The Amazon forests are a green paradise on earth. Endangered Amazon Rainforest Amazon Forest

The Amazon originates in the west South America, in the Andes, near the coast Pacific Ocean, but flows east, across the entire continent into the Atlantic Ocean. This is one of the largest rivers The globe is more than 6,000 kilometers long, and its waters are home to about 2,000 fish.

Wet tropical climate The places where the river flows formed the amazingly rich flora of its basin. The Amazon forests are evergreen, lush and dense multi-tiered forests, very diverse in their species composition. Several facts given below eloquently demonstrate the enormous importance of the Amazon forests for the life of our planet and their uniqueness.

The Amazon River basin, the so-called Amazon, occupies more than 7 million square kilometers and covers Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and Guyana.
The Amazon forests make up two thirds of all rainforest peace.
Scientists estimate that 25% of the carbon dioxide absorbed by forests comes from the Amazon forests. They are, without exaggeration, the real “lungs” of our planet.
According to botanists, more than 60,000 plant species grow in the Amazon rainforest, 3,000 of which are woody.
Scientists say that on every hectare of Amazon forest it is very difficult to find at least two trees belonging to the same species.
The trees of the upper tier of the Amazon forests can be 50 or 60, and some even 90 meters high! Their crowns are full of life, but under the canopy of these crowns there is always twilight and the lack of light does not allow the plants of the lower tiers to develop normally.
The Amazon forests are the kingdom of orchids, among which there are species with flowers up to 90 centimeters in diameter. Orchids are epiphytes, their roots hang in the air - from it they absorb moisture, and orchids receive the minerals necessary for life from dust settling on tree trunks.
The abundance of heat and moisture allows the plants of the Amazon basin to develop to gigantic size. For example, the size of one leaf of the Amazonian giant lily can exceed 2 meters in diameter.
The Amazon forest is home to the rubber tree. In addition to this exotic plant, in the Amazonian forests you can find breadfruit, mango plants, pineapple, and papaya.
There are practically no roads in the Amazon, and the only way for humans to travel long distances in the Amazon forest is the river itself.
The Amazon forests have formed entire civilizations of peoples living in the river basin, but in our time they are being cut down very intensively. It is estimated that at the end of the 20th century, the Amazon forests lost up to 1 million trunks every day due to deforestation!

The forests of the Amazon have been written about art books and scientific works, but the bulk of them are practically unknown to man. This is a world that people have only just glimpsed.

In this animation of images from 1975 to 2012 from Landsat 5 and 7 satellites, vast tracts of Amazonian forest are disappearing in Brazil's Rondônia state.

According to data provided by the Brazilian government, deforestation of the Amazon rainforest increased by 28% last year. Minister of Defense environment Isabella Teixeira said 5,843 square kilometers of rainforest were destroyed between August 2012 and July 2013.

Environmentalists blame the increase in deforestation on the easing of sanctions that affect companies involved in infrastructure development, including the construction of dams, highways and railways. Ms Teixeira said on Wednesday she would demand an explanation from regional authorities when she returns from a UN climate change summit in Warsaw.

“The Brazilian government should not tolerate the problem of illegal logging. We must stop the destruction forest areas" Ms Teixeira said, adding that she firmly believes that the damage caused to the rainforest can still be repaired.

Furnaces used to produce charcoal are seen from a police helicopter during Operation Hileia Patria in Nova Esperança do Piria. RICARDO Moraes / REUTERS.

There are several reasons accelerating deforestation:

Firstly, due to the ever-increasing production of soybeans and grain crops in Brazil.
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Secondly: according to researchers at Stony Brook University, cocaine production in Colombia also has a huge impact on increasing deforestation. Their destruction is accelerated by the spread of the coca bush, which in tropical forests Lately it became too much.

One of the main reasons for excessive deforestation in the Amazon is also an increase in Brazilian beef exports. It turns out that 60-70 percent of deforested land is used for farming. cattle mainly by farmers running small farms.

Forests absorb approximately one-third of fossil fuel emissions (they remove approximately 2.4 billion tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year). And in order for environmentalists to have a chance to seriously engage climate change– global deforestation must be stopped. Well, or at least reduced to a minimum.

An aerial view shows a section of the Amazon rainforest that has been cleared for Agriculture near Santarem. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

Deforestation in the Amazon is much more than a regional problem. This - global problem, because the Amazon rainforest plays a key role in the Earth's hydrological and climate system and has a significant influence on the world's climate.

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The Amazon rainforest covers a significant amount of land and extends across Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Suriname, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana and French Guyana, which represents approximately 40% of South America and can be compared to the size of the 48 states located on the North American continent . The Amazon Rainforest, covers the Amazon River Basin, where the second most long river globally after the Nile and the largest globally, including more than 1100 tributaries that are important source daily bread for factories, animals and people. Although the Amazon rainforest has been accessed by humans and affected by their presence, the importance of this rainforest to the earth continues to be recognized. There are several types of vegetation and ecosystems in the Amazon rainforest, some of which are savannas, deciduous forests, rainforests, flooded forests and flooded forests.

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A fisherman's house is seen along the Tapajos River near Santarem. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

The most important rainforest in Africa is now in the Congo Basin. The Congo rainforest is second in size to the Amazon rainforest, and extends over other countries like Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic and Cameroon. About two-thirds of the rainforest is still preserved, but the rainforest is under threat from human intervention. The Congo rainforest is home to gorillas, bonobos, peacocks, chimpanzees, elephants and a wide variety of birds, insects; in total, approximately 600 species of trees and approximately 10,000 species of animals; accounting for 70% of Africa's biodiversity, ecosystems and rainforests. More than half the people democratic republic Congo, which has a population of approximately 60 million people, depends on the rainforest for survival. The rainforest is an integral part of culture, diet, omens, habitation and traditional practices. The Congo rainforest also has a very long and interesting historical backdrop to tribal warfare, ethnic violence, and the Arab ivory slave trade. Commercial logging and clearing of land for communities is a major threat to the rainforest.

Once upon a time, tropical forests covered large parts of the land in Central America, making it essentially an area covered by deep tropical forests. The rainforests of Central America are endowed with many rare and specialized species of plants, trees and animals. The southwest of Costa Rica, for example, the Osa Peninsula is known for its diverse flora and fauna and animals such as the Harpy Eagle, jaguars, tapirs, macaws, pumas, arrow frogs and the fer-de-lance, Costa Rica's deadliest snake. Some of the birds in this rainforest are rare and have been declared endangered. The Osa Peninsula rainforest has been described by National Geographic as 'one of the most biologically intense places on earth'.

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An aerial view shows a section of the Amazon rainforest that has been cleared for agriculture near Santarem. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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A tractor works on a wheat plantation in what was once virgin Amazon rainforest near Uruara. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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An area of ​​smoke billowing from the Amazon rainforest being burned to clear land for agriculture near Novo Progresso. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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Sawmills that process illegally harvested trees from the Amazon rainforest are visible near Uruara. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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A truck driver eats canned food next to his truck after a rainstorm near the town of Uruara. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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A truck transports a bucket excavator at a sawmill near Morais Almeida. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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A man walks past a car ready to drag a log from the forest to national park Zhamanshim near Novo Progresso. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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A tractor works on a wheat plantation on land that was once virgin Amazon rainforest near Santarem. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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A man carries his chainsaw past fallen trees in the Jamanshim National Park near Novo Progresso. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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An aerial view of the construction site of a hydroelectric dam along the Teles Pires River, which flows into the Amazon, near the town of Alta Foresta, Pará state, June 19, 2013. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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An illegal sawmill construction site is spotted by a police helicopter during Operation Hileia Patria in Nova Esperança do Piria. RICARDO MORAES/REUTERS.

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An area of ​​Amazon rainforest that was burned to clear land for livestock grazing has been spotted near Novo Progresso. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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A tree lying on the ground in the Amazon rainforest in the Jamanshim National Park near the town of Novo Progresso. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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A tractor previously used to transport logs from the Amazon rainforest is burned by police near Novo Progresso. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

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A police officer inspects a tree illegally felled in the Amazon rainforest in Jamanshim National Park near Novo Progresso. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

Police guard a man after he was arrested for illegally felling trees in the virgin Amazon rainforest near Morais Almeida. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS.

By the way, here's another environmental theme: , and here it is, well, somewhat shocking to me The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -

Someone aptly noted that a person who finds himself in the Amazon forests experiences intense joy twice - when he first enters this “green paradise” and when he finally gets out of this “green hell”. We invite you to an amazing land unusually rich in flora and fauna. He is called lungs of the planet, and the death of the Amazon forests threatens a worldwide environmental catastrophe... and they are dying.

The Edge of Eternal Summer

The Amazon Basin is home to the world's largest tropical rainforest. Its borders are clearly delineated by the eastern foot of the Andes and the slopes of the Brazilian and Guiana highlands. The forest is located in nine countries, but most of it is in Brazil.

The equatorial climate is characterized by depressing monotony - humid and hot prevail all year round. air masses. Regardless of the season, the temperature fluctuates between 25–28 °C and even at night does not drop below 20 °C. But even such moderate heat is difficult to bear due to the high humidity and lack of night coolness - you feel as if you were in a greenhouse in the summer.

But local residents do not need forecasts from weather forecasters. A day without rain is a unique phenomenon here. All year round Every new day begins with a cloudless morning. By mid-day, clouds roll in, the wind rises, and torrents of water fall to the ground amid deafening rumbles of thunder. After 2–3 hours, the rain ends and a quiet, clear night sets in.

Horizontal and vertical

The Amazon surprises with its richness of flora and fauna; the biodiversity of these forests is much greater than the forests of Asia and Africa. Species composition And appearance plantings changes depending on their “relationship” with rivers. In the Amazonian lowland, three types of forest vegetation are distinguished: forests in river valleys, flooded for several months a year (in the local language - “igapo”) and for a short time (“varzeya”), and forests on watersheds, not flooded (“ete” ). There are also mangroves on the Atlantic coast.

Under the power of the rivers

Igapo forests are not as rich in vegetation diversity. Usually they are devoid of soil cover and filled with marshy silt, enveloping tree trunks to a height of several meters. Representatives of the flora with respiratory roots and support roots are often found. Lots of vines and epiphytes. And the surface of the water is covered with various algae and aquatic plants, among which notable is the royal Victoria (from the Nymphaeaceae family), with leaves up to 2 m in diameter, capable of supporting a weight of up to 50 kg. Its flowers change color from white to purple during flowering.

The Varzea vegetation is not much richer in species. The main trees in these forests are palms. Representatives from the legume, mulberry (ficus genus), and euphorbia families are often found, including the famous rubber plant, Hevea. And in the lower tiers various types of theobroma (chocolate tree) are not uncommon. These forests also contain many vines and epiphytes, including orchids. The rich grass cover contains an abundance of ferns, plants from the banana and bromeliad families.

But the “ete” forests are particularly lush and diverse. They can safely be considered the richest type of vegetation on Earth. There are no dominant trees here. Although the abundance of species is large, the number of plants of each species is usually small. Characteristic trees upper tiers- Bertolletia, or castaneiro (Brazil nut - a tree that often lives up to 1000 years, with a trunk diameter of 1-2 m), ceiba ( sacred tree Maya), palm trees, as well as plants from the laurel, myrtle, mimosa, and legume families. There are many creeping, creeping plants, the stems of which are as thick as ropes. Ferns reach several meters in height, and grasses that do not grow in flooded areas are also found in the grass cover.

In the eastern part of the Amazon, the climate is already subequatorial, and deciduous tree species, patches of open forests and savannas appear on the watersheds; only the “igapó” and “varzei” stripes remain evergreen.

According to World Fund wildlife(WWF), due to global warming and deforestation, about half of the Amazon rainforest could be damaged or destroyed within 20–30 years. Already, due to climate change, droughts (contributing to forest fires) are becoming more frequent in this region.

Amazon Problems

Many people have heard that the Amazon forests are called green lungs Earth. All plants produce oxygen through photosynthesis and absorb carbon dioxide. But the Amazon rainforest produces about 50% of the planet's oxygen. Therefore, the death of this important “organ” can have the most dire consequences for the entire Earth.

In the 60s of the last century, intensive, uncontrolled logging began. Both banks of the Amazon between the mouth and the city of Manaus suffered the greatest devastation. Once upon a time, tropical rainforests stretched along the entire coast of Brazil (which is 8,500 km!), but today only 7% of them remain there.

Despite bans on timber exports, deforestation continues to rise. Trees are often cut down by poaching, floating them down rivers in sea ​​ports, and from there they are legally sent to consumers. It’s even worse when forests are simply burned down for agricultural land. Fueling the destruction of forests is the increasing demand for soybeans - the area of ​​soybean fields is increasing. Selective logging is also very harmful - when only selected trees are cut down, while the forest around remains untouched. After all, at the same time, giant perennial trees disappear and simply thickets appear, the value of which in the existing ecosystem is much lower. Cutting down even one type of tree has a destructive effect on all tiers of the “forest house.”

In some areas they are now trying to revive the forest, and, of course, it is being restored. But such plantings contain only a small part of the original species diversity.

But in some places tropical forests have been completely turned into desert, as, for example, in the industrial zone near the Trombete River - one of the world's largest bauxite mining centers. Looking at how the wind raises clouds of dust from the cracked reddish ground, on which there is not the slightest sign of life, it is difficult to imagine that just 10 years ago this place was covered with thickets.

Having cut down a tropical forest, it is easy to turn its territory into new Sahara. Rains very quickly wash away the top, fertile layer of soil that is not protected by plants. And the sun and wind complete their work.

Without thinking about the future...

The worst paradox is that much of the Amazon's deforestation is completely unnecessary from an economic development perspective. Now in the Amazon basin, as a result of inept use of land, the exploitation of agricultural land and pastures has ceased in areas equal to the territory of Germany. If these lands are rehabilitated, there will be no need to take territory away from the forest. Moreover, the soil of tropical forests cannot be called fertile. A farmer who has cleared a plot of forest for himself will be surprised to find that the productivity of the land sharply decreases after 2-3 years (at first, the ash from the burned forest serves as fertilizer). In the Amazon tropical forest, plants get nutrients not from deep layers of soil. Some of the substances come with raindrops, which “wash” all the plants on their way to the ground, and the other part comes as a result of the decomposition of forest “garbage” (fallen branches, fruits, leaves). Every year, about 8 tons of litter fall on 1 hectare of tropical forest. Processed by the residents of the “forest house” (termites drag it underground, mushrooms decompose it into mineral components), it turns into a highly nutritious fertilizer.

But you can benefit from the forest without destroying it. How many medicinal plants grows in this forest! It deserves the name of a huge natural pharmacy. In addition to natural medicines you can get fruits, oils, nuts, rubber...

A person who destroys this forest is like a farmer who eats the seeds stored for sowing to satisfy his immediate hunger, without thinking about supplies for the future.

We need to look at the forest from a different perspective - as a source of wealth, and not as an obstacle to getting rich. However, the incessant clouds of smoke over the Amazon remind us that this intention is not so easy to realize...

The Amazon River can be called one of the wonders of the planet. In terms of fame, it rivals the Nile and Ganges. Unique ecosystem of the longest water artery on earth attracts lovers of tropical flora and fauna. The plants and animals of the Amazon are striking in their diversity of species. 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 the entire area is covered with tropical rainforests (Amazon jungle). This tropical forest is the largest in the world. The center of the region is the Amazon itself - the most deep river on the ground. It's 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 due to the fact that it is a unique ecosystem. Vegetable and animal world The Amazon is unique. It has so much variety. And many representatives of the local fauna and flora are endemic and are found only in this area.

It is worth noting that the Amazon has the greatest diversity of plants. Oddly enough, the region has been little studied to this day, and therefore many animals and plants of the Amazon are still unknown to science. Some researchers believe that the actual number of plant species in this region is three times greater than currently known. Science knows about only 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.

Flora of the Amazon

Before 2011 wild forests The Amazons were ruthlessly deforested. And the reason for this was not only wood. People have adapted to clearing freed lands for agricultural activities. However, it is worth remembering that the river basin contains the most diverse vegetation on the entire planet. The Amazon forests play very important role on Globe. They are a huge source of oxygen. In addition, forests maintain the required level of groundwater, preventing the destruction of soil covers. More than 4,000 species of trees grow in the Amazon jungle - this is a quarter of all known species in the world.

The forests contain palm trees, myrtle, laurel, begonias, mangrove trees. And fruits include pineapples, bananas, guavas, mangoes, oranges, and fig trees. The Amazon rainforest can be considered the world's genetic pool. Even on small areas amazes species diversity. For example, in ten square kilometers of forest you can find up to 1,500 varieties of flowers and 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 flora are of great value. For example, in the forests of the Amazon, giant nuts grow, or rather, bertholia nut trees. They are famous for their amazing taste. Each shell, weighing up to twenty kilograms, contains about twenty nuts. Such fruits can only be collected in completely calm weather, since nuts accidentally blown off by the wind can cause significant harm to the picker.

No less interesting is the one that produces a sweet drink reminiscent of milk. But cocoa is obtained from the fruits. The Amazon forests contain a huge number of trees that can take a long time to list. Among them, rubber. The latter is famous for its lightest wood. Indians float down the river on rafts made from such trees. Sometimes their size is so large that an entire village can fit on such a raft.

But of course, most of everything in the Amazon is palm trees. IN total there are more than a hundred species. An interesting fact is that they are all very valuable to humans. They produce fiber, wood, nuts, juice and much more. And only the rattan palm is disliked by many, and the Indians generally call it “the devil’s rope.” The fact is that this plant is the longest tree on Earth. It looks more like a vine and sometimes reaches 300 meters in length. The thin trunk of the palm tree is studded with incredibly sharp thorns. The rattan palm creates impenetrable thickets, entwining the trunks and branches of nearby bushes and trees.

Victoria Region

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

The largest water lily in the world blooms from March to July. Its flowers exude the most 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 bloom only in the evening. On the first day of flowering, the petals are white, the next day it becomes light pink, and then even dark crimson and even purple.

Amazon wildlife

The Amazon rainforest is full of rare animals, some of which are on the verge of extinction: the baker, sloth, spider monkey, armadillo, freshwater dolphin, boa, crocodile. The fauna of the Amazon is so diverse that it is difficult to count all its representatives.

Near the river bank you can find a stunning creature that can weigh up to 200 kilograms. It usually moves along paths along the river, looking for algae, twigs, leaves and fruits for food.

Amazon animals such as capybaras (the largest rodents in the world) live near the ponds. Their weight reaches 50 kilograms. Externally, the animals resemble guinea pig. And along the banks of the river, the anaconda, which is rightly considered an incredibly dangerous creature, awaits its victims.

The most dangerous animals of the Amazon

Rainforests are not only incredible interesting places, but also unsafe. Not all of their inhabitants are distinguished by a meek disposition. The most dangerous animals of the Amazon terrify any person. Yes, this is not surprising, because a meeting with one of them can lead to the most sad consequences. It’s not for nothing that some jungle inhabitants have long become heroes of numerous horror films.

Dangerous animals of the Amazon are of impressive size and capable of causing harm not only to their fellow creatures, 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, the electric shock is, of course, not fatal, but very unpleasant.

They live in the waters of the Amazon. Their length is two meters, and some individuals reach three meters. Weight itself big fish amounted to 200 kilograms. Arapaima are not believed to pose a threat to humans, but in 2009, several men were attacked and killed. Therefore, you should be wary of such inhabitants. Because they cannot be called harmless.

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

The jungle is home to the Brazilian wandering spider, also known as the banana spider. It is believed to be incredibly poisonous. In addition, it is on the list of the largest spiders on the planet (13-15 centimeters). An interesting fact is that the insect does not always inject poison into its victim; this happens only in 30% of cases.

But the spotted poison dart frog 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 it can kill 10 people at once.

Five of the most dangerous creatures

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

Jaguars are largest representatives felines in the Western Hemisphere. Males weigh on average up to one hundred kilograms. The animals' diet includes up to 87 different creatures, from mice to deer. Of course, they attack people quite harshly. Basically, this situation can arise if the animal is forced to defend itself. But it is still worth understanding that wild predator- this is not a plush toy or a cute pussy.

They 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 later the situation improved as a result of the adoption of strict laws. Caimans prefer to hunt at night, and attack from ambush. Animals feed mostly on fish (and even piranhas), as well as aquatic vertebrates. Larger specimens attack jaguars, anacondas, wild cattle and even humans.

Meeting an anaconda in the jungle is not the most pleasant event. Its weight reaches one hundred kilograms, and its body length can reach up to six meters. Anaconda is the longest snake in the world. She spends most of her time in the water, but sometimes crawls onto land to bask in 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. Piranhas are characterized by a gregarious lifestyle. 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 on blood, they spread incredibly dangerous diseases that kill livestock and people. Their bite can cause yellow fever, malaria, and filariasis. For this reason, mosquitoes top the list the most dangerous inhabitants 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 the manatee. Unlike their counterparts, they have more modest sizes (2-3 meters) and weigh up to 500 kilograms; animals live in fresh waters Amazons.

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 per day.

Pink dolphin

Another adorable river resident is the Baby dolphin, which is born bluish-gray but gradually turns a stunning shade of pink. Adults weigh up to 250 kilograms and grow up to two meters. Dolphins feed mainly on fish, sometimes eating piranhas.

Instead of an afterword

In ancient times, the Indians called the Amazon “Parana Tago”, which means “queen of rivers”. It’s hard to disagree with them, because this unique river with its stunningly diverse flora and fauna, in some ways dangerous and in others mysterious, is worthy of such a title.

Amazon rain forests- a real jungle spread around the Amazon River. They are located on a wide and almost flat plain that stretches across the entire body of the Amazon River. The area of ​​this humid and virtually impassable forest is 5.5 million square km.


The forest stretches across several countries at once: Brazil, Colombia, Suriname, Peru, Bolivia, Guyana, Venezuela, French Guiana, Ecuador. The local forests are the most truly large forest on the planet. The largest reserves of wood are concentrated here, and the largest “factory” for the production of oxygen grows. Wet forests South America secured different types flora and fauna. The variety of animals and plants here is even greater than in the forests of Africa.

For example, every tenth described species of animal or plant is concentrated in the Amazon forests. Over all the years of research, over 3 thousand species of fish, 40 thousand species of plants and 1,300 species of birds were found in the forests. Almost 500 popular species of mammals, 400 species of amphibians, the same number of reptiles and just over 100 thousand species of various invertebrates live here.
The diversity of plants growing in the Amazon forests is even more amazing. According to professional analyses, for one square kilometer forests account for 150 thousand species higher plants, including 75 thousand species of trees. In addition, the local forests are teeming with animals that pose a threat to humans. TO large predators include: jaguar, caiman and anaconda. The rivers of the Amazon are rich in eels and candiru, and tailless amphibians from the poison dart frog family hang from tree branches. The skin of these animals secretes a powerful poison that leads to death in a matter of moments.