Pantanal Paradise

Pantanal Paradise

Before we go to the Pantanal, we fly to Rio de Janeiro, city of Carnival and Christ the Redeemer. You reach the gigantic statue of Christ with a small train, which takes you quite diagonally up. It’s misty where we stand. Clouds around you. Interesting though.

We walk the boulevards along Copacabana and Ipanema beach. With the famous song in my mind, I see a lot of girls from Ipanema. Guys with small swimming trunks practicing their muscles on the beach. Both sexes show off their tanned bodies.

Houses here are heavily protected. Fences and wires are used. Sometimes there’s a guard on duty. After a few days in Rio, it’s time we fly to the Pantanal.

A domestic flight to Campo Grande. Driver Jefferson awaits us. He is to drive us to our first stop in the Pantanal. It’s a very long drive. Jefferson is a skilled driver but he doesn’t talk though. When we stop for coffee he just points where we can get some. On the road in the jungle, close to a bridge a car is stuck in the mud. Jefferson looks at us. Without talking, his face asks: ‘May I help them’. I nod, of course.

In the afternoon we arrive at pousada ‘Refúgio da Ilha’. A pousada is a luxury lodge. We are welcomed by Sergio. Coincidence: Sergio lived a few years in the Netherlands and speaks the language – a little. You don’t expect that in the jungle of Brazil!

The Pantanal is a very large tropical wetland area estimated at about 75.000 square miles. It’s located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Much to see here. Tourism in the Pantanal is still embryonic, Sergio tells us. Spending one week and a half in this area, like we do, is unheard of.

We explore the surroundings by boat and see a lot of birds including the Toco Toucan. On this trip we also see some members of the Capybara family. This is the largest living rodent in the world.

A walking safari in the afternoon. We start a little later because Sergio overslept after lunch. Totally at ease he walks slowly to the meeting point.

A few sunbathing Caimans. Quiet, though dangerous. A lot of all kinds of Macaws – family of the parrot. And we are lucky to spot a feeding Giant Anteater.

When we leave we say goodbye to Sergio and he offers me an advice: Western people like me should throw away their watches and take life more easy. He could well be quoting Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho.

Driver Jefferson takes us to our next home. We cross the Rio Negro (‘black river’). The closer we get the more fences because there’s a lot of farming here. Every time Jefferson or I leave the car, open the fence, car passes, fence closed. A lot of mud and waterholes.

At lunchtime we enter Embiara Lodge. We get acquainted with owner Jack and trainee Jacqueline. We suspect they are in a relationship but they are a little secretive about this. She’s fairly young. She uses the word ‘amazing’ very often. Every animal or bird she describes as ‘amazing’.

During our first walk around it turns out Jack is a biologist. He knows so much about the things we see. Besides a beautiful Anhinga we spot a Rufous-tailed Jacamar. Another boat trip, on which we see a capybara family. Then we see one of the most peaceful sights ever; two White-winged Swallows sitting together. We also see a Buff-necked Ibis, a Vermilion Flycatcher and then a Southern Tamandua, a type of anteater. It moves around very slowly.

For dinner we are served a Japanese starter and Spanish as main course. A little strange here in the center of Brazil. A long boat trip next day. Nature is overwhelming, landscapes from paradise.

Walking on the riverside we spot a Giant Otter. This sure is the highlight of the morning. When we return at the lodge, the owner of Baia das Pedras Rita and guide Luiz have arrived to fetch us. First lunch for all of us. Moroccan-style this time…

It’s a three hours drive to our next destination. Though called Baia das Pedras everyone refers to it as Rita’s. We see lots of animals on our way including two Tapirs.

The ranch is beautiful. We are the only tourist guests. But there is a large group stationed here studying the tapir. When they hear we saw two tapirs we have to explain where exactly , what shape they were in, were they together, etc.

Connected to this group is a nice lady from Wisconsin, United States. Her name is Karin. She studies animal behavior. Working in the field with the tapir group now, advising Zoo’s around the world.

Dinnertime at seven with all the people around a big table. Because we are paying guests only our knifes and forks are renewed all the time. Next to Rita’s plate, she has a button. Every time a servant is needed she rings it. Nice system.

On our first full day here we rise at six. After a small breakfast we start exploring. Rita drives, guide Luiz next to her. Luiz speaks English. But we suspect there’s not much Rita doesn’t understand. She sure is a strong woman. In conversations we often hear ‘Rita says’ or ‘In Rita’s view’.

We spot an Armadillo. Armadillos (Spanish for ‘little armoured one’) are characterized by a leathery armour shell and long sharp claws for digging. When threatened by a predator they roll up into a ball. Strange but nice species.

Walking around the ranch after lunch we see a lot of birds. We see a Toucan again, and a small Burrowing Owl, a pair of Guira Cuckoos – to name just a few. Whichever direction you look, there’s always something interesting to see!

Just when we are driving along the river, sometimes ashore, sometimes in the river, Rita’s phone rings. The tapir group got lucky: there is a tapir in the lock box. Patrícia, the leading lady of the tapir group instructs us. We listen carefully, don’t yell and don’t touch. The tapir they caught is called Tonico. He has been caught multiple times already. He’s either very stupid or very smart (free food) to get caught all the time.

Tonico is researched. A sample from his poop is taken. He is measured and weighted. At last he is released. This is some experience. Like playing a part in a National Geographic documentary.

^{Releasing Tonico the Tapir}

That afternoon we talk with Patrícia and she explains. Patrícia established the Lowland Tapir Conservation Initiative (LTCI). Tapirs need a large habitat in order to find all the resources they need to reproduce and survive. Currently, they are threatened by poaching, habitat destruction and fragmentation, and roadkill among other threats. This is a major issue given the fact that tapirs are extremely important for the ecosystems they live in. Read more at https://tapirconservation.org.br/

Patrícia dedicates her life to this. Years later she was included in the TED talk program. And in 2020 she was given the prestigious Future for Nature Award. Meeting her was like meeting Jane Goodall!

Late afternoon we take a boat trip, when the sun goes down. This sure is a romantic trip. Next day we will be married 29 years. Rita surprises us after dinner with a nice bottle of champagne.

One last drive through the surroundings of Rita’s. We see Coati’s, a Savanna Hawk and the mini Caiman. Then it becomes cloudy and rainy. We return to the ranch for a last lunch. We say goodbye to all the nice people here and wish them well.

In a small plane we fly back to Campo Grande. We look down at the extensive, spacious wetlands named Pantanal. We had such a good time here. Saw so much. And when we’re leaving this paradise my wife gets a little emotional. The French have a saying for that: “Partir c’est mourir un peu.“

This trip was made in 2012.

If you have any thoughts or questions feel free to leave a comment!

 america nature