Amazon rainforest is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. It covers around 6,000,000 km2 area of Brazil, which is about 40% of Brazil’s total area. It occupies the drainage basin of the Amazon River (second largest river in the world) and its tributaries in northern South America. This region experiences high rainfall, high humidity and constant high temperature. It is famous for its immense biodiversity. Flora and fauna in the region is so immense that only 10% of it is known to zoologists. Piranha, sting ray, manatee, water snake and anaconda (giant snake that has a length of about 30 feet), monkey, jaguar and a vast insect and bird population are the major species found in the Amazon.
One of the largest freshwater fish found in the Amazon is the Pirarucu (also known as the arapaima or paiche). A menacing meat-eater, the pirarucu guzzles up other fish and can grow to nearly 3m long. Tapir is the largest forest animal found in the Amazon.
