Purus River

The Purus River is a major tributary of the Amazon River in South America. A tributary is a smaller river that flows into a larger one. The Purus River carries a massive amount of water into the Amazon system. It has a very large drainage basin, which is the area of land where water collects and flows into the river. The river is known for its extreme shape and its importance to the surrounding ecosystems. It plays a vital role in the geography of the western Amazon region.

The river begins its journey high up in the country of Peru. It flows into Brazil and forms a border between the two nations. This border sits in the center of the Brazilian state of Acre. After the Santa Rosa River joins it, the Purus flows northeast through Manoel Urbano. The river travels through a continuous forest located in a great depression. This low-lying area sits between the Madeira River and the Ucayali River. The Madeira River stays near the edge of the Brazilian sandstone plateau. Meanwhile, the Ucayali River runs along the base of the Andes mountains.

The Purus River is famous for its winding path through the landscape. It is one of the most crooked streams in the entire world. The river curves so much that its actual length is much greater than a straight line. In fact, a straight line between its start and end is less than half its actual length. The river is also very consistent in its physical dimensions. It maintains a very uniform width for most of its course. Its depth is also quite reliable and is never less than 15 meters deep. William Chandless measured its elevation above sea level near its mouth.

Many different protected areas exist along the banks of the Purus River. These zones help preserve the natural environment and the people who use it. In the state of Acre, the river defines the boundary of the Santa Rosa do Purus National Forest. This is a sustainable use conservation unit that was created in 2001. As the river moves into the state of Amazonas, it enters the Arapixi Extractive Reserve. This reserve was established in 2006. The river also forms the western boundary of the Purus National Forest, which was created in 1988. Further south, the Médio Purus Extractive Reserve protects the area between Pauini and Lábrea. This reserve was started in 2008. The river also passes through the Canutama Extractive Reserve and the Piagaçu-Purus Sustainable Development Reserve. The latter was established in 2003 and protects a large part of the river's floodplain.

Biodiversity is very high within the Purus River basin. Many unique animals rely on this specific environment to survive. The Purus red howler, or *Alouatta puruensis*, is a species of monkey native to this area. These monkeys can be found in Brazil, Peru, and the northern parts of Bolivia.

You can also find a specific kind of catfish called *Peckoltia brevis* here. This fish lives in the middle and upper sections of the Amazon. Much of the central and lower river flows through the Purus várzea ecoregion. In the municipality of Tapauá, the river flows through the Abufari Biological Reserve. This is a strictly protected area designed to keep the ecosystem safe.

In 2008, researchers made a surprising discovery in the upper region of the river. This area is located near the border with Bolivia. Scientists found evidence of a previously unknown pre-Columbian civilization. This means the society existed before Europeans arrived in the Americas. After much of the forest was cleared for farming, satellite pictures revealed the truth. These images from space showed large geometric earthworks. These earthworks are structures made of soil that form specific shapes on the ground. This discovery proved that a complex society once lived in western Amazonia.

The Purus River serves as more than just a body of water. It acts as a drainage system for a district that is often half-submerged or flooded by lakes. The river enters the Amazon River to the west of the Madeira River. It follows a path that parallels the Madeira River as far south as the Madeira's falls. Because of its shape, depth, and the many protected reserves along its path, the Purus is a central feature of the South American landscape. It connects the Andes mountains to the great Amazon system through a complex and winding route.