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Myth, Fantasy, History and Sci-Fi News | Mapinguari Protected
Home of a mythical creature soon to be a protected area of the Amazon
June 11, 2008 |  Brazil commemorated World Environment Day yesterday by signing into existence four new protected areas, three of them in the Amazon rainforest.
Following a speech in observance of the special day, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed the documents authorizing the three new protected areas in the Amazon, including Mapinguari National Park in Amazonas state, named after a mythical red furry creature supposedly living in the rainforest.
The mapinguari (or mapinguary) is a legendary ground-dwelling sloth-like creature with red fur living in the Amazon rainforests of Brazil and Bolivia. According to some native accounts the creature has a series of unnatural characteristics related to other fantastic beings of Brazilian mythology, like long claws, caiman (alligator) skin, backward feet and a second mouth on its belly. These characteristics tend to vary by account.
Mapinguari National Park is designed to preserve savannah areas of the Purus and Madeira river valleys. It is an area of great biological diversity with unique ecosystems that offer great potential for scientific research and eco-tourism, according to the government of Brazil.
In addition, there are two new extractive reserves - Ituxi in Amazonas state and another on the River Xingu in Pará state.
The new areas would expand the extent of protected rainforest by 10,000 square miles, an area just slightly smaller than the nation of Belgium.
The protected areas close a green circle that, beyond protecting the biodiversity inside its limits, must draw a line to contain the advance of the agricultural takeover of the Amazon rainforest. At least 89,000 square miles, of the Amazon rainforest are already protected.
Resources: Environment News Service & Wikipedia | Posted in categories: [Mythical Creatures] | Comments | |
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