Plants and animals of the Amazon. Amazon Forests, Interesting Facts Hiking through the Amazon Rainforest

Whose lives have been the subject of countless films for Discovery and the BBC, you will be immersed in a rich natural world our planet, which has no equal in its parameters:

The Amazon River Basin is the largest tropical rain forest in the world, covering an area of over 6 million km2.
Humans settled in the Amazon Jungle at least 11,200 years ago. The Amazon Rainforest itself has existed for over 55 million years.
The Amazon rainforest accounts for more than half of the total area of remaining rainforest on the entire planet.
20% of Earth's oxygen is produced tropical forest The Amazon, which is why it is often called the “lungs of the planet.”
Amazon is the most deep river peace. She brings in Atlantic Ocean up to ⅕ of the flow of all rivers in the world. The Amazon River and its tributaries collect water from the territories of 9 countries: Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, French Guyana.
The Amazon's biological diversity is the highest on Earth: over 150 thousand plant species, 75 thousand tree species, 1,300 bird species, 3,000 fish species, 430 mammals, 370 reptiles and more than 2.5 million different insects.
The Amazon Jungle is home to a number of deadly dangerous inhabitants Lands: jaguars, electric eels, piranhas, poisonous snakes and spiders, etc.
About 80% of the food we eat comes from tropical forests - rice, potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, coffee, chocolate, corn, pineapples and many others.
About 400-500 indigenous Indian tribes today live in the Amazon rainforest. It is believed that about 75 of these tribes have never had contact with the outside world.
The city of Iquitos (Peru) is the largest city in the world that does not have land connections with other cities. It is located deep in the jungle and has over 400,000 inhabitants.

Wildlife. Flora and fauna of the Amazon jungle

The Amazon forests are rich in a variety of trees and plants, many species of jungle flora and fauna are endemic - found only here throughout the world. At the same time, 10% of all currently known plant and animal species on the planet are found in the Amazon jungle.

Jaguars, pumas, monkeys, sloths, caimans, anacondas, copybaras, turtles, river dolphins, parrots, toucans, hummingbirds and many, many other jungle inhabitants are part of world heritage humanity. In terms of the number of species of animals and plants, the Amazon jungle far exceeds tropical forests Africa and Asia.

The jungle is a real treasure trove useful plants- the fruits of some are used as food, parts of others serve as the basis for modern medicines.

Ferns, orchids, mosses, cacti, epiphytes - every plant has adapted to draw everything useful from the humid air of the jungle. Frequent rains And high humidity led to the fact that some of the jungle inhabitants moved to the trees. In such conditions, frogs lay their eggs high in the trees.

The Amazon River is one of the 7 natural wonders of the planet

In 2011, Amazon was recognized as one of the seven natural wonders planets.

This is the deepest river in the world. The Amazon and its tributaries form a system of inland waterways with a total length of over 25 thousand kilometers. At the point where it flows into the ocean, the depth of the river reaches 100 meters.

During the dry season, the Amazon reaches a width of 11 kilometers, covering 110 thousand sq. km with water, and during the rainy season it increases three times, during this period the river waters rise to 20 meters, covering an area of 350 thousand sq. km and spilling over 40 km and more.

The Amazon and its tributaries are home to about 3,000 species of fish, but the most famous inhabitants of these rivers remain piranhas - predatory fish, which can even attack large predators crossing the river.

Wild tribes of the Amazon

Of the more than 10 million Indians who lived in harmony with the jungle, at the moment Only about 200,000 survived.

According to various sources, today 400-500 tribes live in the Amazon rainforest. Of these, about 75 tribes have no contact with the outside world.

These people serve as a living reminder of the fragility of ancient cultures. The Indians have repeatedly stood in the way of commercial exploitation of the Amazon. In the past, oil production has led to aggressive and disastrous contact with isolated Indians - in the early 1980s, Shell research led to contact with the isolated Nahua tribe, which subsequently killed about 50% of the tribe within a few years. Wild tribes are powerless before modern society- Indians have no immune defense against epidemics of modern diseases.

Almost all isolated Indians are nomads - they move through the forest in small groups depending on the season. During the rainy season, when the water level is high, the tribes who do not use canoes live far from the river, deep in the forest. During the dry season, when water levels are low, they live on the banks of rivers.

During the dry season river turtles They lay eggs on river banks, burying them in the sand. Eggs are important source squirrel for the Indians, so this also serves as a reason for moving to the banks of rivers, along with fishing.

In addition to turtle eggs, uncontacted Indians eat variety of dishes from meat and fish, bananas, nuts, berries, roots and larvae.

Holidays in the jungle of Peru. Amazon National Parks

Much of the Amazon River basin still remains unexplored and dangerous for humans; access to the wild rainforest is possible only in protected areas approved by the government, and only with accredited guides.

In Peru there are 3 interesting protected areas for visiting the Amazon Jungle:

Nature reserves in the Iquitos area
National Park Manu
Nature reserves in the Puerto Maldonado area

1. Iquitos

This largest city on Earth, which has no land connections with other cities. You can only get to Iquitos by water or air.

The city began to grow in the 19th century due to the beginning of the “rubber fever”. Here they began producing rubber from natural raw materials - wood growing in the Amazonian jungle. The tycoons who owned rubber factories built luxurious mansions that still give the city its unique style.

From Iquitos you can make a lot of interesting forays into the jungle, immerse yourself in the world of the jungle, and get to know the local tribes and their culture.

How to get there: There are 8-9 flights daily from Lima to Iquitos. You can view tickets on the websites of local airlines: LAN Perú, Peruvian Airlines and Star Perú. The flight takes 1 hour 45 minutes.

2. Manu National Park. Misty Andean forests

Manu National Park is one of the largest nature reserves in the world: it covers almost 2,000,000 hectares and is located at an altitude of 300 to 4,000 meters above sea level. Due to this location and vast area, the park contains several different ecosystems, providing a great diversity of plant, insect and animal species. Manu - the reserve with the largest number biological species in the world!

Most of the park is closed to visitors; only scientists are allowed there, but even they have a hard time getting a pass. Visitors can enter the Manu Conservation Area, but only in groups organized by accredited agencies. A limited number of visitors are allowed into the park each day. In this part of the park you can observe a huge variety of landscapes, animals and flora, the bends of the rivers form lagoons with a magnificent diversity of flora and fauna.

How to get there: Groups, accompanied by accredited guides, travel to the Manu Nature Reserve from Cusco. You can get to Cusco from Lima by plane (1 hour) or by bus (24 hours).

3. Puerto Maldonado

This small city 55 kilometers from the border with Bolivia is very similar to Iquitos, but it is much easier to get to. There are several in the area around Puerto Maldonado national parks, where you can see caimans, monkeys, capybaras and other animals, reptiles, insects and birds.

How to get there: There are direct flights to Puerto Maldonado from Cusco (the flight takes only 1 hour) and from Lima (1 hour 40 minutes).

Amazon Jungle Tours

The Amazon Jungle Tour is an amazing adventure in which you can feel the primal forces of nature and hear the call of the wild Earth.

Houses on stilts, mosquito nets over the beds, night walks with flashlights, boat trips on a raging river, bungee rides and much more will become unforgettable moments of your bright adventure.

Even at night, you will feel with all your senses that you are at the mercy of the wild jungle.

What is included in the tours:

Transfer
Accommodation in houses
Professional English speaking guide
Meals: all breakfasts, lunches and dinners
Drinks and water to refill your own bottles
Excursions, active recreation programs

Not included in tours:

Travel insurance
Single occupancy (on request)

Comfort and safety in the jungle. Important information

Do not forget that the jungle is not an artificial park adapted for people. The Amazon forests hide many dangers that are invisible to our eyes - they can hide in the trees under the soft moss sharp spines, and the cute ants on your way may turn out to be poisonous.

With the best jungle guides you can be sure of your safety, but you must be vigilant and strictly adhere to the rules that will be communicated to you upon arrival.

If you are planning a trip to the rainforest (Manu National Park), we recommend getting vaccinated against yellow fever. We also recommend taking the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites: use repellent and wear long sleeves and pants when possible.

When to go. Seasonality, climate, temperature

You can go to the Amazon Jungle in any season, each of them has its own advantages: during the rainy season you can see flowering plants, attracting birds and primates that descend to the water itself; in the dry season, when the water level drops, you can see migrating schools of fish, birds attracted by easy prey, caimans hunting fish.

The average temperature in the jungle throughout the year is +30º

Rainy season: mid-December - mid-May.

Dry season: mid-May - mid-December.

Most high level water in the river is in May, the lowest is in September.

What to take with you? Clothing, shoes, protective equipment

Clothing: We recommend bringing light, quick-drying, preferably cotton clothing, including several T-shirts with short sleeve, a long-sleeve sweater/jacket, several pairs of socks, a raincoat, a swimsuit.
Sun protection hat
Comfortable waterproof shoes
Flashlight and spare batteries
Camera and spare battery
Binoculars
Repellent (we recommend OFF factor 35)
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Water bottle

In the jungle you will be given rubber boots.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to get into the jungle territory on your own?

Some tourists dare to go into the jungle unaccompanied, but this does not always end well. You can find a guide who will agree to work individually and live with tourists for several days in a wild forest away from organized accommodation (hotels and lodges).

What is the maximum group size?

Usually there are no more than 8 people in a group. In case the group is large - 10-16 people, it is accompanied by one or two additional guides.

Are there any age restrictions for staying in the jungle?

There are no age restrictions. The lodges welcome guests of all ages.

What if you didn’t have time to get vaccinated?

The vaccination can be done in Lima, but you will need to wait 10 days for the vaccine to take effect before heading into the jungle.

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 live here popular types mammals, 400 species of amphibians, the same number of reptiles and a little more than 100 thousand species of various invertebrates.
The diversity of plants growing in the Amazon forests is even more amazing. According to professional analyses, there are 150 thousand species of higher plants per square kilometer of forest, 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.

Amazon River Basin, also known as rain forests The Amazon, or Amazon, covers more than 7 million square kilometers and spans the borders of nine countries: Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. By some estimates, this region (which covers almost 40% of the South American continent) is home to a tenth of the world's animals. In this article, you will discover the most important animals that live in the Amazon, from monkeys to dart frogs.

Piranha

There are many myths about piranhas including that they can eat a cow carcass in less than 5 minutes or that they like to attack people. However, there is no doubt that the piranha is designed to kill, because it has sharp teeth and extremely powerful jaws. Considering how afraid many are common piranha, they would hardly want to know about the giant ancestor of the piranha - megapiranha, which was 4 times larger than its contemporary.

Capybara

The capybara is the world's largest rodent, growing up to 70 kg. It is widespread throughout South America, but is especially fond of the warm, humid surroundings of the Amazon River basin. This mammal prefers the abundant vegetation of tropical forests, including fruits, tree bark, and aquatic plants, and gathers in social groups of up to 100 individuals.

Jaguar

The third largest representative after lions and tigers. Over the past century, jaguars have faced threats such as deforestation and human encroachment, limiting their range throughout South America. However, jaguars are much more difficult to hunt in the dense forests of the Amazon basin than in open area, and impenetrable areas of tropical forests may become last hope for these cats. Jaguar is a superpredator, being on top food chain, he is not threatened by other animals.

Giant otter

Giant otters are largest representatives of the weasel family, and are closely related to weasels. Males of this species can reach a length of up to 2 m and a weight of up to 35 kg. Both sexes have thick and shiny fur, which is very valuable for poachers. It is estimated that there are only about 5,000 giant otters left in the entire Amazon.

Unusually for mustelids (but fortunately for poachers), giant otters live in large social groups, consisting of about 20 individuals.

Giant anteater

He has a comically long snout - thanks to which he is able to sneak into narrow insect holes, as well as a long bushy tail. Some individuals can reach a weight of 45 kg. Like many, giant anteater is under serious threat, but the swampy, impassable Amazon River basin provides some level of protection from human encroachment for the remaining individuals (not to mention an inexhaustible supply of tasty ants).

Golden lion marmoset

The golden lion tamarin is a small monkey, also known as the golden lion tamarin or rosalia. This species of primate has suffered terribly from human encroachment: by some estimates, the ape lost a whopping 95% of its South American habitat when European settlers arrived 600 years ago. The golden marmoset weighs no more than one kilogram and has an amazing appearance: thick, silky, bright red fur, as well as a dark face and large brown eyes.

The distinctive color of this primate probably depends on a combination of intense sunlight and the abundance of carotenoids contained in its diet.

Black caiman

It is the largest and most dangerous reptile in the Amazon. It is a member of the alligator family and can reach a body length of about 6 m and a weight of up to 500 kg. Black caimans eat almost anything that moves, from mammals to birds and their fellow reptiles. In the 1970s, the black caiman was in serious danger of extinction due to hunting for its meat and valuable skin, but its population has since recovered, which may not be a source of joy for other animals in the Amazon rainforest.

Tree frogs

Dart frogs are a family from the class of amphibians, with 179 species. The brighter the color of poison dart frogs, the stronger their poison - which is why Amazon predators stay away from bright green or orange species. These frogs do not produce their own poison, but accumulate it from ants, mites and other insects in their diet (this is evidenced by the fact that dart frogs that were kept in captivity and fed on other foods are much less poisonous).

Rainbow toucan

The rainbow toucan is one of the most comical animal species in the Amazon. It is characterized by a huge, multi-colored beak, which is actually much lighter than it appears at first glance (the rest of the body is not so bright, with the exception of the yellow neck). Unlike many of the animals on this list, the rainbow toucan population is of least concern. This bird jumps from branch to branch and lives in small groups of 6 to 12 individuals. During the mating season, males challenge each other to a duel and use their beaks as weapons.

Three-toed sloth

Millions of years ago, during the Pleistocene era, the tropical forests of South America were home to giant, 4-ton sloths - Megatherium. How things have changed: Today, one of the most common sloths in the Amazon is three-toed sloth(Bradypus tridactylus). It has a greenish-brown coat color (due to green algae), limbs with three sharp and long claws, and is also capable of swimming. This animal is terribly leisurely - its average speed about 16o meters/hour.

The three-toed sloth coexists with two species of the two-toed sloth genus (Choloepus): Goffman's sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) and the two-toed sloth or unau (Choloepus didactylus), and they sometimes choose the same trees.

In August, the whole world watched the fires in Siberia. “Russia is on fire,” they wrote foreign media. A month later, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru were on fire. Catastrophic fires have ravaged the Amazon rainforest. “Rain forests” are burning, how can this even happen?

Burning Amazon forests, Brazil

Climate change

This led to the fact that fires began to occur more often, capturing new territories and increasingly destroying old ones. At the same time, fires themselves also cause climate change, resulting in a vicious circle: the more it burns, the worse it gets. That is, the Siberian fires were not in vain for the entire planet: they aggravated global warming. The peak fire season in the Amazon is September and October, so the situation will get even worse.

Arson

But the main cause of fire is almost always a person. In Russia, this most often happens due to unextinguished fires, abandoned cigarettes and the mossy tradition of burning grass, although this is already punishable by law. In the Amazon forests, the responsibility lies with the companies that clear the forests in such barbaric ways to grow soybeans, tobacco, coffee, and for grazing livestock.

In 2018, 790 thousand hectares of forest were cut down in the Brazilian Amazon alone. In 2019, to preliminary estimates, will disappear even more. Forests are being destroyed because the global demand for cheap food is growing, and it is easiest to grow it in the tropics on the site of cut down rain forests. Products grown on the lands of destroyed forests are scattered all over the world, and Russians also actively eat them. What do you think we buy the most?

Did you smell the cappuccino and the aroma of crispy bread? Of course, we buy coffee, especially since it is really difficult to grow it in Russia, but we buy about several times more... meat.

More than 30% of all pork exported from Brazil and approximately 10% of beef are brought to us. Every year Russia spends up to 60 billion rubles on the purchase of Brazilian meat. Russia also actively imports soybeans.

Saving the Amazon forests is not only the responsibility of Brazil, Colombia and Peru, who are now trying to stop the fires, but also of other countries, companies and consumers: where the products come from, how they are produced and in what quantities are consumed.

Amazon forests are being burned for agriculture

It seems that Brazil is far away, but there are no other people's fires. We are losing our Amazon, where 10% of all species of animals and plants inhabiting our planet live. It has the greatest diversity of plants on Earth, including 16 thousand species of trees. And also, the more forests there burn now, the higher the likelihood that our Siberian forests will burn more intensely in the future due to climate change.

The largest forest on the planet, the Amazon jungle, is where more than 50% of the Earth's oxygen is produced. Yes, this is where you can enjoy the purest oxygen, see all the uniqueness and luxury of pristine exotic nature, visit places where no one has gone before, and plunge into breathtaking real adventures. Amazonian jungle– this is one of the main goals of admirers of everything interesting, risky and unknown.

The natural treasures of the Amazon are a paradise for modern adventurers

Even despite the not very favorable conditions for travelers, adventure and extreme tours in the Amazon are very popular among tourists all over the world. The Amazon jungle is 7,000,000 square meters. km of virtually unexplored territories with impenetrable tropical forests.

The main base of the Amazon jungle is an extensive river system that covers more than half of the territory of Brazil and the countries bordering it.

The main attractions of the Amazon jungle are thousands rare plants, species of animals, birds and fish. These are unique mountain ranges and mysterious abandoned caves in the jungle. As a rule, tours to the Amazon jungle begin from the port city of Manaus, where the main hotels in the Amazon are located.

Also, a journey into the world of the most luxurious jungle can begin from the starting point of Belem, which is located on the northern coast of Brazil, at the mouth of the Para River. This is where you can relax at the main resorts Amazonian jungle, which are very popular among ecotourism lovers.

Manaus(the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas) is a paradise for pseudo-extreme sports. Around the city there are a lot of quite comfortable hotels built right in the jungle, where tourists, not in a particularly great mood for real extreme sports, can enjoy walks through the jungle, get acquainted with the unique flora and fauna, go canoeing, take exciting cruises along the Amazon, during which, around the bend of the river, can be seen drinking water predators, and also plunge into the mysteries of rituals local population– caboclos. Such extreme tours to South America - This is a great imitation of an extreme journey.

The real extreme and exotic of the mysterious Amazon

Genuine extreme sports in the Amazon are adventures for especially hardy and adrenaline-hungry people in remote areas of the Amazon. There can be many options for such travel, and any of them will remain a vivid and unforgettable experience for a lifetime.

Real extreme sports go from Manaus to the upper reaches of the Amazon, then by boat and kayaks they go to the area of the Queiros River, where the most picturesque mountain is located, which the Indians call “The Wall Behind Which There Is Nothing.” Climbing this mountain is not so easy: you need to use a machete to cut a path to the very top, from where you can simply see incredible view to the Guiana Highlands. And from this place, extreme tourists, led by an instructor-guide, are left alone with a beautiful, but still wildlife, with unexplored places of the Amazonian jungle.

It should be noted that it is almost impossible to see predatory animals in the jungle; they go far from people and do not attack. But monkeys and a wide variety of unique birds can be found here at every step.

Traveling the Amazon– this is always an opportunity to excite the adrenaline by hunting caimans, or take part in piranha fishing. For lovers of sparkling rafting - rafting along the numerous tributaries of the mighty Amazon. Going to Amazon cruises you can meet the indigenous people - the Indians, see their homes, learn their traditions and way of life.

The Amazon jungle, which is rightly called the “Lungs of the Planet,” is a bright and unexplored magnet for true extreme sports enthusiasts.