The country of Brazil contains a large portion of the Pantanal, one the world’s largest tropical wetlands. It is a critically important environment for many plants, birds and animals. So much so that it has earned three separate designations for protective services – it is the Pantanal Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it contains the Pantanal Matogrossense National Park and the SESC Pantanal Private Natural Heritage Reserve.

While the area is under protection it is also a popular destination for “eco tourists” who want to witness the remarkable beauty of the unique natural environment. Though frequently compared to the Amazon rainforests, which are nearby neighbors, the Pantanal is much more diverse and dramatically different from a rainforest.

While the Pantanal faces threats from the cattle ranching that affect its natural functions, eroding soil and introducing unnatural sedimentation due to the grazing and large scale movements of the more than eight million cattle that make the area their home, the farms or “fazendas” are one of the few places that tourists choose to truly experience the area. Of the roughly two thousand five hundred working fazendas, a majority are willing to accommodate a few guests at a time. There are also many small lodges that offer eco tourists several guided opportunities into the Pantanal.

What sights can a visitor to the area expect to see? While the area contains a diverse assortment of plant communities that support the life all around, many visitors come to see the wildlife of the region. This means more than one thousand types of birds, over four hundred kinds of fish, three hundred types of mammals and almost five hundred kinds of reptiles. The rarest animals are the musk deer, giant river otters, jaguars, and hyacinth macaws. Tourists can count on catching a glimpse of the famous piranha fish, many butterflies, and the capybara rodent that looks something like a Prairie Dog combined with a Beaver.

Most tourists of the Pantanal begin their journey in the Brazilian city of Corumba which is considered the “gateway” to the entire wetlands region. Many accommodations and tour providers are based in the area and can begin a comprehensive visit of the region from the city.