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Wild Choronicles joins researchers to scale a giant tepui in Guyana, South America. Roraima, soaring more than 8,000 feet into the clouds, is like a prehistoric island in the sky, populated by plants and animals found nowhere else. Don't look down—this story is a real cliffhanger.
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How old is the tepui known as Mount Roraima?
Roraima is more than 1.8 billion years old.
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What is Gondwanaland?
Gondwanaland was a supercontinent, including parts of the present-day continents of North America, South America, Africa, and Antarctica. Tepuis are remnants of Gondwanaland.
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The scientists camp in "hanging tents." How are the tents secured to the steep sides of the tepui?
A single steel pin clamps each tent in place.
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What type of bird does Jose Rivas see on his way up Roraima?
Jose sees a green parakeet.
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What insects does Jose examine in the "hanging garden"?
Jose discovers a green ladybug, a wriggling worm, a scorpion (with tiny baby scorpions attached to her), and a spider.
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Term Part of Speech Definition Encyclopedic Entry cliff Noun steep wall of rock, earth, or ice.
Encyclopedic Entry: cliff environment Noun conditions that surround and influence an organism or community.
plateau Noun large region that is higher than the surrounding area and relatively flat.
Encyclopedic Entry: plateau prehistoric Adjective period of time that occurred before the invention of written records.
tepui Noun isolated mesa found in the Guiana Highlands of South America.
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Producer
Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society
Last Updated
Jan. 13, 2012
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