Pantanal
In the heart of South America lies the largest and for many the most beautiful wetland in the world – the Pantanal. It is more than three times the size of the Czech Republic. Because of its importance, it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List for many years.
Photo: Petr Hamerník, Zoo Praha
The “backbone” of the Pantanal is formed by the Paraguay River and its tributaries, which overflow each year during the rainy season to the distance of up to 100 kilometres, turning the whole area into a swampy lake with isolated islands of solid land sticking out. A few months later, when the water begins to recede, it leaves muddy pools and ponds, which gradually dry out as the river returns to its original course.
Although there are very few endemic species in the Pantanal, the species richness is stunning. This is because inhabitants of several different environments come together here, from the bushland, the wooded savannas and dry deciduous forests to the rainforest. The number of plant species exceeds 2,000 and there are some 650 bird species living here, more than in all of Europe.
Palmlands are an important area of the Pantanal for large parrots. The seeds of several local palm tree species represent the main component in the diet of the Hyacinth Macaw. Other interesting avian inhabitants of the wetland include Sunbitterns with giant “eyes” on their wings, the long-toed jacanas or the iconic Jabiru storks – the symbol of the entire Pantanal.
Our pavilion is home to two species of blue macaws: the Hyacinth Macaw and the extremely precious Lear’s Macaw, which was once thought to be extinct. Both live in South America, feed on the hard fruits of palm trees and look quite similar....
Parrots have been a part of Prague Zoo ever since it was opened in 1931, and from the very start they were kept where Rákos’ House stands today. For over 80 years, they lived in a series of double-aviaries called the “Linear”. Two aviaries...
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Among the Caribbean islands, Jamaica ranks third in size – but first in terms of the number of endemic bird species. The majority of them are tied to the original forest growth, which once covered almost the entire island. Today, however, only...
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