Pantanal, a World Natural Heritage since 2001, is the biggest freshwater wetland in the world. 80% of Pantanal is situated in the west part of Brazil and the other 20% is divided between Bolivia and Paraguay. It occupies a plain area of 210.000 km² that corresponds to the size of Switzerland, Belgium, Holland and Luxemburg together.

Pantanal is the home of more than 600 species of birds, 102 species of mammals, 264 species of fishes, 177 species of reptiles and more than 3.500 species of plants.

Pantanal can be separated in 2 different sections, Northern and Southern Pantanal. Northern Pantanal has a great Amazon influence and it has denser forests than Southern Pantanal. Southern Pantanal is covered with flooded grass field with small elevations called “Cordilheira” Forests and there are high trees and lots of bromeliads on the ground.

 Several species of birds can be seen such as Greater Rhea, Undulated Tinamou, Sunbittern, Sungrebe, Black-bellied and White-faced Whistling Duck, Masked Duck, Jabiru and Maguari Stork, Capped and Whistling Heron, Black Skimmer, Yellow-billed and Large-billed Tern, Southern Screamer, Green, Bare-faced, Plumbeous and Buff-necked Ibises, Bare-faced Curassow, Blue-throated Piping-Guan, Chestnut-bellied Guan, Great Black-Hawk, Crane and Black-collared Hawk, Snail Kite, Laughing and Aplomado Falcon, Spectacled and Great Horned Owl, Hyacinth and Golden-collared Macaw, Blue-fronted Parrot, Yellow-chevroned, Peach-fronted, Black-hooded and Blaze-winged Parakeet, Toco Toucan, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Buff-bellied Hermit, White-tailed Goldenthroat, Blue-tufted Starthroat, Ringed, Green, Amazon, Green-and-rufous and Pygmy Kingfisher, Spot-backed Puffbird, Black-fronted Nunbird, Blue-crowned Trogon, Blue-crowned Trogon, Red-billed Scythebill, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Pale-crested Woodpecker, Red-crested and Yellow-billed Cardinal, Gray-crested Cachalote, Chotoy and White-lored Spinetail, Great and Barred Antshrike, Mato Grosso and Band-tailed Antbird, Purplish Jay, Troupial, Golden-winged Cacique, Rusty-collared and Rufous-rumped Seedeater and many, many other species.

Ø  Mammals: Pantanal is one of the best places in South America for mammal watching. Jaguar, Ocelot, Brazilian Tapir, Marsh Deer, Giant Anteater, Southern Tamandua, Black-howler Monkey, Pantanal’s Marmoset, South American Coati, Crab-eating Raccoon, Crab-eating Fox, Giant River Otter are some of the species that you can expect to see in the area.