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sunset of pantanal
Photo: Antenor Concha, CC BY-SA 4.0

Region · Brazil

Pantanal Wildlife Checklist

The Pantanal in western Brazil is the world's largest tropical wetland and the best place on Earth to see a wild jaguar, usually from a boat on the rivers around Porto Jofre. This checklist covers 80 animals, from jaguars and giant otters to hyacinth macaws, jabirus and thousands of caimans. July to October, the dry season, is best.

Most visitors explore the northern Pantanal along the Transpantaneira, a dirt road with more than 100 wooden bridges that runs from Poconé to Porto Jofre. The southern Pantanal, around Miranda, is better for giant anteaters and open-country animals.

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The Pantanal checklist in the Wilder app, started as a trip with the first animals ticked
Animals to find
80
Where
Brazil
Best time
Jul to Oct
Jaguar season
Jul to Oct

The Pantanal's star species

  • Jaguar, one of the animals to look for in Pantanal

    Jaguar

    Managed boat trips in the Porto Jofre area, where jaguars rest and hunt caimans on the riverbanks. Licensed boats follow a code of conduct on numbers and distance, so let your guide keep it. In the dry season, a three-day stay gives a good chance of a sighting.

    Photo: Gerry Zambonini (Zambog), CC BY-SA 2.0

  • Giant Otter, one of the animals to look for in Pantanal

    Giant Otter

    Family groups of up to about ten fish and call noisily along the rivers. The same boat trips that look for jaguars often find them.

    Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Hyacinth Macaw, one of the animals to look for in Pantanal

    Hyacinth Macaw

    The world's largest flying parrot, deep blue with a yellow eye ring. Pairs feed on palm nuts in lodge gardens where the palms are fruiting.

    Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Jabiru

    The Pantanal's symbol: a huge white stork with a black and red neck. Watch it stalk fish in drying pools in the dry season.

  • Yacare Caiman

    You will see hundreds. In the dry season they crowd the shrinking pools beside the road.

  • Capybara

    The world's largest rodent, grazing in family groups beside every pond and river.

  • Anteater (Giant)

    Most often seen in the open grasslands of the southern Pantanal, especially on cool mornings and evenings.

  • South American Tapir

    Shy and mainly nocturnal. Night drives near forest edges and river crossings give the best chance.

  • Marsh Deer

    South America's largest deer, often seen wading in flooded grassland.

  • Toco Toucan

    The largest toucan, with a huge orange bill. Common around lodge gardens and fruiting trees.

All 80 animals to spot in the Pantanal

Grouped the way you'll meet them. Tips show where to look.

Big mammals 9

Smaller mammals 11

Big and water birds 26

Birds of prey 8

Forest and field birds 18

Reptiles and amphibians 6

Fish 2

  • Last reviewed September 2026.
  • Sources are listed below the questions.
  • Wild animals only. Please give them space.

Best time to see wildlife in the Pantanal

The Pantanal follows a flood cycle. From about December to March, heavy rain floods the plains, animals spread out and some roads become difficult. As water drains from April to June, birds gather at the drying lagoons and the landscape is green. The dry season, from July to October, is the peak: water shrinks to rivers and pools, caimans and wading birds concentrate, and jaguars are most visible on the riverbanks around Porto Jofre. It is hot, dusty and busy, and fires can be a problem in drought years. November sees the first rains return. For birds alone, the end of the wet season is also rewarding, with many nesting colonies.

  • Dec-MarFloods, lush, harder access
  • Apr-JunWater falling, birds at lagoons
  • Jul-OctPeak jaguars, animals at the water
  • NovRains start, heat builds

Tips for spotting wildlife in the Pantanal

  1. Give Porto Jofre three days

    Jaguar sightings are frequent in the dry season but never certain. Two or three full days of boat trips give much better odds than a day trip.

  2. Drive the Transpantaneira slowly

    Some of the best wildlife is by the road: caimans, capybaras, jabirus and kingfishers at every bridge. Stop at the pools early and late in the day.

  3. Add the south for anteaters

    Giant anteaters, pampas deer and greater rheas are easier in the open country around Miranda. Some trips combine north and south.

  4. Keep boats at a distance

    Many boats can gather at one jaguar. Choose an operator who follows the local guidelines on distance and time, and ask your driver to keep back.

  5. Try a night drive

    Ocelots, tapirs, crab-eating foxes and great potoos show up after dark. Most lodges offer spotlight drives; a good guide keeps the beam off animals' eyes.

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  • A summary of the tripEverything you saw, day by day.
  • A passport stampOne for the Pantanal, kept in your Wilder passport.
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The Pantanal checklist in the Wilder app, started as a trip with the first animals ticked

Pantanal wildlife FAQ

When is the best time to see jaguars in the Pantanal?

July to October is the best time. In the dry season, jaguars hunt along the riverbanks near Porto Jofre, where boats can watch them. Sightings are frequent on multi-day trips but never guaranteed. June and November can also be good, but high water from December to April spreads the cats out and makes them harder to find.

Is the Pantanal better than the Amazon for wildlife?

For seeing animals, usually yes. The Pantanal is open wetland and grassland, so wildlife is easier to see than in the dense Amazon forest. It is the best place for jaguars, giant anteaters and hyacinth macaws. The Amazon has more species overall, especially monkeys and forest birds, but many are high in the canopy and harder to see.

Where can you see giant otters in the Pantanal?

The rivers around Porto Jofre, especially the Cuiabá and Três Irmãos, are among the best places. Boats looking for jaguars often come across otter families fishing or resting on the banks. Listen for their loud calls. Keep your distance, especially near their dens, as they are sensitive to disturbance.

What animals can you see in the Pantanal?

The Pantanal is known for jaguars, giant otters, capybaras, caimans, marsh deer, tapirs, giant anteaters and hundreds of bird species, including hyacinth macaws, jabirus, toucans and roseate spoonbills. This checklist covers 80 of the animals visitors are most likely to see. Most can be found along the Transpantaneira and the rivers near Porto Jofre.

Sources

Last reviewed September 2026

Photo credits

All photo credits. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, resized.

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