtually no subcutaneous fat, and therefore they can only live in a warm environment at a temperature of at least fifteen degrees. Manatees feed only on algae, eating up to 18 kilograms a day.
Pink dolphin
Another charming inhabitant of the river is a pink dolphin. Dolphin babies are born with a bluish-gray color, but gradually acquire a stunning pink hue. Adults weigh up to 250 kilograms and grow up to two meters. Dolphins feed mainly on fish, sometimes eating piranhas.
