Protecting the Brazilian Amazon
Several million species call the Amazon rainforest home , with countless not yet identified . At least 70 species in the Brazilian Amazon are currently listed on the IUCN * Red List as threatened . Just a small sampling of the astounding species found within Rainforest Trust ’ s current projects in Brazil speaks to the exceptional biodiversity found here .
In the Water
Safeguard Over 1 Million Acres in Brazil ’ s Flooded Forest Acres : 1,280,981 CO₂e : 366,327,218 mT
Preserve the Amazon ’ s Coastal Gem Acres : 175,000 CO₂e : 40,020,303 mT
Atlantic Goliath Grouper ( Vulnerable )
This massive fish can grow to over 8 feet and up to 800 pounds . They have been documented at 37 years old , but scientists believe they lived much longer before overfishing took its toll . Prefers offshore rocky reefs , shipwrecks , artificial reefs and even oil platforms . Mangroves are essential as nurseries for raising young for the first 5-6 years of their lives .
Where found : Eastern coastal areas of the Americas and Caribbean from Florida to southern Brazil and parts of western Africa .
Food source : Fish , crabs and crustaceans
Main threats : Overfishing since the 1950s ; rampant poaching since a moratorium was placed on their capture in 2022 in Brazil ; loss of mangrove habitat and mercury poisoning .
Hawksbill Turtle ( Critically Endangered )
These ancient sea turtles are named for their hawklike , pointed beaks . Their shells are synonymous with “ tortoiseshell ” in the illegal wildlife markets where they are coveted for jewelry and all manner of objects , which nearly led to their extinction and still contributes to their decline .
Where found : Tropical / subtropical oceans around the world , predominantly in coral reefs , where they maintain the health of reefs by feeding on prey like sponges .
Food source : Mainly sea sponges , but also sea anemones and jellyfish .
Main threats : Illegal wildlife trade , loss of nesting and feeding habitat , egg collection , incidental deaths in fishing gear , coastal development and pollution .
Amazon River Dolphin ( Endangered )
The Endangered Amazon River Dolphin ( or Pink River Dolphin ) is a species of toothed whale native to South America . Equipped with echolocation , or biological sonar , the dolphins can locate and identify each other and objects in the water . They are born gray and gradually turn pink as mature adults , their coloration becoming brighter from abrasion of the skin during day-to-day physicality .
Where found : Throughout the Amazon River system as well as the Orinoco River basin in Colombia and Venezuela . Seasonally , they swim into flooded forests , smaller lakes and small tributaries to find prey among the roots and trunks of trees .
Food source : More than 43 species of fish , consuming 2.5 % of their body weight daily .
Main threats : Killing for bait or predator control , incidental deaths in fishing gear , dams and pollution .
Protect a Critical Forest from a Mega-highway in Brazil Acres : 429,823 CO₂e : 138,627,435 mT
Amazon Manatee ( Vulnerable )
Though secretive and living in sediment-clouded waters of the Amazon Basin , Amazonian Manatees have been hunted for centuries . They are of the “ Sirenia ” order of large aquatic mammal species named after the mythological Greek Sirens that includes three manatee species and the Dugong . The smallest , wild Amazonian Manatees can still weigh around 600-800 pounds and be 7-9 feet long . This endearing species lives exclusively in freshwater , unlike its other manatee counterparts .
Where found : Murky , tropical waters of the Amazon Basin where food plants are abundant , including flooded forests , lakes and rivers from shallow to deep .
Food source : These herbivores ( vegetarians ) eat grasses , water hyacinths and water lettuce and they can eat up to 8 % of their body weight in a day .
Main threats : Though illegal in the Amazon since the 1960s , poaching and gillnet fishing continue to diminish their population .
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* International Union for Conservation of Nature