BIOMAS
CERRADO
PANTANAL - MT
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The Cerrado is considered one of the world's biological "hotspots". Located between the Amazon, Atlantic Forests and Pantanal, the Cerrado is the largest savanna region in South America.
Is also the most biological rich savannah in the world, represents 30% of Brazil`s biodiversity; which means that it holds about 5% of the world`s biodiversity. There are also over 10,000 species of plants, almost half of which are found nowhere else in the world; 44% of the vascular plants are endemic.
The Cerrado has a high diversity of vertebrates; 150 amphibian species, 120 reptile species, 837 bird species, and 161 mammal species have been recorded.
In the vast Cerrado, some of the target species for ecotourists are Giant Anteaters; the Manned Wolfs ; Pumas; Red-legged Seriemas; Greater Rheas; Blue-winged Macaws; Red-and-green Macaws; Helmeted Manakins; Horned Sungems; Blue Finchs and Brazilian Merganers, amongst others.
Besides been the main link between the other 4 of Brazil`s biomes, Cerrado is also the cradle of Brazil`s fresh water resources.
6 of the 8 largest watersheds in Brazil depend on the Cerrado – including the waters that feed the Pantanal; also supplies 3 gigantic aquifers (one of which, the Guarani aquifer is the second largest [aquifer system] in the world!)
This unique biome is the second largest in South America. Once these wooded grasslands covered an area half the size of Europe. It still covers a quarter of Brazil`s national territory on an area of over two million square kilometers (roughly 10 times the size of Great Britain), across 11 States. Unfortunately, more than half of its original vegetation has been destroyed…
The Cerrado is one of the most threatened and over-exploited regions in Brazil, second only to the Atlantic Forests in vegetation loss and deforestation. The media coverage of the highlights and threats of the neighbouring Amazon Rainforest, overshadows the sad fact that native habitats and rich biodiversity of Cerrado are being destroyed much faster by non sustainable agribusiness… Only 20% of Cerrado still stands in good shape… One of every four species threatened in Brazil belong to Cerrado...
Despite its environmental importance, it is one of the least protected bioregions in Brazil, with less than 3% under legal protection. (Unlike the other biomes, the Cerrado was intentionally left out of the 1988 Brazilian Constitution, not recognized as a National Heritage Site…) Also it remains virtually unknown for the majority of the foreign ecotourists. We want to show you the Cerrado`s natural treasures.
Our tours explore several amazing bioregions of the Cerrado, but mainly we take our guests to enjoy the Chapada dos Guimarães National Park (located only 60 Km from our headquarters, in Cuiabá), an astonishing plateau with an abundance of gorges and waterfalls. Despite the proximity of the Pantanal, here we also can find many different species of birds.
We also frequently take our guests to snorkel in the crystal clear waters found around the quiet town of Bom Jardim, where you can also appreciate the Macaw`s Lagoon (mainly Blue-and-yellow Macaws and Red-bellied macaws roost there) ; swim in a bluish pool at the base of a beautiful waterfall (Serra Azul) and float on the river tubes through a cave ( Quebó Cave) .
The sheer size of the bioregion and the beauty of this biome is overwhelming!
The Amazon is the world`s biggest rainforest; larger than the next two largest rainforests – the Congo Basin and Indonesia – combined!
Undeniably, is our planet`s champion of biodiversity. Just a few mind-blowing examples of its natural treasures: 1,600 species of birds and 600 different mammals; at least 3,000 fish species; more than 16,000 tree species. Although the canopy of Amazonia is less studied than the ocean floor, scientists believe that the canopy may contain half of the world's species.
Covering about 6.8 million square kilometers, the Amazon Basin is roughly the size of the 48 contiguous United States and covers some 40 percent of the South American continent.
This amazing rainforest spreads across 9 countries, but nearly two-thirds is found in Brazil.
More than half of the Amazon forest that`s still standing (25% of its original area has been destroyed since World War II) is protect by parks, biological and Indian reserves.
Having over 1,100 tributaries (17 of which are longer than 1,500 kilometers), the Amazon River contributes with almost one-fifth of the total annual amount of fresh-water discharges into the oceans of the world! (In 24 hours, it discharges into the Atlantic as much water as the river Thames carries past London in a year!) The presence of fresh water from the Amazon can be detected well over 100 Km into the Atlantic Ocean.
We have several exhilarating Amazonian tours – all starting in Manaus. One of them you can see about 12 species of monkeys! In another we`ll take you very close to Wire-tailed manikins, Guianan Cock-of-the-rocks, Crimson Topaz, Scarlet Macaws,…
In all our tours there you`ll get the chance to swim with the Pink River Dolphins (completely wild and free) from a beautiful beach on the Rio Negro. Unforgettable!
