The word
pantano means ‘swamp’ in both Spanish and Portuguese, but the Pantanal is really a vast, very flat alluvial plain. It is the world’s largest tropical wetland at around 150,000-200,000 sq km and supports a great diversity of life – which is much easier to spot than in the dense jungles of places like the Amazon basin. Most of it is in Brazil, but it extends into Bolivia and Paraguay. Much of the area in Brazil was once part of Bolivia but, in yet another war the Bolivians lost, it was ceded to Brazil.
It is surrounded by higher ground and during the wet season the water flowing down the Paraguay and other rivers overflows their banks and spreads gently across the plain. Animals gradually cluster on the resulting vegetation islands (
cordilheiras). In a similar but reverse process as the waters recede, animals retreat to and concentrate in the shrinking ponds and along the river floodplains.
The seasonal process limited agriculture on large parts of the plain to patchy cattle grazing and has kept much of the habitat suitable for the natural wildlife. Many eco-tourism lodges have sprung up from now less economical grazing farms along the
Transpantaneria, a raised dirt road that extends deep into the Pantanal.
The sole purpose of the trip into the Pantanal was to observe wildlife in two parts of the region. Firstly, along the Paraguay River and its extensive network of adjacent flood plain channels. The key target there was to spot jaguars (
Panthera onca -
Jaguar - Wikipedia). Jaguars look like leopards but are stockier and, like tigers, they swim. Secondly, to experience the array of wildlife and the habitat at an eco-lodge-cough-farm on the true Pantanal plain as the landscape was trending towards the dry season, allowing good accessibility and the wildlife was concentrating into the remaining pools.
After grouping and a night at Cuiaba, the capital of Matto Grosso, four nights was spent at Baiazinha Lodge on the banks of the Paraguay River, with twice-daily boat excursions down the river and into channels to maximise the chances of spotting a jaguar. The following three nights were spent at Araras Lodge which sits beside the Transpantaneira.
The target region relative to Bolivia – with the Salar de Uyuni clearly visible. Great landscape contrast!
On the drive into the river lodge and the lodge – Hyacinth Macaw. I covered some of around the river and lodge earlier with live posts of pics from my phone.
Red-crested Cardinal. Capybaras. I’m working my way through my pics in day-by-day sequence. Apologies for any repetition if I come across better pics but have already posted or omit to edit accordingly.
Snail Kite. Jabiru Storks (and an idea of the habitat – including plenty of water hyacinth which is native to S America but is a massively invasive weed in some other parts of the world). Green Iguana. (I’ll name as many species as my simple cheat-sheet will reliably allow…)
Caimans galore. Southern Screamer (I think). Many herons.
Ringed Kingfisher. Grey-necked Wood-Rail. Tiger Heron.
Pretty reflections as the sun peeked through. Orange-backed Troupial.
Black-collared Hawk. ?. End of day 1 and no jaguar. Six opportunities to go…
. And then less so…
