Wildlife of Brazil: Difference between revisions
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The main wild [[felidae|felines]] found in Brazil are the [[jaguar]], the [[puma]], the [[margay]], the [[oncilla]], and the [[jaguarundi]]. Other notable animals include the [[giant anteater]], several varieties of [[sloth]]s and [[armadillo]]s, [[coati]], [[Giant Otter|giant river otter]], [[Maned Wolf]], [[tapir]], [[peccary|peccaries]], [[marsh deer]], [[Pampas deer]], and [[capybara]] (the world's largest existing rodent).<ref name="DannyP_2007_shoestring"/> There are around 75 primate species, including the [[howler monkey]], the [[capuchin monkey]], the [[squirrel monkey]], the [[marmoset]], and the [[tamarin]].<ref name="DannyP_2007_shoestring"/> |
The main wild [[felidae|felines]] found in Brazil are the [[jaguar]], the [[puma]], the [[margay]], the [[oncilla]], and the [[jaguarundi]]. Other notable animals include the [[giant anteater]], several varieties of [[sloth]]s and [[armadillo]]s, [[coati]], [[Giant Otter|giant river otter]], [[Maned Wolf]], [[tapir]], [[peccary|peccaries]], [[marsh deer]], [[Pampas deer]], and [[capybara]] (the world's largest existing rodent).<ref name="DannyP_2007_shoestring"/> There are around 75 primate species, including the [[howler monkey]], the [[capuchin monkey]], the [[squirrel monkey]], the [[marmoset]], and the [[tamarin]].<ref name="DannyP_2007_shoestring"/> |
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Brazil is home to the [[anaconda]], frequently described, controversially, as the largest snake on the planet. This water boa has been measured up to 30 feet long, but historical reports note that native peoples and early European explorers claim anacondas from 50 to 100 feet long.<ref>http://www.extremescience.com/BiggestSnake.htm</ref><ref>http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2006/show_species_details.php?record_id=1253882</ref> |
Brazil is home to the [[anaconda]], frequently described, controversially, as the largest snake on the planet. This water boa has been measured up to 30 feet long, but historical reports note that native peoples and early European explorers claim anacondas from 50 to 100 feet long.<ref>[http://www.extremescience.com/BiggestSnake.htm Which is the Biggest Snake?]</ref><ref>[http://www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2006/show_species_details.php?record_id=1253882 Catalogue of Life : 2006 Annual Checklist : Eunectes murinus LINNAEUS 1758]</ref> |
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{{seealso|List of mammals in Brazil|List of reptiles in Brazil}} |
{{seealso|List of mammals in Brazil|List of reptiles in Brazil}} |
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===Insects=== |
===Insects=== |
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It is calculated that Brazil has the more insects than any country in the world. It is estimated as having over 70,000 species of insects,<ref>http://www.brasembottawa.org/en/brazil_in_brief/natural_resources.html</ref> with some estimates ranging up to 15 million,<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> with more being discovered almost daily. One 1996 report estimated between 50,000 and 60,000 species of insects and spiders in a single hectare of rainforest.<ref>http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg15120483.500-how-did-paradise-begin--an-astonishing-60-000-species-of-insects-and-spiders-may-live-in-a-patchof-the-amazon-the-size-of-a-football-pitch-the-big-question-is-why-there-are-somany-bob-holmes-and-gabrielle-walker-went-in-search-of-clues.html</ref> About 520 [[thysanoptera]] species belonging to six [[Family (biology)|families]] in 139 [[genus|genera]] are found in Brazil.<ref>{{cite web |
It is calculated that Brazil has the more insects than any country in the world. It is estimated as having over 70,000 species of insects,<ref>[http://www.brasembottawa.org/en/brazil_in_brief/natural_resources.html Natural Resources]. Embassy of Brazil - Ottawa.</ref> with some estimates ranging up to 15 million,<ref name="Naturalist guide"/> with more being discovered almost daily. One 1996 report estimated between 50,000 and 60,000 species of insects and spiders in a single hectare of rainforest.<ref>[http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg15120483.500-how-did-paradise-begin--an-astonishing-60-000-species-of-insects-and-spiders-may-live-in-a-patchof-the-amazon-the-size-of-a-football-pitch-the-big-question-is-why-there-are-somany-bob-holmes-and-gabrielle-walker-went-in-search-of-clues.html How did paradise begin?]</ref> About 520 [[thysanoptera]] species belonging to six [[Family (biology)|families]] in 139 [[genus|genera]] are found in Brazil.<ref>{{cite web |
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| url = http://www.ento.csiro.au/thysanoptera/Symposium/Section9/49-Monterio.pdf |
| url = http://www.ento.csiro.au/thysanoptera/Symposium/Section9/49-Monterio.pdf |
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| title = The Thysanoptera fauna of Brazil |
| title = The Thysanoptera fauna of Brazil |
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==Threats to wildlife== |
==Threats to wildlife== |
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More than one-fifth of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil has been completely destroyed, and more than 70 mammals are endangered.<ref name="DannyP_2007_shoestring"/> The threat of extinction comes from several sources, including [[deforestation]] and [[poaching]]. Extinction is even more problematic in the [[Atlantic Forest]], where nearly 93% of the forest has been cleared.<ref>http://www.nature.org/wherewework/southamerica/brazil/work/art5080.html</ref> Of the 202 endangered animals in Brazil, 171 are in the Atlantic Forest.<ref name="mre.gov">http://www.mre.gov.br/cdbrasil/itamaraty/web/ingles/meioamb/biodiv/matatlan/biodiv/index.htm</ref> |
More than one-fifth of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil has been completely destroyed, and more than 70 mammals are endangered.<ref name="DannyP_2007_shoestring"/> The threat of extinction comes from several sources, including [[deforestation]] and [[poaching]]. Extinction is even more problematic in the [[Atlantic Forest]], where nearly 93% of the forest has been cleared.<ref>[http://www.nature.org/wherewework/southamerica/brazil/work/art5080.html The Nature Conservancy in Brazil]</ref> Of the 202 endangered animals in Brazil, 171 are in the Atlantic Forest.<ref name="mre.gov">[http://www.mre.gov.br/cdbrasil/itamaraty/web/ingles/meioamb/biodiv/matatlan/biodiv/index.htm Biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest]</ref> |
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===Deforestation=== |
===Deforestation=== |
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Revision as of 04:15, 27 November 2007
The wildlife of Brazil is all the natural flora and fauna in the South American country. Home to 60% of the Amazon Rainforest, which contains more than one-third of all species in the world,[1] Brazil is considered to have the greatest biodiversity of any country on the planet. It has most known species of plants (55,000), freshwater fish (3000) and mammals (over 520).[2] It also ranks third on the list of countries with the most number of bird species (1622) and fifth with the most reptile species (468).[2] Approximately two-thirds of all species worldwide are found in tropical areas, often coinciding with developing countries such as Brazil. Brazil is second only to Indonesia as the country with the most endemic species.[3]
Biodiversity
There is general consensus, that Brazil has the highest number of both terrestrial vertebrates and invertebrates of any country in the world.[4] 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 (over 3000 species),[4] it also claims the highest number of mammals with 524 species,[4] the second highest number of amphibian with 517 species and butterflies with 3,150 species,[4] the third highest number of bird with 1,622 species,[4] and fifth number of reptile with 468 species.[4] There is a high number of endangered species,[5] many of them live in threatened habitats such as the Atlantic Forest.
Scientists have described between 96,660 and 128,843 invertebrate species in Brazil.[6] According to a 2005 estimate by Thomas M. Lewinsohn and Paulo I. Prado, Brazil is home to around 9.5% of all the species and 13.1% of biota found in the world; these figures are likely to be underestimates according to the authors.[6]
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.[7] 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.
Ecoregions
Brazil's immense area is subdivided into different ecoregions in several kinds of biomes such as the Amazon Rainforest, Atlantic Forest (which included Atlantic Coast restingas), the Cerrado (tropical savanna), the Caatinga, and the Pantanal (the world's largest wetland area).
Fauna
Mammals and reptiles
The main wild felines found in Brazil are the jaguar, the puma, the margay, the oncilla, and the jaguarundi. Other notable animals include the giant anteater, several varieties of sloths and armadillos, coati, giant river otter, Maned Wolf, tapir, peccaries, marsh deer, Pampas deer, and capybara (the world's largest existing rodent).[2] There are around 75 primate species, including the howler monkey, the capuchin monkey, the squirrel monkey, the marmoset, and the tamarin.[2]
Brazil is home to the anaconda, frequently described, controversially, as the largest snake on the planet. This water boa has been measured up to 30 feet long, but historical reports note that native peoples and early European explorers claim anacondas from 50 to 100 feet long.[8][9]
Insects
It is calculated that Brazil has the more insects than any country in the world. It is estimated as having over 70,000 species of insects,[10] with some estimates ranging up to 15 million,[4] with more being discovered almost daily. One 1996 report estimated between 50,000 and 60,000 species of insects and spiders in a single hectare of rainforest.[11] About 520 thysanoptera species belonging to six families in 139 genera are found in Brazil.[12]
Birds
Brazil ranks third on the list of countries, behind Colombia and Peru, with the most number of distinct bird species, having 1622 identified species.[2] It has 191 endemic birds.[4] The largest bird found in Brazil is the rhea, a flightless ratite bird, similar to the emu. There are many brightly colored birds, including parrots (70 species including varieties of macaws), toucans, and trogons.
Aquatic and Amphibian
Brazil has over 3,000 identified species of fresh water fish.[4] The most well-known aquatic and amphibian animals found in Brazil are the pink dolphin, the alligators (such as the Black Caiman), the pirarucu and the piranha. Also familiar are the brightly-colored poison dart frogs that are abundant in the Amazon Rainforest.
Flora
Brazil has most known species of plants (55,000), among all the countries in the world.[2] The Atlantic Forest region is home to tropical and subtropical moist forests, tropical dry forests, tropical savannas, and mangrove forests. The Pantanal region is a wetland, and home to a known 3,500 species of plants. The Cerrado is biologically the most diverse savanna in the world.
List of plants by ecoregion:
- List of plants of Amazon Rainforest vegetation of Brazil
- List of plants of Atlantic Forest vegetation of Brazil
- List of plants of Caatinga vegetation of Brazil
- List of plants of Cerrado vegetation of Brazil
- List of plants of Pantanal vegetation of Brazil
Threats to wildlife
More than one-fifth of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil has been completely destroyed, and more than 70 mammals are endangered.[2] The threat of extinction comes from several sources, including deforestation and poaching. Extinction is even more problematic in the Atlantic Forest, where nearly 93% of the forest has been cleared.[13] Of the 202 endangered animals in Brazil, 171 are in the Atlantic Forest.[14]
Deforestation
Brazil's environment is under threat because of the (quick) economic and demographic rise. Extensive logging, official and unofficial, destroys forests the size of a small country per year, and with it a diverse series of species.[15] Between 2002 and 2006, an area of the Amazon Rainforest the size of South Carolina was completely devastated, 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.[16]
Poaching
According to a 2001 report by Rede Nacional de Combate ao Tráfico de Animais Silvestres, or RENCTAS, (Portuguese for "National Network Against the Trafficking of Wild Animals"), wildlife smuggling is Brazil's third most profitable illegal activity, after arms dealing and drug smuggling.[17] RENCTAS believes that the poachers are taking an estimated 38 million birds, animals and reptiles from the wild each year.[18]
Conservation
Brazil has declared several regions as protected areas in order to protect wildlife.
In order to protect biological and socio-cultural diversity, Brazil has established an extensive network of protected areas which actually covers more than 2 million km2 (25% of Brazil's national territory) and is divided almost equally between protected natural areas or conservation units and indigenous land (terras indígenas).
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.[19] In addition, the Brazilian environmental activists Wilson Pinheiro and Chico Mendes were also murdered in disputes with other local ranchers in 1980 and 1988, respectively.
National emblems
_REFON.jpg)
| National bird | Rufous-bellied Thrush (Sabiá)[20] |
| National flower | Ipê-amarelo - Tecoma chrysostricha[21] |
References
- ^ "Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Plants, Amazon River Animals". World Wide Fund for Nature. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
- ^ a b c d e f g Palmerlee, Danny (2007). South America on a Shoestring. Lonely Planet Publications. p. 275. ISBN 978-1741044430. OCLC 76936293.
- ^ Chapman, A.D (September 2005). "Numbers of Living Species in Australia and the World: A Report for the Department of the Environment and Heritage". Australian Biological Resources Study. Australian Biodiversity Information Services. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i 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.
- ^ a b Lewinsohn, Thomas M. (2005). "How Many Species Are There in Brazil?". Conservation Biology. 19 (3): 619–624. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2005.00680.x.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ USDA Forest Service website, Forest Service International Programs: Brazil, retrieved February 2007.
- ^ Which is the Biggest Snake?
- ^ Catalogue of Life : 2006 Annual Checklist : Eunectes murinus LINNAEUS 1758
- ^ Natural Resources. Embassy of Brazil - Ottawa.
- ^ How did paradise begin?
- ^ Renata Chiarini Monteiro. "The Thysanoptera fauna of Brazil" (PDF). CSIRO Entomology. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
- ^ The Nature Conservancy in Brazil
- ^ Biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest
- ^ USDA Forest Service. "Brazil". Retrieved 2007-08-09.
- ^ "National Academic Press website". 1998. Retrieved 2007-06-12.
- ^ "Wildlife smuggling rises in Brazil". 13 November 2001. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Alex Kirby (29 April 2002). "Brazil's smuggled wildlife toll". Retrieved 2007-11-26.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Wallace, Scott. National Geographic Magazine. January 2007.
- ^ "National Bird of Brazil: Sabià - Laranjeiro". Brazil Travel. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
- ^ "National Symbols". Brazilian Embassy in Washington. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
Further reading
- Pearson, David L. Brazil-Amazon and Pantanal. Ecotravellers Wildlife Guides. Academic Press. p. 275. ISBN 978-0125480529. OCLC 77711203.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)
External links
- BrazilianFauna.com, a not-for profit educational website
- Brazil Nature: Ecosystem