Discover Brazil's Most Spectacular Wildlife

Blue-and-Yellow Macaw

macaws, birds, parrots, blue and yellow macaw, brazil, pantanal, wildlife, animals blue-and-yellow macaw parrot in pantanal brazil Often called the world\'s largest wetland, the Pantanal region of southwestern Brazil (and extending into Bolivia and Paraguay) is one of the best places in South America to view wildlife. Eighty percent of the massive Pantanal floodplains are submerged during the rainy seasons, which helps foster breathtaking biodiversity. Yet the relative openness of the country makes it much easier to see animals than the dense rain forest of the Amazon basin.

Capybaras

capybaras, rodents, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal capybaras in brazil pantanal These truly are Rodents of Unusual Size, and it\'s hard to get tired of watching them. Capybaras are the world\'s largest rodents, weighing up to 140 pounds. Although they have squirrel-like faces, they lack tails and have slightly webbed feet. They are herbivores that spend a lot of time in shallow water, where they munch on aquatic plants. Their back legs are slightly longer than their front legs. Capybaras live in groups and are great swimmers.

Pink Trumpet Tree

pantanal, brazil, trees, flowers, plants, pink trumpet trees pink trumpet tree and road in brazil pantanal A symbol of the Pantanal region, the pink trumpet trees (Tabebuia impetiginosa and T. heptaphyla) impart explosions of color during the dry season (roughly late summer and early fall in North America). They are in the same botanical family as the area\'s yellow and white trumpet trees, which normally have staggered flowering schedules. However, the unusually wet Brazilian winter made for more overlap in 2009, lighting up the horizon for visitors.

Giant Anteater

giant anteaters, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal giant anteater in pantanal brazil The giant anteater is one strange looking animal. According to our guide, the massive tail is used \"like a blanket,\" to keep the animal warm and hidden from predators, especially jaguars. Anteaters walk on their claws, which are handy for breaking open hard termite mounds or digging for ants. Although anteaters can snarf up 30,000 insects a day, they try never to swallow a whole colony at once, preferring to conserve the resource for future harvesting.

Marsh Deer

marsh deer, brazil, pantanal, animals, wildlife, birds marsh deer with birds on back in brazil pantanal The large marsh deer is a common sight in the Pantanal, and more often than not is accompanied by birds riding on its back, taking advantage of the extra set of eyes.

Piranha

piranhas, fish, brazil, pantanal, wildlife piranha, showing teeth, caught by fisherman Although piranhas look like fearsome predators, they are rarely a threat to human beings or other large animals (although it\'s said that native people sometimes show the scars of bites). There are believed to be 30 some species, distributed throughout much of South America. Many are fished for recreation and food. In fact, piranha soup is quite tasty! I never hauled one in (they kept stealing my bait!), although several members of my group got lucky, as my photo proves.

Brown Capuchin Monkey

capuchin, monkeys, primates, wildlife, animals, brazil, pantanal brown capuchin monkey in brazil pantanal Capuchin monkeys can be found in many habitats in much of Central and South America. They got their name after 15th-century explorers thought their fur resembled monk\'s garb. Like most monks, the intelligent monkeys live in groups (usually from 10 to 35). They are highly social and hierarchical, occasionally warring with other bands over territory. They spend most of their time in the trees (often swinging from limb to limb), and eat a very diverse omnivorous diet. Their tails are roughly as long as the rest of their body. They are highly expressive and one can easily spend hours watching their playful antics and sophisticated interactions.

Burrowing Owl

burrowing owls, birds, wildlife, brazil, pantanal burrowing owl The burrowing owl (Speotyto cunicularia) is found throughout much of the Americas, and has been making a gradual comeback thanks to protection efforts. They can be found in the grasslands on the margins of the Pantanal, where prey is abundant.

Collared Peccary

collared peccary, peccaries, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal collared peccary in brazil pantanal pecari tajacu Although it resembles a pig, the Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu) is only distantly related. For one thing, as our guide pointed out, peccaries lack tails. The collared peccary is widely distributed across Latin America, on up into the southwestern U.S., where it is often known as the javelina (though the common name can be confusing, since it is also applied to other species).

South American Coati

coati, south american coati, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal south american coati in brazil pantanal nasua nasua Coati are found in much of Latin America, and are known by the delightful names hog-nosed coons, snookum bears and Brazilian aardvarks. Not surprisingly, they are in the same family as raccoons, though they tend to be active during the day. South American coatis (Nasua nasua) tend to roam in small groups. They had faced considerable hunting pressure but are protected in Brazil.

Crested Caracara

crested caracara, birds, animals, widllife, brazil, pantanal crested caracara in brazil pantanal Polyoris plancus The crested caracara (Polyoris plancus) is a common site on the margins of the Pantanal, where it is a carrion and opportunistic feeder that often out competes vultures. Caracara do well in disturbed habitat and near people, and their numbers are rising. Two closely related species remain, while their \"cousin\" species, the Guadalupe caracara, is one of the few species that was intentionally eradicated by human beings. In the late 1800s goatherds on the Mexican island that bears its name hunted and poisoned the bird into oblivion, since they unjustly feared for the safety of young livestock. At least one other species went extinct as a result.

Cashew Fruits

cashews, fruits, nuts, brazil cashew fruits at market in brazil Recognize these colorful fruits? The top parts contain the cashew nuts familiar throughout the world. The lower part of the fruit is also edible, and is commonly made into a fresh juice (it is a bit nutty tasting). Many animals consume the fleshy part of the fruit, tossing the hard \"nut\" part on the ground as if it were garbage (a boon to native people and anyone else walking through the forest).

Greater Kiskadee

birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal, greater kiskadee greater kiskadee, pitangus sulphuratus bird The colorful greater kiskadee, (Pitangus sulphuratus), looks for food at the water\'s edge.

Dourado

olho d\'agua, river, fish, dourado, brazil, pantanal, wildlife, animals, snorkeling dourado fish in olho d\'agua river brazil Bearing considerable resemblance to a North American trout, the dourado (Salminus maxillosus) is a key predator in Brazil\'s waterways. The fish is also good eating, and is prized by indigenous peoples and local fishermen.

Bare-faced Curassow

bare-faced curassow - crax fasciolata - in brazil pantanal on road A male bare-faced curassow (Crax fasciolata) darts into the underbrush along a rural road. Vaguely turkey like, with gorgeous plumage, the currassow had been heavily hunted. But with protections in place, its numbers are rising in the Pantanal. The male makes a distinctive low, woofing call to the female, which is a gorgeous speckled brown.

Greater Rhea

greater rhea, birds, brazil, wildlife, pantanal greater rhea rhea americana giant flightless birds Related to emus and ostriches, the greater rhea (Rhea americana) is the largest living bird in the Western hemisphere. The flightless giants are also among the most prehistoric. They inhabit grassland, savanna and scrub forest, and can be seen in drier parts of the Pantanal. They had been heavily hunted, especially to collect their beautiful feathers for Carnival costumes, but protections have increased. The IUCN lists rheas as \"near threatened.\" In Portugese they are known as ema.

Greater Rheas

greater rhea, birds, brazil, wildlife, pantanal greater rhea group rhea americana giant flightless birds Greater rheas are unusual among animals in that the males are solely responsible for tending the nests and bringing up the young. They often travel in small family groups.

Pantanal Caiman

caiman, reptiles, alligators, brazil, wildlife, animals, pantanal pantanal caiman caiman yacare in brazil hiding in aquatic plants Although they look fearsome, the Pantanal caiman (Caiman yacare) is rarely dangerous to people. They eat mostly fish, as well as mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians, other reptiles (our group saw one with a tegu lizard in its mouth) and occasionally birds or mammals (especially capybaras). They grow throughout their lives and reach about 10-feet long.

Pantanal Caiman

caiman, reptiles, alligators, brazil, wildlife, animals, pantanal pantanal caiman caiman yacare in brazil Just a few years ago caiman were almost entirely eradicated from the Pantanal, thanks to hunters who shone their flashlights over water at night, then took shots at the pairs of eyes caught as reflections. The caiman were legally protected, but according to our guide, the poaching only stopped after farmers started raising the animals in pens. Better leather could be harvested from farmed caiman, and the resulting price drop made hunting unattractive.

Hyacinth Macaw

hyacinth macaw, brazil, parrots, birds, flight, animals, wildlife, pantanal hyacinth macaw in flight The breathtaking hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) is the world\'s largest flying parrot. It is endangered, although preservation efforts have made headway, particularly in the Pantanal. An intelligent, expressive, social bird, hyacinth macaws have long been captured for the pet trade, which has decreased their numbers along with habitat loss.

Hyacinth Macaw Pair

hyacinth macaw, brazil, parrots, birds, flight, animals, wildlife, pantanal hyacinth macaw pair on fence Hyacinth macaws mate for life, and pairs are nearly inseparable. \"When one partner dies, the other one doesn\'t usually live very long,\" said our guide Daiani Scapini. The female tends to be a bit slimmer, and she often has bent tail feathers, a result of so much time spent sitting on the nest.

Big Kitty!

jaguar, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal, cats jaguar in brazil pantanal The jaguar is the world\'s third largest cat, behind only lions and tigers. This big male takes a short break on the bank of an irrigation ditch at Fazenda San Francisco. Jaguars used to range from Argentina to the Western U.S., but they are now highly endangered. Like tigers, jaguars are good swimmers, and they are also keystone predators, helping regulate the health of entire ecosystems. Innovative conservation programs and rancher education in the Pantanal have helped shore up a local population, but many threats remain to the survival of the species in the wild. Jaguars are most active at night, and guided tours in the Pantanal afford some of the best opportunities to see them anywhere.

Red-Crested Cardinals

red-crested cardinals, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal red-crested cardinals Paroaria coronata in brazil pantanal Red-crested cardinals (Paroaria coronata) are less closely related to American cardinals than first glance suggests. However, they are still striking and a joy to watch.

Pacu

pacu, fish, brazil, pantanal, wildlife, animals, snorkeling, rivers, olho d\'agua pacu fish in brazil\'s pantanal olho d\'agua river Pacu fish, as they are locally known, are also prized by fishermen in the Pantanal. Belonging to several species, pacu can tip the scales at more than 30 pounds. The large fish are vegetarians.

Yellow Armadillo

armadillo, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal yellow armadillo (six banded) in brazil pantanal The yellow armadillo (or six-banded, Euphractus sexcinctus) is a common site throughout much of South America, including in the Pantanal. It shares a number of features in common with the nine-banded armadillo found in parts of the southern U.S. Armadillo is Spanish for \"little armored one.\"

Female Anhinga

anhingas, birds, wildlife, animals, brazil, pantanal female anhinga This female anhinga cools itself on the bank of a rice irrigation canal at Fazenda San Francisco. \"Anhinga\" comes from the Brazilian Tupi language word for devil bird or snake bird, so named because it\'s long, flexible neck is often the only part visible above the water. Anhingas lack the waterproofing oil of ducks, so they loose buoyancy in the water (this helps them dive deeper). They are distributed through much of the warmer Americas.

Great Black Hawk

great black hawk, birds, wildlife, animals, brazil, pantanal great black hawk, buteogallus urubitinga in brazil pantanal A great black hawk (Buteogallus urubitinga) peers out over rice fields and open water at Fazenda San Francisco. The hawk is the largest in the Pantanal, and has a rich diversity of prey to choose from.

Passion Fruit Flower

passion fruit flower in brazil pantanal Spectacular color.

Red-and-Green Macaw

red and green macaw, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal Red-and-green macaw ara chloropterus flying in brazil Like a rainbow with wings, the red-and-green macaw (Ara chloropterus) has to be seen to be believed. Called the \"gentle giant\" by pet enthusiasts, this large macaw can be seen around Bonito.

Pantanal Caiman

caiman, reptiles, alligators, brazil, wildlife, animals, pantanal pantanal caiman caiman yacare in brazil with mouth open in water Caiman can often be seen on the edges of water with their toothy mouths open, cooling themselves.

Hermit Hummingbird

hummingbirds, hermits, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal hermit hummingbird There are many species of hummingbird in Brazil, including several hermits. Their curved bills are adapted to retrieving the nectar from flowers, though they also occasionally eat insects.

Butterflies

butterfly, butterflies, insects, brazil, pantanal yellow and black butterfly in brazil pantanal The Pantanal is home to a staggering diversity of life that rivals the Amazon. Butterflies of many colors float through the trees, while leaf-cutter ants (and the famous army ants) march underfoot in flowing rivers. Across Brazil there are at least 26,000 species of butterflies and moths.

Buff-Necked Ibis

buff necked ibis, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal buff-necked ibis - theristicus caudatus in brazil pantanal The buff-necked ibis (Theristicus caudatus) is a common site in the Pantanal. The adaptable birds can be found nesting on cliffs, in trees and in other secure locations.

Guira Cuckoos

cuckoos, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal cuckoos huddled together in the brazil pantanal Guira guira The Pantanal has several species of cuckoos. Some are parasitic, meaning they secretly lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, so they don\'t have to care for them. Cuckoo young grow faster than other birds and often peck their rivals to death or push them out of their adoptive nests. However, these Guira cuckoos (Guira guira) I saw huddled together under a palm frond aren\'t parasitic.

Pantanal Caiman

caiman, reptiles, alligators, brazil, wildlife, animals, pantanal caiman, reptiles, alligators, brazil, wildlife, animals, pantanal bunch of pantanal caiman caiman yacare in brazil in pond Today there are an estimated 30 million caiman in the Pantanal. In the dry season they are readily seen, concentrated around standing water.

Courting Rituals

birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal courting among birds in brazil\'s pantanal Courting behavior near Bonito.

Foraging Parrot

parrots, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal green parrot eating tree pods upside down I literally ran into this parrot as I was making my way along a path at Fazenda San Francisco. The colorful bird seemed to barely notice me, as it went about it\'s business eating seed pods. Upside down.

Jabiru Stork

jabiru stork, birds, wildlife, animals, brazil, pantanal jabiru stork jabiru mycteria in brazil pantanal The avian symbol of the Pantanal, the jabiru stork (Jabiru mycteria) is an enormous bird, with wingspans up to nine feet. Big males can stand as high as five feet. The top of their heads are featherless.

Orchids

orchids, flowers, brazil, pantanal pink orchid on tree in pantanal brazil Our guide, Ulli Braun, told the driver to pull over to the side of the road. He had seen a brilliant flash of pink in an unexpected place. We ducked under a barbed wire fence, and found what Ulli called the most orchids he had ever seen blooming at once on a single tree. Orchids are notoriously fickle and slow to flower, so we savored the chromatic treat.

Wattled Jacana

wattled jacana, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal wattled jacana, jesus bird, walking on water The wattled jacana (Jacana jacana) is often called the \"Jesus bird,\" because it is able to effectively walk on water, due to it\'s extremely long toes.

Striped Owl

striped owl, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal striped owl asio clamator at night in brazil pantanal A striped owl (Asio clamator) out on the hunt, seen on a night safari.

Mangoes

mangoes, mango trees, fruits, brazil, pantanal mangoes growing on tree Mango trees can be found in the Pantanal, as well as across much of South America.

Blue-and-Yellow Macaw

macaws, birds, parrots, blue and yellow macaw, brazil, pantanal, wildlife, animals blue and yellow macaw parrot eating palm nuts This blue-and-yellow macaw is habituated to visitors at an eco-lodge. It is making short work of these palm nuts, which taste like dry coconuts (I tried one).

Macaw Feather

hyacinth macaw, brazil, parrots, birds, flight, animals, wildlife, pantanal, feathers hyacinth macaw feather Beautiful plumage of the hyacinth macaw, on display at a small education and conservation center at Caiman Ecological Reserve.

Common Potoo

nightjars, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal common potoo nyctibius griseus on branch in brazil pantanal

There are several species of potoos in the Pantanal, which are related to the more familiar nightjars and frogmouths. Potoos are sometimes called poor-me-ones after their haunting calls. Like nightjars they are crepuscular or nocturnal.

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This common potoo (Nyctibius griseus) was easy to miss, spending the day perched on a dead branch, camouflaged to look like part of the stump. Potoos are monogamous and lay their eggs directly on a stump, preferring not to attract attention by making a nest.

Parrots in Flight

parrots, birds, wildlife, animals, brazil, pantanal parrots in flight in brazil pantanal An almost bewildering array of parrots crisscross the skies over the Pantanal, squawking and shrieking like a pet store on ampehtamines. Most stay in bonded pairs or small groups, and some are known to mimic human speech in the wild.

Roseate Spoonbill

roseate spoonbill, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal roseate spoonbill platalea ajaja bird Although it looks brave, or bird-brained, surrounded by caiman, this roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is actually in little danger, since the reptiles prefer to go for easier prey.

Strangler Fig Killing Palm

strangler figs, trees, plants, brazil, pantanal strangler fig killing palm tree in brazil pantanal This may look like a peaceful forest scene, but what you are actually witnessing... is murder! The palm tree is being slowly choked to death by a strangler fig. There are actually a number of tropical trees that exhibit this behavior, which is an adaptation to intense competition for sunlight. Most strangler figs start as epiphytes (growing on other plants), from seeds dispersed by birds (often parrots). After germination, the seedling grows downward toward the ground and upward, strangling the host tree in a race to the light.

Toco Toucan

toco toucans, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal toco toucan in tree in brazil pantanal The world\'s largest and best known toucan, the toco toucan (Ramphastos toco) seems like it shouldn\'t be. It is found through much of South America, and prefers open habitat. The toco toucan eats fruit, insects, frogs, small reptiles, and nestlings and eggs of birds. The famously epic beak is the largest among birds relative to body size, comprising 30 to 50% of the animal\'s surface area. Many uses have been proposed for the bill by scientists over the years, including to reach hard-to-get fruit, skin produce, scare predators, attract mates and to regulate body temperature.

Black-Faced Parrots

black-faced parrots, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal black-faced parrots in brazil pantanal Black-faced parrots forage and preen at the Caiman Ecologic Lodge.

Crimson-Crested Woodpecker

crimson-crested woodpecker, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal crimson-crested woodpecker Resembling the closely related pileated woodpecker from North America, the crimson-crested woodpecker (Campephilus melanoleucos) is a large and powerful bird.

White-Lipped Peccary

white-lipped peccary, peccaries, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal white-lipped peccary The white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) shares many similarities with the collared peccary, although the former species is known to be more aggressive. It also is more social, living in herds of 50 to several hundred animals. When startled, such as by a safari vehicle at night, the peccary makes a harsh clicking sound and releases a musky skunk-like odor.

Water Hyacinth

water hyacinth, plants, aquatic plants, wetlands, pantanal, brazil water hyacinth blooming in the pantanal, brazil When our guide Daiani told us that this flowering aquatic plant was water hyacinth, there was a collective gasp among our group. That\'s because water hyacinth is a notorious invasive species that has been aggressively choking water supplies in many areas of the globe. However, we were told not to fear: the pretty plant is native to the Pantanal and is kept in check by the established ecosystem there.

Bat Falcons

bat falcons, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal bat falcons falco rufigularis in tree in brazil pantanal Bat falcons (Falco rufigularis) -- or \"bat-eating falcons,\" as our guide dubbed them -- inhabit tropical rainforests in much of Latin America, though they sometimes adapt well to edge environments disturbed by people. In addition to bats, the birds dine on other small mammals and large insects.

Savannah Hawk

savannah hawk, birds, animals, wildlife, brazil, pantanal savannah hawk heterospizias meridionalis in tree in brazil pantanal

The savannah hawk (Heterospizias meridionalis) is a common sentinel over the edge habitat around the Pantanal.

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My trip was sponsored by Embratur, part of Brazil\'s Ministry of Tourism.

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