Bulletantbitesfeellikefire.Tarantulasgrowasbigasaman’shand.Giantanacondasnakesslitherthroughtheriverwater.AsKaneandhisgroupmadethelong50-kilometer (31-mile)hikebackthroughthe rain foresttowardtheirstartingpoint,Kaneencounteredthem all.
Beesfollowedhim,hungryforthetasteofhissweat.Once,abulletantfelldownhisshirt.Hebattedatit,butitkeptbitinghim.PoorKanewasdizzyforthenextfewhoursandcoveredinswollen welts.
Kane foundthissmallreptile,called a caiman, whilehikingthroughtherain forest.
Oneday,thegroupsetouttofindananaconda.Theirguidelocatedone,butitslitheredintoitsundergroundnestbeforeKanecouldseeit.Thetrackit leftbehindshoweditwasagiant.Itwasabout9 meters (nearly30feet)—almostaslongaschool bus!
Theundisputedruleroftherain forestisthejaguar.Thesepowerfulbigcatsaredeadlyhunters.One dayastheyhikedthroughthe forest, Kane’sguidediscoveredfreshtracksofalargeadultjaguar.Ithadcrossedtheirpathwithinthepastfewhours.Theguidetoldhimthattheywouldn’tgetattackediftheystucktogether.Still,itwashardnottofeel nervous.
EndoftheRoad
Aftertwoweeks,Kane’sadventurecametoanend.Hisgroupleftthe rain forest.Itfeltstrangetoseebuildingseverywhere,bustlingcrowds,andpeoplezippingbyon motorbikes.
Kane couldn’thelpthinkingabouthowtheMatséspeople,farfromitall,hadshowedhim,againandagain,howtolivesimplyandinharmonywiththerichnaturalworldoftherain forest.