9781422277058

CHAPTER 1

Rare and Unique Species

AMAZON PINK RIVER DOLPHIN One of the most unique creatures living in the Amazon Jungle today is the beautiful Amazon pink river dolphin (frequently called boto or bufeo). Dolphins are a type of toothed whale usually found in the oceans of the world. River dolphins have adapted to live in fresh water, as opposed to salt water. An adult male can weigh up to 400 pounds, while a female can weigh as much as 200 pounds. River dolphins have an organ called a melon in their foreheads which is a collection of body fat that generates heat, stores energy, and is the biological sonar of these mammals. Dolphins can emit sounds and then guide themselves by listening to the echoes of the sounds they produce (this is called echolocation). This bio sonar tells the river dolphin where food is located, how large it is, and how deep it is in the river.

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