Manaus – This Friday (1st), a group of Saudi students currently on an exchange trip to Brazil visited the National Institute of Amazonian Research (Inpa), in Manaus, and was impressed with the animal and plant preservation work carried out by the organization. It was the first time that the group came into contact with several species that they saw at the site, such as the Manatee, for example.
The Inpa is an organization of the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology and has been active for 56 years. The institute works with 300 researchers and maintains various international cooperation agreements. It focuses on biodiversity research in the Amazonian region.
“What I have witnessed today is something I had only seen in documentaries,” says the 21-year-old Yousuf AlBassan. “The work that they do to preserve the animals is amazing. I was also surprised with the giant leaf, which I could use as if it were a blanket. The fact that the people working at the institute are originally from Manaus is also important, because they were born in the environment, they know it well and help preserve it,” he claims.
Carlos Roberto Bueno, the coordinator for Extension at the Inpa who guided the students through their visit, explains that the Amazonian forest harbours 240,000 recorded species of plants, 800 known species of birds, 1,100 types of fish and a wide variety of mammals and insects.
“Today I was able to understand how the Amazon influences the climate,” says 26-year-old Albaraq Taibah. “I have never been to a place where nature is as respected as it is at the Inpa. They wait until the animals are ready and then they return them to nature. That means respecting their feelings. I was also surprised upon learning that new species are discovered everyday,” said the student.
Jumana Bin Mahfouz, aged 21, mentioned the importance of promoting the work of the institute. “It is important to bring schools here so they may learn about what is being done,” she says. “The fact that the handicraft sold is made using materials found there caught my attention. It is really important for us, big city dwellers, to get in touch with nature,” she finishes off.
The visit to the Inpa wrapped up the group’s activities in Manaus. The students’ schedule will continue in Rio de Janeiro.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
