“I took a walk in the woods
and came out taller than the trees.”
Henry David Thoreau
Today is World Rainforest Day. Let’s celebrate the biodiversity our rainforests provide to enrich our lives.
The image featured in this post was captured on the Amazon River in 2014. During this tour, one of the stops we had was to go for a walk through the rainforest.
The Brazilian Amazon rainforest is often referred to as the World’s lungs. That comes from the fact that rainforest covers approximately 2.1 million square miles (or 5.5 million square kilometers). It covers roughly 65% of Brazil’s territory and is the largest tropical rainforest in the world. According to the World Wildlife Fund, that rainforest is home to “at least 40,000 plant species, 427 mammals (e.g. jaguar, anteater and giant otter), 1,300 birds (e.g., harpy eagle, toucan, and hoatzin), 378 reptiles (e.g., boa), more than 400 amphibians (e.g., dart poison frog), and around 3,000 freshwater fishes, including the piranha.” Many of those species are endemic to the Amazon rainforest.
That is the story behind the shots. If you liked this post, you might also be interested in others featuring Amazon, Amazon River, Brazil, and Landscapes. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.
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Terri Webster Schrandt
How fabulous to be able to visit the Earth’s lungs, Egidio. An auspicious day in which to celebrate!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for your kind words, Terri. Much appreciated.
shoreacres
I lived and worked upcountry in the Liberian bush for some years. It differed from the Amazon in many ways, but we were only 7°N of the equator and the average annual rainfall was significant. There were basically two seasons — rainy and dry — so the bulk of the rain fell from May-November. I found this interesting article on Amazonian seasons. They’re also divided between wet and dry, but the rainy season in the Amazon is almost exactly opposite that of Liberia:; in the Amazon, it’s December-May.
Egidio Leitao
Linda, that is fascinating that only a slight difference can make a big change in weather patterns. This article was great. That rainy season in the Amazon is mostly in the winter (Dec-Feb) in the southern hemisphere. It does rain a lot there. I remember that during our visit, it would normally rain every afternoon. Luckily, the river itself was not overflowing. Thanks for the feedback and great link again!
margaret21
Rainforests ceratinly need to be celebrated – and protected. How marvellous to have visited the Amazon!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Margaret. Visiting the Amazon rainforest was one of the best trips we made.