manatees, tapirs, monkeys, caimans to toucans!
The Amazon region is truly an incredible place. It is the world’s largest rain forest and river system, and the most biologically diverse place on our planet. The Amazon is home to a vast array of creatures above and below the surface of the river, and a diversity of fishes alone rivaling that of any ocean with over 3,000 known species. Scientists are finding new species every year. It contains one in 10 known species on Earth, 40,000 plant species, 3,000 freshwater fish species, 427 mammal species and more than 370 types of reptiles. I've been lucky enough to travel to the Amazonia region of Brazil 4 times in my life and it completely blew my mind. This drawing was created for a major traveling exhibit called Amazon Voyage: Vicious Fishes and Other Riches built and toured by the Miami Science Museum.