Jul 19
by Admin in Brazil, Pantanal 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Bangalore, Brazil, Caiman, Digitalfrescos, Mammal, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Pantanal

Caiman’s world Pantanal, Brazil

A caiman is an alligatorid crocodilian belonging to the subfamily Caimaninae, one of two primary lineages within Alligatoridae, the other being alligators. Caimans inhabit Mexico, Central and northern South America from marshes and swamps to mangrove rivers and lakes. Caimans have scaly skin, and live a fairly nocturnal existence. They are relatively small-sized crocodilians, with an average maximum weight of 6 to 40 kg (13 to 88 lb) depending on species, with the exception of the black caiman (Melanosuchus niger), which can grow more than 4 m (13 ft) in length and weigh up to 400 kg (880 lb). Caimans are distinguished from alligators, their closest relatives, by a few defining features: a lack of a bony septum between the nostrils, ventral armour composed of overlapping bony scutes formed from two parts united by a suture, and relatively longer, slenderer teeth than those possessed by alligators. The calcium rivets on their scales make their hides stiffer, and thus less valuable, than those of alligators and crocodiles, both of which have a similar appearance but are more pliable. The caimans are predators and, like alligators and the crocodiles, their diet consists of a great deal of fish. The caimans also hunt […]
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Jul 19
by Admin in Brazil, Pantanal 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Bangalore, Brazil, capybara, Digitalfrescos, Mammal, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Pantanal

Capybara’s world, Pantanal, Brazil

The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is a giant cavy rodent native to South America. It is the largest living rodent in the world. Also called capivara (in Brazil), chigüire, chigüiro (in Colombia and Venezuela), carpincho (in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) and ronsoco (in Peru), it is a member of the genus Hydrochoerus, of which the only other extant member is the lesser capybara (Hydrochoerus isthmius). Its close relatives include guinea pigs and rock cavies, and it is more distantly related to the agouti, the chinchilla, and the coypu. The capybara inhabits savannas and dense forests and lives near bodies of water. It is a highly social species and can be found in groups as large as 100 individuals, but usually lives in groups of 10–20 individuals. The capybara is not a threatened species, but it is hunted for its meat and hide and also for grease from its thick fatty skin. The capybara has a heavy, barrel-shaped body and short head, with reddish-brown fur on the upper part of its body that turns yellowish-brown underneath. Its sweat glands can be found in the surface of the hairy portions of its skin, an unusual trait among rodents. The animal lacks down hair, […]
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Jul 19
by Admin in Brazil, Pantanal 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Brazil, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Tapirai, Violet capped woodnymph

Violet capped Woodnymph male feeding on Canna indica, Brazil

The violet capped woodnymph (Thalurania glaucopis) is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is found in forest (primarily humid), dense woodland, gardens and parks in south-eastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, Uruguay, and far north-eastern Argentina (primarily Misiones Province). Violet-capped Woodnymphs inhabit a wide range of habitats from untouched forests, to scrub, to suburban and city gardens. They gather nectar from both native and non-native flowers and also hunt for insects. During certain parts of the year, Violet-capped Woodnymphs migrate short distances. Males have a bluish violet cap and sparkle with dark green above and gold-green below. Females are dark greenish above and off-white below. During the breeding season, these woodnymphs adorn the outside of their nests with ferns and lichen. The violet capped woodnymph Forages for nectar at a great variety of native and introduced plants, from low in understorey to canopy level. The male is distinctive, being overall green with a blue cap and deeply forked dark blue tail. It is occasionally confused with the swallow-tailed hummingbird. The female lacks the blue crown, has entirely greyish-white underparts, and a shorter, white-tipped tail. It is widespread and generally common, and therefore considered to be of Least Concern by […]
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Feb 09
by Admin in Brazil, Pantanal 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Bangalore, Brazil, Digitalfrescos, Jaguar, Mammal, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Pantanal

My first jaguar, Pantanal, Brazil

The jaguar Panthera onca is the largest cat in the Americas and the third-largest in the world (after the lion and tiger). Its head-body length can reach around 240cm, and its shoulder height up to 75cm. Today, the jaguar is found in South and Central America, from Mexico to northern Argentina. The species’ range formerly spread over the US border into the southern states of America, but had become wiped out there by the 1940s due to hunting. There have been sporadic sightings in Arizona in recent years, however. While jaguars do live in drier regions, they’re normally strongly associated with water, and they thrive in rainforests like the Amazon and in dense swamplands and wetlands that provide plenty of cover for stalking prey. The Pantanal in Brazil is one of the best places in the world to see jaguars. The best time to visit is the dry season, from late April to early November, as that’s when prey is more concentrated. Jaguars are most similar in appearance to leopards, but there’s nothing you can confuse them with in the wild, as no other big cats live in South America. Cougars are technically not big cats but are a similar […]
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Feb 09
by Admin in Brazil, Pantanal 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bare-faced curassow, Bird, birds, Brazil, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Pantanal

Female Bare-faced curassow, Pantanal, Brazil

The bare-faced curassow (Crax fasciolata) is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, curassows, etc. It is found in Brazil, Paraguay, and eastern Bolivia, and extreme northeast Argentina, in the cerrado, pantanal, and the southeastern region of the Amazon basin. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It forages on the ground in forest and forest edge, where it can be fairly common. It is easiest to detect in early morning and late evening, when individuals or pairs wander into clearings or deliver their deep, booming songs. Like other Crax curassows, this species is sexually dimorphic: the male is mostly black with a white vent, while the female is barred black above with orange to rufous underparts. The Bare-faced Curassow is the only curassow with extensive bare black skin on the face. The bare-faced curassow is a large bird reaching a length of 82 to 92 centimetres (32 to 36 in). The sexes differ in appearance. The male has black upper parts faintly glossed with greenish-olive, with an unfeathered face with yellowish bare skin, a small black crest, and white underparts. The female, on the other hand, […]
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