Rouxinol
06-29-2012, 02:11 PM
I'll start off with the region of Pantanal in Brazil, classified as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Pantanal is a tropical wetland. It is one of the world's largest wetlands of any kind. Most of it lies within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and portions of Bolivia and Paraguay, sprawling over an area estimated at between 140,000 square kilometres (54,000 sq mi) and 195,000 square kilometres (75,000 sq mi). Various subregional ecosystems exist, each with distinct hydrological, geological and ecological characteristics; up to 12 of them have been defined (RADAMBRASIL 1982).
About 80% of the Pantanal floodplains are submerged during the rainy seasons, nurturing an astonishing biologically diverse collection of aquatic plants and helping support a dense array of animal species.
The name "Pantanal" comes from the Portuguese word pântano, meaning wetland, bog, swamp or marsh. By comparison, the Brazilian highlands are locally referred to as the planalto, plateau or, literally, high plain.
Location
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Pantanal_55.76W_15.40S.jpg/778px-Pantanal_55.76W_15.40S.jpg
Pictures
Baía do Arrozal (Arrozal Bay)
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3093/2680623992_eea5d7cda2_z.jpg?zz=1
Jaguar
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6459146041_339419db78_z.jpg
Anteater
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4045/4460499727_64d3fe31dc_z.jpg?zz=1
Tuiuiú birds
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3619/3325951776_0eeaaee2b0_z.jpg
Flor da Vitória Régia (Vitória Régia's flower)
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2569/3979108497_0d8dbfcd73_z.jpg
Capivara (Capybara)
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/305582_353642018015819_1221921084_n.jpg
Rio Paraguai (Paraguay River)
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6035/6308332267_eaee3c1b66_z.jpg
Piranha
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4046/4571152361_de56856b0f_z.jpg
Cervo-do-pantanal (Marsh deer)
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2656/5711565256_ca90fa3ebd_z.jpg
Jacaré-do-pantanal
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3055/2928447046_153a2ee56c_z.jpg?zz=1
Tucano (Toucan)
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4154/5033148188_13519496ea_z.jpg
Aerial view of Pantanal
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4107/5100426068_54bbf55708_z.jpg
Sunset over Pantanal
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7103/7253017496_20be5bcc98_z.jpg
The Pantanal is a tropical wetland. It is one of the world's largest wetlands of any kind. Most of it lies within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and portions of Bolivia and Paraguay, sprawling over an area estimated at between 140,000 square kilometres (54,000 sq mi) and 195,000 square kilometres (75,000 sq mi). Various subregional ecosystems exist, each with distinct hydrological, geological and ecological characteristics; up to 12 of them have been defined (RADAMBRASIL 1982).
About 80% of the Pantanal floodplains are submerged during the rainy seasons, nurturing an astonishing biologically diverse collection of aquatic plants and helping support a dense array of animal species.
The name "Pantanal" comes from the Portuguese word pântano, meaning wetland, bog, swamp or marsh. By comparison, the Brazilian highlands are locally referred to as the planalto, plateau or, literally, high plain.
Location
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Pantanal_55.76W_15.40S.jpg/778px-Pantanal_55.76W_15.40S.jpg
Pictures
Baía do Arrozal (Arrozal Bay)
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3093/2680623992_eea5d7cda2_z.jpg?zz=1
Jaguar
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6459146041_339419db78_z.jpg
Anteater
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4045/4460499727_64d3fe31dc_z.jpg?zz=1
Tuiuiú birds
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3619/3325951776_0eeaaee2b0_z.jpg
Flor da Vitória Régia (Vitória Régia's flower)
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2569/3979108497_0d8dbfcd73_z.jpg
Capivara (Capybara)
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/305582_353642018015819_1221921084_n.jpg
Rio Paraguai (Paraguay River)
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6035/6308332267_eaee3c1b66_z.jpg
Piranha
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4046/4571152361_de56856b0f_z.jpg
Cervo-do-pantanal (Marsh deer)
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2656/5711565256_ca90fa3ebd_z.jpg
Jacaré-do-pantanal
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3055/2928447046_153a2ee56c_z.jpg?zz=1
Tucano (Toucan)
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4154/5033148188_13519496ea_z.jpg
Aerial view of Pantanal
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4107/5100426068_54bbf55708_z.jpg
Sunset over Pantanal
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7103/7253017496_20be5bcc98_z.jpg