Deep in the heart of the South America lays the Amazon Rainforest. This ancient woodland covers almost two million acres of land right across the continent and is shared by Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela and five other countries. Below, we are going to tell you more about this topic.
The Amazon Rainforest got its name from one the first Spanish explorers who encountered the locals of the area. The explorer found the local women joining the war parties in the jungle and named them Amazons, after the ancient Greek legends. There is currently some speculation that it was actually the grass skirts the men wore that led to the confusion. However some historical text shows that the females of certain tribes joined battles against other tribes.
Whatever the origin of its name, the Amazon Rainforest is better known for its very rich biodiversity, with one in ten of all species of the world found there. To put that into perspective, there are two thousand mammalian and avian species, with most of the species discovery taking place in or around the area.
It is also home to more than five thousand species of plants and trees. It is estimated that one square kilometre of the jungle can contain up to a thousand species off plants. There are so many creatures that make the Amazon Rainforest their home that close to forty percent of all living things can be found here.
The number of species there also means there are animals and even plants that are dangerous to humans. The famous piranha fishes can be found in the rivers and although are shy creatures, they are known to nibble at limbs and can be dangerous in schools. Electric eels can also be found in the waters and are more of a threat because of their ability to stun with shocks through the water. At the river's edge, alligators and black caimans wait. In the trees of the dense Amazon Rainforest, large predators like jaguars and cougars prowl. Even insects can be deadly as mosquitoes are known to transmit diseases like malaria and dengue.
This rich diversity is being threatened by deforestation brought about by the encroachment of human settlements. In the span of ten years, up to two hundred square miles of virgin Amazon Rainforest is destroyed, and most is not replanted. Most of the land was first used as cropland that was later developed for pasture once the land could not support crops anymore. With pressure from the international community, deforestation has slowed down, but it still continues at around eighteen thousand square miles a year.
The Amazon Rainforest covers so much land that it is estimated to contribute at least ten percent of carbon absorption worldwide, and releases some twenty percent of the planet's oxygen. Destroying such a resource would have a detrimental impact, especially with the current trend of global warming models.
This natural wonder of the world can only be truly appreciated up close. Many tour packages online can help you visit the Amazon Rainforest.
This natural wonder of the world can only be truly appreciated up close. Many tour packages online can help you visit the Amazon Rainforest.
