The definition of safari photographic is the expedition that is carried out to photograph wild animal in its natural environment, we considered that in the case of Brazil, the definition acquires richer a ampler sense and therefore, since we cannot avoid the wealth of its floresta, the different forms that present/display their hydrographic river basins and their marine coast to us.

The activities are several that are realized that they allow a very direct contact with the nature, and therefore unique opportunities of being able to remove the maximum yield safari photographic, with the attainment of extraordinary photos; from trips in the different types from river crafts, transfers in vehicles todoterreno, strolls by the forest, cruises, stays in hotels of the forest (lodges, constructed to borders of the rivers or floating on waters of a lake in the middle of the forest, etc. Are many programs accompanied by specialized guides.

We have selected those that we considered, without a doubt, the two better areas (Amazonia and Pantanal) for the photographic practice of safaris in Brazil, without despising other areas nonselected, and of which we are safe also agglutinate good conditions for this practice.

In addition also we have including the 9 places (outside the selected areas) that under our criterion we considered ideal zones by its beauty in landscape and rich in fauna and flora for the photographic practice of safaris. We are conscious that it is a selection of places very limited for a country like Brazil, that as much it must offer in this sense, we know that besides these others with great tourist potential exist and ecoturístico for this practices photographic, simply this is a selection of the 9 places that we considered meet the best conditions, after the realized studies.

We consider that these places must be preserved to the maximum within a sustainable tourism, when taking care of the nature we took care of the source of our own life.

 

AREAS AND PLACES RECOMMENDED FOR THE PRACTICE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARIS IN BRAZIL

 

Amazonia

Equatorial forest of the planet, occupies an area of than 6 million km2s distributed more by nine countries. Its greater part - close of 60% - is in Brazil. Dividing it in two great halves the Amazon river is, navigable for great boats in more than 6,500 km, of Bethlehem of For, in its opening in the Atlantic Ocean, until Iquitos, in Peru. Result of the confluence of two of its affluent majors, the Black and the Solimões. Zones of interest by its fauna and flora:

Birds of the Amazon

Flora: tropical generally. In the lagoons around the river basin of the Amazon and its affluents, are numerous aquatic plants, it emphasizes the famous plant Regal Victory (a variety of nenúfar whose leaves reach a meter or more of diameter), castanheira-do-for, seringueira and guaraná.

Fauna: very varied, mammalian: jaguar, puma, to tapir, pigmeo hippopotamus, capibara, real antelope, rodents, deer, 20% of the primates of the planet (some of them very protected like the monkey uacari branco and small sagüi). Reptiles: turtles, caymans, stifles and serpents. Birds: more than 1,700 types of birds. Fish: more than 2,000 classes of fish (tucunaré, sea bream amazonian, fished, piraña - carnivorous fish with which an appreciated broth is made very -, pirarucu, peixe-boi). More than 4,000 types of butterflies. 

Lodges de Amazonia

Pantanal

In the heart of Suramérica it is the greater moist soil of the world: the Pantanal. One extends by three countries (Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay), his considered area is of 240,000 km2s. Although one is mainly in Mato Brazilian Grosso (140,000 km2s), including 12 municipalities of the States of I kill Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. To the North, they are the two mountain ranges Paracis, Blue and do Snoring. To the east, the Mountain range of Maracaju. To the South, the Mountain range gives Bodoquena. And, to the West, marshes Paraguayan and Bolivian.

The origins of these humid earth probably go back to the time at which there was a great inner sea in the South-American continent. Before the formation of the $andes, the Amazon river flowed towards the Pacific Ocean, until its course was cut by the sprouting of the mountain range. Then, a great lake or sea was formed until the Amazon found an exit to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Pantanal constitutes the greater fresh water continuous easily flooded system of world and one of the most productive ecosystems of wild life of the planet. That mixture of flora and fauna, together with aquatic means, is the one that produces the fantastic wealth of species and biological and ecological processes by all their extension.

In the Pantanal the life follows a cycle annual of ascents and slopes of waters, dictated in rains and the course of the river of Paraguay and its many affluents. In the rainy season - harder of October to March - the rivers slowly raise and flood the level ones with an average of one to three meters of water. At the end of the rainy season only small islands and hills follow droughts. Once it begins to back down the water (as of April), a savannah grows the grass forming, and then, caymans and hawks dispute the food of the pools. The best time is this one to visit the Pantanal (April - May - June - July - August - September and October). Since in November and December the temperatures are highest and the mosquitos abound. In January, February and March the precipitations are so strong that the tracks are practically impassable.

The level ground of the alluvial one of the Pantanal is very permeable. Therefore, as soon as they stop rains and the rivers diminish their volume, the Earth begins to dry itself quickly, the small landscape changes and we see Lagos and pools in means of the grass and forests, this situation takes place generally as of April, although years can exist in which this does not begin to take place until the month of May, or on the contrary can happen that it begins as of March.

The Pantanal is not only one, but a complex of ecosystems, where plants and animal of the several ecosystems of his converge around. In his southwestern border - Bolivia and Paraguay - it is the Chaco, a dry forest, characterized by the trees of the quebracho, the family of the nut of Brazil, the cactus and bromelias. Its northwest is influenced by the amazonian species like the regal victory, whereas its Northeast is stuck to the Brazilian savannah (Closed), another dry forest.

The diversity of the vegetation, the rich ground and the abundance of water attract and maintain the variety and the great abundance of animal. Most of the fauna also can be found in other parts of Brazil, but in the Pantanal it only exists in so great amounts.

Registered in the List of Patrimonies of the Humanity in the year 2000.

Flora: the Pantanera Flora is very diversified, this composed of a mixture of species and types of vegetation of other regions, for that reason it is denominated: “Complex Pantanal�.

Thus in the northwest areas of floresta closed transition between and amazonian exist where it is possible to find the gorgeous victory - regal (Amazonian Victory).

In it limits the west of the Pantanal is represented by the vegetation chaqueña that can appear like two basic components: the “dry Chaco� appearing in earth nonflooding, from Corumbá to the narrow and discontinuous strip in the border this of Bolivia and the “Humid Chaco� represented by the “Quebraxais� of Murtiño Port and the “Carandazais� of argillaceous grounds that prevent the drainage of the water that characterizes the Pantanal de Nabileque.

In the Southeast it is possible to be found species typical of Atlantic Bush. Also are some species of Nordestina Vegetation like or Mandacaru (Cactales asp). The densest vegetation appears in areas nonflooded.

The areas that are flooded temporarily present/display a less dense vegetation because great part of the shrubs dies, reappearing new individuals during the period of drainage.          

Areas that remain flooded permanently present/display several fluctuating species. Also it is common to find formation vegetal, predominating a unique species, like the Buritizais, Paratudais, Carandazais, Quebraxais, etc.

Fauna: this represented very well, especially by the species that live and feed next to aquatic atmospheres, with complete certainty, the Pantanal is one of the most interesting places of the world for the photographic practice of safaris, by all their diversity of flora and fauna, especially conserved and luckyly still with many places operated, nor nondegraded.

The Pantanal offers to the visitor a variety of open landscapes populated by great animal populations, whose feeding depends on the aquatic phase. They are 690 species of birds, 300 species of fish, 95 of mammals, 40 of amphibians, 160 of reptiles, without forgetting the fundamental insects for the survival the birds.

Fauna of the Pantanal

Cobras: they can be poisonous like the Mouth of Toad and nonpoisonous like the Sucuri (type anaconda) that its prey kills afixiando it.
Lizards: represented by the viper-do-pantanal, sinimbu and teiú.
Quelónios: they are the turtles represented by the jabutí that are terrestrial and the fresh water turtle that is aquatic.
Cocodrilianos: jacaré of the Pantanal that today is more abundant than in past times. She was victim of “Coureiros� that decimated whole populations to remove the skin that was to be sold mainly in Europe.

1. Mammals:  the king of the Pantanal is the jaguar (Panthera onca). A species threatened, although still relatively abundant in moist soils, is recovering slowly by virtue of the diminution of the hunting, consequently the visitors have the luck generally to see this impressive feline. Other great mammals are the giant anteater, tapir and two species of red deers. The mammals of medium size include the capybara (the greatest rodent of the world), the wild mount dog, pigs, smaller armadillos, otters and several felines. Of the monkeys, greatest it is the howling black, whose shout can be heard of very far.

Jacaré

The inhabitants of the region of the Pantanal are called Pantaneiros. Pantaneiro usually works in the farms in activities related to the cattle culture, or live like fishermen who fish their food between the great variety of life that the rivers of the region provide.
     
The culture of the Pantaneiros, includes as simple habits as to take ¨tereré¨ (frozen tea Brazilian), to eat cow meat, to use the horse to work and to transport, to touch the guitar. Isolated geographically, the people of the Pantanal are self-sufficient, using the meat of calf, the fish and cassava like her main sources of feeding. It has been the perfect fusion between man and cattle that the ecological balance of the Pantanal maintains during two centuries.

 

In order to visit the Pantanal a good equipment is needed to make against warm days, fresh nights, and mosquitos: glasses of sun, solar protector, hat, slight articles, of long sleeve and long, repulsive pants of insects, boots, raincoat and something of shelter for the nights. Not to forget the prisms binocular for the observation animal, neither the awakener to rise to the dawn, nor a lantern and by all means the camera of photos. This one is the paradise of the fan to safaris photographic.

She is one of the zones that more opportunities offer for the observation of wild fauna.

Recommended places:

1) National park of Iguazú: it constitutes one of the majors forest reserves of South America, as well as of protection of renewable the natural resources of the State.

The Iguaçu word means “great water�, in the tupí-guaraní etimología. A name that combines with the magnitude of the cataracts of the Iguazú, one of the natural wonders of the planet, with 275 cascades with a height average of 60 M.s Situado to the west of the State of Parana.

Conserve area of Atlantic Bush with great diversity of flora and fauna. They live there near 350 species on birds, 250 of butterflies and 50 of mammals, which some are threatened of extinction, such as the onça-guinea fowl (ounce of coat guinea fowl) and papagayo-of-peito-roxo (papagayo which it has the plumage with red bottom).

Butterfly of the Natural Park of Iguazu

Registered in the List of Patrimonies of the Humanity in 1986.

Flora: it is characterized by a subtropical floresta, characterized by arboreal masses, of individuals of great size, associated to lianas and epifitas plants. Between the trees with heights between 15 and 25 M.s, they emphasize: the cedar, the laurel, angico, ipé, the rose wood, this last one can reach up to 40 ms of height. In medium altitudes, between the 5 and 15 ms of height, they emphasize: the arborescent palm hearts and fetuses. Next to the ground, they appear samanbayas and the grass. Bromelias, isipós, araceas and orchids.

Fauna: the park shelters rich and diversified to fauna, standing out the ounce guinea fowl (a species of jaguar), and others like the jaguatirica and the cat of the forest. Anta, tamanduá of vest, the monkey bugio, the otter and ariarañas (species in extinction), that in spite of not being endemic, are animal characteristic of this type of forest. They are a great number of bats, besides significant birds like diverse types of sparrowhawks, jacutinga, picaflores, papagayos, toucans, duck hand saw, among others. Between the reptiles, one honors the crocodile of yellow crop, species in extinction. Also is a great diversity of amphibians, fish and invertebrates, especially insects.

2) Plated of the Veadeiros (the Closed one): it is the highest point of the state of Goiás, considered like a true paradise. It is located in the municipality of High Paradise and the entrance to Plated the two the National Park of Veadeiros is next to the São town Jorge, to about 250 km of the federal capital, Brasilia. The landscape presents/displays magnificent valleys, populated rivers, cascades, guns and mountains, in addition, of one riquísima fauna.

Plated flora of of the Veadeiros

3) National park of the Emas (the Closed one) or the National Park of the Ñandúes, as also it is known him, in the State of Goiás, has like great attraction a steep landscape characteristic of the plated ones, besides a fauna of easy observation.

Registered in the List of Patrimonies of the Humanity in 2001.

When being both in the same ecosystem (the Closed one), its flora and fauna are very similar:
Flora: there one is the typical plants of the existing Closed one in Brazil: the clean fields, the dirty fields, florestas the ciliary florestas or of galleries and the paths, with great abundance of buritis in the heads of the rivers and streams.     

The fields of pulses get to reach two meters of height. In the stretches of closed typical, the mainmasts can present/display of four to five meters of height.         

National park of the Emas

Fauna: frequently ñandúes, wolves, anteaters, sariamas, deer, red deers and birds of prey can be seen, like the racially mixed sparrowhawk and acauán. With a certain degree of luck, they are possible also to be seen feline. In addition the presence of animal groups is common like pigs of the floresta, capybaras, macacos, red deer-country and ostriches. Also are animal that walk together in smaller number, like the bear-anthill-flag, vixens, elk, armadillos, snakes, sariamas, sparrowhawks, lechuzas, curiangos and panthers. Some animal can be seen that are threatened of extinction, like the armadillo-basket, wolf-guará, bear-anthill-small puppy-do-kill-vinegar and.

The best time for its visit is the dry station, between April and October. In the spaces of denser vegetation they are possible still to be observed mutuns and toucans, besides primates like bugio and macaco-prego Serpents of great size, like the anaconda and the boa, are in abundance.

4) National park of the Adamantine Plated one: with its 152 thousands you have of caverns, deep guns, cascades and valleys of varied flora and fauna, the Adamantine Plated one is one of the more attractive ecological refuges of Brazil. Ideal for the practice of the photographic eco-tourism and safaris. It is located in the central part of the State of Bay, in the northeast of the country.

Flora: endemic flowers like the orchids and bromelias, many of them still catalogued by the biologists are not in this natural refuge whose relief is responsible by the formation for easts of the main rivers of Bay: Paraguacu and Cuentas, and other that go in the direction of the river basin of San Francisco.

Fauna: the indiscriminate hunting of long ago, that indeed motivated the official creation like National Park, decimated great part of its fauna. Diverse species majors disappeared by that reason like anta, the tamanduá-flag and the tatu-basket, endemic mammals of the place.    

Nevertheless, populations reduced of jacarés exist (lizards) yellow of-belly, the ounce (jaguar) guinea fowl and the brown one, capivara, the bearded monkey, the red deer campeiro, the boa and many birds. Besides the rich fauna of its rivers.

Fauna of the National Park of the Adamantine Plated one

This safari photographic has been selected besides its flora and fauna, mainly by its unique landscapes of spectacular beauty.

5) National park of Itatiaia: the area of the National Park Itatiaia is divided in two atmospheres. One is the Atlantic bush with numerous centennial trees that occupy the low part. The other characterizes by its mountainous relief with rocky crags and tips in the highest part. In this natural reserve the Tip is located it give Aguilhas, the fifth highest one of the country located in the limits between Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo.

Flora: the ecological reserve is formed by several floors of vegetation of primitive ecosystems. Its flora is characteristic and peculiar, particularly in the plateau of Itatiaia.

Flora of the National Park of Itatiaia

163 cases of endemic species of flora exist, on which 94 live in the highest part of the bulk. Vegetative the great three students distinguish formation in the South, North region and in the high zones.

Fauna: The low part is rich in mammals, since the propitious bush more refuges for the mammals. The diversity of birds includes to kisses flowers black and white, toucans, sparrowhawks, doves and maritacas.        64 species toads, frogs are known in the park and pererecas (anurous), 24 of distributed them in valleys, pools and in the vegetation of the plateau. Most remarkable it is the toad flamenguinho with black back and red belly. In the high region of the park the mosquitos abound.

6) National park Lençois Maranhenses: occupying 70 km of coast and advancing 50 km inside of the State of Maranhão, that phenomenon of the nature reveals exceptional landscapes, formed by innumerable blue and green water lagoons that, during the period of rains, contrast with the beautiful white sand dunes which they can have up to 40 ms of height. All the area comprises of two National Park Lençóis Maranhenses, created in 1981 to protect 155 thousands there are one where is that so particular ecosystem. Oases and mangrove swamps also are present in that adventure - that must be desfrutada in company of the local guides authorized and with vehicles all land. The times to visit the park can vary or during the period of rains (of December to June), when the lagoons are filling, or subsequent to these dates in the months of July, August or September, that does not rain and the lagoons still conserve their splendor.

National park Lençois Maranhenses

Flora: the beauty of the Park is in its sand dunes white and their lagoons, around these we can find mangles (tropical trees or shrubs) and in some cases palms of buriti, mainly.

Fauna: in beaches, crabs and marine turtles can be found. The lagoons receive the visit of migratory birds, like the maçarico, Marreca-of-roast-blue and the Trinta-kings, who stop there to rest and to feed themselves.

This safari photographic has been selected besides its flora and fauna, mainly by its unique landscapes of spectacular beauty.

7) Delta of the Parnaíba River: beautiful and majestic, between the States of Piauí and Maranhao, it in the open sea forms the unique delta of South America and one of the three majors of the world. As if they were the fingers of a been openhanded, the river is divided in five channels and forms more than 70 islands and one infinity of lagoons, ecological labyrinths of igarapés (narrow natural channels between the islands) and refuges. Wonders of this nature can only be found in other two places of the world, the delta of the Mekong river, in Vietnam (Asia) and the delta of the Nile, in Egypt (Africa).

Delta of the Parnaíba River

Flora: vegetation ebullient, filled with cajueiros and forests of manguezales, one of the majors islands is the one of Box that has 25 half-wild beach km, fresh and crystalline water igarapés, dunes and lagoons formed in rains.

Fauna: flocks of herons, toucans, jacarés-of-papo-amarelo, macacos-prego, wild horses, mico-leão, vixens and deer. All this rich fauna can be observed in trips in small river crafts by the delta. The island of Box is a privileged place of observation, since it represents an ecological enclave where a rare combination of ecosystems serves from animal refuge in extinction and migratory birds.

8) Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha:  one is in the Atlantic Ocean South, next to the Equator, has a surface of 26 km2s. The Brazilian coast is about 360 km. The archipelago forms 21 islands, their origin is volcanic, the oceanic platform reaches 4.000m of depth. The main island is Fernando de Noronha, is the major of all with an area of 17 km2s and a perimeter of 60 km Being this the unique one inhabited, gives name to all the archipelago. The rest has been declared Marine National Park by the government of the country, and therefore the human presence in them is prohibited, safe for aims of scientific research.

The Brazilian Institute of Protection to the Environment (IBAMA), watches closely that all the restrictions imposed in the archipelago are fulfilled to preserve their delicate ecosystem. Between the measures that they regulate the tourism exists several to consider very in our trip, first is that the access to the island to 500 tourists is only allowed the day. Also it exists a rate of entrance and permanence in the island, for environmental preservation.

The geographic isolation causes that the islands have many endemic species of unique flora and fauna, that is to say, in all the planet.

Registered in the List of Patrimonies of the Humanity in 2001.

Flora: great wealth of aquatic and terrestrial species. The aquatic ones can be observed and be photographed practicing diving, very advisable in these islands for the fans to this practice.

Fauna: mainly the marine fauna has its importance, and to be able to completely observe the great wealth and variety of fish, it is also recommended practices it of the diving. Are fish and other marine animal of different species: great mere, and codfish, rays, blankets, colored people, barracudas, dolphins, sharks, lobsters, crabs, pulpy, choral, invertebrate, sponges and seaweed, that circulates around the formation rocky, been shipwrecked reefs of chorale and boats.  Besides the turtles, and the observation of the famous dolphins acrobats, a true spectacle of the nature. Between the birds is the red picaflor, a rare bird, but of great beauty, color brick and graceful flight, that makes sound a strong song. Today esteem that its population oscillates between 500 and 1200 units due to the excessive cutting of the native forests that became in the past.

Dolphins of Fernando de Noronha

Paradise for the lovers of the observation, the shooting and the submarine photography, the conditions of the water and the great existing luminosity makes of Noronha a perfect place for these practices.

The season to visit Fernando de Noronha can be anyone, at informative level we indicated that two defined stations exist good, the drought and the humid one. The dry time goes of September to April and the rainy one of May to August, in that sporadic storms put in with intense sun occur. The average temperature in earth is of 30 28 º Cs and of º C in the sea, throughout exists a quite high and constant humidity level the year.

9) Island of the Honey (Parana): it is the portion of Atlantic floresta better preserved of Brazil. It is an ecological station, reserves of the declared biosphere Patrimony of the Humanity. The 90 percent of the territory is an area of environmental preservation. It has a total of 2,762 you have, of which 2,240 represent an area of ecological station, 345 an area of natural reserve and has only 120 you have of populated zone. Its perimeter is of 35 km, and its maximum altitude of 151 M.s

It has 28 km ² of green area and twelve beaches, altogether. All the beaches own fine sand and white and a green and crystalline water sea, declared artistic and historical patrimony of Parana, the Island of the Honey, is an ecological sanctuary located in the bay of distant Paranaguá and 2.5 miles of the continent, reunites to a rich heap of flora and fauna and forms a unique scene in the country, with half-wild beaches. Between the natural enchantments of the Island it is the Grotto it give Enchanted, a great rocky wall that inspired fantastic legend and histories.

The Island is inhabited by fishermen who maintain small commerce and they are dedicated to the artisan fishing, has a floating population, composed by people who own summering houses.

Flora: it has a 95% of his area composed by ecosystems of restinga (reefs/strip of scrub to the border of the sea or river) and of Atlantic Floresta. As we entered ourselves inside the island appears the sylvan vegetation, the leaves are increasing of size and appears the splendor of the forest.

Flora Island of the Honey

Fauna: beautiful landscapes it observation and to photograph exotic units of birds and other animal: brown monkeys, the rarest birds of all type and insects.

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