BRAZIL Chapter 4 The Centre West -Bird Watching in Pantanal Are you a bird watching enthusiast? Located in the middle of vast Central Upland, the Centre-West Region reveals how attractive the tours in the interior of the country can be. Starting in the west part of Mato Grosso do Sul State and the southeast part of Mato Grosso State, we have Pantanal Mato-grossense; the largest swampy plain area 51 BRAZIL in the world, cut by Paraguai River. Its fauna and flora richness draw the attention of the world. In the same state, it's possible to take tours through pleasant places, such as Alta Floresta, where ecotourism is the greatest attraction; Bonito, one of the places with the most crystalline waters in the country; and Chapada dos Guimarães National Park, full of mountains and beautiful landscapes offered by the meadow vegetation. Pantanal is one of the richest water marsh of Brazil's centre west region. You can visit this region of Brazil and view the spectacular wonders of nature and natural habitat of birds and various other animals. During the rainy season, from October through March, this area floods and plant life explodes. Then, in April, as the waters recede, the birds return in vast numbers and variety. Due to the wide open areas between patches of forest, birds are easily seen. It is estimated that during the year about 650 species of birds call the Pantanal home! 52 BRAZIL The Region: The Centre-West consists of the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso, and Mato Grosso do Sul as well as the Federal District, where the City of Brasília, the national capital is located. The region makes the heart of Brazil, representing 18.86% of the national territory. State of Mato Grosso do Sul: Mato Grosso do Sul is one of the states in the Centre-West region. The state neighbors are (from north clockwise) Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Paraná. It also borders the countries of Paraguay and Bolivia to the west. The name "Mato Grosso do Sul" literally means "Thick Forest of the South" in Portuguese. The state is also famous for its natural beauty and is a major destination for domestic and international tourism i.e. Pantanal tropic wet land is famous for its beautiful birds and other natural species. The name "Pantanal" comes from the Portuguese word pântano, meaning wetland, bog, swamp or marsh. By comparison, the Brazilian highlands are locally referred to 53 BRAZIL as the planalto, plateau or, literally, high plain. The Pantanal presents an enormous variety of flora and fauna, with forests, natural sand banks, savannahs, open pasture, fields and bushes. The city of Bonito, in the mountain of Bodoquena, has prehistoric caverns, natural rivers, waterfalls, swimming pools and the Blue Lake cavern. Fishing and watching of Flora and Fauna in Pantanal is only permitted between March and October-due to its abundance of animals. The Pantanal has a total area of 230,000 square kilometers, covering 12 townships in the States of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. 54 BRAZIL To the North, there are the Paracis, Azul and Roncador mountains. To the East, the Maracaju Mountain Range. To the South, the Dodoquena Mountain Range. And, to the West, the Paraguayan and Bolivian swamps. The Pantanal is so diverse that researchers subdivided it in sub-regions. Each "Pantanal" – North and South – has its own natural features, activities and ideal period for visitation. In the early morning and evening, visitors can enjoy the magnificent spectacle of thousands of birds flying. In the Pantanal, there are many types of parrots, egrets, jays, cormorants, raptors, seriemas, plovers, sandpipers, 55 BRAZIL s k i m m e r s , t e r n s , doves, cuckoos, owls, nightjars, potoos, h u m m i n g b i r d s , trogons, ovenbirds, tanagers, cardinals, finches, blackbirds, orioles, spoonbills, woodpeckers, tyrants, eagles, ibis, macaws, ducks, hawks, and toucans. The Jabiru (Jabiru mycteria) is commonly seen here and has come to be a symbol of the Pantanal. Macaws abound within this area. This is one of the last places where the largest hook bill, the endangered Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) can be seen daily. This state has a huge agriculture base and people are involved in Cattle breading and raising. This state has a warm climate and is crossed by affluents of the Parana River. Mato Grosso do Sul has humid Subtropical and tropical climate. The state is also famous for its film festival, Bonito's Winter Festival, and 56 BRAZIL Pantanal Micareta that held annually and attracts thousands of tourists from around the globe. State of Mato Grosso: The state of Mato Grosso (meaning Thick Bushes) is another state in the Centre-West region of Brazil. With mostly plain landscape, alternating great chapadas and plain areas, Mato Grosso presents three different ecosystems: Cerrado, Pantanal and the Amazon Rainforest. Neighboring states are (from west clockwise) Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul. It also borders Bolivia to the southwest. It has a huge plateau, called Chapada dos Guimarães National Park that with its caves, grottos, waterfalls, and tracks is one of the greates tourists attractions of the region. North of Mato Grosso is A m a z o n f o r e s t that also covers half of the state. There is a big N a t i o n a l P a r k , c a l l e d X i n g u National Park, with 57 BRAZIL a big native reserve, and Araguaia River also crosses this state. To the south of this state, there is the Pantanal which is mentioned earlier as world's largest wetland. State of Goiás: The most central of the Brazilian States and most populous of the region, Goiás presents a landscape of plateaus and chapadões. The name Goiás (pronounced as Goyaz) comes from the name of an indigenous community. The original word seems to have been guaiá, meaning "the same person" or "people of the same origin." Neighboring states are (from north clockwise) Tocantins, Bahia, Minas Gerais, the Federal District, Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso. In the height of the drought season, from June 58 BRAZIL to September, the lack of rain makes the level of the Araguaia River go down and exposes almost 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) of beaches, making it the main attraction of the State. At the Emas National Park, in the municipality of Mineiros, it is possible to observe the typical fauna and flora from the region. At the Chapada dos Veadeiros, there is Emas National Park, whose main attractions are the canyons, valleys, rapids and waterfalls. Other attractions are the historical city of Goiás (or Old Goiás), 132 km (82 mi) from Goiânia, established in the beginning of 18th Century, and Caldas Novas, with its hot water wells attracting more than one million tourists per year. Brasilia Federal District: Located in the State of Goiás, in a region called Planalto Central, the Brasilia Federal District -Brasília is the capital of Brazil, where the three branches of the Federal Government are located (Executive, Legislative and Judiciary Power) . 59 BRAZIL Brasilia has many beautiful buildings and architecture by Oscar Niemeyer. Brasília is a modernist city, built in the 1960's, planned to be Brazil's capital, just like Islamabad. The city was planned by a team of architects and urbanists, headed by Lucio Costa. The "Three Powers Square" concentrates the most important buildings— the Planalto Palace, headquarters of Brazilian Presidency; the National Congress, hosting the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate; and the Higher Court of Justice. The Square also hosts: the "Panteão da Pátria" (the Motherland Pantheon), the Lúcio Costa Space 60 BRAZIL and three important sculptures — "Pombal", by Niemeyer; "Justice", by Alfredo Ceschiatti; and "Os Candangos", by Bruno Giorgi. In the central plaza, a giant Brazilian national flag 286 square meters (3,080 sq ft) is supported by a triangular black 100-metre (330 ft) and high pole. It is located at the end of the Esplanada dos Ministerios (Ministries Esplanade). The region also attracts “mystics” and in its surroundings you find many temples of different religions and sectarian groups. In the Federal District, the National Park of Brasília is one of the greatest local attractions. Airports and Roads: Highways are present mostly in the center and east regions; transport by rivers is common in the north and in the east; airplanes are used in remote and smaller communities. With the move of the country's federal capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília in the 60s, the construction of roads and railways to the interior of the country made the accesses easier, speeding up the population settling and 61 BRAZIL contributing significantly to its development. Brasília International Airport is the third largest in Brazil in terms of Passenger movement. Because of its strategic location it is considered a civil aviation hub for the rest of the country. This makes for a large number of takeoffs and landings. Other busy airports are Marechal Rondon International Airport, Campo Grande International Airport and Santa Genoveva Airport that connect Centre-West region with many Brazilian cities and also operate some international flights. Roads in this region have been made in order to support the farmers and link them to the regional and international market. They are good in condition and help the transport to run smooth and without interruption. Plants in Centre West In the north is the Amazon Rainforest, with a huge biodiversity covering half of the state , the Xingu National Park and the river Araguaia.