Amazon, a click away

People can now explore portions of the Amazon Basin from the comfort of their homes, thanks to Google’s free online map service. Pictures taken along the Rio Negro in Brazil last year have been woven into Google Maps, allowing users to virtually venture on waterways, trails and in villages.

“Take a virtual boat ride down the main section of the Rio Negro, and float up into the smaller tributaries where the forest is flooded,” Karin Tuxen-Bettman, who headed the project, said in a blog post. “You can even see a forest critter if you look hard enough. Map images include scenes from Tumbira, the largest community in the Rio Negro Reserve, and other communities along the river.

“We hope this Street View collection provides access to this special corner of the planet that many of us otherwise wouldn’t have the chance to experience,” Tuxen-Bettman said.