Iguazu Falls

Do you hear that. It is a mighty, thundering roar, but it does not come from a lion. It is the sound of my voice. If you stand close to me, you can feel a cool, gentle mist on your face as hundreds of my waterfalls crash down all at once. I am so big that I live in two countries at the same time, Brazil and Argentina. The sun shines through my spray and paints beautiful rainbows in the air, while colorful butterflies dance all around. People who visit say my sound is powerful and my sight is beautiful. I am a wonder of nature. I am Iguazu Falls.

My story began a very, very long time ago, even before the dinosaurs. Over 135 million years ago, a giant volcano erupted with a mighty rumble, shaking the whole world. The ground cracked open, creating the giant steps that I flow over today. For thousands and thousands of years, I sang my watery song alone in the jungle. The only people who knew I was here were the Guarani people. They were the first to hear my voice and see my rainbows. They gave me my name, Iguazu, which means ‘Big Water’ in their language. Then, one day in the year 1541, a Spanish explorer named Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was walking through the jungle. He followed my thundering sound and became the first European to see my tumbling waters. He was so amazed, he could not believe his eyes.

As more people heard about my ‘Big Water,’ they traveled from all over the world to see me. They knew right away that I was a special place that needed to be kept safe. It was not just my water but also the green rainforest and all the amazing animals that live here. So, the country of Argentina decided to help protect me. In 1934, they made the land on their side a national park. Just a few years later, in 1939, Brazil did the very same thing on its side. This meant no one could harm my forests or the creatures who call me home. Then, I received a very special award. In 1984 and again in 1986, I was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is like a gold medal for the most wonderful places on our planet.

Today, my waters are still flowing, just as they have for millions of years. I sing a powerful song that invites people from every corner of the world to come and listen. My rainforest is a safe home for toucans with bright, colorful beaks, monkeys that swing playfully from the trees, and curious little animals called coatis that scamper on the ground. When people visit, they stand on walkways and feel my powerful spray, and I show them how incredible our planet is. I am a reminder of nature’s strength and beauty. I will keep singing my endless song of wonder for many, many more years, hoping to inspire everyone who hears it.