In search of adventure (and Ecotourism) in Brazil
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Altera o tamanho da letra
From the mighty Amazon to the Pantanal, threatened Atlantic Forest to pristine beaches, Brazil is one of the world`s richest countries for authentic travel. Get a look at the country`s spectacular wildlife and plunge into a living aquarium.
Gruta do Lago Azul
Peering into the impossibly blue waters of the Gruta do Lago Azul is like looking into the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. The crystal clear water descends 270 feet, making it one of the deepest flooded caves in the world. "The cave is a World Heritage Site," explains our guide, Ulli Braun. "A new species of cave shrimp was discovered here, and it is the oldest yet known. Fossils of a saber-toothed tiger, giant sloth and other animals have been found here. Today the only things living in the water are the shrimp, algae and some flatworms" -- although a healthy colony of bats and other animals can be found in an adjacent cavern, inaccessible to visitors.
The water gets its remarkable color from its high magnesium content, as well as from the interplay of light through the long, sloping entrance. At certain times of the year, according to Ulli, the water looks reddish or other colors.
The cave also has some of the world`s most unusual formations, with stalactites that jut out from the overhanging rock at radically skewed angles, almost horizontal in some places. That`s because the calcification process that normally occurs in limestone caves must compete with the light-seeking growth caused by microorganisms, explains Ulli.
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Source: The Daily Green