Emma's Earth Explorations

  This post indicates our last post in this first stop of the world's ecosystems. Where will we go next?  17 posts and 2 1 species later, we've learned about some of the most unique flora and fauna that represent the Amazon Rainforest's crazy and vibrant world. This particular rainforest thrums with the pulse of millions of creatures and plants and flowers so intensely that it doesn't seem to be...mundane enough to be part of earth. Where I live, it's all skyscraper buildings rooted in concrete ground, so it's been interesting and a lot of fun to steal a glimpse of what life is like in the Amazon Rainforest.  This post wraps up the Amazon Rainforest series on my blog. I sincerely hope whoever's reading this has learned something new about this brilliant ecosystem.  https://www.galapagosspecialists.co.uk/amazon-rainforest/

Looking up at these trees is like at a pillar leading to the heavens.  Dinizea excelsa Characteristics : A tropical rainforest tree species that reaches beyond 200 feet in its lifetime of centuries Habitat : Native to Brazil and Guyana, this tree is rooted in rainforests not subject to constant inundation Diet : Photosynthesis; a process where tree leaves absorb sunlight with their vast canopy Conservation : Least Concern I included this post in the Amazon Rainforest series because of one fact:  Dinizea excelsa is the tallest tree in the Amazon Rainforest. This is a pretty self-explanatory fact, but I wanted to write a post on a tree. And this is a rather special tree. So here it goes.  In an earlier post, I noted that the Amazon Rainforest serves as a carbon sinkhole for our planet, taking in tons and tons of carbon dioxide from the choking atmosphere. A carbon sinkhole is a place that takes in more carbon dioxide than it emits, and after considering all the natural, unt...

  With its big eyes, long tail, and curious expression, this adorable Kinkajou reminds me of a tamer version of a monkey . It's a wonder they're not related. The Kinkajou : Potos flavus Description : Kinkajous are mammals that belong to the same family as coatis and raccoons. They have thick golden fur that keeps them dry, big eyes, short limbs, and a long tail; in a way, they resemble monkeys, although there is no relation between these two creatures. As an arboreal species, Kinkajous have sharp, clawed paws to help them navigate between different branches.  Habitat : Kinkajous can be found from Southern Mexico to the Southeast of the Amazon Rainforest. They live in the trees of closed-canopy rainforests, rarely setting foot on the forest floor.  Diet : Kinkajous are classified as frugivores. Fruit makes up more than 90% of the Kinkajou's diet, meaning that Kinkajous play a big role in fruit seed dispersal. They'll also eat nectar; pollen can often be seen on a Kinkajo...