Xingu Below Water

About this book

The Xingu is one of the principal tributaries of the Brazilian Amazon, dewatering the Brazilian Shield northward. It is famous for its incredible fish diversity, with over 60 endemic fish species, and more than 550 fish species in total. It is a river of rocks, rapids, crystal clear headwater tributaries, surreal underwater landscapes, and colourful fishes adapted to live in the fastest-moving water. At the same time, it is an incredibly fragile ecosystem that faces threats from gold mining, deforestation, industrial agriculture and one of the world’s largest hydroelectric projects.

Oliver Lucanus and Dr Leandro Sousa, along with a team of experts, have created an intricate portrait of one of the Amazon’s most complex ecosystems, showing 215 fish species in their natural habitat. For the first time, a book provides insight into the hidden world below the surface of the Xingu, revealing the fascinating adaptations and behaviour of the Xingu’s fishes. Through the eyes of the two authors who have spent hundreds of hours snorkelling and diving in the river, the reader will journey upstream into the habitats of a diverse fish community in one of the most threatened and stunningly beautiful places in the world.

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