A RESEMBLANCE ta well-known soccer player

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4 Footballers Who Remind us of Rainforest Animals

It’s a jungle out there, and in this year’s World Cup, footballers are jockeying for a seat at the top of the food chain. While some bring brute strength to the table, others have adapted with speed and cunning. For these athletes, it’s survival of the fittest—just like in the Amazon.

To celebrate the 2014 World Cup, we’ve created a list of footballers who remind us of jungle animals. Do you see the resemblance?

I Got the Moves Like Jaguar

Jaguar in the river bank

Junior Diaz is the World Cup’s fastest player with a 22 mile-per-hour sprint. The Costa Rican defender played in five matches and ran about 35 miles on the field in this tournament as of Tuesday.

Still, Diaz is no match for the jaguar, which can run about twice that fast. These formidable beasts are the largest cats in the Americas, and they have an appetite to match. Jaguars eat large mammals like deer, peccaries, and tapirs. They also snack on birds, turtles, and fish. 

In ancient Native American cultures, jaguars were thought to be gods of the underworldThis myth persisted widely until the Mayan empire fell. Just like the Costa Rican team recently fell. Too soon?

Suarez Bites Like the Bullet Ant

Bullet ants are the world’s largest ants, growing up to an inch long. These nasty denizens of the rainforest floor can both bite and sting, injecting victims with a powerful neurotoxin that causes muscle contractions and a burning sensation. They’re dubbed “bullet” because being attacked by one feels like getting shot(See also “Top 5 Strangest Rainforest Animals)

Luis Suarez may not look like a bullet ant, but his bite is just as potent. Nicknamed “The Cannibal,” Suarez was suspended last month for biting another player during a game. The Uruguayan midfielder leaned over mid-play and clamped his pearly whites on Germany’s Giorgio
Chiellini

In the Amazon, bullet ants are traditionally used during local coming-of-age ceremonies, where young men have to endure multiple bites and stings to secure a place within the community. And while Suarez’s bite might not pack the same punch as a bullet ant, it could have serious health implications. The human mouth contains hundreds of strains of bacteria—some of which don’t hurt their hosts but can be fatal to others.

 

The Naked Truth About Croatian Footballers

Croatian footballers caused a stir when photos of them relaxing naked by their hotel pool circulated the Internet. Two photographers hid in the bushes while the squad lounged in the buff and quickly sold the resulting photos to media outlets. Angry that their privacy had been violated, the team refused to give interviews to World Cup reporters.

 

 

Peruvian-Hairless-DogPeruvian Hairless Dog

Luckily, the Peruvian hairless dog is much less self-conscious about its nudity—its picture adorns artifacts from the Moche, Inca, Chancay, and Chimu peoples. The ancient breed is affectionately called the “Peruvian Inca Orchid.” Prized for its heat-radiating skin, many locals prefer cuddling with their canines to hot compresses or heating pads. (You can cuddle up in one of our rainforest villas.)

These bald dogs get flack in a society accustomed to fuzzy pooches. Peruvian hairless dogs are often strong contenders for the World’s Ugliest Dog competition. Do their human counterparts on the Croatian team match suit? You’ll have to decide for yourself.

Tim Howard and the Poison Dart Frog

The U.S. goalie Tim Howard wears a bright green jersey that reminds us of a poison dart frog. These gorgeous creatures come in many different colors besides green, dotting the rainforest with splashes of gold, copper, blue, and red. Their bright coloration is a warning that tells predators to back off—or suffer the toxic consequences. Poison dart frogs ooze poison from their skin that can maim or even kill their attackers. (If looks could kill… These exotic amphibians would slay us.)

 

Poison Dart Frog

Poison Dart Frog

 

There are several species of poison dart frog that carry their eggs and tadpoles around on their backs—just like Howard carried the U.S. team through the country’s first two matches. During the U.S. versus Belgium game, Howard made 16 saves—the most ever recorded during a World Cup game.

By: Mollie Bloudoff-Indelicato

 

Want to see more jungle animals? Check out our tours of the Amazon with Rainforest Expeditions.

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I can not say enough good things about my time at the Tambopata Research Center. Between the guides, the boat drivers, the chefs, the staff, the bartenders, the researchers, etc. Everyone was absolutely wonderful! If you are interested in viewing wildlife in the Amazon, this is the place for you! A special thank you to the maître d' Carlos who was so incredibly kind and hospitable and our guide Dino who was like a real life Indiana Jones. I can't wait to come back! Read all

An unforgettable, fully immersive jungle experience. Amazing how Tambopata Lodge delivers luxury touches in such a remote and rugged location. The food is fantastic, the staff incredible, and the wildlife sightings non-stop. The personalised itinerary and one-on-one guiding made the trip truly special—huge thanks to our guide Johan for sharing his passion and knowledge. The Macaw Project is inspiring, and it’s clear the lodge fully supports this important conservation work. Manager Brian was always kind, helpful. Well-done all involved. Read all

The most important fact we are grateful for is the true sense of understanding of the ecology of the Amazon the staff at Rainforest Expeditions (RFE) have shown us. RFE stands out for its stand against the pure, profit-motive initiatives many other tour operators do. We are very grateful to have had Carlos as our guide. Carlos is deeply dedicated, and is able to explain the nuances of the flora and fauna. The world today needs to act as one against the impact of climate change. RFE is one, bright shining light in this regard. Read all

We had a fabulous trip! The people were amazing, kind and very professional. The food was exceptionally good! The facilities are beautiful and well kept. We just loved our second time with Rainforest Expeditions and can't wait to go again!! Read all

Fantastic to be deep in the forest surrounded by incredible wildlife with our amazing guide Juan Carlos Yatto, who really knew his stuff! Also his photography skills meant that we could share our experience even better through his telescope using our phone cameras! We learned so much!! He went to extra lengths to find butterflies and moths for us along with so many different birds and monkeys. This was a travel highlight for us as experienced wildlife travellers. We loved our spacious room with no windows and open to more wildlife visitors but after 5 nights the bed could have been a little more comfortable. Luckily we had a second bed to use. Otherwise it was fantastic with hot water showers and fresh drinking water all the time. We were amazed at the variety of food on offer for breakfast, lunch and dinner and couldn’t believe they could have such a wonderful food offering in such a remote location. Even the wine and cocktails were great. I highly recommend spending the extra money and time getting to this location. We stayed at another lodge later which was closer to Puerto Maldonado and there was far less wildlife. Read all

Ederson made the stay at the lodge amazing. I have had many guides around the world and Ederson may be the best I have had across 50 countries. The lodge itself is nice, and has electricity. Food is good, and you really feel immersed in the amazon staying there. Its great that a portion of the money goes back to conservation and research. Noteworthy details: Ederson, the "commander" is the best guide! Read all

Through a travel agency in Lima we booked a 4day/3-night stay at Refugio Amazonas. We were looking for a lodge that was far away from Puerto Maldonado but didn't require almost a day to get there (like TRC), with extensive walking trails and with the principal jungle highlights nearby. We were not disappointed. As we later learned, this is probably the best lodge in the region! Well run, quiet, excellent food, beautifully located in the middle of the forest, everything was "right". Surprisingly there were few mosquitos or bugs. Emperatriz (MP as some call her), our guide, has a keen eye and took us on some unforgettable walks and boat rides, both day and night. The birds at the clay lick were fantastic. The lodge also had evening lectures by young researchers as well as special activities such as collecting night moths and setting a trap camera. We later received videos and photo's of what was found (including a puma!). I can recommend this lodge without reservation. Read all

Abbiamo scelto il Tambopata Research Center perché il nostro obbiettivo era di poter vedere le are da vicino. Ci siamo stati ad inizio dicembre scorso, l'inizio della stagione delle piogge, perciò abbiamo scelto di restare 5 notti/6 giorni, abbiamo messo in conto di perdere delle giornate a causa della pioggia e per la lontananza da Puerto Maldonado, per nostra fortuna durante il nostro soggiorno ha piovuto solo il giorno di partenza proprio quando arrivavamo in aeroporto. Non c'é stato un giorno che non ne abbiamo visto: are di diverse specie e colori e molti altri uccelli e primati, spettacolare l'incontro a pochi centimetri con un formichiere bianco, ma non il giaguaro. Consigliamo di pernottatre almeno 3 notti, il viaggio é molto lungo. Noi eravamo all'aeroporto di Lima già alle 8:00 di mattina e tra un volo in ritardo, uno spostamento in bus di ca. 45 minuti per arrivare al fiume, ed un trasferimento in barca veloce, siamo arrivati al lodge verso le 16:30. All'aeroporto ci ha accolto la nostra guida privata Alfred, che ci ha seguito per tutto il soggiorno, di giorno in giorno abbiamo deciso le escursioni da fare, ed Alfred si é rivelato essere una super guida, un occhio di falco per scoprire anche il più piccolo uccellino, con pazienza é riuscito a farci camminare chilometri nella giungla, ci ha spiegato molto sulla flora e fauna. Bravissimo a far video e foto con i nostri telefoni col suo binocolo e cavalletto che si portava sempre appresso, queste foto sono dei magnifici ricordi. TRC non é un hotel, é un centro di ricerca per le are, in mezzo ad una foresta ed a ore dal primo centro abitato, perciò non avevamo delle grandi aspettative ne sul cibo ne sull'alloggio Read all

This place is a treat!! Incredible flora & fauna, food and service - the staff is quite attentive. Interesting research, with lots of potential. Visiting the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest is a must do! Read all

We had the most amazing time EVER at Refugio Amazonas, and I am so very glad I booked our stay here. Honestly, this is to date probably the best travel experience we have ever had and I will never forget our time in the Amazon here. First of all, the lodge is beautiful. Our room was lovely. The beds were comfy. The bathrooms are large. It is incredible waking up to the sounds of the jungle and falling asleep to the insects at night. We did have some insects in our room, and a rodent, and even a tarantula (non poisonous)! But it was part of the experience. The food was great and they prioritize native and local ingredients. My partner and I are both vegan and they took SUCH good care of us. The food was delicious, and we had ample vegan options every meal. Everything from the first email contacts with Katia to the transfers to the first night info session to the activities-- which I will get to in a second-- was incredible. It is a bit pricey, but everything is included and there is nothing you need to worry about, and it was so worth it. OK now for the best part-- the activities. Holy wow. First of all, we had the best guide EVER-- Juan Carlos. He was amazing. He is a bird expert, knows so much about the animals who live in the rainforest, the insects, the trees, the plant life, it was incredible. He also so clearly cared that everyone in our group had an amazing time. He took so many pictures for us, pointed out so many animals for us, and made sure we all enjoyed every moment. I can’t thank him enough because it made our time here so very special. We went on many activities that were amazing, and we saw so many animals— capybaras, howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, so many incredible insects, frogs, tarantulas, so many many birds and butterflies. Every activity was amazing but the highlights were the macaw clay lick and the canopy tower. And we were super impressed and happy to hear about their commitment to conservation, protecting the animals, and supporting the native community nearby. There is so much I could say about our stay here but I would recommend a 3 night stay over 2 nights (so you can do more activities), and make sure you read the guides they send via email before you come so you pack correctly and know what to expect and bring--the guide includes everything so that there are no surprises, and we knew exactly what to expect, although our stay exceeded our expectations! I highly, highly recommend staying here, it was magical, it was a once in a life time adventure, and I will never forget it. I also want to shout out the manager of the lodge, I forgot her name, but she was incredible, as well as the service staff at meal times, who were so kind and helpful to point out what was vegan all of the time. I truly hope we can come back some day!! Read all

The lodge was kept very clean, and the staff paid close att to people's needs. It was very easy find activities and the guides were excellent with a genuine intended approach towards sustainability and environment longevity. Read all

A superb stay in a top class Lodge which gave a wonderful insight into the Amazon wildlife. Our guide was Juan Carlos who has incredible knowledge and a lovely sense of humour. The staff in the lodge were so friendly and the meals provided were something to look forward to. A wonderful experience! Read all

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