Question

Briefly describe the vegetation and wildlife of the selvas.

Answer 1

The selvas or equatorial rainforests are found mainly in the Amazon Basin of South America. They are very dense and evergreen forests that grow under hot and wet equatorial conditions throughout the year. The trees are tall and have broad leaves forming a thick canopy.

Important trees include mahogany, rosewood, rubber, cinchona, and balsa. Other useful products obtained are Brazil nuts, gums, resins, and dyes.

The wildlife is rich and diverse. It includes monkeys, sloths, jaguars, colourful birds, snakes such as the python and anaconda, crocodiles, alligators, and various species of fish like the piranha, as well as numerous insects and butterflies.