Um Passeio pelo Parque Ambiental Chico Mendes

Summary

Chico Mendes Environmental Park in Rio Branco, Brazil, is a 57-hectare conservation area created in 1996, named in honor of the environmental activist. A major tourist and leisure spot, it attracts around 2,500 visitors weekly. The park features a zoo with 280 animals from 34 species, all native to the Amazon region, including primates, jaguars, and macaws. The park serves as a vital center for environmental education, wildlife conservation, and research. Its rich biodiversity includes rare flora and fauna, making it a key location for promoting awareness of Amazonian ecosystems.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Chico Mendes Environmental Park, established in 1996, spans 57 hectares and is located in Rio Branco, Brazil.
• 😀 The park is named after Chico Mendes, a renowned rubber tapper leader who advocated for forest conservation and the rational use of natural resources.
• 😀 Chico Mendes Park is a popular tourist destination, attracting around 2,500 visitors per weekend and also serves as a leisure spot for locals.
• 😀 The park features various attractions such as a food court, children's playground, walking track, community gym, picnic area, and cultural exhibits highlighting Amazonian legends and indigenous heritage.
• 😀 The park's zoo is the only one in Acre and houses 280 animals from 34 different species, all native to the Amazon region.
• 😀 The zoo is divided into different sectors, including areas for primates, felines, birds, reptiles, and mammals.
• 😀 The park's mission is to raise awareness about environmental conservation through education and to serve as a refuge for animals rescued from accidents, trafficking, or legal captivity.
• 😀 Species housed in the zoo include jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, tapirs, peccaries, and a variety of birds, including macaws and toucans.
• 😀 The park also maintains a serpentarium with non-venomous snakes, and a reservoir area with alligators and turtles.
• 😀 The park serves as an important research site for Amazonian biodiversity, with a variety of primates, reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods cataloged, alongside numerous plant species like chestnut and rubber trees.

Q & A

What is the Chico Mendes Environmental Park, and when was it created?

The Chico Mendes Environmental Park is a 57-hectare conservation area created in 1996 by the Municipal Government of Rio Branco, Brazil. It was established as part of the Municipal Environment Secretariat.

Who is the Chico Mendes Park named after, and why?

The park is named after Chico Mendes, a rubber tapper leader known internationally for defending the rights of forest people and advocating for the rational use of natural resources.

What are some of the attractions in Chico Mendes Park?

The park features a food court, children's playground, walking track, community gym, picnic area, and various cultural attractions like the forest of Amazonian legends, the rubber tapper's house, an indigenous hut, and the Chico Mendes memorial.

What is unique about the zoo in Chico Mendes Park?

The zoo in Chico Mendes Park is the only one in the state of Acre, housing approximately 280 animals from 34 different species, all native to the Amazon region.

How is the zoo organized, and what types of animals are found in each section?

The zoo is divided into several sectors: primate forest, feline forest, bird forest, serpentarium, tapir and alligator ponds, and a mammal corner, which includes species like peccaries, agoutis, and pacaranas.

What is the primary mission of the Chico Mendes Park zoo?

The park's zoo aims to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation through environmental education. It also serves as a refuge for animals that are victims of accidents, trafficking, or legal possession, as well as a genetic bank for endangered species.

What types of primates can be found in the primate forest of the zoo?

The primate forest features species of monkeys native to the Amazon, such as mustachioed monkeys, tabuqueiros, caiiraras, pot-bellied monkeys, and spider monkeys.

What is the largest feline in Brazil, and does the park have it?

Yes, the park houses the jaguar, which is the largest feline in Brazil and the third-largest in the world. The park also has a red jaguar (puma) and an ocelot.

What species of snakes can visitors find in the park's serpentarium?

Visitors can see non-venomous species like the oxpecker, Amazon salamander, and various suboióias snakes in the serpentarium.

What is the role of the Chico Mendes Park in biodiversity research and conservation?

Chico Mendes Park serves as an important laboratory for Amazonian biodiversity, supporting research, leisure, culture, and the appreciation of the region's fauna and flora. It also contributes to the conservation of endangered species and the study of local ecosystems.