Portuguese Language Blog

Today we’re going to work on a reading comprehension exercise about an endangered species in the Amazon.

The article is entitled, “Pesca excessiva ameaça maior peixe da Amazônia, diz pesquisa,” on Globo’s Amazon section. Here’s the first part:

“A captura descontrolada pode fazer com que o maior peixe da Amazônia – e um dos maiores peixes de água doce do mundo – desapareça do mapa. Em pesquisa divulgada no “Journal of Applied Ichthyology”, cientistas afirmam que a maior parte da carne de pirarucu comercializada na Amazônia tem origem ilegal, e é difícil controlar a pesca predatória da espécie.”

1) What is the name of the endangered fish?

2) What are the two main reasons this fish is highly sought by fishermen?

3) What legal efforts have been made to control fishing for this species?

4) What’s the good news mentioned in the end?

This week, tourists in Ubarana, São Paulo had a nasty surprise during a day at the river. People swimming in the Rio Tietê in São Paulo state were attacked by piranhas. Luckily, no one was badly hurt and those who were bitten were treated at a nearby clinic.

According to the authorities, the piranhas attack every year. A barrier was built to try to keep the fish away from the artificial beach where people swim, but the fish manage to get around it.

Piranhas are omnivorous freshwater fish. They eat other fish, crustaceans, birds, small alligators, and sometimes even cattle. They sometimes even eat their own young. They are found in South American rivers, particularly in the Amazon, but even as far south as São Paulo.

Click here to watch a video about the incident.

An orphaned baby manatee was rescued in Amazônia this week. It was found tied to a piece of wood floating in the river, and was taken in by Inpa, an Amazon research institute. They determined the manatee was a three month-old female that weighs 12 kilos. According to locals, the baby’s mother was killed, and a person had captured the baby, hoping to sell it.

The manatee is now being taken care of in captivity, and even being bottle fed.

For pictures of the baby manatee, click here.