A Look At The Amazon Rainforest
Pretty much everyone has heard of the Amazon River. What a lot of people do not know too much about is the Amazon rainforest. It is located in South American and comprises 1.7 billion acres. 1.4 billion of those acres is rain forest area. Here is an in depth look at this amazing part of the earth.
The Amazon rainforest or Amazonia is also referred to as the Amazon Jungle. It includes land belonging to nine different countries. 60% of it is found in Brazil and 13% in Peru. Smaller percentages lie within the nations of Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Suriname, French Guiana and Guyana. Amazonia is the largest rain forest area in the world, making up more than half of the remaining rain forest on the planet deepest river in the world.
In addition to being the largest, the Amazon rainforest is also home to the most different species of plants and animals. There are mind blowing numbers of species living here. Last count identified at least 40,000 plant species, 3000 fish species, 428 species of amphibians and 378 of reptiles. Further there are 427 species of mammals and 1294 of birds. In fact, one out of every five birds on Earth lives in Amazonia. Perhaps the most staggering number is that of insect species: 2.5 million different species. The tapir and leafcutter ant are two species that reside here.
Amazonia is often thought of as having oversize animals and being a dangerous place. There are more than a few giant creatures here but most of the goings on are typical. Among the largest predators in the Amazon rainforest are the anaconda, jaguar, cougar and the black caiman. Other dangerous critters people should avoid are poison dart frogs, electric eels, piranha and even vampire bats that can spread rabies. Yellow fever and malaria are also associated with the region.
As for the river of the same name, it is the second largest river in the world with an average discharge that surpasses that of the next six rivers combined. The river width ranges from. 99 miles and its narrowest and 6.2 miles at the widest. The source is the Andes Mountains and the mouth is the Atlantic Ocean. Its length is approximately 4200 miles and runs through three countries: Brazil, Peru and Colombia. Like the Amazon rainforest, the River is home to large numbers of plant and animal species. 2100 fish species swim here, such as the bull shark, and new species are discovered every year. Along with fish are aquatic mammals such as the River Dolphin, Amazonian Manatee and the giant otter. Also supported are algae, crabs, turtles and other reptiles.
The Amazon rainforest is a vital piece of the puzzle that keeps the entire planet functioning. The forest is estimated to cool the temperature of the earth by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius and to help keep rainfall and humidity balanced in several regions of the globe. The forest holds about 10% of the carbon stores of the planet. When the carbon gets released in the form of carbon dioxide, climate change occurs.
Deforestation is usually caused by fire which is the most likely way this carbon will be released. Deforestation is a frightening thought in itself. While largely protected and left intact until the 1960s, the Amazon rainforest has been cleared dramatically in recent years. The main reason is farmers who are seeking fertile soil. Farmers have cleared spots of land because of weed infestation and soil infertility. The new section is very productive but only for short periods. So, after not too long, they move on and clear more area. In the year 2000, the forest had lost 227,000 square miles to deforestation. The patches of cleared forest are extensive and damaging. They can actually be seen from outer space with the naked eye.