This specimen is a vial of Amazon River Water similar to those encased in the Fourth Edition. The item is encased in an acrylic specimen jar and housed in a glass-topped riker display box measuring 4x3x1 (inches). A small information card will accompany the specimen.

This is also the same item the backers of the Amazon River Water tier will receive. A portion of the proceeds from this item will be donated to the Amazon Bee Project, an extension of the Honey Bee Initiative at George Mason University. This program funds the development of sustainable, indigenous businesses in Peru and Colombia.

About the Amazon River

"Have I forgotten the Amazon, Earth's greatest river? Never, never, never. It has been burning in me for half a century, and will burn forever." ~ Naturalist John Muir (1838-1914)

With headwaters located high in the Peruvian Andes, just 100 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the Amazon river gathers strength from over 1000 tributaries as it flows for more than 4,300 miles (6,900 km) across the South American continent. On meeting the Atlantic Ocean, this mighty river discharges 7.7 million cubic feet of water per second, drowning its nearest competitor, the Congo, by a factor of five. The river's massive, 2.7 million square mile basin (7 million square km) is home to the Amazon rainforest, the largest collection of living species on the planet.

The water in this vial was personally collected by Hans near Iquitos, Peru. Iquitos is known as the "Peruvian capital of the Amazon", and has the distinction of being the largest city on Earth which is only accessible by river or air. We are greatly indebted to the assistance of German Perilla of the Amazon Bee Project and Geraldo Torres of Iquitos for their invaluable assistance and expert advice in acquiring this specimen. A generous donation has been made to the Amazon Bee Project on behalf of Mini Museum.