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Brazil

is the largest country in South America

Rio

With the most extensive range of animals globally, Brazil boasts 600 mammal species, 1,500 fish species, 1,600 bird species, and an astonishing 100,000 distinct types of insects. While the majority of its animal life thrives in the jungles, Brazil's pampas and semidesert regions are also habitats for many unique species.

The Pantanal, situated in the central-western region of Brazil, is a vast and level expanse characterized by its marshy terrain. This expansive network comprises flooded lagoons and petite islands, making it the largest wetland on the planet. Within this unique ecosystem, one can find colossal anacondas, capybaras—large relatives of guinea pigs—and formidable caimans, the formidable South American alligators.

For millennia, humans have been utilizing the Brazilian jungles, but the intensity of forest exploitation escalated with the arrival of Europeans around five centuries ago. The extensive destruction of Brazil’s Atlantic rainforest has reached a critical point, and substantial portions of the Amazon continue to vanish annually. While the government has implemented numerous national parks and refuges, their coverage extends to only approximately 7 percent of the country.

Recently, there has been an idea to allocate part of the funds from the “sin tax” – which should be levied on alcohol sellers and online casinos – towards environmental protection. (Source)

Several popular national parks are listed below.