Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas

🇧🇷 Brazil

🐆 Jaguars on the Cuiabá Riverbanks

🌍 #54 Global · 4.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #7 in South America #2 in Wetlands & Mangrove

Pantanal, Brazil 992 spp. recorded

Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas sits in the heart of Brazil’s Pantanal, a sprawling wetland where rivers braid through seasonally flooded grasslands and forested islands. Boardwalks and low‑rise trails wind across shallow channels, through stands of aquatic vegetation and scattered trees, giving easy access to the water‑edge and open savanna patches.

-17.089° S 56.711° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Jaguar

Panthera onca

80–90% · Very likely

Giant Otter

Pteronura brasiliensis

60–70% · Likely

Yacare Caiman

Caiman yacare

60–70% · Likely

Hyacinth Macaw

Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Cocoi Heron

Ardea cocoi

60–70% · Likely

Anhinga

Anhinga anhinga

60–70% · Likely

Capybara

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

50–60% · Likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

50–60% · Likely

Ringed Kingfisher

Megaceryle torquata

50–60% · Likely

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

50–60% · Likely

Bigua cormorant

Phalacrocorax brasilianus

50–60% · Likely

Southern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx ruficollis

50–60% · Likely

Crested Caracara

Caracara plancus

50–60% · Likely

Rufescent Tiger Heron

Tigrisoma lineatum

50–60% · Likely

Chaco Chachalaca

Ortalis canicollis

50–60% · Likely

Jabiru

Jabiru mycteria

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Jaguar

Panthera onca

80–90% · Very likely

Giant Otter

Pteronura brasiliensis

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Capybara

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

50–60% · Likely

Black Howler

Alouatta caraya

40–50% · Likely

Proboscis Bat

Rhynchonycteris naso

40–50% · Likely

Hooded Capuchin

Sapajus cay

30–40% · Possible

Marsh Deer

Blastocerus dichotomus

20–30% · Possible

Azara's Agouti

Dasyprocta azarae

20–30% · Possible

South American Tapir

Tapirus terrestris

20–30% · Possible

Long-tailed Porcupine

Coendou longicaudatus

10–20% · With luck

Neotropical Otter

Lontra longicaudis

10–20% · With luck

White-lined Broad-nosed Bat

Platyrrhinus lineatus

Insufficient data

South American Coati

Nasua nasua

Insufficient data

Crab-eating Fox

Cerdocyon thous

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Hyacinth Macaw

Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Cocoi Heron

Ardea cocoi

60–70% · Likely

Anhinga

Anhinga anhinga

60–70% · Likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

50–60% · Likely

Ringed Kingfisher

Megaceryle torquata

50–60% · Likely

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

50–60% · Likely

Bigua cormorant

Phalacrocorax brasilianus

50–60% · Likely

Southern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx ruficollis

50–60% · Likely

Crested Caracara

Caracara plancus

50–60% · Likely

Rufescent Tiger Heron

Tigrisoma lineatum

50–60% · Likely

Chaco Chachalaca

Ortalis canicollis

50–60% · Likely

Jabiru

Jabiru mycteria

50–60% · Likely

Roadside Hawk

Rupornis magnirostris

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Yacare Caiman

Caiman yacare

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

40–50% · Likely

Yellow Anaconda

Eunectes notaeus

40–50% · Likely

False Water Cobra

Hydrodynastes gigas

10–20% · With luck

Amazon Racerunner

Ameiva ameiva

10–20% · With luck

Argentine Black-and-white Tegu

Salvator merianae

10–20% · With luck

Matipu Tegu

Tupinambis matipu

10–20% · With luck

Tropical House Gecko

Hemidactylus mabouia

Insufficient data

Big-Headed Amazon River Turtle

Acanthochelys macrocephala

5–10% · With luck

Paraguay Caiman Lizard

Dracaena paraguayensis

Insufficient data

Wagler's Snake

Xenodon merremii

Insufficient data

Yellow-bellied Liophis

Erythrolamprus poecilogyrus

Insufficient data

Chicken Snake

Spilotes pullatus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Chaco Tree Frog

Boana raniceps

10–20% · With luck

Mato Grosso Snouted Tree Frog

Scinax acuminatus

10–20% · With luck

Cururu Toad

Rhinella diptycha

5–10% · With luck

Miranda's White-lipped Frog

Leptodactylus macrosternum

Insufficient data

Paraguayan Swimming Frog

Pseudis platensis

Insufficient data

Two-colored oval frog

Elachistocleis bicolor

Insufficient data

Polka-dot Tree Frog

Boana punctata

Insufficient data

Pointedbelly Frog

Leptodactylus podicipinus

Insufficient data

Muller's Termite Frog

Dermatonotus muelleri

Insufficient data

Uruguay Harlequin Frog

Lysapsus limellum

Insufficient data

Lesser Snouted Tree Frog

Scinax nasicus

Insufficient data

Pale-legged Weeping Frog

Physalaemus albonotatus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐦

Jabiru Stork Nesting

JulAugSepOctNov

Jabiru storks — the Pantanal's iconic giant stork — nest on huge treetop platforms along the rivers through .

Jabiru

Jabiru mycteria

50–60% · Likely

🐆

Jaguar Hunting Season

JunJulAugSepOct

Dry-season waters recede and jaguars concentrate along the Cuiabá/Três Irmãos riverbanks to hunt caiman and capybara in daylight — the park's world-famous spectacle, .

Jaguar

Panthera onca

80–90% · Very likely

Capybara

Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris

50–60% · Likely

Yacare Caiman

Caiman yacare

60–70% · Likely

🐦

Dry-Season Waterbird Congregation

JunJulAug

As floodwaters shrink, fish are trapped in drying channels and wading birds congregate in mass feeding flocks along the rivers.

Wood Stork

Mycteria americana

30–40% · Possible

Roseate Spoonbill

Platalea ajaja

20–30% · Possible

Black Skimmer

Rynchops niger

40–50% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

60–70

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

80–90

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

30–40

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

40–50

80–90

10–20

10–20

10–20

20–30

30–40

30–40

20–30

10–20

10–20

10–20

10–20

10–20

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

70–80

40–50

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

40–50

60–70

50–60

70–80

30–40

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

40–50

60–70

60–70

40–50

60–70

30–40

30–40

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

30–40

60–70

30–40

50–60

Ringed Kingfisher

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

30–40

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

70–80

60–70

30–40

50–60

20–30

50–60

Bigua cormorant

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

30–40

50–60

50–60

60–70

Southern Rough-winged Swallow

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

40–50

50–60

40–50

30–40

Crested Caracara

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

30–40

50–60

30–40

50–60

Rufescent Tiger Heron

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

30–40

50–60

40–50

60–70

Chaco Chachalaca

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

30–40

50–60

30–40

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

30–40

50–60

30–40

50–60

Animal Events

🐆 Jaguar Hunting Season

🐦 Jabiru Stork Nesting

🐦 Dry-Season Waterbird Congregation

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ World-class

🐆 Jaguars on the Cuiabá Riverbanks

🦜

Biodiversity

Excellent

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

606

🐒 Mammals

169

🦎 Reptiles

161

🐸 Amphibians

56

992 Total Species

850 Global average across 296 parks

27 Threatened 41 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

61%

📊

Coverage (173 species at ≥5% of 992 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

17%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (8 bird, 3 mammal, 1 reptile)

46% Global avg

65%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

134 Global avg

147

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

15 Global avg

21

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

27 Global avg

38

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas?

The most likely sightings are Jaguar (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Cocoi Heron (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Giant Otter (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Yacare Caiman (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Anhinga (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers) — among 992 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas for wildlife?

July has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Jaguar in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas?

Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Jaguar sighting in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas, based on 300 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Giant Otter in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas?

Yes — about 66% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Otter sighting in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas, based on 162 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Yacare Caiman in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas?

Yes — about 65% of wildlife watchers report a Yacare Caiman sighting in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas, based on 160 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Hyacinth Macaw in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas?

Yes — about 17% of wildlife watchers report a Hyacinth Macaw sighting in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas, based on 450 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

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