While Brazil may be known for its beaches and the Amazon Rainforest, another part of the South American country attracts tourists from all over the world eager to easily see incredible wildlife everywhere.
The Pantanal is the largest tropical wetlands in the world and home to oversized animals that have “giant” in their names! There are giant armadillos, giant anteaters, and giant otters. That’s not all! The capybaras that live there are the largest rodents in the world. The jabiru stork is the largest stork anywhere and the stunning blue hyacinth macaw is the largest macaw variety. The jaguars are the biggest big cat in the Americas.
Giants of the Pantanal: Jabiru stork.
In spite of their size, many of these giants are at risk of habitat loss, poaching, collisions with cars, pesticides and wildfires which have raged out of control in the region in 2020.
Fortunately, there are several conservation groups working to make a difference to save the impressive animals of the Pantanal.
In “Saving Wildlife: Giants of the Pantanal,” KPRC 2 takes you to Brazil to see the important work being done on the ground and explains how Houstonians are helping make it possible.
KPRC 2′s Lisa Hernandez and Owen Conflenti host the special program from the brand new South America’s Pantanal habitat at the Houston Zoo. KPRC 2′s Andy Cerota traveled with the Houston Zoo team to Brazil last fall.
To learn more about the groups doing vital conservation work in the Pantanal, visit their websites:
To learn how you can take action for wildlife at home, work or school, visit the Houston Zoo’s Take Action Initiatives web page.