This jaguar, Isabella (a symbol of the Amazon rainforest - one of nature's sheer beauties), is just chilling out on a tree not even remotely bothered by the Putumayo Coral Snake beneath her. One of these guys slithered past me whilst I was trekking through this very same jungle a few years ago and my reaction was a darn sight more dramatic!
Today is Amazon Day (not to be confused with the consumer website even though Google seems to favour that in its search engine) where we have a chance to celebrate how utterly amazing the world's largest tropical rainforest is, 5.5 million km² to be precise, and to remind ourselves of how deforestation and habitat loss is endangering not only jaguars, but all other creatures that live there too.
'People want to hurt her (they're always a 'her' with my daughter) for her fur - they want make tights and things, don't they?' my little one questions. 'More like coats,' I reply, but as I say this it sounds so bizarre that anyone would want to own a coat made from jaguar fur when the process, and harm it's caused to get onto a coat rail, is just too much to think about.
With the help of my daughter who drew the flowers, squiggles and coloured in Isabella, I sketched this and created the background with oil pastels. Should you wish to find out anymore about Amazon conservation, you might like to visit http://www.amazonconservation.org
