Animals of the Amazon

No other place on Earth showcases the diversity of life like the Amazon. It is home to one in ten of all the known animals on earth and contains the largest river basin on the planet.

The Amazon is a vast region that spans across eight rapidly developing countries in South America: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.

It is home to at least 10% of the world’s known biodiversity, including endemic and endangered flora and fauna. The Amazon River flows for more than 6,600 km

Biodiversity

There is a clear link between the health of the Amazon and the health of  the planet. The rainforests, which contain 90-140 billion metric tons of carbon, help stabilize local and global climate.

Why is it important?

9% (2.7 million) of the Amazon’s population is still made up of  indigenous people – 350 different ethnic groups, more than 60 of which  still remain largely isolated.

Culture of the Amazon

The very wet hydrological cycle that kept the rainforest  thriving for millennia is under threat, with the biome enduring greater stress & instability due to worsening deforestation and escalating climate change.

Climate change

They sleep for 15-20 hours a day and are great swimmers thanks to their long arms.

Three-toed sloths

Giant river otters are also known as river wolves. Like wolves,they live in large, complex social groups of  extended family members of up to 20 individuals. 

Giant river otters

These tree-dwelling monkeys are mostly shy creatures and they are very  quiet but they do sometimes squeak and will shriek loudly if they are in  danger.

Squirrel Monkeys

There is still so much to find out about this stunning region and its variety of animals.

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