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The Amazon
The Amazon rainforest is the biggest rainforest in the world.
© ZIG KOCH / WWF-UK
The Amazon
It spans eight countries (and one overseas territory) in South America including Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. © GREG ARMFIELD / WWF UK
The Amazon
One in ten of the known species on Earth can be found in the Amazon.
© ZIG KOCH / WWF-UK
The Amazon
This includes more than 3,000 different species of freshwater fish…
The Amazon
Over 700 species of reptiles…
© ANDRÉ / BÄRTSCHI / WWF-CANON
The Amazon
And over 40,000 species of plant.
© GREG ARMFIELD / WWF UK
The Amazon
Some of the species which are found in the Amazon can’t be found anywhere else in the world. For example the pink river dolphin…
© NATUREPL.COM/LUIZ CLAUDIO MARIGO / WWF
The Amazon
The pirarucu…
The Amazon
And the black spider monkey.
The Amazon
The Amazon is a unique and important ecosystem but it faces serious threats.
© ROGER LEGUEN / WWF-CANON
The Amazon
An area of rainforest the size of three football pitches is cleared every 60 seconds.
The Amazon
About 20 percent of the rainforest has already been lost to deforestation.
© GREG ARMFIELD / WWF-UK
The Amazon
Forest is cleared in order to make space for cattle ranches…
The Amazon
To mine for gold and oil...
© RYAN M. BOLTON / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
The Amazon
To cut down timber for paper and furniture…
The Amazon
And to develop roads and dams which are used to create electricity.
© GREG ARMFIELD / WWF UK
The Amazon
As one of the largest forests in the world, the Amazon is crucial to maintaining the health of the planet.
© ZIG KOCH / WWF-UK
The Amazon
The trees in the Amazon absorb and store huge amounts of carbon dioxide, which, if released can accelerate climate change.
© GREG ARMFIELD / WWF UK
The Amazon
The huge numbers of different species which rely on the forest are also put in danger by its destruction. Many have already become extinct.
© ZIG KOCH / WWF-UK
What’s the number?
Look at the following numbers and decide which statistic they are linked to on your worksheet…
6.7 million
What’s the number?
3 million
1 billion1.38 million
3
40,000
80
10
What’s the number?
•80 per cent of deforestation/forest loss is caused by cattle ranching? •1.38 square kilometres of Amazon rainforest have been cut down since 1970.•An area of Amazon rainforest the size of 3 football pitches is cut down every minute. •Sky and WWF are trying to protect 1 billion through the Sky Rainforest Rescue campaign.
What’s the number?
•One in 10 of the world’s species can be found in the Amazon rainforest. •The Amazon rainforest covers 6.7 million square kilometres.•40,000 plant species have been discovered in the rainforest.•3 million indigenous people living in the Amazon rainforest.
Rescuing the rainforest
• One of the most serious problems facing the Amazon rainforest is the destruction of its trees.
• This is called deforestation and it can add to climate change.
• It also destroys the homes of many animals so can lead to them becoming extinct.
Rescuing the rainforest
We are going to tell each other about some of the problems which people in the Amazon face and match them to the solutions which Sky and WWF are trying to find to these problems.
© SIMON RAWLES / WWF-UK
Rescuing the rainforest
The trees and plants of the Amazon hold many nutrients. Farmers cut and burn forest to grow crops. But without the trees, the soil in the Amazon quickly becomes poor. The farmers burn more forest so that they have fresh, fertile land to farm.
Rescuing the rainforest
Sky and WWF are helping farmers to plan how they use their lands so they can improve the soil, grow more food and make more money without clearing forests for new land.
Thumbometer
We are going to look at some statements about the Amazon rainforest and I want you all to use your thumbs to show whether you agree or disagree…
© GREG ARMFIELD / WWF-UK
Thumbometer
Thumbs up if you agree
Thumbs down if you disagree
In the middle if you aren’t sure
ThumbometerThe Amazon is an amazing place.
© ZIG KOCH / WWF
ThumbometerThere are so many different species in the Amazon that it doesn’t matter if one or two become extinct.
ThumbometerIt is important to give people alternatives to clearing more rainforest.
© PER ANDERS PETTERSSON
ThumbometerThe only people who can make a difference to how the Amazon rainforest is used are the people that live there.
© SIMON RAWLES / WWF-UK
ThumbometerThe people that live in the Amazon do not own the land so the government should be able to take it off them whenever they want.
© R.ISOTTI, A.CAMBONE - HOMO AMBIENS - WWF-CANON
ThumbometerIt is more important to grow cheap food for people and farm animals than it is to preserve the trees in the Amazon rainforest.
© SIMON RAWLES / WWF-UK
ThumbometerIt is important that we protect the homes of indigenous tribes who have lived in the Amazon for thousands of years.
© ZIG KOCH / WWF
ThumbometerPreventing climate change in the future by keeping trees standing is more important than making money by cutting them down now.
© GREG ARMFIELD / WWF-UK
