Wildlife Diversity, Amazon

I pulled into Óbidos, a river port town in Pará, to check out the small Fort Pauxis. A few colonial-style buildings and colourful houses line the city centre. Óbidos was founded in 1697 on the narrowest (1.25mi/2km) part of the Amazon at the confluence of the Trombetas River. Boats and hydroplanes use the port facilities, transporting goods such as coffee, sugar and lumber up and down the river.

North of the town is the Grão-Pará Ecological Station, a highly protected area containing 4.2 million hectares that aim to preserve nature and support scientific research. It allows only limited use of its natural resources, and public visits are prohibited except for educational purposes. The station is part of a network of protected areas and indigenous lands connecting the Central Amazon Ecological Corridor to the west and the Amapá Corridor to the east.

Contemplating the vastness of this station, I pondered about the wildlife that must call this unique biome home, as well as the incredible variety found throughout the Amazon Basin. Thousands of species live within this ecosystem, many endemic to the region. The most renowned species are the jaguar, river dolphin, a variety of monkeys, sloths, toucans, and macaws. To give you an idea, here are a few high-level statistics: 400 species of mammals, 1300 species of birds, 700 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 3000 species of fish, and you may want to carry a repellent for the humongous 2.5 million species of insects. Unfortunately, habitat loss, pet trade, hunting and other factors have more than 400 species listed as endangered or critically endangered, including the harpy eagle, giant otter, and white-bellied spider monkey.

Diversity in wildlife is very important to the ecosystem as it helps maintain its function and health. Each species has a specific role in the system, like pollinating plants, controlling pest populations, and recycling nutrients. Losing even a single species can have a flow-on effect on the entire ecosystem. They are also culturally important to indigenous communities, where they play a role in traditional practices and beliefs.

Keep travelling with me, and I will tell you about the jaguar next.