Tag Archives: amazon rain forest

The Amazonian Water Lily

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Brazil is a lush tropical and sub-tropical country that features extraordinary biodiversity, including a range of stunning and rare blooms. If you’re curious about Brazilian biodiversity, you’ll enjoy learning more about one of Brazil’s most dazzling and inspiring blossoms, the Amazonian Water Lily…

About The Amazonian Water Lily

This lovely flower grows in central Brazil, and it is known for its alluring fragrance, which is redolent of fresh pineapple. This rare example of Brazilian biodiversity features large, pale petals of pure, milky-white, and it may only be found in ponds situated in the Amazon rain forest. However, as of late, the depletion of the rain forest (due to over-forestation and the over-harvesting of other natural resources) has made it more difficult to stumble upon this rare beauty in its natural habitat.

At present, two thousand rare flowers in the rain forest are on extinction lists. The Amazonian Water Lily remains present in the rain forest…but for how long?

A New Brazilian Law May Threaten The Amazonian Water Lily

Many environmental action groups and political lobby groups are working hard to reverse the ravages of centuries of over-harvesting and farming within the Amazonian Rain Forest, by pushing for stricter laws that mandate re-forestation of farmed areas, as well as the complete protection of important regions of the forest, which are the habitats of endangered birds, animals, reptiles, marine life, and stunning, rare flowers.

However, a recent Forest Law that is about to be voted upon in the Brazilian Senate may reverse previous efforts to make farmers and developers wholly responsible for damage done to the rain forest.

The Forest Law eases the responsibilities of farmers and developers, by decreasing the amount of re-planting that they will need to do after harvesting timber and other resources from the rain forest. While the impact of this proposed law is still uncertain, watchdog organizations feel that the new law will only worsen the prospects of survival for many species of plant and animal life in Brazil.

More Examples Of Plant Life Within The Amazon Rain Forest

The Amazon rain forest is the epicenter of Brazilian biodiversity, and it offers many examples of rare plant life, such as the Ecuadorean Rain Forest Flower. This plant produces a compact yellow-and-violet blossom, and it is found in the Ecuadorean section of the Amazon rain forest.

In addition, this area of Brazil features thousands of common plants and fruits, such as Bromeliads (pineapples are the best-known Bromeliads), which hang from trees and sometimes fall to the forest floor due to their heavy weight. These juicy fruits offer sustenance to a variety of Amazon rain forest creatures, as well as humans who harvest bromeliads for their own use, or for commercial purposes.

As you can see, the Brazilian biodiversity of the Amazon Rain Forest is something to celebrate. However, in order to keep the Amazonian Water Lily (and other examples of Brazilian blossoms, flowers and fruit) surviving and thriving, humans must work to minimize their impact on this over-harvested Brazilian region.

Reptiles Of The Amazon Rain Forest

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Brazilian biodiversity is virtually unparalleled, and Brazil’s lush Amazon Rain Forest features a wide assortment of reptiles, such as snakes, turtles, and crocodiles. These cold-blooded creatures may be found within a range of habitats, such as rivers, creeks, and streams. Of course, they may also reside in trees or upon the forest floor.

Some Amazon Rain Forest Reptiles Are Endangered Species

These days, many threats to Brazilian biodiversity are also present in the rain forest, which has been affected by decades of human activity, including farming and forestry. Today, the government takes pains to protect certain areas where endangered reptiles reside, and they also make sure that farmers and developers re-forest harvested areas to allow reptiles (and other species) access to the eco-system that they need to survive.

If you’re curious about the slithering reptiles of the Amazon rain forest and how they may be kept off of the endangered species list, you’ll appreciate this quick guide to some fascinating examples of Brazilian biodiversity.

The Green Anaconda

This mammoth reptile grows to a staggering length of 20 feet, and it is found in the Amazon basin, where it moves through the rivers and surrounding areas. This natural predator will attack its prey in the river by crushing it within its powerful coils and then swallowing it (often in one large bite). This snake’s thick and heavy body is one of its key weapons; however, it also features a fearsome set of teeth that point backwards. Rivaled only by other giant snakes of the Amazon rain forest, such as the Yellow Anaconda, this snake reigns as a powerful predator that inspires plenty of fear in its prey.

The Giant Amazon River Turtle

This river turtle is very large; in fact, it ranks as the biggest fresh-water turtle in the continent. These turtles may grow to an incredible weight of up to a couple of hundred pounds, with shells that measure 40 inches in length. While male turtles are more petite than female Giant Amazon River Turtles, they are also very big reptiles. Turtles of this type nosh on fruits and seeds, and they may occasionally feast on bugs in order to get their daily allotment of protein. Giant Amazon River Turtles swim wonderfully, despite their heavy weight, and they tend to come on shore only when it’s time to breed.

The Dwarf Caiman Crocodile

This petite crocodile only grows to a length of about sixty inches. Males are slightly longer than females. This species is recognised by its distinctive head, which features a dome-like shape and a prominent snout. Also found in Guyana and Venezuela, the Dwarf Caiman crocodile eats crustaceans during its youth, and then moves on to fish in its adult years.

These Amazon rain forest reptiles are fine examples of Brazilian biodiversity, and they play their roles in the food chain of this Brazilian forest region. By protecting reptiles in the area from extinction by supporting the protection of key rain forest areas, activists ensure the survival of these creatures, as well as a wealth of other animals, birds, insects, plants, and marine life.