The Pantanal is the largest flooded area in the Americas, covering a plain area of approximately 143,000 square miles. As the area is unique in the world, it is often confused with a marsh. What makes the Pantanal region unique are its different landscapes, that can change radically upon crossing the bank of a river. Savannah lowlands, flooded areas and forests are influenced by the Amazon Forest and the scrub lands of Caatinga, making up a mixture of ecosystems. Their balance depends on the water and its cycles of wet and dry seasons in the region.

During the wet season, bays, lakes and streams form. When the rain stops, the water fills certain areas with animals that attract other animals in search of food, as raccoons, caititus and aquatic birds.

During the dry seasons, the water evaporates and deposits nutrients in the soil, enriching it and offering food for the animals of the region. It is at this time that the "piúva"( a beautiful, flowered tree which is used as building timber), the tree which is a symbol of the Pantanal, blossoms.

Everything in the Pantanal reminds us of the presence of animals: sounds, traces, movements. Alligators, wood ibis, cougars, snakebirds, hawks, deer, herons, howling monkeys and countless insects add color and sound to the ecosystem of the Pantanal.

In the Pantanal there are more than 600 species of birds, as the wood ibis, the blue macaw, the ajajá, the toucan, the ostrich, the cavacara; there are about 263 species of fish, as the caribe, dorado, spotted fish, and small fresh water fish; there are about 50 species of reptiles, as the alligator, the "sucuri", and iguana. During the tours in the Refúgio Ecológico Caiman up to now 40 species of mammals, 365 species of birds and 10 species of reptiles have been observed

Flora in the Pantanal In relation to the flora, the Pantanal has very rich and colorful vegetation. It is a region without large forests, but with some dense bush areas, scrublands, pastures and river vegetation. In the northern and northeastern parts, its vegetation is similar to that of the Amazon. Characteristics of the forest are evident in the eastern and western areas; and in the southern part, the flora is more exuberant with the presence of palm trees.