Pantanal: South America's Wetland Jewel [Hardcover]

Russell A. Mittermeier (Author), Monica Barcellos Harris (Author), Christina G. Mittermeier (Author), Jose Maria Cardosa Da Silva (Author), Reinaldo Lourival (Author), Gustavo A. B. Da Fonseca (Author), Peter Seligmann (Author), Theo Allofs (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 3, 2005

A spectacular tour of the world's largest wetland.

The Pantanal covers 81,000 square miles in the middle of South America, extending over parts of Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay.

About half the size of California and 20 times the size of the Everglades, the Pantanal flood plain is the largest wetland network on Earth.

Pantanal reveals the abundant wildlife and beauty of this remarkable eco-system, home to some of the most spectacular concentrations of flora and fauna on the planet.

The text explains the Pantanal's ecology, its people, plants and animals, presented in five chapters:

• The Pantaneiro: People of the Pantanal
• Wetlands
• Grasslands
• Forests of the Pantanal
• Caiman: the comeback crocodile.

The book also examines the impact of deforestation, overfishing and overhunting in the Pantanal and the efforts by conservationists to protect this magnificent region for future generations.

Pantanal is a superbly photographed tour of one of the most memorable regions on the planet.

(200512)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The Pantanal is "the world's largest contiguous wetland on the planet" and a region of resplendent biodiversity. Crossing the borders of Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay, this vast, swampy floodplain is home to magnificent wildlife, spectacular plants, and dramatic seasonal transformations. So prized is it as a reservoir for threatened species, much of the wetland is now protected. An informative overview of the Pantanal's natural and human history is provided by scientists with Conservation International (CI), an organization instrumental to the preservation of the region. Although commentary by Mittermeier, president of CI, and his contributors is more suited for research than pleasure reading, the photographs by famed wildlife photographer Allofs are radiant works of art worthy of prolonged contemplation. Patient, reverent, lucky, and gifted, Allofs captures the glory of the landscape in all its jewel-like hues while homing in on the Pantanal jaguar, giant river otter, elegant birds, capybaras, caimans, a giant anteater, and black howler monkeys. In all, this is a superb and memorable introduction to a place of exceptional beauty and ecological significance. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Captures the region's breathtaking beauty and diversity in this book, making every page a discovery, every page a jewel. (Kitchener-Waterloo Record 20051101)

In all, this is a superb and memorable introduction to a place of exceptional beauty and ecological significance. (Donna Seaman Booklist 200512)

Reveals the abundant wildlife and beauty of this remarkable eco-system... the efforts by conservationists to protect this magnificent region. (Photo Life 200512)

It's difficult to decide on a favorite image in this richly illustrated book. (Wildlife Conservation 200601)

Exceptional images from photographer Theo Allof... stunning photographs of caiman, tropical birds and indigenous people. (Leah Bence Outdoor Photographer )

The photography is superb, the subjects and landscapes captured under magical lighting conditions. (Joy McDonell Canadian Camera )

[Allofs] has earned international acclaim as a nature photographer. This book is... a collection of 146 of his lavish images. (Shutterbug )

[Top Science Books of the Year listing] Allofs captures the beauty of this wildlife paradise with his arresting images. (Josie Glausiusz and Brad Lemley Discover )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (September 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1554070902
• ISBN-13: 978-1554070909
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,313,168 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #42 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Ecosystems > Wetlands

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Splendid photography, December 2, 2005

By 

Florian Moellers "wildesberlin.de" (Berlin, Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pantanal: South America's Wetland Jewel (Hardcover)

Pantanal - just one word that makes you itch to see for yourself the wonders of this magical wetland in the heart of Brazil! Dozens of caimans lurking in the current, mouths agape; a big jaguar comes stalking through the understory at the shoreline; giant otters appear out of thin air right next to the boat; a tapir crosses the lagoon in marvelous light; a group of hyacinth macaws gathers on a fence of a fazenda, and in the savanna a young giant anteater clings cutely to his mother's fur - wildlife photographers' dreams, subjects everyone exploring the Pantanal with a camera longs for.
Theo Allofs got all these images - thanks to his patience, photographic excellence and his cooperation with Conservation International (CI), opening doors to subjects of some of the most beautiful farms in the area.
Large pictures, great colors and fine printing - impressive, even at a first glance. A closer look reveals that among some 150 pictures there is no weak or even mediocre one! A photographic gourmet-piece and yet, even more: the publisher and the CI writers found an elegant and well balanced way of presenting pictures and heaps of information on such a vast region, its human inhabitants and breathtaking biodiversity. A fine example of a cooperation between nature conservation and nature photography!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pantanal, April 18, 2009

By 

Edouard Paiva - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pantanal: South America's Wetland Jewel (Hardcover)

I live in Venezuela and I am planning to go to the Pantanal in Brasil, this book is perfect for anyone interested in doing Ecoturism in Pantanal, it is complete with information on the animals you can see in Pantanal.