ENVIRONMENT

An expedition has discovered 60 new animal species in the remote rain forests of southeastern Suriname. (National Geographic News)

Use our resources to better understand rain forests, and the weird and wonderful creatures that live there.

Discussion Ideas

• Look at our 1-Page Map of Suriname. The expedition described in the Nat Geo News photo gallery took place at sites along the Paloemeu River. Specifically, it took place along the upper Paloemeu River. Use the drawing tools or markers to identify the upper Paloemeu River.
  • Remember, “upper” and “lower” have nothing to do with the cardinal directions! The “upper” part of a river is always the part of a river near its source. The upper part of the Mississippi River, for instance, is the area stretching from its source in Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to southern Illinois. In this case, “upper” is the northern part of the river. The “upper Nile” usually refers to the sources of the Blue Nile (Lake Tana, Ethiopia) and White Nile (Lake Victoria, Tanzania) to where they converge in Sudan. In this case “upper” is the southern part of the river.
  • The upper Paloemeu River is in the south-central part of Suriname, near the country’s border with Brazil.

• Watch our media spotlight video on Yasuni National Park, Ecuador, another South American rain forest. The short video explains how photographers documented different species, from big cats to tiny insects. What strategies would you use to find and photograph different species in the Paloemeu rain forest? Think about the different strategies and tools required for each:
  • nocturnal animals, which are active at night
  • diurnal animals, which are active in daylight
  • fish and other aquatic animals
  • birds, monkeys, or other canopy-dwellers who live in the treetops
  • worms, grubs, or other animals that live underground
  • insects and spiders
  • frogs or toads (watch out for that toxic skin!)

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