$50,000 Cash Reward for Anaconda Snake
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| anaconda |
Eunectes murinus (derived from the Greek "Ευνήκτης" meaning "good swimmer" and the Latin "murinus" translated into "he who predates on mice") is a non-venomous boa species found in South America. It is the most massive of all known snake species. The term "anaconda" (without any further description) often refers to this species, though the term could also apply to several other members of the genus.
The Green Anaconda is one of the world's longest snakes, reaching more than 5 m (17 ft) long. Reports of anacondas 35–40 feet or even longer also exist but such claims need to be regarded with caution as no specimens of such lengths have ever been deposited in a museum and hard evidence is required. There is a $50,000 cash reward for anyone that can catch an anaconda 30 feet or longer, but the prize has not been claimed yet. Although the reticulated python is longer, the anaconda is the heaviest snake. The longest (and heaviest) scientifically recorded specimen was a female measuring 521 cm (18.1 ft) in length and weighing 97.5 kg (214 lbs).
The color pattern consists of olive green background overlaid with black blotches along the length of the body. The head is narrow compared to the body, usually with distinctive orange-yellow striping on either side. The eyes are set high on the head, allowing the snake to see out of the water while swimming without exposing its body. http://bit.ly/dsV7Db
Brazil Using Condoms to Protect Rainforest
Brazil has unrolled an ambitious plan to preserve vast areas of the Amazon rainforest by tapping its rubber trees to make sustainable condoms. Most "rubbers" are now made from cheaper synthetic materials, but officials of the Brazilian government—which buys 1 billion condoms a year—say the project will reduce its dependence on imports and give local people a livelihood dependent on trees which ensures they will battle deforestation.
The condoms will be the only ones in the world made from rubber harvested from a tropical forest. Similar schemes are under way to produce handbags and other items from rainforest rubber. If the condom project proves successful, Brazil's image as a "sexy country" could make the sustainable rubbers a hot-selling export, the Guardian notes.
The condoms will be the only ones in the world made from rubber harvested from a tropical forest. Similar schemes are under way to produce handbags and other items from rainforest rubber. If the condom project proves successful, Brazil's image as a "sexy country" could make the sustainable rubbers a hot-selling export, the Guardian notes.
Big Fish in a Big River
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| pirarucu |
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| giant catfish |
The Amazon River is not only the greatest in the world, it is home to many other "extremes" of the natural world. Have you ever seen a catfish? They're usually found in warm, slow moving waters of lakes and streams, and some people keep them as pets in aquariums. Catfish are pretty creepy looking fish with big flat heads and "whiskers" on either side of their heads (hence the name, catfish). Most catfish that we're familiar with here in the U.S. are anywhere from eight inches long to about five feet, weighing in at up to 60 pounds. But the catfish that live in the world's greatest river have all the room in the world to grow as big as nature will allow - they have been captured weighing over 200 pounds! One of the largest freshwater fish in the world is found living in the waters of the Amazon River. Arapaima, also known locally as Pirarucu, Arapaima gigas are the largest, exclusively fresh water fish in the world. They have been found to reach a length of 15 ft/4m and can weigh up to 440lbs/200kg.http://bit.ly/b1w3gY
Brazil Using Condoms to Protect Rainforest
Brazil has unrolled an ambitious plan to preserve vast areas of the Amazon rainforest by tapping its rubber trees to make sustainable condoms. Most "rubbers" are now made from cheaper synthetic materials, but officials of the Brazilian government—which buys 1 billion condoms a year—say the project will reduce its dependence on imports and give local people a livelihood dependent on trees which ensures they will battle deforestation.
The condoms will be the only ones in the world made from rubber harvested from a tropical forest. Similar schemes are under way to produce handbags and other items from rainforest rubber. If the condom project proves successful, Brazil's image as a "sexy country" could make the sustainable rubbers a hot-selling export, the Guardian notes.
The condoms will be the only ones in the world made from rubber harvested from a tropical forest. Similar schemes are under way to produce handbags and other items from rainforest rubber. If the condom project proves successful, Brazil's image as a "sexy country" could make the sustainable rubbers a hot-selling export, the Guardian notes.
Serbian Swimmer Conquers Amazon River
BELGRADE, Nov. 17(Xinhua) -- Serbian swimmer Darko Novovic has set a world record, swimming the length of the Amazon River - 5,450 kilometers - in just over 46 days, Reported Belgrade daily “24 Hours” Wednesday.
According to an interview with the Belgrade daily “24 Hours” on Wednesday, the 37-year-old Novovic began his feat on September 29 in Atalaya, Peru, near the source of the Amazon and swam for an average of 16 hours and a distance 188 kilometers daily. On November 13, Novovic finished by swimming 150 kilometers out into the Atlantic Ocean beyond Belem, Brazil, at the mouth of the Amazon River.
Novovic, who also successfully swam the English Channel, shattered the previous Amazon River record of 66 days held by Slovene Martin Strela.
“I was afraid of being attacked by bacteria which can blind you, or encounter any number of 'monsters,' said Novovic, who did come across a dead crocodile in the river. He said this 'fear' was a daily motivator to swim as quickly as possible.
Novovic said the swim was part of a fund-raising effort to build a pier around the church in the Montenegrin coastal town of Petrovac na Moru. He said he is already planning to tackle the Danube River from Belgrade to Schwarzwald at the river’s source in Germany next year. http://bit.ly/bRajUd
How did the Amazon River get to be so big?
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