Happy International Day for Biological Diversity!

May 22, 2024

Today, we’re celebrating the incredible diversity of life on our planet by shining a spotlight on the Amazon – the world’s most biodiverse region!

Short for “biological diversity,” biodiversity is a term that refers to the diverse array of life forms within an ecosystem. The Amazon is home to a wide variety of species (for example, it’s home to 7,500 species of butterflies!), each playing an important and unique role for the ecosystem to thrive. Biodiversity and the Amazon are strongly linked, because it’s considered by many scientists to be the most biodiverse place on the planet, meaning that it contains more species of plants and animals than any other terrestrial ecosystem.

 

Ever wonder what some of these special roles are? We asked our staff members about their favorite species and their importance to the Amazon to keep our forests thriving for generations to come.