The Pantanal has the greatest concentration of fauna in the Americas. People outside Brazil know only the Amazon. . . it's a shame because the Pantanal is a very important ecological place (Dr. Maria Tereza Jorge Pádua, Former Director, Brazil's National Parks).
The Amazon gets the press coverage, but the Pantanal is a better place to see wildlife. The dense foliage of the Amazon makes it difficult to observe the animals, but in the open marshes of the Pantanal, wildlife is much easier to spot. If you like to see animals in their natural environment, the Pantanal should not be missed.
With a total area of almost 195 000 square kilometres (or 75 000 square miles), the Pantanal is the largest wetland in the world. The vast majority of it is in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it also extends into Mato Grosso and the separate countries of Paraguay and Bolivia, which neighbour Brazil.
This area is an unparalleled wildlife sanctuary of spectacular beauty, an ecological paradise containing hundreds of species of birds, thousands of varieties of butterflies, myriads of brightly colored flowers, and shoals of fish. Capuchin and Howler monkeys, capybaras, toucans, anacondas, caimans and tapirs help create an aquatic and sylvan theater of sights and sounds. The endangered jaguar, and increasingly rare Hyacinthine macaws and giant river otters, all make their home in the Pantanal. The Pantanal also provides incalculable economic benefits. It offers a huge area for water purification and groundwater discharge and recharge, climate stabilization, water supply, flood abatement, and an extensive, transport system, among numerous other important functions. And yet, despite the region’s beauty and remarkable environmental and economic value, the Pantanal remains poorly known and faces an uncertain future stemming from a myriad of socioeconomic pressures.
During the rainy season, between October and March, the Pantanal is practically impassable by land. The rest of the year, the soil form an excellent pasture for livestock. Because about 80% of the wetlands are submerged during the wet season, the species here include aquatic ones, making it an even more diverse and fascinating destination to consider. The water can rise by up to five metres during the wet season. The daily highs average an annual mean of 25 degrees Celsius.
However, summer days have been known to soar to a scorching 40 degrees, while winter nights can plummet to zero.
The Pantanal’s dry season extends from April to October of each year. During this time, it is possible to access the region by road. During the wet season, however, visitors may be forced to enter only by aeroplane. Because this area is popular amongst tourists, there is ample accommodation available, as well as organised tours and activities. Some of these activities include:
• Horse riding
• Hiking and walking trails
• Game viewing and photography
• Exploring the wetlands on canoe or boat
• Catch-and-release fishing
• Bird watching (particularly rewarding over October and November)
Even during warmer seasons, the nights in the Pantanal can become crisp and cold. Therefore, tourists are urged to bring some warm clothing, regardless of when they are visiting.
One of the region form the Mato Grosso Pantanal National Park located on the border of MS and MT states.
Keeping alive the traditions of the “caboclo” (Brazilian Indian of pure blood).
Folklore is one of the most authentic manifestations of Amazonian popular culture in what it pertains to Amazonian legends that are part of the life of every inhabitant in the region. In any rural community, it is common to hear stories like that of the boto (river dolphin) which magically turns into a handsome man and seduces women. Alternatively, there is the scary story of the big snake, which for many is the explanation for the origin of some of the great rivers. Some legends tell that the forest is dwelled by mythological beings that protect it from the fury of hunters and timber men. The belief in fantastic beings like Curupira, the Iara, the Mapinguari, Matinta Perera and Juma provide an idea of the Amazonian enchantment and the cultural roots of the regional people. The folklore is kept alive through the formation of folklore ensembles with their own music, typical clothes, poignant dances, and rhythms.
In popular culture
"In traditional Amazon River folklore, at night, an Amazon river dolphin becomes a handsome young man who seduces girls, impregnates them, and then returns to the river in the morning to become a dolphin again. This dolphin shapeshifter is called an encantado. It has been suggested that the myth arose partly because dolphin genitalia bear a resemblance to those of humans. Others believe the myth served (and still serves) as a way of hiding the incestuous relations which are quite common in some small, isolated communities along the river. In the area, there are tales that it is bad luck to kill a dolphin. Legend also states that if a person makes eye contact with an Amazon river dolphin, he or she will have lifelong nightmares. Local legends also state that the dolphin is the guardian of the Amazonian manatee, and that, should one wish to find a manatee, one must first make peace with the dolphin". Search: Wikipedia.
So, because this legend to this day, kids without a father are called "child of the Boto" in the Amazon.
The Amazon river dolphin, commonly known as boto or boto cor-de-rosa is very similar to a mammal dolphin, with the main difference that lives in freshwater porpoise and dolphin in the sea.
The boto lives in the Amazon River basin and can also be found in countries such as Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela.
Complete Legend:
During the rainy season (December to April), the river flooded large areas of forest swamps forming along its margins. It's when you can find the 'boto" closest to the people. At the start of the dry season, the "boto" moves to the major rivers and lakes of the forest.
During the June festivals, is celebrated as the day of St. John, St. Anthony and St. Peter, the local population of the Amazon region celebrates these festivals dancing, dropping fireworks, making bonfires and tasting regional food.
The Legend says that in these parties, in full moon nights, the "boto" turns into a young elegant and beautiful, good dancer, well dressed wearing hat and white shoes and go out looking for company.
The hat is a way to hide a large hole in the top of the head, made for the dolphin breathe since his transformation into a man is not complete.
This unknown and attractive guy, crushes and conquer with ease, the heart of the most beautiful and unaccompanied youth who cross his path.
He invites her to dance, seducing her and guiding her to the bottom of the river, where sometimes gets her pregnant.
Before dawn, as he has to go back to the river, the boy abandons her so she would not see him in the form of "boto".
It is also said that the dolphin can bring a sword strapped to his belt, and that at the end of the morning, when the time comes to go back to the river, all its accessories become other inhabitants of the river.
Older women with more experience, warn younger women to beware of beautiful men at parties, to prevent them from being seduced by the "boto".
Therefore, during parties, is necessary to carefully see a unknown boy using hat. Asks always for him to remove the hat for everyone to have the certainty that it is not the "boto" that is there.
Some say that the "boto" can also be a sort of protector of women, whose ships are wrecked.
In such situations, he appears to push women to the river banks to prevent them from drowning.
In popular culture of northern Brazil, when a girl gets pregnant out of wedlock, is said to be the son of "boto"
Biodiversity in the Amazon region is unique and the richest in the world. The forests in the region concentrate 60% of all forms of life in the planet, but it is estimated that only 30% of all forms are known to science. There are about one million species of animals and vegetables, including more than 2000 types of fish, 2500 types of birds, 3500 types of trees having more than 30 cm in diameter and 300 species of reptiles, snakes, and lizards. Of the 483 species of mammals existing in Brazil, 324 live in the Amazonia (67%); of the 141 species of bats, 125 fly in the region. With an amazing 30 million species, the insects form the largest group of living creatures on the Earth, without counting bacteria and microorganisms. One third of them dwell in Amazonia. This biodiversity comprises a strategic reserve for the survival of human beings, since it incorporates a considerable reserve of nutritional as well as medicinal plants.
Amazonia has the largest venomous snake in the Americas, surucucu (Lachesis mutus) over 3 meters long. However, in the forest there are less dangerous snakes than in other regions. Amazing snakes are the nonvenomous Jibóia (Boa constrictor), Sucuris (anacondas) and their relatives, slumberous giants of up to 13 meters long and over 200 kilos. The majority of mammals have night and solitary habits. The traveler may wander days in the woods hearing mysterious sounds, but without meeting any group of animals. However, aquatic birds enjoy their paradise in Amazonia.
