● Covering an area of roughly 200,000 square kilometers (77,000 square miles),
the Pantanal is larger than the nearby country of Uruguay or the state of
Nebraska.
● About 80% of the Pantanal floodplains are submerged during the November-February rainy season.
● About 80% of the Pantanal floodplains are submerged during the November-February rainy season.
● Not only is the Pantanal famous for its jaguars, it has an astonishing
amount of biodiversity with over 600 bird species and over 300 species of
mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
Most jaguars can be found in the northern part of the Pantanal, so I flew into
Cuiabá where I joined two Peruvians, two South Africans, three other
Americans, and Lucas, our upbeat, knowledgeable Brazilian guide. We had a
long, rough ride to the SouthWild Lodge for a night before going farther south
for a boat ride to
SouthWild's Flotel, a unique, cozy, floating hotel.
Jags are found elsewhere in the Pantanal, but the big cats are especially
concentrated in this area called "Jaguarland," a name coined by
Dr. Charles Munn, the leader in jaguar protection here.
Caiman are smaller cousins of alligators, and the Pantanal has many jacaré
caiman. They can reach about 6' long (nearly 2 meters) if a jaguar does not
eat them first.

Jaguars often spend time on riverbanks searching for their favorite prey —
caiman. We were able to follow along with this one for over half an
hour.
We watched quietly as she went down to the river. Sometimes their fur
looks more tawny and tan depending on the light and setting. It always
seems to be good camouflage, as it is here.
Another jaguar soaking wet after a going after a caiman in the water.
Top row:
● Jabiru storks and egrets were the most common birds we saw
● Capybara (world's largest rodent but cute; jags find them tasty)
Middle row:
● Ocelot (elusive, nocturnal cat like a dwarf jaguar)
● Giant otters (always entertaining)
● Jabiru storks and egrets were the most common birds we saw
● Capybara (world's largest rodent but cute; jags find them tasty)
Middle row:
● Ocelot (elusive, nocturnal cat like a dwarf jaguar)
● Giant otters (always entertaining)
Last row:
● Tapir (quite rare to see, so a real treat on the last day)
● Tapir (quite rare to see, so a real treat on the last day)
● Rufous-tailed jacamar (one of many bird species we saw)
We got to see this cattle drive as six pantaneiros (the word for cowboys in the Pantanal and Mato Grosso) herded these hundreds of Indo-Brazilian Brahman cattle.
Sunrise in Brazil's phenomenal Pantanal
Technically no longer in the Pantanal, on the way to the airport I stopped by Cuiabá's Parque Mãe Bonifácia to see cute little black-tailed marmosets leap from tree to tree.
What a wonderful week!