FAUNA AND FLORA OF THE AMAZON REGION - BIOLOGY - 2025

The fauna and flora of the Amazon region includes a large number of native species that only occur in this area of ​​Colombia. More than 130,000 species of plants and tens of thousands of animals and insects inhabit this area.

This part of the country is the area with the highest number of species per unit area in the world.

Many of the species present in the Amazon region are impossible to find in the wild in any other part of the world. Some of the most important are described below.

Flora of the Amazon region

Some of the most interesting and unique plants in the world can be found in the Amazon region of Colombia. These are five of the most striking.

1 - Orchids

These plants are some of the easiest to discover in the Amazon and a favorite with travelers.

The orchid family is the second largest in the plant kingdom, which means that it is made up of a large number of plants with similar characteristics.

2 - Passion flowers

Contrary to what most people assume, these plants take their name from the passion of Christ.

Due to its shape, similar to a crown surrounded by thorns, it is reminiscent of the one that Jesus wore on his way to the cross. These plants can occur in a wide range of colors, from white to the brightest red.

3 - Coffee

Colombia is the cradle of the best coffees in the world, with international fame for the quality of its beans.

These grow on plants whose fruits look like berries, but which contain two coffee beans each. Although it is considered a shrub, the coffee plant can take up to eight years to fully develop and can live for more than a century.

4 - Gum tree

Up to 40 meters tall, this whitish bark tree is used to produce latex and other types of rubber.

To extract the gum, it is necessary to pierce the bark down to the plant tissue. The liquid obtained directly from the tree has to be further refined to become a usable product.

5 - Lupuna

This tree, up to 70 meters high, is part of many legends of pre-Columbian cultures.

Also known as a "sacred tree", it is widely used today to prepare medicines, make furniture and as food, especially thanks to the oil that is extracted from its seeds.

Fauna of the Amazon region

1 - River dolphins

These curious small dolphins are native to the Amazon River. One of its most distinctive characteristics is the pink color of its skin.

2 - Lazy

This family of mammals is characterized by their slow movements and the large number of hours a day they spend sleeping.

They feed mainly on leaves, and among the subspecies there are both ground and arboreal sloths.

3 - Jaguar

This animal of the panther family is the largest feline in all of America and the third largest in the world.

The Mayan and Aztec cultures gave it an important place in their mythology, due to its condition as a super predator.

4 - Tapir

This curious animal is characterized by the small trunk where its snout ends. It is the only living member of the Tapiridae family, although in ancient times there were up to nine more species belonging to it.

5 - Squirrel Monkey

Squirrel monkeys are some of the smallest in the world, ranging in size from 25 to 35 cm in length.

They are omnivores, being able to eat from small insects to fruits, frogs and small vertebrates.

References

1. "Flora of Colombia" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: October 23, 2017 from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org.
2. "Amazon rainforest flowers" in: Think Jungle. Retrieved on: October 23, 2017 from Think Jungle: thinkjungle.com.
3. "Coolest plants in the Amazon" at: Rainforest Cruises. Retrieved on: October 23, 2017 from Rainforest Cruises: rainforestcruises.com.
4. "Amazon Wildlife" in: Rainforests Mongabay. Retrieved on October 23, 2017 from Rainforests Mongabay: rainforests.mongabay.com.
5. "Amazon animals" on Travel Mongabay. Retrieved on October 23, 2017 from Travel Mongabay: travel.mongabay.com.