A world for biological sophisticates

Thomas E. Lovejoy

Belém, the Amazon’s port city, lies but 3½ hours from Miami, but seems as remote as if the journey were possible only by sail. Even to me as a naturalist, the Amazon seemed remote when, in 1965, it was first suggested that I visit. Only then did I really register that such a city existed, let alone that it dated from 1616 and contained half a million people. I felt embarrassed to be so unaware.

All tropical forests seem touched with this perception of remoteness, even more than the savannahs of Africa with all their great mammals. In large part this is because tropical forests are a world for biological sophisticates, a world the wonders of which only become apparent with considerable patience and background.

Fonte: Forsyth, A. & Miyata, K. 1984. Tropical nature. NY, Scribners.