The Pantanal is one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the world, covering approximately 150,000 square miles in the upper watershed of the Paraguay River. It occupies parts of three countries: Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. In Paraguay, it is located in the extreme northeast region of the western part of the country and extends south, along the Paraguay River, to the Apa River.
In the Paraguayan territory typical vegetation forms a complex mosaic of habitats, alternating flooded savannahs, swamps, lagoons, reservoirs, still water, beaches, sandy banks, stands of water palms, and forests of red quebracho trees.
It is internationally recognized for its richness in wildlife, particularly birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. This impressive biological diversity is due to the influence of the Amazon, Cerrado, and Chaco eco regions, as well as the biological richness of the Paraguay River water system.
Hydrologically, the region functions like a sponge for the flow of water from the upper watershed, delaying the annual flooding for approximately six months.
The environmental conditions that form this ecosystem are expressed in the great diversity of aquatic fauna. Fish, especially, stand out, with more than 120 recorded species. Aquatic bird species also create incredibly beautiful scenery, with huge quantities of American Wood Stork, herons, ducks, cormorants, and kingfishers. Other aquatic animals are also abundant and easily observed, such as caiman, boas, otters, and capybaras.
Some of the wildlife is found only in this site, such as: iguanas, squirrels, giant river otters, all five monkey species found in the country. Strange lizards, such as the caiman lizard, are the “stars” of this site.
The great abundance and exuberance of nature can be observed easily, both on the water and on land, such as the tapir, collared peccary, white-lipped peccary, south American coati, deer, paca, and the imposing Jaguar.
This site is also important, for maintaining populations of very threatened species, such as the crowned eagle, the hyacinth macaw, the marsh deer, and the giant armadillo.