The small monkey, which is mostly gray and brown and weighs 213 grams (0.47 pound), has been named the Mura’s saddleback tamarin after the Mura Indian tribe of the Purus and Madeira riverbasins where the new sub-species was found.

It is 240 millimeters (9.4 inches) tall with a 320 millimeter (12.6 inch) tail.

“This newly described monkey shows that even today there are major wildlife discoveries to be made,” Fabio Rohe, the lead author of a study confirming the new discovery, said in a statement released by the WCS.

The study found that the monkey is threatened by development projects in the region, including a major highway through the forest that is being paved and which could fuel deforestation.

“This discovery should serve as a wake-up call that there is still so much to learn from the world’s wild places, yet humans continue to threaten these areas with destruction,” Rohe said.

(Reporting by Stuart Grudgings; Editing by Philip Barbara)

As with humans, many animals born with a problem that prevents the production of melanin, pigment that protects the skin color of the sun. The phenomenon is known as albinism, and occurred with two turltes in reserve Abufari in the state of Amazonas.

In the second half of 2008, the fiscal reserve account for the birth of 381 thousand turtles. They are protected day and night of their predators and hunters in the region. The head of Abufari, Fernando Weber, among the hundreds of thousands of turtles that are born in the reserve, there is always one or another that has albinism. “Every year around five turtles born with albinism,” he explains.

The species, named Luangwa, has similar characteristics to the mammals of today. The scientific name was given in tribute to the first description of a cynodont discovery in the valley of the Luangwa, Zambia.

“The existence of two fossils of the same group in regions so far reinforces our theory that the continents were united by a single block of land (Pang),” said biologist Roberto da Silva Lucio, one of the researchers responsible of the finding, along paleontologist with Sérgio Furtado Cabreira.

According to the team, the good condition of the fossil will facilitate research on the biology of the animal. “Around 90% of the skull is very well preserved in relation to other materials found, as jaws and teeth, which are well fragmented,” said the biologist.

Cynodonts

Analysis of the fossil’s teeth so far indicate that the cynodonts could be omnivores, herbivores and carnivores. Luangwa was an omnivorous group, which is fed with a varied diet of plants, invertebrates and small vertebrates. One could measure a few centimeters in height, but also reach up to 2 m.

The world population is the total number of humans on Earth at a given time. As of May 2008, the world’s population is believed to be just over 6.7 billion. In line with population projections, this figure continues to grow at rates that were unprecedented before the 20th century, although the rate of increase has almost halved since its peak, which was reached in 1963, of 2.2 percent per year. The world’s population, on its current growth trajectory, is expected to reach nearly 9 billion by the year 2050.

The Muslims are only (roughly) 1.4 billion (20% of world population). The christians are more than 2 billion (33% of world population). The article only compared Roman catholics who are 1.3 billion to Muslims. A better comparison would be comparing Roman Catholicism to Sunni Islam (85-90% of Muslims) to see which is the most populous religious sect. Right now Sunnis are around 1.2 billion but are increasing much faster than Roman catholics, so maybe they will overtake them after 10 years or so. Muslims will certainly overtake christians numberwise (if trends continue unchanged) sometime in the third quarter of this century.

Some additional information:

World Christians 33.32% (of which Roman Catholics 16.99%, Protestants 5.78%, Orthodox 3.53%, Anglicans 1.25%), Muslims 21.01%, Hindus 13.26%, Buddhists 5.84%, Sikhs 0.35%, Jews 0.23%, Baha’is 0.12%, other religions 11.78%, non-religious 11.77%, atheists 2.32% (2007 est.)

Brazil Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census)

United States Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)

The newspaper explained that, because of the high number of residents and cars circulating in the city, causing traffic jams of up to 200 kilometers, the rich executives, bankers and business journalism, among others, are opting for helicopter as a means of transport.

“The case of love of Sao Paulo with helicopters began in 1994, after the introduction of an economic plan that the government linked the new Brazilian currency to the dollar. The result was the sudden entry of helicopters made in the United States. In mid-90, the American giant, Bell helicopters arrived to introduce training courses for pilots in Portuguese, because the increased demand in Brazil. ”

Today, Brazil is living with the new period of economic stability and its currency reaching records based on nine years period, the number of helicopters is returning to grow in Sao Paulo.

According to the newspaper, “there is constant flow of helicopters crossing the sky of the city, small points up and down while doing your way, helipad for helipad.”

“According to the National Agency of Aviation in Brazil the number of helicopters in the State of Sao Paulo jumped from 374 to 496 between 1999 and 2008, making the city the world capital of the helicopter, ahead of Tokyo and New York.”

The Guardian says that only in the city of Sao Paulo there are 420 helicopters, which can be seen crossing the sky day and night.

There are at least 70 thousand flights of helicopters over the city every year and 420 heliports in Sao Paulo, which represents 75% of heliports in Brazil and 50% more than in the entire United Kingdom. “Analysts say that other 83 helicopters should be added to the fleet of the city by 2010,” says the report.

According to the report, the “fashion” is transforming Sao Paulo in a divided city, like Rio de Janeiro, where poor residents live beside millionaires buildings close to the beach.

And it doesn’t stop there. Brazil has a great variety of cultures, different types of land, vegetation. But what’s most amazing to me is the amount of variety you can find in such a relatively small state. One of the most well known shores of the world: Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon. And that’s in the city. A two hour drive heading east will take you to breath taking beaches, where you’ll enjoy more reserved and rustic paradises like Buzios, Cabo Frio and Saquerema, the Brazilian capital of surf. Or even a little more south and you’ll find Angra dos Reis and Parati.

The west part of the state offers great mountain-like surroundings. Another great opportunity to immerse ourselves in the great culture Rio offers. In Petrópolis, you’ll be able to visit castles, museums, and historical building like the house of Carlos Drummond de Andrade. You’ll be able to enjoy, again breath taking, waterfalls, rivers. Indulge in the great food. The sweets are my favorite!
So pack away, make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen, insect repellent, and of course your camera with plenty of memory. You’ll need it!

Some countries are eligible to go to Brazil without the necessity to get a VISA. For the countries which aren’t part of this group check out the requirements to get a VISA to Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro

Modern Brazilian Carnival finds its roots in Rio de Janeiro in the 1845, when the city’s bourgeoisie imported the practice of holding balls and masquerade parties from Paris. It originally mimicked the European form of the festival, over time acquiring elements derived from Native American and African cultures.

In the late 19th century, the cordões (literally laces or strings in Portuguese) were introduced in Rio de Janeiro. These were groups of people who would parade through the streets playing music and dancing. Today they are known as blocos (blocks), consisting of a group of people who dress in costumes or specials t-shirts according to certain themes or to celebrate the Carnival. Blocos are generally associated with particular neighbourhoods or suburbs and include both a percussion or music group and an entourage of revellers.

This “blocos” have become a big part of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival. There are more than 100 “blocos” nowadays and each year this number increases. Some are big, some are small, most concentrate in square and later parade though the streets and a few stay in the same place all the time. Each “bloco” has its place or street to parade and the big ones usually close the streets for car traffic. They usually start in January and last till the end of Carnival, so since the beginning of the year you can see a group of people dancing samba in any street of Rio in the weekends and during Carnival every day.

“Blocos” parade in Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Lagoa, Jardim Botânico, and in the centre of Rio. Usually the people who organize the “bloco” write their own music, which is played at all time during the parade, along with old carnival favourites called in Portuguese “Marchinhas de carnaval”, and sambas that have become classics. Some important “blocos” are “O cordão do bola preta”, that goes through the heart of Rio’s historical center, and “Suvaco do Cristo” (Christ’s armpit in Portuguese), in the neighbourhood, near Rio’s Botanic Garden. Monobloco is another bloco that has become so famous that their band plays all year round in parties and small concerts.
Samba schools are very large, well-financed organizations that work year round in preparation for Carnival. Parading in the Sambadrome runs over four entire nights and is part of an official competition, divided into seven divisions, in which a single samba school will be declared that year’s winner. Blocos deriving from the samba schools also hold street parties in their respective suburbs, through which they parade along with their followers.

Bahia

There are several major differences between Carnival in the state of Bahia in Brazil’s Northeast Region and Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. The musical styles are different in each carnival; in Bahia there are many rhythms, including samba, samba-reggae, axé, and others, which are performed on a truck equipped with giant speakers and a platform where musicians play called a trio-elétrico. Massive numbers of people follow the trucks singing and dancing. The “Indian” groups were inspired by Western movies from the United States. The groups dress up as Native Americans and take on Native American names. Blocos Afros, or Afro groups, were influenced by the Black Pride Movement in the United States, independence movements in Africa, and reggae music that denounced racism and oppression. The groups inspired a renewed pride in African heritage.

Source » Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In summer, Dec-Feb, temperatures can reach 40C. Best March-May and Sept-Nov.
Generally sand is white and fine, the sun shines, prices are low and people are pleasant. The water, however, is the Atlantic Ocean, so will often be rough, with strong currents, a steep drop off and not very warm, unless protected by a reef. Careless tourists drown regularly!Around Rio de Janeiro:

Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro
The world’s best city beach with 4km of surprisingly spotless wide white sand. Relatively cheap, with friendly, lively locals. Plenty of accommodation, restaurants and outrageous night clubs. A great place for volley ball, and is the home of ‘futevolei’ [foot volley ball], too. Fun for people watching especially if you favour huge bottoms.
The down side is that you have to be cautious about thieves : use common sense – no watches, jewellery, or cameras.
If you like a little more sophistication go next door to Ipanema.

Ipanema and Leblon, Rio de Janeiro
Home of the bikini and tangas- tiny bikinis- Ipanema and Leblon are adjacent and slightly more chic and relaxed than nearby Copacabana. There is a family-friendly ambience and even a meeting area for mothers and babies. Soft white sand and cool blue water.

Buzios, 100 miles [160kms] NE of Rio
Originally a fishing village Buzios is now a small and still unspoilt town on a peninsula crowded with 22 fine beaches and not a lot of people top use them. Buzios came to fame when France’s famous beauty, Brigitte Bardot, hung out there in the 60′s.

Angra dos Reis, Costa Verde [between Rio and Sao Paulo]
If you want to escape from Rio, Costa Verde is a good destination. Costa Verde [Green Coast], is one of the most scenic stretches along the 175-mile coastline between Rio and Sao Paulo, where tropical forest spread down to the ocean, with broad bays, golden sandy beaches and small fishing villages. There are some good resort hotels, villas, trendy restaurants and clubs. Angra dos Reis [Kings' Cove] is the best beach of the area and one of the most untouched beauty spots in the country.

Santos Beach Gardens, south of Sao Paulo
The town of Santos, 45 miles from Sao Paulo, has a beautiful 4 mile beach garden, reckoned by locals to be the largest garden in the world. It stretchs from Ponta da Praia, ferryport from another well-known beach resort called Guaruja, to Sao Vicente, the oldest town in Brazil.

Far north of Rio de Janeiro, north east Brazil:
Salvador, Bahia State
A beautiful, vibrant colonial city with excellent beaches on both sides.

Ilha de Tinharé, Bahia state
The seashore on this little island off the coast of Salvador is one of the prettiest in Brazil.
Neighbouring beaches, Ondina and Rio Vermelho, host Salvador’s most expensive resort hotels, while Rio Vermelho has some of the city’s best bars and music.
Going north along the Orla Marítima are many restaurants, clean white sand, and in the north, the Lagoa de Abaeté, a black freshwater lagoon.

Praia do Forte resort, Bahia State
Praia do Forte, to the north of Salvador, is an old fishing village reconfigered as a laidback, downmarket resort. It has more than 8 miles of superb sandy beaches and natural pools and is surrounded by thousands of square miles of wild nature. Among the many cheap and cheerful little hotels is Brazil’s first eco-resort, Praia do Forte EcoResort – delux but low key – lurking by the best sandy bit in the area, and offering various eco tourist programmes such as bird-watching, and rainforest walking. 1.5 hours from Salvador.

Natal, Rio Grande Norte State
Natal, inelegant, but ‘the city of the sun’ sees more than 300 days of sunshine a year and has some of the best stretches of sand in South America, including good lively city beaches – but beware the surf.
Just out of town the seaside get better with the prettiest area being Ponta Negra bay[ 10km away], and Pipa beach [80km away] – so lovely that dolphins visit regularly to admire it.
In addition Rio Grande do Norte has a more than 40 other great beaches, in particular Pirangi, Jacuma, Maracajaú, Galinhos. And by the way, wild buggy rides over the huge dunes seem to be a big attraction in this area.

Fortaleza, Ceara State
A mediocre city beach but hundreds of miles of superb wild coast either side of it, with dunes, palms, wild water and not much else.

Jericoacoara, Ceará State [300km west of Fortaleza]
Jericoacoara, increasingly fashionable in Brazil, has spectacular sunsets from the sand-dunes overlooking the little developed beaches. It is also known as an excellent place for windsurfing and horse-riding along the sands.

South Brazil:
Praia do Rosa, 90km south of Florianopolis
A small fishing village popular with no more than a few surfers until recently, Rosa is a beautiful beach with great surf, but developing rapidly. Get there before it’s too late.

Guardo do Embau, near Florianopolis
Between Florianopolis and Garopaba this is a beautiful beach with an excellent slope for sandboarding, a small beach, good surf and friendly locals.

And other suggestions south of Rio: Praia Ferrugem, Mariscal, 4 Ilhas.

source » www.bugbog.com

• If you are not an American or Canadian citizen, check if you need a VISA to enter Brazil for tourism purposes.
• Identify your consular jurisdiction, determined by your place of residence, and always check with your consulate for specific information about hours of operation, processing time, and payment methods.
• APPLICATIONS BY MAIL WILL BE ACCEPTED ONLY FOR RESIDENTS WITHIN the appropriate CONSULAR JURISDICTION.
• The consulates in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, DO NOT ACCEPT APPLICATIONS BY MAIL.
• APPLICATIONS from outside of your jurisdiction area will only be accepted if submitted in person.

GENERAL TOURIST VISA INFORMATION

YOU MUST CONTACT THE CONSULATE OF YOUR JURISICTION

Requirements for TOURIST visas:

• A passport valid for at least six months beyond the applicant’s intended period of stay in Brazil.
• One passport-sized photograph (2″ x 2″)
• A photocopy of the round trip ticket or itinerary
• A duly filled out and signed visa application form. Download a Visa Application form at http://www.brasilemb.org/consulado/consular_forms.shtml
• For American citizens the fee is U$130.00. For citizens of Canada the fee is U$65.00. For citizens of other countries, please check at http://www.brasilemb.org/consulado/consular_table_fee.shtml
• A non-refundable handling fee of US$10.00 per visa applies to visa applications submitted by mail or by any individual other than the applicant or an immediate member of his or her family (NOTE: New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco do not accept applications by mail).

If your consulate does not accept applications by mail (New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco), applicants unable to apply in person MUST use a visa service agency. Please visit the website for the consulate in your jurisdiction for a list of visa service agencies.

Visa processing times for applications vary. Processing time may take one to ten business days for applications received in person. The consulates that accept applications by mail usually require 7 to 10 business days (NOT including transit times) to process visas. Check with the consulate where you will be applying for their current processing times.

If you are applying by mail do not forget to include a prepaid, self-addressed/ stamped return envelope with the application so that the consulate can mail it back to you (ONLY USPS ENVELOPES WILL BE ACCEPTED). The Brazilian Tourism Office recommends the use of USPS registered or certified mail or the use of USPS priority or express mail. Do not forget to keep the tracking or registration number for your records in case you need to locate the envelope.