There is no other place in the world like the Pantanal, a vast wetland wilderness in the heart of Brazil. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as a RAMSAR Site, known for its abundant, diverse and highly visible wildlife. The flat, open landscape consists of a wide range of tropical forest, a variety of savanna types, a complex river network and the largest expanse of tropical wetlands in the world.

The region was a historically important hunting and fishing ground for Native Americans. Today, the Guató, Kadiwéu and Terena tribes still live throughout the Pantanal, making a living through agriculture, natural resource harvest and commerce related to native products and crafts. The region’s rich natural resources have also been utilized by many other cultures since the mid-1500s, from mining and cattle grazing to commercial and sport fishing.

The Pantanal is faced with many threats today, and for this reason the Wildlife of Brazil’s Pantanal project was created to put the sustainability of the Pantanal within reach of concerned people from both the local population and the global community. This pioneering initiative brings communities and leading scientists together to conserve the largest expanse of tropical wetlands in the world.

To address the issues facing the area, Earthwatch Institute established this project in 2000, in partnership with Conservation International (CI). Wildlife of Brazil’s Pantanal supports cooperative, long-term research on species relationships, ecological communities and key species that have large impacts on ecosystem structure and function.

Earthwatch brings volunteers together with scientists, research technicians, students, local organisations, ranchers and other local community members to collect the information necessary to help local communities understand the varied aspects of their ecosystem and to create sustainable management and conservation plans for the Pantanal.