Pantanal and its Region

Pantanal

Location :

Pantanal is located in the heart of South America. It is the biggest wetland of the world. In Brazil, Pantanal sprawls over the states of Mato Grosso which is the northern Pantanal and Mato Grosso do Sul, the south part of the wetland. There is also a part of Pantanal in Bolivia and Paraguay. The full area covers 250.000 km2, more or less the size of United Kingdom or twenty times the size of Everglades !
Alone, the Brazilian Pantanal covers 144.294 km2

The water cycle :

Pantanal is a huge alluvial plain that becomes a great freshwater wetland for most of the year. Every year the flooding cycle allows the rebirth of the fauna and flora. The ecological equilibrium depends on the constant ebb and flow of the water movement.

1st phase: November, beginning of the rainy period:
The cycle starts in November with the rain pouring over the upper regions of the hydrographic basin. The river level increases until it overflows and then floods the plains. Pantanal is a big wetland surrounded by mountains, which is why it is two-thirds full after six months.

2nd phase: In May, the plains start to get shallow:
From May on, the rain stops and the water level starts to slowly decrease. It is a good period for wading birds that enjoy the low water level for fishing.

3rd phase: Drought (August to October):
In August, water level reduces considerably. It is the best moment to see a wide variety of animal species witch are forced to reveal themselves in order to find places to drink. Predators and prey cohabitate around limited water resoucres.
At the end of October and early November, the rain starts pouring again and we return to the first water cycle phase.

In a nutshell: lands are first flooded and then begin to empty. This is the moment when a lot of small watercourses are forming and where fish are trapped. It is this abundance of food that attracts the animals and makes Pantanal a real natural spectacle. Unfortunately, this hydrologic cycle is really fragile and small alterations can threaten all this rich biodiversity.






The Pantanal and its Region

Find all the necessary information so that you can visit one of the most beautiful places of Brazil.

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