Our guest speaker, Douglas Simões (see bio below), will share his passion and insights on the Pantanal and provide information on how to best experience this part of the world.
WHAT IS THE PANTANAL?
It's one of those wonderful wildlife destinations that tends to be less known than other iconic places. We hear about the Amazon, Galapagos, the Serengeti... Yet, the Pantanal deserves to be equally well-known.
The Pantanal is the largest wetland of the planet. Its tropical wet and dry climate leads to ideal conditions for a rich and diverse collection of animal and plant species - so much so that it has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Pantanal is known for a wide diversity of wildlife - but the most iconic is the jaguar. This is where you are most likely to encounter them - face to face. Beyond the jaguar, we hope to spot the biggest rodent in the world (capybara), the biggest mammal in the South America (tapir), the biggest parrot (Hyacinth macaw), howler monkeys, giant anteater, giant river otters and some of the more than 600 species of birds. The Pantanal is without any doubt one of those special places on Earth to observe wildlife.