seeing jaguar/giant anteater (1 Viewer)

[birdclub]

About jaguar watching and the tales surrounding it

Jaguars are best to be seen in the boat rides along Cuiaba river, Piquiri river and the Encontro das Aguas state Park (including Tres Irmaos river).
A little behind the scenes stories to understand properly the situation:
2010 was a nightmare, once the State Environmental Agency (SEMA) tried to close the "Encontro das Aguas State Park" and indeed, they did it for a week or two. All this problem started when a illegal camp was established inside the State Park, operated for two years and call all the attention to its services, "guarateeing" jaguar spotting. Of course, this was far too suspitious, especially due to the background operations during the first year (pig farm for baiting jaguars, for exe.) Pig farm stopped and lot of caiman carcases started to show up along the river banks, just where the "easy" jaguars were seen. Of course, NOBODY saw anybody killing caiman, but only caiman tails (the softest part of meat, normally the one poachers eat) were found along the river banks. This was notified to the SEMA, and they patrolled the State Park, found nothing about poaching or baiting, but found the illegal camp. They notified them to leave the area under a small fine. The camp did not leave, were notified again now with a bigger fine, they did not care, the third time all equipment including motor boats, tents and a vessel were confiscated, and the fine was over a million Brazilian reais. The owners of the camp, are still operating, in 2010 in rented fishing boats and in 2011 they are installing the camp the other side of the river which is another State and the SEMA cannot perturb them (for now I guess).
SEMA is still trying to close the Encontro das Aguas State Park for tourism, especially jaguar watching, due to the problems they had with the camp and increasing numbers of jaguar attack to people in the pantanal region, not especifically in this area, but you know how are the tabloids, Jaguars are eating people in the Pantanal sells more.
Unfortunately all other tour operators and guides are feeling the collateral effects, but FORTUNATELY jaguars could be seen outside the Encontro das Aguas State Park, and there are couple of good fishing lodges to use as based for jaguar excursions. In fact, during 2010 we saw nearly all "our" jaguars in the Piquiri river and Cuiaba river as well.
Jaguar watching is not cheap, especially because you must to go to the end of the Transpantaneira road (involving car rental and crossing 126 wooden bridges each way!), and then take quiet expensive boat rides, and sit for long hours (at least 4-5 each outing). One day is not enough (unless you are extremely lucky, but if you are that lucky probably will see the jaguar along the road!), two days is better, three even better and four days ahead is boring! unless you are a jaguar frick or a professional photographer. The best will be to join an organized group or go with several friends to share the expenses.
Giant Anteater are much common in the southern pantanal, less in the northern part and very common in cerrado habitat such as Emas NP, Canastra, etc. Once you want to see jaguars and Giant Anteater, the best combination is going to the northern Pantanal and Emas NP, a 10 days itinerary will give you the chance to see South American Big Five (Giant Otter, Brazilian Tapir, Giant Anteater, Jaguar and Maned Wolf) in order of difficulty, plus several other mammals and the best selection of birds.
Julinho Monteiro (pantanaltrackers.com) is a good guide and quiet expert in finding jaguars, the Pantanal Bird Club (pantanalbirdclub.org) runs a Big Five Safari with open tours to join, Giuliano Bernardon (a friend of mine) is also a good guide to go with, Indri's local ground operator is based in Argentina! (despite Miguel Castelino is also a good friend of mine). Several tour operators from the US and UK are selling Jaguar Safaris (mostly once a year) but I do not know who is the local ground operator to comment about it. Sorry about the long writing, I tried to clear your doubts about this kind of tour in Brazil.

 

[rockfowl]

Jaguars are best to be seen in the boat rides along Cuiaba river, Piquiri river and the Encontro das Aguas state Park (including Tres Irmaos river).
A little behind the scenes stories to understand properly the situation:
2010 was a nightmare, once the State Environmental Agency (SEMA) tried to close the "Encontro das Aguas State Park" and indeed, they did it for a week or two. All this problem started when a illegal camp was established inside the State Park, operated for two years and call all the attention to its services, "guarateeing" jaguar spotting. Of course, this was far too suspitious, especially due to the background operations during the first year (pig farm for baiting jaguars, for exe.) Pig farm stopped and lot of caiman carcases started to show up along the river banks, just where the "easy" jaguars were seen. Of course, NOBODY saw anybody killing caiman, but only caiman tails (the softest part of meat, normally the one poachers eat) were found along the river banks. This was notified to the SEMA, and they patrolled the State Park, found nothing about poaching or baiting, but found the illegal camp. They notified them to leave the area under a small fine. The camp did not leave, were notified again now with a bigger fine, they did not care, the third time all equipment including motor boats, tents and a vessel were confiscated, and the fine was over a million Brazilian reais. The owners of the camp, are still operating, in 2010 in rented fishing boats and in 2011 they are installing the camp the other side of the river which is another State and the SEMA cannot perturb them (for now I guess).
SEMA is still trying to close the Encontro das Aguas State Park for tourism, especially jaguar watching, due to the problems they had with the camp and increasing numbers of jaguar attack to people in the pantanal region, not especifically in this area, but you know how are the tabloids, Jaguars are eating people in the Pantanal sells more.
Unfortunately all other tour operators and guides are feeling the collateral effects, but FORTUNATELY jaguars could be seen outside the Encontro das Aguas State Park, and there are couple of good fishing lodges to use as based for jaguar excursions. In fact, during 2010 we saw nearly all "our" jaguars in the Piquiri river and Cuiaba river as well.
Jaguar watching is not cheap, especially because you must to go to the end of the Transpantaneira road (involving car rental and crossing 126 wooden bridges each way!), and then take quiet expensive boat rides, and sit for long hours (at least 4-5 each outing). One day is not enough (unless you are extremely lucky, but if you are that lucky probably will see the jaguar along the road!), two days is better, three even better and four days ahead is boring! unless you are a jaguar frick or a professional photographer. The best will be to join an organized group or go with several friends to share the expenses.
Giant Anteater are much common in the southern pantanal, less in the northern part and very common in cerrado habitat such as Emas NP, Canastra, etc. Once you want to see jaguars and Giant Anteater, the best combination is going to the northern Pantanal and Emas NP, a 10 days itinerary will give you the chance to see South American Big Five (Giant Otter, Brazilian Tapir, Giant Anteater, Jaguar and Maned Wolf) in order of difficulty, plus several other mammals and the best selection of birds.
Julinho Monteiro (pantanaltrackers.com) is a good guide and quiet expert in finding jaguars, the Pantanal Bird Club (pantanalbirdclub.org) runs a Big Five Safari with open tours to join, Giuliano Bernardon (a friend of mine) is also a good guide to go with, Indri's local ground operator is based in Argentina! (despite Miguel Castelino is also a good friend of mine). Several tour operators from the US and UK are selling Jaguar Safaris (mostly once a year) but I do not know who is the local ground operator to comment about it. Sorry about the long writing, I tried to clear your doubts about this kind of tour in Brazil.

Nicely explained! As a Uk leader for Wildwings I can only add that you know our ground operators very well and they are Pantaneiro's, the tours that we operate have no connections with the 'guaranteed sightings' outfit which has seemingly made life somewhat difficult. Greetings to Julinho and Giuliano and I'm sure Miguel will do just fine

 

[Steve Babbs]

Jaguars are best to be seen in the boat rides along Cuiaba river, Piquiri river and the Encontro das Aguas state Park (including Tres Irmaos river).
A little behind the scenes stories to understand properly the situation:
2010 was a nightmare, once the State Environmental Agency (SEMA) tried to close the "Encontro das Aguas State Park" and indeed, they did it for a week or two. All this problem started when a illegal camp was established inside the State Park, operated for two years and call all the attention to its services, "guarateeing" jaguar spotting. Of course, this was far too suspitious, especially due to the background operations during the first year (pig farm for baiting jaguars, for exe.) Pig farm stopped and lot of caiman carcases started to show up along the river banks, just where the "easy" jaguars were seen. Of course, NOBODY saw anybody killing caiman, but only caiman tails (the softest part of meat, normally the one poachers eat) were found along the river banks. This was notified to the SEMA, and they patrolled the State Park, found nothing about poaching or baiting, but found the illegal camp. They notified them to leave the area under a small fine. The camp did not leave, were notified again now with a bigger fine, they did not care, the third time all equipment including motor boats, tents and a vessel were confiscated, and the fine was over a million Brazilian reais. The owners of the camp, are still operating, in 2010 in rented fishing boats and in 2011 they are installing the camp the other side of the river which is another State and the SEMA cannot perturb them (for now I guess).
SEMA is still trying to close the Encontro das Aguas State Park for tourism, especially jaguar watching, due to the problems they had with the camp and increasing numbers of jaguar attack to people in the pantanal region, not especifically in this area, but you know how are the tabloids, Jaguars are eating people in the Pantanal sells more.
Unfortunately all other tour operators and guides are feeling the collateral effects, but FORTUNATELY jaguars could be seen outside the Encontro das Aguas State Park, and there are couple of good fishing lodges to use as based for jaguar excursions. In fact, during 2010 we saw nearly all "our" jaguars in the Piquiri river and Cuiaba river as well.
Jaguar watching is not cheap, especially because you must to go to the end of the Transpantaneira road (involving car rental and crossing 126 wooden bridges each way!), and then take quiet expensive boat rides, and sit for long hours (at least 4-5 each outing). One day is not enough (unless you are extremely lucky, but if you are that lucky probably will see the jaguar along the road!), two days is better, three even better and four days ahead is boring! unless you are a jaguar frick or a professional photographer. The best will be to join an organized group or go with several friends to share the expenses.
Giant Anteater are much common in the southern pantanal, less in the northern part and very common in cerrado habitat such as Emas NP, Canastra, etc. Once you want to see jaguars and Giant Anteater, the best combination is going to the northern Pantanal and Emas NP, a 10 days itinerary will give you the chance to see South American Big Five (Giant Otter, Brazilian Tapir, Giant Anteater, Jaguar and Maned Wolf) in order of difficulty, plus several other mammals and the best selection of birds.
Julinho Monteiro (pantanaltrackers.com) is a good guide and quiet expert in finding jaguars, the Pantanal Bird Club (pantanalbirdclub.org) runs a Big Five Safari with open tours to join, Giuliano Bernardon (a friend of mine) is also a good guide to go with, Indri's local ground operator is based in Argentina! (despite Miguel Castelino is also a good friend of mine). Several tour operators from the US and UK are selling Jaguar Safaris (mostly once a year) but I do not know who is the local ground operator to comment about it. Sorry about the long writing, I tried to clear your doubts about this kind of tour in Brazil.

Anyone wanting to use Julinho of pantanaltrackers should book a longway in advance. I tried to book him in September for an August trip and he was already nearly fully booked and despite my having some flexibility I had to choose another company.

 

[birdclub]

Sorry Mark (rockfowl), I did not mean Wildwings or other tour operators based in the US or UK are not good or what ever else it may implicate or misled. Just mention that there are so many tour operators selling jaguars tours that I do not know WHO ARE the local ground operators and responsible for the way they run their tours. If you tell me the name of the tour operator I am sure I will know him/her and probably will be a good friend of mine too (tha't s the problem or benefit when you are nearly 20 years in the market), but just now I have no idea who is Wildwings ground agent in the pantanal and indeed is not my business. At least in Brazil, there is a law which a local ground agent must to be involved in any excursion, just in case of a fatality or any complains, someone local should take responsability. Unfortunately, that law only works in the paper, and there is no fiscalization. Take the case of the so-called "Jaguar Camp", they were not allow to run a camp or lodge, but even so they did, now they cross the river because that side of the river is within a different State (Mato Grosso do Sul) and is outside SEMA's juricdiction. Who knows, the Mato Grosso do Sul Environmental Agency takes part of that situation, meanwhile they will still run their tours without any problem or fiscalization, and several tour operators from the UK and US are still sellling that camp. I am glad to read Wildwings does not stay in the former illegal camp (maybe legal this year, who knows), and the massive propaganda did not affect your choice. By the way, that camp was well done, I wish more land owners in the pantanal just copied that lodging idea in proper legal areas.

 

[birdclub]

By the way, yesterday I met Julinho at the Brazilian Navy office, he bought a brand new boat and engine and was doing all legal paperwork to include that boat in the Navy records, good for him.

 

[LH_TN]

Coleçao de materiais sobre as atuaçoes de Charles A. Munn na America do Sul ao longo dos anos/Collection of material regarding Charles Alexander Munn III (Owner of Jaguar Research Center, alias SouthWild Jaguar Camp in 2011, Pantanal) in South America:
http://tropicalnaturetravel.wordpress.com/

 

[birdclub]

Wow!!! That site is a CIA or Wikileaks style. Unfortunately, while some people come to "watch" jaguars, some others come to "hunt" them.
In the southern pantanal, especifically at Fazenda Santa Sofia, pantanal of Rio Negro, owned by Beatriz Rondon, a so called "environmentalist" member of SODEPAN (Sociedade em Defesa do Pantanal) NGO, who received money for any carcase found attacked by jaguars as a reimbursement for the lost.
The Brazilian Environmental Agency (IBAMA) and the Federal Police did a search in her property after a hunting video sent by an American tourist showing the hunt of a jaguar and a puma in a "real safari" organized and operated in her property. In that video, the hunter guide is "Toninho da Onça", a well known hunter who worked in cooperation with several serious jaguars studies, helping them to put radio collars. He is a fugitive of justice now.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0508/feature3/index.html
http://g1.globo.com/mato-grosso-do-...acadores-em-matanca-de-oncas-no-pantanal.html
http://www.lastfrontiers.com/hoteldetail.php?id=660

Please, if you are planning a trip to Brazil and want to visit the pantanal, remember theses names:

SANTA SOPHIA HOTEL FAZENDA (Southern Pantanal) and BEATRIZ RONDON.

Please, do not go there, we do not need this kind of people among us.

Let's make your money make a real difference in what must to be done. Help us support the low impact tourism in the pantanal.

Thanks in advance.

 

[birdclub]

http://g1.globo.com/mato-grosso-do-...acadores-em-matanca-de-oncas-no-pantanal.html

ENGLISH TRANSCRIPTION

IBAMA and the Federal Police are investigating with the help of the Army, the existence of illegal safari in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul
The group advances by horse into the Pantanal. Dogs bark and chase a puma. It shows its claws, is shot and falls. Another hunting trip: this time the target is the jaguar, an endangered species. A man points and hits the target animal.
The video was supposedly made by foreign tourists. In the image appears Teodoro Antonio de Melo Neto (aka Toninho da Onça), who is ordered to jail for poaching. The rancher and environmentalist Beatriz Rondon also appears: "It was a large female, very pretty, she was eating my cows here," she says.
Nine years ago, the Jornal Nacional showed that the same farmer was part of a conservation program of the jaguar, where researchers monitored the animals, cattle and received compensation in cash for cattle killed by jaguars.
In a joint operation of the Federal Police, IBAMA and the Army, held at Fazenda Santa Sophia in the Pantanal, property of Beatriz Rondon, were seized an arsenal and carcasses of wild animals.
Twelve guns, plenty of ammunition, deer antlers, anaconda skin and tools used to mimic the roar of the jaguar, a growl that attracts the same species.
"The video clearly appears a safari being conducted in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul and with all these people came ready package from the tour, stay until the materialization of the same crime, which was to hunt the jaguar," explains superintendent of IBAMA.
"The person receiving in her property, both friends and tourists alike, specifically for this hunt in the middle of the Pantanal, because the property also serves as a lodge," says the officer.
Beatriz Rondon's attorney denies the suspicions: "The weapons are all legal. She has no interest in hunting jaguars, or allow that to happen, which makes this type of activity, " said the lawyer.
The rancher has not been charged by police yet.

 

[LH_TN]

Thanks Birdclub for contributing in signaling facts like these to others, I think it's very important that especially those who work with ecotourism in the Pantanal be the first to uncover all these kind of illicit or semilicit businessess.
I got the feeling (not only in Brazil) that there is a kind 'conspirancy of silence' around these things, with most of the people who operate in the same field not willing to talk about things, afraid to loose their own privileges or fields of action.
Do you have any news about Jaguar Research Center/SouthWild?

 

[birdclub]

Unfortunately jaguar hunting in the southern pantanal was not an isolated case. The Brazilian Federal Police was tracking this "gang", which seems to have the same modus operandi, since 2010 when a safari was dismantled and some participants were arrested.
The following link treats that operation.

http://www.laurelneme.com/index.php...ching-ring&catid=49:by-laurel-neme&Itemid=258

Concerning SouthWild Camp, as far as I am concern they will start the operation in July 01st, they are located at right side of Piquiri river, which is Mato Grosso do Sul. Theorically SEMA nothing can do about them, once is not their jurisdiction, but after the jaguar hunting news in the southern pantanal I am sure the feds have an eye on Mr. Munn operation, once its name is a kind of magnet for troubles.
Several years ago I heard that Mr. Munn's fame preceeds him, at that time I did not understood why, now I know. Unfortunately that fame seems not to reach the clients market (USA and UK mostly) or his clients do not care about it.

 

[birdclub]

Well, well, after the bad news sent before I was glad to find the episode of CBS Network 60 minutes about jaguars in the pantanal. Even better was to know that TV show was not sponsored by WildSouth or their allies. Who organized everything was the Panthera Group, with Dr. Rabinovic research on jaguars totally approved by the Brazilian government. This group was the only front (in economical terms) to stop or face WildSouth operations and its network of half trues, a heavy weight fight.
The youtube link is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lObz9abuENM&feature=related

 

[Birding Peru]

Not a big fan of Charlie Munn - and he is certainly a controversial figure...but this blog is really libellous.

And there are a quite a few good companies and NGO:s that are mentioned here that do an incredible work to promote eco-tourism and conservation. I use several IncaNatura/Peru Verde lodges in my operations in Peru.

The whole idea of running large eco-tourism projects with some poster species and then pump some of that money back into conservation is a very good one. Unfortunately, (not the right word), in reality (better), South America is not ready for that vision.

I have met Munn only a few times. He is extremely capable with a speeding brain. Full of ideas and a moving intellect.

My guess is that he indeed wants conservation and community empowerment - but is a quite insensitive. He is too fast for more methodically working South Americans - and this creates conflict.
And he creates a wake of people feeling being stepped on. He has loads of former friends that now are enemies.
Typical ADD case....and he has too much money for his own good.

In spite of the mess in this wake, he practically built the eco-tourism industry around macaw-licks in Peru. He rediscovered Blue-throated Macaw in the wild by paying trappers and he put into system of paying natives to find mammal licks to put up hides to see Tapir and other Wildlife in SE Peru. I am quite certain that whatever the outcome is that setting up viewing opportunities for Jaguars is a good idea that will create a huge tourism trail, that has little general impact on nature compared to other sources of income. Hunting Jaguars surely must be worse than trying to watch them.

I am obviously not defending any illegal activity, just wanted to show another side of the coin. Munn is not an evil man or an enemy to conservation - insensitive perhaps - but certainly not evil

 

[Birding Peru]

Well, well, after the bad news sent before I was glad to find the episode of CBS Network 60 minutes about jaguars in the pantanal. ..Who organized everything was the Panthera Group, with Dr. Rabinovic research on jaguars totally approved by the Brazilian government. This group was the only front (in economical terms) to stop or face WildSouth operations and its network of half trues, a heavy weight fight.
The youtube link is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lObz9abuENM&feature=related

Great Video Braulio. Thanks for sharing!

 

[LH_TN]

@ birdclub: I'm afraid you're right about the fact that clients do not care much, browsing through travel forums I've read some discussions between more 'critical' travelers that had come in contact with the stories about Mr Munn and tried to get an insight or at least 'warn' fellow travelers. Well the most common reaction of regular posters was that 'a travel forum is not a place to bitch around this or that enterprise'. Not to talk about some of the chats between Mr Munn and some posters, it seems impossible to have a sensible discussion with this man!

@ gunnar: Thank you for giving another point of view, we would appreciate very much if you would give your comment on the blog directly. The point of the blog is not to 'infame' someone or some enterprise but to get a clearer view of a quite nebulous situation. So every kind of contribution is welcome.

 

[birdclub]

Mr. Munn work in SE Peru while he "truly believed" in conservation (according one of his emails in the blog above) is historical and made his fame (the good side). Indeed, he is what he is now due to his conservation work with macaws.
The only problem is, he did not do that in Brazil, he never "crack the code" to find jaguars. Jaguar watching, the same way he does, was done far before him, but nobody set a camp in the region because was illegal. We always were restricted to stay in the boats and came back to the lodges. He or his affilliates never study or research jaguars, unless feeding them in the hope to tame them is consider now a scientific research. As far as I know, very few fellows came to Brazil to do research with "his" hyacinth macaws in Piaui, and ALL of them came with tourism visa and took all data without informing any official institutions; we have a law in Brazil, research without permit is biopiracy. Any research made by foreigners MUST to have a Brazilian partnership, normally a museum or university, and must to have Brazilian students involve in the project, that way Brazilians learn and could proceed with the research after the PhD, MSc foreign students left the area.
By the way, all properties he bought in Brazil (with his money or sponsors money) are NOT donate to any Brazilian NGO, but are entitled to his name and companies name. Different for example, when The Nature Conservancy bought a huge area next to the Pantanal National Park and was totally donated to Ecotropica, a Brazilian NGO and then totally decreted Private Reserve. TNC raised the funds and donate it to the Brazilian NGO. Or Conservation International which also bought land in the pantanal and open a Brazilian branch to entitled the lands. Even his so called NGO, BioBrasil, never was registered or even exits officially. So, what kind of conservation are we talking about?
Mr. Munn's activities in Brazil are totally devoted to the tourism industry (pure business), and some of them are not even registered at the Official Tourism Board (Embratur).
Mr. Munn is millionaire, so he does not do this entirely for the money, but for the spotlight, he wants to be a king and want to have his own court jesters around him. He was known as Mr. Macaw, now he wants to be known as Mr. Jaguar, either way he wants to be in the cover of National Geographic or Times magazines.
This year must to be critical, 'cause the Brazilian Navy is patrolling the rivers and asking for vessel and pilot papers and lincenses, good way to set apart the legal and illegal operations...

 

[Birding Peru]

Well, I am glad everyone will have to follow the law. That is essential.
But eco-tourism business should not be painted as the bad guys. Poaching and converting more and more habitat in to ranches is much more serious I think.
Mr Munn, is learning the hard way to be a bit more sensitive.
And I think you are right.
He wants his stories to be the cover of National Geographic and The Times. Who wouldn't?
It would open a lot of doors for the stuff one really wants to do. (Hint, hint - if NatGeo reads this....I have some great stories you could cover.)

Saludos

Gunnar

 

[jurek]

Anybody can recommend at trip for jaguar and other Brazilian specialities like Giant Anteater, Maned Wolf, birds etc. between 15 July and 15 August 2011? Note, that many advertised tours are full. Experienced local tours are welcome.

Please answer privately.

cheers

Jurek

 

[birdclub]

Jurek: jaguar tours and other staff

Jurek,

THE BEST OF THE PANTANAL: Birds & Jaguars, Length 07 days / 06 nights on July 08-14 and August 05-11

CERRADO: Emas NP + Chapada dos Guimaraes NP, Length 07 days / 06 nights on July 15-21 and August 12-18

If you take these two tours, certainly you will see the South American Big Five mammals (Giant Otter, Brazilian Tapir, Giant Anteater, Jaguar and Maned Wolf) plus other 20+ mammals species and of course at least 300+ great birds such as Jabiru, Hyacinth Macaw, Cock-tailed Tyrant, Cone-billed Tanager, Red-legged Seriema, and many more.

Just send us a private message to [email protected] and we will send you information about it.

 

[birdclub]

Gunnar

Gunnar, I think both agree eco-sensitive or nature-oriented tours MUST to follow the law, once we break the law, even in the process to preserve a species we are totally wrong. What kind of example are we giving to the others? the goal justify the ways? Ecotourism is based in sustaintibility, both natural and cultural, we just cannot take out a native population in order to preserve a rare bird or animal, even if this will preserve the species.
The same way, we cannot break all existing law and establish a business in order to preserve a species.
Poaching is illegal in Brazil, still occurs in isolated areas (unfortunately still remains in the pantanal, as seen in posts above) but we are working hard to banish them completely. Logging and cattle ranching is a serious problem with habitat destruction, we are trying to show local people and goverment that serious tourism business (note I don't even mention eco-tourism) could be a tool for conservation if managed and executed properly. But if we start the whole operation breaking the basic law, what can we argue to our favor? Doing this, we put ourselves in the same bag of poachers, ilegal loggers, drug dealers and any other ilegal operations.
Just to give an example, between 1989 to 1995 (before the PBC started) I ran a very succesful tour in the pantanal which consisted in canoeing and camping for five nights along the Cuiaba river and tributaries. I had all the infra-structure for the logistic: 10 canoes, two motor boats, ten tents, all camping equipment, etc. It was very profitable, indeed was the most popular tour I had. In 1995, the Brazilian environmental agency (IBAMA) decided to ban all kind of camping along the rivers due to problems with fishermen and fires, patrolling was nearly inexisting where I ran my tours but even so I decided to end that tour, which was the most popular and profitable I had and was an example of camping and low impact tourism, I easily could continue the operations until nowadays but was and still is ilegal by law, then my most profitable tour was finish and all equipment I had was sold for nearly nothing. The law is there to establish parameters and maintain the order...our example must to be follow by others, what kind of example are we willing to give?

 

[birdclub]

Just returned from the pantanal where saw jaguars twice and also got the last news about the so-called South Wild Jaguar Camp (AKA Charles A. Munn jaguar enterprise). The camp started the operation (ilegally again in the other side of the Piquiri river, state of Mato Grosso do Sul) in July 01st, the Environmental Police of Mato Grosso do Sul closed the camp with clients on it less than a week later, clients were move in a hurry to other fishing lodges nearby. Now the operations of the South Wild Jaguar Camp are done in a floating boat as it was last year. Personally had a problem with the camp boatmen who did not respect the rivers regulations and were tresspasing other boats at high speed creating waves and have no guides aboard responsible for the groups to talk to, just the clients and a non English speaking boatmen. Mr. Munn was in the floating boat and saw him couple of times along the river.