Discovering South America: Brazil

Giant of South America 15

abundant. Deer are plentiful in the south, and mon- keys of many species abound in the rain forests. The country has one of the world’s most diverse popu- lations of birds and amphibians, with 1,635 species of birds and 502 species of amphibians. Brazil’s great variety of reptiles includes lizards, snakes, tur- tles, and alligators. The number of species of fresh- water fish in Brazil is estimated at more than 1,500, of which more than 1,000 are found in the Amazon Basin. In addition, an enormous number of inverte- brates (species that lack a spinal column) inhabit Brazil. The total is believed to exceed 100,000 species, of which 70,000 are insects. The Amazon rain forest contains the largest single reserve of biological organisms—both animal and plant—in the world. No one really knows how many species there are in the Amazon, but scientists estimate the number could be as high as 5 million, amounting to 15 to 30 percent of all the species in the entire world. Unfortunately, Brazil is also notorious for the destruction of its environment. All of the country’s major ecosystems are threatened. Major threats to Brazil’s rich flora and fauna include the continued logging of rain forests, draining of wetlands in the northeast, poaching in the Pantanal region, and coastal pollution.

Logging of the rainforest is a major environmental issue in Brazil.

TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTIONS 1. What is the largest city in Brazil? 2. How many different species are believed to live in Brazil?