How does deforestation of the Amazon affect wildlife Research Paper

How does deforestation of the Amazon affect wildlife - Research Paper Example Over half of the planet’s remaining rainforest is represented by Amazon. It is one of the most bio diverse amongst all the tropical rainforests that are found in the world. Amazon contains about 40000 species of plants, 427 species of mammals, 1200 species of birds, 378 species of reptiles, 400 species of Amphibians, 3000 species of freshwater fish. Since the human settlement has begun in the area there has been rapid scale of deforestation that is going on in the area. The deforestation of Amazon has a tremendous impact on the ecosystem. The present research paper aims to find out Amazon rainforest is mostly located in the state of Brazil as it covers most of the land area of that country. There have been many factors that have led to the deforestation in that region such as agriculture and other allied activities. With least regard for the diverse Amazonian ecosystem and the aspiration of the local people the Amazonian rain forest is being rapidly degraded and the forest area rapidly cleared off with singular approach to move towards a rapid scale of economic growth and development. According to Vieira, Toledo, Silva and Higuchi the highest rate of deforestation in the Amazon rain forest occur in the area known as the deforestation arch. The deforestation arch is typically located in the east west area of the forest. They argue that the cultivation of land in the Amazon since 1960s has been characterized by violent environmental degradation which is the characteristic of frontier economics (Viera, et al 950). The degradation of the forest cover of the Amazon basin works at a pace which assumes that the natural resources are limitless and the economic growth and prosperity is based on boundless exploitation of the limitless natural resources. The researchers argue that there are several factors that have led to the rapid scale of degradation of the Amazon such as human occupation, lack of territorial planning, monoculture, introduction of exotic