Meet a Mermaid at the Amazon Rescue Center in Iquitos, Peru!

The town of Iquitos, upstream on the Amazon River.
This town in Peru is surrounded by jungle and the Amazon River on all sides, so it is called an island on land.
However, as it serves as a base for tours around the Amazon River basin, it was bustling not only with locals but also with a considerable number of tourists.
The Belen Market, known for Amazonian ingredients like pirarucu, and stylish cafes are famous, but in the city, you can meet the 'model for mermaids'!!

Amazon Rescue Center for protecting Amazonian creatures

The Amazon Rescue Center, about a 30-minute drive from the center of Iquitos, is a facility established by the Dallas World Aquarium in the USA.
Starting with the conservation of the 'model for mermaids,' the project rescues rare animals living in the Amazon, such as jaguars, giant otters, and crocodiles, from markets and traps, temporarily shelters them, and then releases them back into the wild.

Upon joining the English tour and entering, there were colorful birds and animals like turtles.
Most of the animals here are targeted by poachers because they can be sold at high prices as herbal medicine or pets.
The guide carefully explained 'under what circumstances they were brought here' and 'what programs are being conducted.'

'Model for mermaids' Amazon Manatee

In the pool at the very back of the facility, some plump animals are swimming.
Yes, it's the Amazon Manatee, the true identity (according to some theories) of the 'model for mermaids'!!!
Manatees, herbivorous aquatic mammals that do not eat fish, swim quite slowly, perhaps because they don't need to chase fish.
In addition to their movements, their plump bodies, round tail fins, and beady eyes evoke nothing but the impression of being 'adorable'!

Amazon Manatees were once overhunted for their tough skin to be used in industrial products, which led to a drastic decline in their numbers.
Additionally, due to environmental pollution, they are listed as a vulnerable species on the Red List.
Why not visit to see such a precious and adorable creature and learn about wildlife conservation?

You can also experience feeding them, as you can get cabbage from the guide!