Images of the Pantanal


The Pantanal is the last remaining great wetland in the world, where man and nature achieved some form of coexistence. Until now! Threatened recently in the north by localised fertiliser runoff, silting and mercury poisoning from gold-mining activities and in the south by clearance for prairie style cultivation of wheat and soya, for which massive amounts of fertiliser are necessary because of poor soil conditions, the Pantanal is again very seriously threatened by a revival of the huge multi-billion dollar Hidrovia project. This plan to deepen and straighten the Paraguay River by dredging will have devastating ecological effect and eventually dire economic consequences for all in the region. The images below could soon be just a memory and an irrevocable loss for future generations of humanity.

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Spring time in the Pantanal

Pasture with palm trees

Typical cordilheira - vegetation island above high water level

Wet season landscape

Mountains on southern edge of the Pantanal

Aerial shot of the Pantanal in flood

Lagoons of the Pantanal

Aerial view of Pantanal river with gallery forest

View across River Paraguay in July near Corumbá showing vastness even after three months into dry season

Bridges often get washed away

Cattle on the road

Jabiru storks nesting in April beside the Transpantaneira

The same pair of Jabiru storks in July with two young

Birdlife - a pair of kingfishers

Jacaré, the Pantanal alligator

Jacaré in tight situation

Capybara - the giant rodent

Jaguar

An ocelot - a rare sighting in one of its last refuges

The shy tapir

The even shyer marsh deer

A stag

Tamanduá - The giant ant-eater

Ariranha - The giant otter

Some of the spectacular birdlife gathering at dusk

Burrowing owl on top of its burrow

Blue-fronted Amazon - Amazona aestiva - feeding on urucum fruits

Yellow-faced Amazon - Amazona xanthops

Close-up of Yellow-faced Amazon - Amazona xanthops

An inquisitive Yellow-naped Macaw - Ara auricollis

Green-winged Macaw

Green-winged Macaws in flight

Two juvenile Hyacinthine Macaws

Images of the Blue Macaws and their Habitats

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