A whale, which is said to weigh about 12 tons and is 5 and a half metres long, has been seen more than 1600 km from the Atlantic Ocean, deep inside the Amazon rain forest.
The whale ran aground on a sandbar deep inside the Amazon earlier this week but after being freed with the help of vets and biologists it disappeared shortly afterwards. Helicopters and boats were involved in a search of the area but nothing was found.
Local people had been splashing water on the whale's back and fin while it was exposed to the hot Amazon sun.
Reports of a mysterious animal in the area had been causing alarm among locals near to the Tapajos river, a tributary of the Amazon. Experts say the animal could have been in the area for a couple of months.
A biologist said it was thought the animal became separated from its group and swam upstream, until it ran aground near Santarem in Para state. While it is not unprecedented, it is unusual for whales to venture so far into fresh water.
The whale is not the only animal to get lost in Brazil this week, however. It is the second time that a lost animal has been seen in an unexpected location.
On Thursday, a young reptile - which was 1.5m long - turned up at a popular beach in Rio de Janeiro and had to be rescued by firemen.
They had been searching for the alligator for some time and had closed Barra beach, but despite this, some swimmers insisted on entering the water. The caiman, or yellow stomach alligator as it is known in Brazil, was taken to a local zoo for treatment for a broken leg.
This endangered species is normally found in freshwater swamps and marshes, and the fire service in Rio said it was the first time they had rescued one from the sea.
BBC News -17/11/ 07
Question 1 Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text:
a) Residents in the area kept the whale hydrated.
b) Whales had never appeared in fresh water before.
c) The alligator was injured when it was found.
d) The yellow stomach alligator is in danger of extinction.
Question 2 Answer these questions in your own words:
a) How did the whale get to the Tapajos river?
b) What did the authorities do to protect the local people from the alligator?
Question 3 Find a word or phrase in the text that means the same as:
a) par.2 soon
b) par.5 up the river
c) par.7 To appear
Question 4 Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.
a) It was thought the animal became separated from its group and swam upstream.
The animal…………………………………………………………….
b) The fire service in Rio said it was the first time they had rescued one from the sea.
The fire service in Rio said, “It………………………………………………………..
c) Despite the closure of Barra Beach, some swimmers insisted on entering the water.
Although………………………………………………………………………
Question 5 Write a short essay (120 to 150 words) on the following topic:
Why are so many animals in danger?
Self-Access Group. CEP Santander
