Pantanal animals: reptiles, mammals, birds and fish

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 12 February 2021
Update Date: 20 December 2024
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The Pantanal, also known as the Pantanal Complex, is the largest floodplain in the world that encompasses one of the regions with the greatest aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity in the world. It is estimated that about 10 to 15% of the world's species live in Brazilian territory.

In this PeritoAnimal article, we present you a list of animals typical of the wetland. If you are curious to know more about the wild fauna of Brazil, be sure to read this article about Pantanal animals and its incredible features!

wetland

The Pantanal, also known as the Pantanal Complex, is the largest flooded surface in the world with an extension of about 210 thousand km2. It is located on a huge depression located in the Upper Paraguay River Basin. Due to its enormous biodiversity (flora and fauna) it is considered a World Natural Heritage Site, however this does not prevent it from being deforested or destroyed.


The great biodiversity of flora and fauna (mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects) is also due to its privileged location and the influence of the flora and fauna of the region. Amazon rainforest, Atlantic forest, chaco It's from thick.

In periods of heavy rain, the Paraguay River overflows and floods a large part of the territory and the plantation regions are flooded. When the waters come down, cattle are raised and harvested and new plantations are made, which is why it is well known for its fishing, livestock and agricultural exploitation.

There are many endangered animals in the Pantanal and unfortunately the list continues to grow due to human action, which destroys, hunts, burns and pollutes the planet.

Pantanal Animals

Below we give you a list of some of the animals of the Pantanal biome, since biodiversity is so great, from the smallest insect to the largest mammal, the list would be endless and all the plants and animals that live in the Brazilian wetlands are equally important.


Reptiles of the Pantanal

Let's start with the reptiles, among the animals that live in the Pantanal, the alligators are some of the most famous for inhabiting the region:

Alligator-of-the-swamp (Caiman Yacare)

Among the animals from the Pantanal O Caiman Yacare it can reach 3 meters in length and feeds on several species of animals. Females lay eggs on riverbanks, in the forest and even in floating vegetation, laying up to 24 eggs per year. The incubation temperature of the eggs can determine the sex of the chicks, taking into account the temperatures are getting higher, we may be facing a problem of having chicks all of the same sex and there is no possibility of reproduction.

Yellow-throated Alligator (Caiman latirostris)

To the animals that live in the Pantanal, alligators play an important role, especially in regulating the amount of piranhas that exist in aquatic regions. The decrease in the number of alligators or even their extinction can trigger an overpopulation of piranhas, which poses a danger to other animals and even to humans.


The Alligator-of-papo-amarelo can reach up to 50 years of age and reach 2 meters in length. In the mating season, when it is ready to reproduce, it acquires a yellow color in the crop. Its snout is broad and short to feed on small fish, molluscs, crustaceans and other smaller reptiles.

Forest Jararaca (Bothrops jararaca)

US animals from the Pantanal biome it is found in southern and southeastern Brazil, its common habitat being forests. This is a highly studied species since its venom (poison) has been used to create drugs for people with heart problems.

Yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus) and Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus)

The anaconda is a non-venomous (non-venomous) snake typical of South America. Females are larger than males, reaching 4.5 meters in length, living up to 30 years of age. Despite having a gestation time of 220 to 270 days and being able to have 15 pups per litter, it is an endangered species. The green anaconda is larger and appears more in the Amazon and Cerrado.

They are excellent swimmers, but, as they move very slowly on land, spend more time in the water and kill through their strong bite and constriction (suffocation). Their diet varies a lot: eggs, fish, reptiles, birds and even mammals.

Other Pantanal Reptiles

  • Boa Constrictor (Goodconstrictor);
  • Marsh Turtle (Acanthochelysmacrocephala);
  • Turtle of the Amazon (Podocnemisexpands);
  • Ipê lizard (Tropidurus guarani);
  • Iguana (Iguana iguana).

Pantanal birds

Some birds are easily seen and unmistakable among the typical animals of the Pantanal, some of them are:

Blue Arara (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)

parrot which exist three species in which two are threatened with extinction and one is even extinct due to animal trafficking. It has a beautiful blue plumage, yellow circles around the eyes and a yellow band around the beak. It is a very coveted bird for its plumage and known for the famous animated film "RIO" which portrays the sad reality of the world's animal trafficking.

Toucan (RamphastosI play)

It is an animal with a very characteristic beak, orange and large. It is a diurnal animal that feeds on a wide variety of foods, eggs, lizards, insects, fruits.

Other birds of the Brazilian Pantanal

  • Great Red Macaw (Arachloropterus);
  • Red-tailed Ariramba (Galbula ruficauda);
  • Curica (Amazonamazonian);
  • Egret (Ardeaalba);
  • Pinto (Icterus croconotus);
  • Out-blue (dacnis cayan);
  • seriema (cariamacrest);
  • Tuuuu (jabiru mycteria - symbol of the wetland).

Pantanal fish

The Pantanal floodplain has a unique biodiversity. These are some of the animals from this Pantanal biome:

Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri)

THE most common species in the Pantanal is the red piranha. It is a freshwater carnivorous fish and is very aggressive and dangerous, as it attacks in flocks and has a row of extremely sharp teeth. It is also widely used in local cuisine.

Other Pantanal Fish

  • Golden (Salminus brasiliensis);
  • Painted (pseudoplatystoma corruscans);
  • Traíra (Hoplias malabaricus).

Pantanal Mammals

The Pantanal fauna is also known for some of the most exuberant Brazilian mammals:

Jaguar (panthera onca)

Or jaguar, it is the third largest feline in the world. He is an excellent swimmer and lives in river or lake areas. It can reach 90kg and has a very strong and fatal bite. It is a carnivorous animal, which puts it at the top of the food chain.

It is a tourist attraction for anyone interested in nature, but unfortunately also for poachers, which makes it on the official list of endangered species in Brazil. In addition to poaching, the increase of cities and the loss of their natural habitat through deforestation, increase the threat of extinction.

Like alligators, these carnivores regulate the populations of other animals.

Guara wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)

Orange in color, long legs and large ears make this wolf a unique species among the animals of the Pantanal.

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris)

Largest rodent in the world and very good swimmers, capybaras live in groups of 40 or more animals.

Wetland deer (Blastocerus dichotomus)

Largest South American deer, only found in the Pantanal. It is threatened with extinction. It can reach 125kg, 1.2m in height and the males have branched horns. Their diet is based on aquatic plants and they live in flooded regions. To resist the action of water, the hooves have a protective membrane that helps them stay submerged for so long without the hooves softening. It is another endangered species.

Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)

The well-known anteater, in Pantanal animals, has a thick, grayish-brown coat with a diagonal black stripe with white edges. Its long snout and large claws are great for catching and ingesting ants and termites. It can ingest more than 30,000 ants in a single day.

Tapir (Tapirus terrestris)

Or Tapir, it has a flexible proboscis (proboscis) and a stout stature with short limbs. Your diet includes fruits and leaves.

Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) and Otter (Lontra longicaudis)

The otters, known as the jaguars, and the otters are carnivorous mammals that feed on fish, small amphibians, mammals and birds. While otters are more social and live in large groups, otters are more solitary. Vulnerable according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Other mammals:

  • Bush dog (Cerdocyonthou);
  • Capuchin Monkey (Sapajus cay);
  • Pampas Deer (Ozotocerosbezoarticus);
  • Giant Armadillo (Priodontes maximus).

These are some of the species of animals that live in the wetland and that are or could be threatened with extinction if human beings do not understand what they are doing to the only planet where they can live together with all the animals and plants that enrich it in a way so simple.

We cannot forget all the other reptiles, birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and insects that were not mentioned here but that make up the wetland biome and are essential to the ecosystem.

If you want to read more articles similar to Pantanal animals: reptiles, mammals, birds and fish, we recommend that you enter our Endangered Animals section.