Wildlife and Pasture research

Views of nativet pastures: receding water (left), still flooded (right)

In May Embrapa Pantanal and RZSS (Royal Zoological Society of Scotland) have run several expeditions to the Xaraes and Nossa Senhora do carmo ranch. The expeditions were funded by the CPP (Center of Research for the Pantanal). During these trips a rapid diagnostic of the different pastures (both native and man made) found in the ranches was performed. Species composition, abundance and biomass were measured. Some important grass species were collected and will be studied and grown at Embrapa Pantanal’s research station in Corumbá. Soil samples from different areas of the ranch were also taken. Finally many plants were collected and identified. They will be stored in the Herbarium at Embrapa Pantanal Corumbá. The same plants will also be used to create a data base characterising epidermal cells for each species this will allow us to identify what plants animals (domestic and wild) are eating. For this reason fecal samples of most of the plant eating mammals were also collected during the expeditions (Cow, horse, sheep, buffalo, Rhea, Marsh deer, capybara, feral pig and white lipped peccary).

Photographs of some of the plants identified and collected in a flooded pasture

Ricardo and Joao collecting soil samples (left); important species of grasses were collected in pots to be studied in Corumbá (middle); plants are collected in bags during the day and separated for microhistology, the herbarium and field album at night (right).

Fecal samples of Marsh deer (left) and capybaras (right) were collected

Two male iguanas were observed fighting on the ground at 1pm on the 28th of May. The Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) is a large, arboreal, herbivorous species of lizard native to Central and South America. Green iguanas usually use "head bobs" and displays when interacting. It was surprising to find this arboreal species on the ground fighting violently.

Two males iguanas fighting

Male iguanas usually display rather than engage in fights