By Joan Russell
The Amazon rainforest is located in the northern section of
South America. The Amazon River is shared by several countries, including Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Columbia, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana and Guiana. The rainforest is home to many unusual animals and plants due to the tropical environment.
The easiest way to travel through the rainforest is to enter through Ecuador or Brazil. Once in the country, you can tour the rainforest via small planes, buses and boats. A typical 4-mile stretch in the rainforest contains over 125 mammals, 400 species of birds, 100 different types of reptiles and over 400 butterfly species. Animals are located on four different layers of the rain forest.
Capuchin Monkey
Capuchins live in the rainforests of Peru. They usually are found in large noisy groups swinging from trees. A group usually consists of 2 to 30 monkeys. They travel over 1 mile per day and defend their territory, primarily the upper canopy. Their diet consists of fruit, insects and bird eggs. For more information on capuchin monkeys visit wildernessclassroom,com.
Tapir
A tapir can be described as a cross between a rhinoceros and a horse. They are an ancient animal that can be traced back about 20 million years. A huge animal, the tapir weighs between 330 and 600 lbs. or more. It can grow over 6 feet in length. Its nose is large and works similar to an elephant's trunk. It can move the nose in all directions and grab food with it. Tapirs eat plants and spend most of the day looking for food. They are fast and agile runners.
Ocelot
Ocelots are about twice the size of a typical house cat. One of the smallest cats in the rain forest, they grow to about 3 feet in length and can weigh up to 35 pounds. They like living in vegetation to keep cool and for protection. They hunt primarily at night for small deer, monkeys, rodents, reptiles and fish. Ocelots lives on the rainforest floor but can climb trees for protection and to find food.
Macaws
Macaws are large, beautifully colored parrots. They can be heard or seen in groups of about 30 individuals. Their feathers are red, green, blue, gold and purple. They build their nests very high, often 100 feet. Here they lay eggs and search for food. They spend most of the day flying from tree to tree searching for fruit and nuts, which they can crack with their powerful beaks. Their feet have claws that help them climb on branches and grab food.
Poison Dart Frogs
These are some of the most brightly colored frogs in the world, with red-orange, bright yellow or blue markings. They are active during the day eating ants, termites and other insects. Their skin emits a toxin for protection, which they may get from chemicals in the ants that they eat. A good place to find them is under leaves.
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About the Author:
Joan Russell has been a freelance writer for many years. She writes on variety of topics, including food, health, gardening, travel and education. She's written for the Christian Science Monitor, IGA Grocergram, Home Cooking, Atlantic Publishing and Duclinea Media. She has a B.A. in journalism/communications from the University of Bridgeport and an A.S in food service management from Naugatuck Valley Technical Community College.
