The Pantanal, also known as Complexo do Pantanal, is the largest alluvial plain in the world and encompasses one of the largest regions of aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity in the world. It is estimated that about 10-15% of the world’s species live in Brazil.
In this article by Animal Expert, we present a list of the typical animals of the Pantanal. If you are curious about the wildlife of Brazil, do not forget to read this article about the animals of the Pantanal and its incredible peculiarities!
- The Pantanal.
- Also known as The Pantanal Complex.
- Is the largest wetland in the world with an area of about 210.
- 000 km2.
- It is located on a huge depression located in the Upper Paraguay basin.
- Because of its enormous biodiversity (flora and fauna).
- It is considered a world natural heritage site.
- But this does not prevent it from being deforested or destroyed.
The great biodiversity of flora and fauna (mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects) is also due to its privileged location and the influence of flora and fauna in the Amazon rainforest, the Atlantic rainforest, the Chaco and the Cerrado.
During periods of heavy rain, the Paraguay River overflows and floods much of the territory and planting areas are flooded. When the waters go down, cattle are raised and harvested and new plantations are made, making it well known for its fishing, livestock and livestock.
Existem muitos animais em extinção no pantanal e infelizmente a lista continua aumentando devido à ação do ser humano, que destrói, caça, queima e polui o planeta.
De seguida damos a você uma lista de alguns dos animais do bioma Pantanal, uma vez que a biodiversidade é tão grande, desde o menor inseto ao maior mamífero, a lista seria interminável e todos as plantas e animais que vivem no pantanal brasileiro são igualmente importantes.
Let’s start with reptiles, among the animals that live in the Pantanal, alligators are among the best known for having inhabited the area:
Among the animals of the Pantanal, the alligator andcare can reach 3 meters in length and feeds on several species of animals. Females lay eggs on the banks of rivers, in the forest and even in floating vegetation, laying up to 24 eggs per year. The incubation temperature of the eggs can determine the sex of the chicks, given the increasing temperatures, we can be faced with the problem of having chicks all of the same sex and there is no possibility of reproduction.
For animals living in the Pantanal, alligators play an important role, especially in regulating the amount of piranhas that exist in aquatic regions. Reducing or even extinguishing alligators can trigger overpopulation of piranhas that poses a danger to other animals and even humans.
The yellow-crested jacaré can reach 50 years and up to 2 meters long. During the mating season, when ready to reproduce, it acquires a yellow color in the crop. Its snout is wide and short to feed on small fish, molluscs, crustaceans and other smaller reptiles.
In the animals of the Pantanal biome, it is found in the south and southeast of Brazil, its common habitat being forests. It is a well-studied species as its venom (poison) has been used to create drugs for people with heart problems.
Anaconda is a non-venomous (non-venomous) snake typical of South America. Females are larger than males, reach 4.5 meters in length and live almost 30 years. Despite a gestation period of 220 to 270 days and the possibility of having 15 puppies per litter, it is an endangered species. The anaconda is larger and appears more in the Amazon and the Closed.
They are excellent swimmers, but as they move very slowly on land, they spend more time in the water and kill by their strong bite and constriction (asphyxiation). Its diet is very varied: eggs, fish, reptiles, birds and even mammals.
Some birds are easily visible and undeniable among the typical animals of the Pantanal, some of them are:
Parrots of which there are three species, two of which are endangered and one is even extinct due to animal trafficking. It has a beautiful blue plumage, yellow circles around the eyes and a yellow stripe around the bill. It is a bird very ambitious for its plumage and known for the famous animated film “RIO”, which describes the sad reality of animal trafficking worldwide.
It is a very characteristic beaked animal, orange and wide. It is a daytime animal that feeds on a wide variety of foods, eggs, lizards, insects, fruits.
The alluvial plain of the Pantanal has a unique biodiversity. Here are some of the animals in this Pantanal biome:
The most common species of pantanal is the red piranha. It is a very aggressive and dangerous freshwater carnivore fish, as it attacks in herds and has an extremely sharp line of teeth. It is also widely used in local cuisine.
The fauna of the Pantanal is also known for some of Brazil’s most exuberant mammals:
Or jaguar, it’s the third largest cat in the world. It is an excellent swimmer and lives in areas of rivers or lakes. It can reach 90 kg and has a very strong and deadly bite. It is a carnivorous animal, which places it at the top of the food chain.
It is a tourist attraction for all those interested in nature, but unfortunately also for poachers, which places it on the official list of endangered species in Brazil. In addition to poaching, increasing cities and losing their natural habitat due to deforestation, increase the threat of extinction.
Like alligators, these carnivores regulate the populations of other animals.
The largest deer in South America is found only in the Pantanal. It’s threatened with extinction. It can reach 125 kg, 1.2 m in height and males have branched horns. Its diet is based on aquatic plants and lives in flooded areas. To withstand the action of water, the helmets feature a protective membrane that helps them stay submerged for so long without softening the helmets. It is another endangered species.
The well-known ant, in the animals of the Pantanal, has a thick grayish-brown fur with a black diagonal stripe with white edges. Its long snout and large claws are ideal for catching and ingesting ants and termites. You can ingest more than 30,000 ants in a day.
Giant otters, called jaguars, and otters are carnivorous mammals that feed on fish, small amphibians, mammals and birds. While otters are more sociable and live in large groups, otters are more solitary. Vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
These are some of the species of animals that live in the Pantanal and are or may be threatened with extinction if humans do not understand what they are doing to the only planet where they can live with all the animals and plants that enrich them in some way. . so simple.
We cannot forget all the other reptiles, birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and insects that have not been mentioned here but which are the biome of wetlands and are essential to the ecosystem.
If you would like to read articles similar to Pantanal Animals: reptiles, mammals, birds and fish, we recommend entering our Endangered Animals section.