Wildlife in Brazil: vast landscapes with an amazing biodiversity
Brazil is stretched over a range of ecosystems that are home to a large amount of species of unique plants and special animals. About 20% of the earth’s biodiversity lives in Brazil. This includes 50000 plant species, thousands of bird species, millions of insects and many unique mammals. The breathtaking wildlife of Brazil plays an increasingly important role in the way Brazilians define their national identity.
The vegetation of Brazil: 6 different biomes
The different climate zones of Brazil are covered by different types of vegetation. Six types of vegetation or biomes can be distinguished in Brazil: the Amazon rainforest, the Cerrado, the Caatinga, the Pantanal, the Mata Atlãntica (Atlantic Rainforest) and the Pampas. Such a biome does not only have its own plant species, but it also has its own community of animals that are well-adapted to these environments.
Read more on Brazilian biomes...
The origin of Brazil's unique wildlife
The cause of Brazil’s unique wildlife is found in prehistoric times. The rock plates of the contintents slowly move over the earth’s surface, a process that is known as ‘Continental Drift’. A look on the world map reveals that South America and Africa seem to fit together. About 200 million years ago, South America and Africa were indeed joined together forming one gigantic supercontinent called Pangaea. During the Cretaceous period, the rock plates that the continents sit on began to move apart. About 3 million years ago, a land bridge was formed between South America and North America.
Continental drift has had profound influence on the evolution of plant and animal species in Brazil.
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