by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Aug 22, 2016 | Brazil, International photo tours, Nature Photography, Pantanal, Photo Tours, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
Hyacinth Macaw
The Pantanal of Brazil is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Why is it unique?
The majority of the Pantanal is located in Brazil with smaller portions in Bolivia and Paraguay. It covers 81,000 square miles, with the Bazilian portion in the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul
The Pantanal is huge gently sloping basin and the largest seasonally flooded tropical wetland. It is10 times the size of the Everglades and is a mosaic of habitats created by water with distinctive wet and dry seasons. 80% is submerged during the rainy season, the months November through March. The nutrient rich floodwaters deposit sediments that enrich the soil and create a fertile environment capable of supporting highly diverse collection of plant and animal species. It’s home to some of the rarest animals on earth–the jaguar, marsh deer, giant river otter, hyacinth macaw, crowned solitary eagle, maned wolf, giant anteater, South American tapir, yellow anaconda, and yacare caiman. They share the habitat with howler monkeys, capybara, toucans, parrots, iguanas, armadillo, tegu lizards and other wildlife. It is estimated that there are more than 3500 species of plants, thousands of invertebrates, and hundreds of bird, mammal and reptile species.
In addition to benefiting wildlife, the Pantanal is important for flood abatement, water purification, recharging ground water, climate stabilization, and serving as a nursery for aquatic life.
Wet Season: The rainfall is approximately 1,000–1,400 mm (39–55 in) per year. But the majority of the water comes from runoff from the surrounding upland areas including the Paraguay River and its tributaries flowing from the surrounding plateau. As water levels rise, these rivers inundate the Pantanal’s grasslands and gallery forest, creating a vast temporary wetland bounded by dry and humid forests, grasslands, & savannas. During the rainy season water level rises 2 to 5 meters.
Dry Season: May to late November is considered the dry season in Pantanal, and the water level drops dramatically. In November, very little of water persists except in some ponds and permanent rivers and streams. Tourists visit primarily June through Oct. The average temperature in the Pantanal is 25 °C (77 °F), but temperatures can fluctuate from 0 to 40 °C (32 to 104 °F).
Black Hawk
Access:
The main gateways into the Pantanal are the cities of Cuiabá (capital of the state of Mato Grosso) and Campo Grande (Capital of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul).
The Transpantaneira Highway is an elevated 160 km long dirt road. With dozens of bridges, many of them wooden, it crosses the Pantanal over savannahs, lakes, seasonal streams, rivers, lagoons, marshes and shrub wetlands until finally reaching the Cuiabá River where it ends at Porto Jofre. Along the way, there are many opportunities for roadside photography of wildlife.
Capybara
Economy: The economy of the area is based on cattle ranching, agriculture (rice, soy beans, corn, sugar cane, etc.), agroindustries, mining (gold, diamonds, iron, manganese), professional fishing, sportfishing and eco-tourism.
Concerns: Approximately 99 % of the Pantanal is privately owned with thousands of ranches (fazendas) and 8 million cattle. Current threats to the ecosystem include hunting, poaching (exotic species trade), pesticides from agricultural runoff, pollution from sewage and mining, and infrastructure development effecting hydrology. But compared to the Everglades, it is relatively untouched despite the lack government protection.
Giant River Otter eating fish.
by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Jan 24, 2015 | Assateague, Brazil, Chicoteague, Digital Photography, Nature Photography, Pantanal, Photo Technique, Photo Tours, Photo Workshops, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
CAMERA CLUBS & OTHER SOURCES OF INFO
Your fellow camera club members can be helpful pointing out local hotspots for wildlife photography. At one such club meeting in Manassas where I was delivering a lecture, I learned that elk herds exist in Pennsylvania, near Benesette http://elkcountryvisitorcenter.com/drupal/ . They are typically found where there is fresh browse. In the fall, the males bugled just like courtship in Yellowstone. Magazines such as Outdoor Photographer www.outdoorphotographer.com can be a great resource describing favorite locations for photography. Robert Hitchman has a newsletter “Photograph America” with detailed info on trails and photo perspectives for all types of photography. It’s a great resource if planning a trip. www.photographamerica.com Well worth the price.
WATER
Animals require 3 key things for survival, food, water and shelter. Therefore areas that provide these elements attract wildlife add offer photo opportunities. They are also good locations to place photo blinds (later discussion). For example, a pond or spring in an arid area can draw wildlife from great distances. On a ranch in south Texas I placed blinds (hides) near ponds that contained water during the hotter months of the year. At the end of the summer at Chincoteague NWR, water evaporates from the impoundments and waterways. Fish become trapped in the shallows where water remains and attract large numbers of hungry herons, raccoons, and other wildlife. Similarly, during the dry season in the wetlands of Brazil(the Pantanal) http://www.pantanal.org/Mainpant.htm, completion for food becomes fierce and animals become more visible as the water disappears.
Coatimundi drinking at pond in Mexico.
Roadrunner drinking at small pool of water during drought in South Texas.
Deer drinking in one of the few ponds with water on a ranch in south Texas.
Bufflehead in channel at Chincoteague, VA
FOOD
A reliable source of food will attract wildlife. Ripening seeds, acorns, crab apples, and fruit will attract monkeys, bears, and squirrels, as well as songbirds and other bird life. The upwelling of nutrients and food caused by strong currents such as those off the southern tip of South America attract marine life and provide food for whales, seals, sea lions, and penguins as seen in the Falkland Islands. The protected waters around Peninsula Valdes in Argentina offer shelter to elephant seals, southern sea lions, penguins, and calving southern right whales and attract photographers from around the world. But you don’t have to go to exotic places to attract and photograph wildlife. In your own backyard you can put out feeders with seed or suet, add a source of water and include an interesting perch nearby so you can capture images in what appears to be a natural setting.
Squirrel storing nut for the winter.
Chickadee feeding on berries.
Giant River Otter eating fish in the Pantanal.
Great Blue Heron with fish.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak at bird feeder.
FAVORITE PERCHES
Birds such as kingfishers, cormorants, and kiskadees often dive for fish from the same perch and return there to consume their fish offering excellent opportunities for photographs. Turkeys, vultures, snail kites, and other birds often roost in the same location each night. These are perfect places to stake out with your camera.
Kiskadee fishing from favorite branch.
Thick-billed tern perched on pole preening and fishing.
Belted Kingfisher fishing from its favorite perch.
DUSTING AREA & MINERAL LICKS
Mineral licks are also great places to photograph wildlife. At Custer State Park, SD http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/custer/ buffalo, mule deer, and pronghorn frequent these bare patches of ground rich in minerals and nutrients. These spots are easy to recognize by the reddish color of the dirt. Other locations where animals return repeatedly are dusting areas, sections of bare ground and loose dirt where “wild burros”, buffalo, guanaco, horses, road runners and other animals kick up and roll in the dust to rid themselves of pests.
Burro dusting in Custer State Park, SD
Elephant seal throwing sand perhaps to cool off.
ICE, ROCKS & ISLANDS
If on a boat in Alaska, ice flows area good areas to look for seals. Round Island is prefect if interested in photographing walrus.
Walrus warming in the sun on Round Island.
