South America and Brazil is the heart of the world's Flora and Fauna. Here you can find hundreds of varieties of orchids in the vast forests and they are becoming an increasingly important export item. The Amazons has over 50,000 higher plant species or more than a fifth of the world's total - they are as many as found in the tropical forests of Africa and Asia together. Among the about 7000 existing bird species in the world, can more than 1200 varieties be found in Brazil. The Amazon river contains 2500 varieties of fish, several of them superb game-fish, many of them are also found in other Brazilian rivers. In comparison, the mighty Mississippi river in the US has 'only' 250 types of fish. Large animals such as elephants and rhinoceroses are not found in Brazil, but there are numerous of water inhabiting animals, such as alligators, tapirs and the Amazon manatee. Jaguars and other , smaller wildcats are common in the further back. Snake and monkey species remain common as well as the splendidly plumed parrots and slender hummingbirds and countless varieties of spiders and butterflies.