Purus River

The Purus River (Portuguese: Rio Purus; Spanish: Río Purús) is a tributary of the Amazon River in South America. It flows through a large area and has a drainage basin covering 371,042 km² (143,260 sq mi). This makes it an important part of the Amazon rainforest.

The Purus River carries a lot of water, with an average flow of about 11,207 m³/s (395,800 cu ft/s) each year. The river gives its name to places nearby, such as the Alto Purús National Park and the Purús Province, which includes the Purús District. These areas are part of the four provinces in the Ucayali Region of Peru.

Geography

The Purus River starts in Peru and helps form the border between Peru and Brazil. It flows through many protected areas, like forests and reserves, and eventually joins the Amazon River.

The river is known for its many twists and turns. Even though it looks very crooked, its straight-line distance is much shorter. For a long stretch, the river stays about the same width and depth.

Biodiversity

The Purús red howler is a kind of howler monkey that lives in Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia. Another animal, Peckoltia brevis, a type of catfish, lives in parts of the Amazon River near the Purus River.

Much of the central and lower parts of the Purus River flow through the Purus várzea area. Near the town of Tapauá, the river goes through the Abufari Biological Reserve, a protected area.

Earthworks discovery

In 2008, people found signs of an old civilization near the upper Purus River, close to Bolivia. They found this after some forest was cut down for farming. Using pictures from space, they saw big shapes made from earth that were built a long time ago.