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 underworld. This 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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This trip was the highlight of our travels through peru. The lodge was absolutely 5 stars for everything. The room, food, people. We had a private guide, Allen, who grew up locally and really had deep knowledge of the land, the history, and the variety of plant and animal species in the jungle. His knowledge and passion were invaluable to our experience. There are a variety of tour companies and lodges you can book to visit the Amazon, however, I would only recommend Rainforest Expeditions as they are truly connected to the community and offer high quality first class amazon experience! Read all

We had a truly wonderful stay with Rainforest Expeditions. Everyone was incredibly kind and welcoming, and our guide was fantastic — very knowledgeable and passionate about the rainforest. We saw many animals, even from the boat, which made the experience unforgettable. Read all

I just spent 3 days here with my family. The research center surpassed all our expectations. I want to give a special shout out to Carlos who took such good care of us. He went above and beyond to make sure we werr comfortable. And he was always smiling. He made us feel so welcome. We had Erik as our guide who is so knowledgeable and experienced. We learned so much, saw so much wildlife. It really was a dream vacation. Thank you!! Read all

Chose this place to stay at the Amazon, as I heard it benefits the local indigenous community. Life changing experience. Oscar was an excellent guide! We saw so many wildlife! No 4th wall made it such an immersive jungle experience. Since they are eco friendly, there is no AC. It can get pretty hot depending on the season. So better to follow their guidance for clothing choices Read all

If you want to experience the Amazon in all its glory This is the place to come to Staff and guides were excellent Food was just incredible The forest walks were really interesting and informative Read all

If you are a birder, ask for Juan Carlos Yatto. He recognizes an astounding number of bird calls and can duplicate many of them. This place is magical, all I could have imagined. All the staff and scientists are incredible. The experience of a lifetime. Read all

This was the most amazing experience Very well organised The ground staff were so well organised The guides were excellent ( I’m looking at you Carlos!) Food was tasty and very varied Amazed that the chefs managed to get such variety in the middle of the Amazon Do not hesitate Book immediately you will not be disappointed. Highly recommended Read all

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

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