Today, life in the Pantanal follows a yearly cycle of rising and falling waters, dictated by the rains and the course of the great Paraguay River and its many meandering tributaries.

The Pantanal is a must-visit destination for nature lovers and there are some great tours out there. The diversity of vegetation, the rich soil and the abundance of water attract and sustain an enormous variety of wildlife. Most of the wildlife is also encountered in other parts of Brazil, but nowhere are they as easily seen as in the Pantanal, even in comparison to the Amazon.

Among the fauna of the Pantanal, as well as over 650 species of bird, you can see crocodiles, piranhas, giant anteaters, blue hyacinth macaws, cougars, capybaras, toucans, monkeys, giant river otters, anacondas, iguanas and much more.