The Amazon River stretches more than 4,000 miles. The tropical rainforest of its watershed is home to millions of species of plants and animals, making it the planet's most diverse ecosystem. The Zoo is home to an Amazonia Exhibit and animals from Amazonia, as well as many animals from other parts of South America.
Nine-Month-Old Giant Anteater Is Becoming Independent
Aurora, the first giant anteater born at the Zoo, continues to grow at a great rate! In mid-April, she weighed 67 pounds; her mother is now 85 pounds. She looks more like her father, Dante, who is more solidly built, than her mother, Maripi, who is relatively tall and leggy. Aurora and Maripi are both enjoying the warmer weather and are usually out in the yard, near Lemur Island, in the afternoon. Dante is usually out in the morning.
In the wild, Aurora would be spending less and less time on her mother's back, and that is what we are seeing here. She is quite independent in the yard, exploring it on her own, digging holes, and tearing into logs. We are trying to train her to learn that a bell we ring in the afternoon means it's dinnertime and that she should come inside. We could also use this signal to bring her inside if severe weather was expected. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but we don't know if she doesn't understand or if she is simply ignoring us because she is having too much fun outside! 
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watch a video.Year of the Frog
There are more than 6,000 species of amphibians on Earth, including frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts.
One thousand or more may be found in Amazonia. One-third of amphibians are threatened with extinction. Find out about the extinction crisis.
Amazonia Exhibit
The Zoo's Amazonia Exhibit leads visitors into the realm of the Amazon River Basin, where
giant arapaima, pacu, red-tailed catfish, and piranhas swim
in shallow water, and poison arrow frogs, titi monkeys, tanagers, a scarlet macaw, and a two-toed sloth inhabit the world above.
Living kapok, avocado, and cocoa trees spread their roots
in this enclosed tropical habitat. 
Take an audio tour of the exhibit.
Adjacent to the exhibit, the Amazonia Science Gallery offers a glimpse into the scientific research Zoo staff conduct in the lab and in the field.
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Amazonia photo gallery
Find out more about Amazonia Habitat and its Science Gallery.Spectacled Bears
The Zoo is home to two South spectacled bears, which live in a habitat near Amazonia. The only bear native to South America, spectacled bears have a thick black or brown coat and light-colored "spectacles" that ring their eyes. The whitish or cream markings extend down to the throat and chest in a pattern unique to each bear. more
Find Out About Our Bears
In March 2007, Zoo keeper Tracey Barnes talked to Washington Post Radio’s Jerry Phillips about the Zoo’s spectacled bears. Listen to Tracey’s interview and learn about the lives and habits of these fascinating bears, including a 15-year-old male that debuted at the Zoo in January. The interview (5:15) originally aired on Washington Post Radio (107.7 FM and 1500 AM) on March 25, 2007.
Tropical Wildlife at the Zoo
Elsewhere in the Zoo are golden lion tamarins, native to Brazilian tropical forest, which have been saved from extinction by Zoo conservationists. Golden Lion Tamarin Program
Leaf-cutter ants, Cuban crocodiles, and two species of bats hail from tropical and subtropical forests in the Americas. And, many of our familiar North American breeding birds spend the winter in these forests. Migratory Bird Center
Beyond Amazonia
Tropical forest also covers parts of Central and West Africa, home to western lowland gorillas and pygmy hippos, and the site of a major biodiversity study in Gabon, and Madagascar, home to lemurs.
In Asia,
elephants, tigers, clouded leopards, orangutans and gibbons,
Eld's deer, gharial, and many other Zoo species live
in tropical forests. Asia
Trail
Sea
turtles, a focus of long-term Zoo research, nest on tropical
beaches around the world. more
Sometimes people are surprised to learn that rainforest does not blanket all of South America. Large expanses of this continent are grasslands, home to capybara, maned wolves, maras, and seriemas, among other Zoo species.
