Brazil Jaguars
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Brazil Jaguars |
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NEW ! Chile Pumas Following on from the success of our Jaguar tours we have been investigating the possibility of running tours to look for Pumas. Torres del Paine in Chile, where the BBC shot their outstanding Natural World programme on Pumas, appears to offer the best chance to see the species and Richard Webb has carried out two recces to the park. To see Pumas we are likely to need to spend long periods scanning suitable habitat so we would expect to split into two groups to cover as much ground as possible. The groups will stay in contact by radio and we would also expect to have local rangers working with us to maximise our chances. Other wildlife likely to be seen in Torres del Paine includes Guanaco, Argentinian Grey and Colpeo Foxes, Patagonian Skunk, South Huemel (Southern Andean Deer), Andean Condor, Magellanic Woodpecker and a wide range of other species. We will also visit sites where we can expect to see Blue Whales, Chilean (Black), Commerson’s, and Peale’s Dolphin, Marine Otter and Southern Sealion with a chance of Southern Pudu, Darwin’s Fox and Mara and the endangered Southern River Otter. Bird-wise we would expect to see a variety of species including Magellanic and Humboldt Penguin, Black-browed Albatross, Spectacled Duck, Torrent Duck, Rufous-chested and Tawny-throated Dotterel plus Least Seedsnipe.
We are running a small group recce at cost in March 2007 (£3695pp twin share, waitlist only). Please contact our tours department if you would be interested in the trip report when available and details of our first full tour in 2008. |
There can surely be few Neotropical mammals that hold the appeal of the Jaguar yet some tour leaders with several months (or even years), experience in Central and South America have only seen one or two. Although they have traditionally been considered a forest species it is now apparent that Jaguars are equally at home in open country and the Pantanal has become the place to see them.
After our two recces during which we saw a total of six Jaguars our inaugural tour in 2004 was a roaring success with no less than four Jaguars seen for prolonged periods at close range! Both 2005 tours enjoyed prolonged close views of Jaguars too.
The Transpantaneira also holds a range of other cats; seven Ocelots were seen on the 2005 tours and Jaguarundi were seen on the second recce and the 2004 tour. Oncilla was seen in 2005 and others have seen Puma and Margay. A wide range of other mammals also occur in the area and we hope to see Giant and Neotropical River Otters, White-lipped and Collared Peccary, Marsh and Red Brocket Deer, Giant Anteater, South American Coati, Crab-eating Fox, Crab-eating Racoon, Azara’s Agouti, Black Tufted Capuchin, Black and Gold Howler and ‘Pantanal’ Marmoset. We also hope to see Brazilian Tapir which is usually relatively easy to see in the Pantanal as the flood waters recede. We saw two on the 2004 tour and four in 2005. The Pantanal also offers excellent birding and we can expect to see 100+ species in a day including Hyacinth Macaw, Golden-collared Macaw, Sunbittern, Sungrebe and a range of herons and storks including Jabiru. Caiman are abundant and we can expect hundreds of Caiman in the pools along the road, snakes including Yellow Anaconda are also possible.
We will spend long hours in the field at dawn and dusk to maximise our chances of seeing Jaguar and other cats and will spend long hours spotlighting. The itinerary in the Pantanal will be kept as flexible as possible to enable us to concentrate on finding any key species that we have yet to see. We will use boats at Porto Jofre to maximise our chances of seeing Jaguars. There will however be plenty of opportunity to rest and catch up with your sleep during the heat of the day.
We will also spend several days in the forests and cerrado around Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais. Highlights here will include Giant Anteater, up to 20 in a day in 2005, Maned Wolf and several species of primates including the endangered Northern Muriqui (Woolly Spider Monkey) and Buffy-headed Marmoset. Photographic opportunities are excellent and we can expect to see anteaters and Maned Wolf down to a few feet and expect to have Giant River Otters swimming around our boat as just two examples. The Belo area holds a different range of birds to those found in the Pantanal and we can expect to see a good selection of these hopefully including Swallow-tailed Cotinga and the endangered Brazilian Merganser.
This tour provides a unique opportunity to see some of South America’s most spectacular mammals and birds with excellent photographic opportunities throughout.
ItineraryDay1: Depart London Day 2: Arrive Sao Paulo, fly to Belo Horizonte, drive to Sao Roque de Minas for three nights Day 3: Serra da Canastra all day Day 4: Serra da Canastra all day Day 5: Drive to Caraca for two nights. Day 6: Caraca all day Day 7: Drive to Ipanama for two nights Day 8: Caratinga Reserve all day Day 9: Drive to Belo Horizonte and fly to Cuiaba, night Cuiaba Day 10: Drive to Pixaim for one night Day 11: Morning Pixaim then drive to Porto Jofre for three nights Day 12: Boat trips Porto Jofre Day 13: Boat trips Porto Jofre Day 14: Long drive to Araras Ecolodge for two nights stopping at Pixaim for lunch on route. Day 15: All day around Araras Ecolodge. Day 16: Leave lodge early morning to return to Cuiaba for flight to Sao Paulo & on to London. Day 17: Arrive London early afternoon
Holiday Information
Dates: 28th July – 13th August 2007, leaders Regina Ribeiro, Mark Andrews and local guides.15th September – 1st October 2007, leaders Regina Ribeiro, Richard Webb and local guides. Cost: £3999 per person sharing a twin room. Single supplement: £349 Deposit: £300 Max. Group size: 10
2008, Advance register for only £50 per person, 6th – 22nd September (Richard). A second, earlier trip may also operate, subject to demand (Mark).
NotesAccommodation is in tourist class hotels.
In the Pantanal temperatures will be high possibly in the 30s during the middle of the day. We will normally spend the middle of the day resting. Around Belo it is likely to be cooler and warm clothing will be required early in the day at Canastra.
Mosquitoes can be a problem in the Pantanal and appropriate precautions should be taken although there is no malaria in the areas we are visiting.
Price includes: International and internal economy class flights including pre-paid taxes, all ground transportation, all accommodation and meals, park entry fees, services of WildWings leaders and local guides. Bird and mammal checklist.
Price excludes: Travel insurance (from £65.15), laundry bills, drinks, other items of a personal nature, gratuities.
Full 2004 and 2005 trip reports and photos are available on our website or from us. The 2006 tours are just about to depart and their reports will be available from the autumn.
Potential mammal list – species seen on the 2004 and 2005 tours (and the recces).
Giant Anteater Other possibilities include: Nine-banded Armadillo Lesser Fishing Bat Giant Armadillo Masked Titi Monkey Black Tufted Capuchin Margay Black Capuchin Puma Black and Gold Howler Brown-throated Sloth Brown Howler Northern Muriqui 250+ birds likely Buffy-headed Marmoset Black-tufted-ear Marmoset ‘Pantanal’ Marmoset Maned Wolf Crab-eating Fox Crab-eating Raccoon South American Coati Neotropical River Otter Giant River Otter Ocelot Jaguarundi Jaguar Oncilla Brazilian Tapir Red Brocket Deer Pampas Deer Marsh Deer Collared Peccary White-lipped Peccary Capybara Azara's Agouti Paca Brazilian Rabbit Southern Tamandua |
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WildWings, 577 Fishponds Road, Fishponds, Bristol. BS16 3AF.UK
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