Wildlife of Brazil: Difference between revisions

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The wildlife of Brazil is all the natural flora and fauna in the South American country. Home to the Amazon Rainforest, Brazil is considered to have the greatest biodiversity of any country on the planet.

Overview

There is general consensus, that Brazil has the highest number of both terrestrial vertebrates and invertebrates of any country in the world.^[1] This high diversity of fauna can be explained by the sheer size of Brazil and also the great variation in ecosystems. The numbers published about Brazil's fauna diversity can vary from source to source, as taxonomists sometimes disagree about species classifications and information can be incomplete or out of date. Also new species continue to be discovered and some species go extinct in the wild. Brazil has the highest primate diversity of any country in the world with 77 species and fresh water fish with over 3000 species.^[1] It also claims the highest number of mammals with 524 species,^[1] the second highest number of amphibian with 517 species and butterflies with 3,150 species,^[1] the third highest number of bird with 1,622 species,^[1] and fifth number of reptile with 468 species.^[1] There is a high number of endangered species,^[2] many of them live in threatened habitats such as the Atlantic Forest.

Biodiversity

Being a species-rich ecosystem for fauna and flora, Brazil houses many thousands of species, with many (if not most) of them still undiscovered. Due to the relatively explosive economic and demographic rise of the country in the last century, Brazil's ability to protect its environmental habitats has increasingly come under threat. Extensive logging in the nation's forests, particularly the Amazon, both official and unofficial, destroys areas the size of a small country each year, and potentially a diverse variety of plants and animals.^[3] However, as various species possess special characteristics, or are built in an interesting way, some of their capabilities are being copied for use in technology (see bionics), and the profit potential may result in a retardation of deforestation.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Marco Lambertini (2000). "A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics". Retrieved 2007-06-19.
^ Ministério do Meio Ambiente. "Lista Nacional das Espécies da Fauna Brasileira Ameaçadas de Extinção" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2007-06-20.
^ USDA Forest Service website, Forest Service International Programs: Brazil, retrieved February 2007.

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[Naturalist_guide-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Marco Lambertini (2000). "A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics". Retrieved 2007-06-19.

[2] Ministério do Meio Ambiente. "Lista Nacional das Espécies da Fauna Brasileira Ameaçadas de Extinção" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2007-06-20.

[3] USDA Forest Service website, Forest Service International Programs: Brazil, retrieved February 2007.

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[2]

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Image:Ramphastos toco.jpg|right|thumb|210px|The [[Toco Toucan]] is a typical animal of the Brazilian [[rain forest]]s.]]
-'''[[Brazil]]'s environment''' is considered majority of [[biodiversity]] on the planet [[Earth]], approximately two thirds of all [[species]], are found in [[tropical]] areas, which is often where [[developing country|developing contries]] are.
+The '''wildlife of Brazil''' is all the natural [[flora]] and [[fauna]] in the [[South America]]n country. Home to the [[Amazon Rainforest]], [[Brazil]] is considered to have the greatest [[biodiversity]] of any country on the planet.
 ==Overview==
-[[Image:Hyacinth Macaw - Nashville Zoo.jpg|right|thumb|210px|[[Hyacinth Macaw]].]]
-There is general consensus, that Brazil has the highest number of both terrestrial [[vertebrate]]s and [[invertebrate]]s of any country in the world.<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> This high diversity of [[fauna]] can be explained by the sheer size of Brazil and also the great variation in [[ecosystem]]s. The numbers published about Brazil's fauna diversity can vary from source to source, as taxonomists sometimes disagree about species classifications and information can be incomplete or out of date. Also new species continue to be discovered and, sadly, some species go extinct in the wild. Brazil has the highest primate diversity of any country in the world with 77 species and fresh water fish (over 3000 species),<ref name="Naturalist guide">{{cite web
+There is general consensus, that Brazil has the highest number of both terrestrial [[vertebrate]]s and [[invertebrate]]s of any country in the world.<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> This high diversity of [[fauna]] can be explained by the sheer size of Brazil and also the great variation in [[ecosystem]]s. The numbers published about Brazil's fauna diversity can vary from source to source, as taxonomists sometimes disagree about species classifications and information can be incomplete or out of date. Also new species continue to be discovered and some species go extinct in the wild. Brazil has the highest primate diversity of any country in the world with 77 species and fresh water fish with over 3000 species.<ref name="Naturalist guide">{{cite web
 |title=A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics
 |url=http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/468283.html
@@ Line 11: / Line 10: @@
 |date=2000
 |accessdate=2007-06-19
-}}</ref> it also claims the highest number of [[mammal]]s with 524 species,<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> the second highest number of [[amphibian]] with 517 species and [[butterfly|butterflies]] with 3,150 species,<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> the third highest number of [[bird]] with 1,622 species,<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> and fifth number of [[reptile]] with 468 species.<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> There is a high number of [[endangered species]],<ref>{{cite web
+}}</ref> It also claims the highest number of [[mammal]]s with 524 species,<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> the second highest number of [[amphibian]] with 517 species and [[butterfly|butterflies]] with 3,150 species,<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> the third highest number of [[bird]] with 1,622 species,<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> and fifth number of [[reptile]] with 468 species.<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> There is a high number of [[endangered species]],<ref>{{cite web
 |title=Lista Nacional das Espécies da Fauna Brasileira Ameaçadas de Extinção
 |url=http://www.mma.gov.br/port/sbf/fauna/capa/index.html
@@ Line 21: / Line 20: @@
 ==Biodiversity==
-Brazil's immense area is subdivided into different [[ecosystem]]s in several kinds of [[biome]]s such as [[Amazon Rainforest]]; [[Atlantic Forest]], which included [[Atlantic Coast restingas]]; [[Caatinga]]; [[Cerrado]]; and [[Pantanal]]. Being a species-rich ecosystem for [[fauna]] and [[flora]], it houses many thousands of species, with many (if not most) of them still undiscovered. Due to the relatively explosive economic and demographic rise of the country in the last century, Brazil's ability to protect its [[Habitat (ecology)|environmental habitats]] has increasingly come under threat. Extensive [[logging]] in the nation's forests, particularly the Amazon, both official and unofficial, destroys areas the size of a small country each year, and potentially a diverse variety of plants and animals.<ref>[[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] Forest Service website, [http://www.fs.fed.us/global/globe/l_amer/brazil.htm Forest Service International Programs: Brazil], retrieved February 2007.</ref>
+Being a species-rich [[ecosystem]] for [[fauna]] and [[flora]], Brazil houses many thousands of species, with many (if not most) of them still undiscovered. Due to the relatively explosive economic and demographic rise of the country in the last century, Brazil's ability to protect its [[Habitat (ecology)|environmental habitats]] has increasingly come under threat. Extensive [[logging]] in the nation's forests, particularly the Amazon, both official and unofficial, destroys areas the size of a small country each year, and potentially a diverse variety of plants and animals.<ref>[[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] Forest Service website, [http://www.fs.fed.us/global/globe/l_amer/brazil.htm Forest Service International Programs: Brazil], retrieved February 2007.</ref> However, as various species possess special characteristics, or are built in an interesting way, some of their capabilities are being copied for use in technology (see [[bionics]]), and the profit potential may result in a retardation of deforestation.
-As several of these specimens possess special characteristics, or are built in an interesting way, some of their capabilities may be copied for use in technology (see [[bionics]]). The revenues derived from such plans may still hold the key to preserve the country's animal and plant species.
-==Deforestation==
-[[Image:Tibouchina1a.jpg|left|thumb|210px|[[Tibouchina semidecandra|Princess flower]]]]
-Brazil's environment is under threat because of the (quick) [[economic]] and [[demographic]] rise. Extensive [[logging]], official and unofficial, destroys [[forest]]s the size of a small country per year, and with it a diverse series of species.<ref>{{cite web
-|title=Brazil
-|url=http://www.fs.fed.us/global/globe/l_amer/brazil.htm
-|author=[[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] Forest Service
-|accessdate=2007-08-09
-}}</ref> Between 2002 and 2006, an area of the Amazon Rainforest the size of [[South Carolina]] was completely devistated, for the purposes of [[raising cattle]] and woodlogging. By 2020, it is estimated that at least 50% of the species resident in Brazil will become extinct.<ref>{{cite web
-|title=National Academic Press website
-|url=http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=989&page=19
-|date=1998
-|accessdate=2007-06-12
-}}</ref>
-In 2005, [[Dorothy Stang]], a 73 year old American [[nun]], was murdered in a dispute with a local rancher. Stang wanted to preserve a swath of the rainforest, where the rancher wanted to raise cattle.<ref>Wallace, Scott. ''National Geographic Magazine''. January 2007.</ref> In addition, the Brazilian [[environmental activist|environmental activists]] [[Chico Mendes]] and [[Wilson Pinheiro]] were also murdered in disputes with other local ranchers in 1988 and 1980, respectively.
 ==See also==
-* [[Ethanol fuel in Brazil]]
+* [[List of Brazilian mammals]]
-* [[Protected areas of Brazil|Protected areas]]
+* [[List of Brazilian birds]]
-* [[List of Brazilian mammals|Mammals]]
+* [[List of Brazilian reptiles]]
-* [[List of Brazilian birds|Birds]]
+* [[List of plants of Amazon Rainforest vegetation of Brazil]]
-* [[List of Brazilian reptiles|Reptiles]]
+* [[List of plants of Atlantic Forest vegetation of Brazil]]
-* [[List of plants of Amazon Rainforest vegetation of Brazil|Amazon Rainforest vegetation]]
+* [[List of plants of Caatinga vegetation of Brazil]]
-* [[List of plants of Atlantic Forest vegetation of Brazil|Atlantic Forest vegetation]]
+* [[List of plants of Cerrado vegetation of Brazil]]
-* [[List of plants of Caatinga vegetation of Brazil|Caatinga vegetation]]
+* [[List of plants of Pantanal vegetation of Brazil]]
-* [[List of plants of Cerrado vegetation of Brazil|Cerrado vegetation]]
+* [[Official list of endangered flora of Brazil]]
-* [[List of plants of Pantanal vegetation of Brazil|Pantanal vegetation]]
-* [[Official list of endangered flora of Brazil|Endangered flora]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 59: / Line 38: @@
 [[Category:Environment of Brazil]]
-{{Brazil-geo-stub}}
+{{Brazil-stub}}
 {{Brazil-related topics}}