:: Cataratas S/A ::

Fauna

There is world to be discovered inside the Iguaçú National Park. Its fauna is spectacular and reveals the wealth of natural species, some of which are discovered every day. As to the biological diversity, 257 new species of butterflies, 18 species of fish, 12 of amphibians, 41 of snakes, 8 of lizards, 3 of chelonians, 348 of birds and 45 of mammals have been identified so far.

Animals such as the wild deer, the spotted jaguar and the purple-breasted parrot are listed as endangered species and find their last sanctuary in the park area. The habits of these and other species, as well as the huge biodiversity in the Iguaçú National Park, draw researchers from around the world. The Park has one of the few ecosystems where species such as spotted jaguar, tapir, capybara, wild deer, guaximin (raccoon) and yellow-breasted caiman can be found.

As to the avifauna, over 200 species such as parrots, toucans, parakeet, hawks, hummingbirds, loris, jaburus, macaws, purple-breasted parrots, as well as monkey eating hawks, macucos (tinamus solitarus) and diving ducks are distributed throughout the Park's area.

Among mammals, besides the tapir, the wild-deer, the capybara and the spotted jaguar, the Park is also a haven for the puma and the jaguar, which are predators whose survival demands large extensions of preserved natural environment. The Park draws researchers, who develop significant studies on felines, with a focus on the bio-ecology of the spotted jaguar "Panthera Onca", an endangered species that is making its last stand in this region.

Reptiles specimens found in the Iguaçú area are poisonous snakes such as coral, rattlesnake, jaracucu and jararaca. The rivers have huge variety of fish and there are many species such as pintados, dourados, saicangas, cascudinhos, minnows, canivetes, guascos and guasquinhos.