Oct. 26, 2010 -- More than 1,200 new species have been
identified in the Amazon rainforest between 1999 and 2009,
dubbed "the decade of discovery." This translates to a rate of
one previously undescribed animal or plant every three days,
according to a report published by the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF). Here we see Micrastur mintoni, a forest falcon with
bright orange ovals around its eyes. Discovered in 2002 in
Brazil, the bird is a bit of a mystery, though researchers
believe the overall populations of this animal are large. Among
the new species are 637 plants, 257 fish, 216 amphibians, 55
reptiles, 16 birds and 39 mammals. Thousands of additional
invertebrate species have also been discovered; however, they
weren't included in the report. Discovered in 2002 in Bolivia,
this snake (Eunectes beniensis) is the first newly described
anaconda since 1936. It can grow up to four meters (13 feet) in
length, and once fully grown can prey on animals as large as
jaguars. Spanning 6.7 million square kilometers (2.6 mi