The size of Brazil and the wide variety of climates and characteristics and its regions are what make it possible for such a high number of species to exist in the country. Among the Brazilian biomes, the greatest in terms of biodiversity are theAmazon, theAtlantic Forestand theCerrado.
In the personalized bookUma Jornada pela Floresta, children are introduced in a fun and playful way to various animals typical of Brazil: pink river dolphin, golden lion tamarin, blue macaw, anaconda, giant otter and others.
Below, you can check fun facts about each species to share with the little ones and learn more about these animals that we all have a duty to care for and protect!
Pink river dolphin
The pink river dolphin is a mammal that lives in the water.He is related to whales and dolphins: the difference is that he does not live in the sea, but in fresh water.Its habitat is the Amazonian rivers of Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
The characteristic pink color of the boto is due to the veins that are well under its skin.It varies according to age: when they are born they are gray and when they grow up they are pink.In addition, the color of males is more vivid than that of females.
Among the species of river dolphins, the pink river dolphin is the largest: males can measure 2.5 meters in length, weighing up to 200 kg.Even so, its body is very flexible, as it needs to be agile to dodge obstacles, such as fallen logs in the water, and to capture fish, which are its main food.
The pink river dolphin is present in everyday life and in the legends of riverside peoples.Legend has it that, at nightfall, he leaves the river and turns into a handsome boy, to date the girls.
Despite its great fame, the pink river dolphin is an endangered species because its meat and leather are highly sought after in the Amazon, where they are still hunted today.
Golden Lion tamarin
The golden lion tamarin is one of the most famous animals typical of Brazil.It lives only in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo.
It is also called saguipiranga, a name given by the Tupi people which means “red marmoset”.It is an endangered animal, so it can be seen almost exclusively in reserves that aim to protect and spread the species.
It is easy to identify a golden lion tamarin by its orange coat and mane of hair longer than the rest of the body.Lion tamarins have diurnal habits and throughout the day they feed on small insects, fruits, bird eggs, caterpillars and nectar, being considered omnivorous animals.During the night, the golden lion tamarin sleeps in holes in tree trunks, but always varying in location.He prefers to stay more than 10 meters from the ground.
Within the group of monkeys, the oldest female usually occupies the leader position.She is the only one who can reproduce, but she doesn’t spend much time taking care of the young: after four days they already spend most of their time with their father, who carries them everywhere.
Blue Arara
The blue macaw is a species of bird in the same family as parrots and parakeets.The term blue refers to the striking color of this species found in Bolivia, Paraguay and in our country, where it is possible to observe it in the Amazon Forest, in the Cerrado and in the Pantanal.
Hyacinth macaws are the largest animal in their family: they can be up to one meter long from the tip of their tail to the tip of their beak.They also stand out for their strong and curved beak, which is specialized in breaking seeds.
Hyacinth macaw flocks are relatively large, with between 10 and 30 individuals.In the breeding season, macaws form couples, who take care of their nests and chicks and are faithful even after the end of this period.
The hyacinth macaw is currently classified as vulnerable, which means that this species is not yet extinct, but faces a high risk of extinction.This is due to the destruction of their habitat and the trafficking of animals.According to data from the Arara Azul Institute, until the 1980s, more than 10,000 blue macaws were taken from nature and sold illegally.
Jaguar
The jaguar is the largest cat in the Americas.It can be found from Mexico to several countries in South America.In Brazil, the jaguar lives in forested and open environments, in the Amazon, in the Atlantic Forest, in the Pantanal and in the Cerrado.
This species is the only animal of the genus Panthera on our continent, which is the same genus as the lion, tiger and leopard.Despite being feline, jaguars do not meow, but communicate with a kind of snoring, called a stutter.
The jaguar’s coat ranges from light yellow to brown and stands out for its various rosette-shaped spots.These spots have varying sizes and work as if they were the animal’s fingerprint, making each jaguar unique.The black jaguar and the jaguar are actually the same species, and the only difference is that the black jaguar has more melanin.
Their food is wild animals such as deer, peccaries, armadillos, deer and alligators.The jaguar is at the top of the food chain in the areas where it is found, but is on the Red List of Threatened Species due to habitat destruction and overhunting.