The Fauna



The fauna of the Pantanal consists of innumerable species. Some are represented also in the neighbouring ecosystems (in the Cerrado and in the Amazon), others are endemic and happen exclusive in the Pantanal. The outstanding symbol of the pantanalensischen fauna is the "Tuiuiú stork", also called "Jabirú", a gigantic bird, this one the attention of the visitor manages white, black and red both by his height and by his colours on himself. Also another species of animal is immediately dependent on this special ecosystem, is the glasses cayman (Jacaré-de papo-amarelo) this one to discover in the complete Pantanal and easy when he takes a sunbathing at the river or lakeside frequently, as a rule inside numerous animals of the same species.

An attentive ear . . .

this is . . . everything one needs to capture improbably interesting impressions from this animal paradise a sharp eye, a pocket torch for the nightly adventures and field glasses for the observations during the day. Dryness or inundation time? No matter when! The rich local fauna permits meetings with animals in every job and to every day and night-time. It is told to it who has heard of it before that one finds the animals in the dry season concentratedly around the lagoons that one can watch such Tierkonzentra-tionen also during the inundation on the mainland located more high. And, if one makes a boat excursion, one should search over the shores after water drinking animals in the dry time.  

Mammals

Different types live in the Pantanal. Some prefer the proximity of the water, such as the Capivara (water pig) and the Pantanal Deer, others live directly in the water, as the river otters (Ariranha) and it gives also to types which in principle has to be found only in regions located more high also without watercourses like the anteater (Tamanduá) or the Veado-Campeiro (species of deer which prefers the dry Campos). The best known and most dreaded mammal is the spotted jaguar (Onça Pintada). A successful hunter whose chances of survival do not stand too well because he still is pursued by the farmers of the Pantanal. The one of man in this region's started superseding of his natural spoils animals has specialized the jaguar in beating cattle, particularly calves, and in turn this triggered a merciless following.  

Birds

The big waterfowls attract attention of the Pantanal visitor first. Herons (Garças), snake neck birds (Biguás), storks (Jabirús) and (Cabeça Secas) stand out first. The nests of the "Jabirú storks" represent the Height of her residents: gigantic interwoven branches - a diameter of 2 metres as a rule - in height of an old tree which serves the parents and her young ones as a flat feeling dizzy. The same tree is generally used over several years of the same stork couple as a flat. It is particularly the coloured macaws and species of parrot which make the region interesting particularly for bird enthusiasts next to the mentioned waterfowls.


The Araras Azuls (Hyazyinth macaws) have died out almost in other areas of Brazil, however, you can watch in the Pantanal regelmässig for example. The "Anhumas" notice by her particularly shrill warning cries with which they signal fauna to the complete one if a suspicious movement manifests itself in her surroundings. For this reason one also calls her the "sentries of the Pantanal". The variety of the birds in the Pantanal is ausserordentlich one can more than 690 different kinds of great and small coloured and noisy representatives of the bird world meet here - in any case a marvellous show.










 

Reptiles


Caymans and Anacondas can absolutely frighten the visitor well but delight her at first sight if one watches them a bit longer. As spoils doers of the topmost diet category they are very important in the Pantanal fauna for the balance. The hunting method of the Anaconda boa is particularly interesting; she twines so much around her spoils that the death occurs by suffocating. Cágados (country turtles), Jiboias (constrictor), Jararácas (pouffe otters) and Lagartos (lizards) like Tejús, Iguanas and the Víbora do Pantanal can cross the way of the visitor, the latter can reach a body length of 1.5 metres. But she is not an aggressive animal and despite the dangerous name, always she is not poisonous and escapes when she feels threatened.

Continuation: Fauna