On each day of the official Olympic torch relay, carrying the Olympic flame to the Olympic cauldron in Rio de Janeiro, the Rio2016 Facbeook page is posting brilliant and spectacular images from one of the world’s unique and most beautiful landscapes. Each day until August 5th, we will bring you these stunning images.
On day 49 of the Olympic torch relay, the torch continued its journey through the Amazonas region of Brazil. On Monday, the torch travelled through Manaus, the largest city in northern Brazil with over 2 million residents; and Iranduba, the smallest municipality in Amazonas with under 50,000 residents.
The areas border the Amazon rain forest, which is the largest and most species-rich area of tropical rainforest in the world.
Manaus will host 6 of the football (soccer) matches during the 2016 Olympic Games.
The day, despite breathtaking images, ended in tragedy. A jaguar used during the ceremony was shot by an army soldier after it escaped its handlers. The animal approached the soldier even after being tranquilized.
“We made a mistake in permitting the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and unity, to be exhibited alongside a chained wild animal. This image goes against our beliefs and our values,” the organizing committee said of the incident. “We guarantee that there will be no more such incidents at Rio 2016.”
The shooting prompted statements from several animal rights groups, including PETA:
“When will we learn? Wild animals held captive and forced to do things that are frightening, sometimes painful, and always unnatural are ticking time bombs — our actions put them and humans at risk,” a statement by Brittany Peet, a director of the organization, said.
https://www.facebook.com/rio2016/videos/1187963001238577/
Rio2016/Fernando Soutello
Rio2016/Fernando Soutello
Rio2016/Fernando Soutello
Rio2016/Fernando Soutello
Rio2016/Fernando Soutello
Rio2016/Andre Mourao
Rio2016/Fernando Soutello
Rio2016/Andre Mourao
Rio2016/Andre Mourao
Rio2016/Fernando Soutello
Rio2016/Andre Mourao
Rio2016/Andre Mourao
Rio2016/Andre Mourao
Rio2016/Fernando Soutello
no jaguar pics?
Oh great, now they’ve shot a jaguar