Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
9
THE SELVA: IGUAÇU WILDLIFE
One of the remarkable aspects of Iguaçu is that visitors can gain access to a
semi-deciduous
tropical rainforest
without any di
culty and without posing a threat to people or nature.
Even by keeping to the main paths around the falls, it's easy to get a taste of the jungle, in
particular on the Argentine side. The forest is home to over two thousand plant varieties, four
hundred bird species, dozens of types of mammal and innumerable insects and reptiles. Much
of this wildlife
is spread out over a wide area, often nocturnal and usually extremely timid.
However, if you get up early, walk quietly away from other people and look up into the trees
as well as towards the ground, you have a chance of seeing something.
One critter you will almost certainly see, especially on the Brazilian side, is the
coatimundi
, the
size of a domestic cat but related to the raccoon. Though it's certainly a thrill to see a family of
“coatis” for the first time, the novelty soon wears off - they have become a real pest, hoping to
scrounge food from tourists (although feeding the animals is strictly forbidden), and can get
aggressive. Another common sight is the bizarre basket-like nests of the
red-ruffed fruitcrow
(the birds have bright red breasts), and there are plenty of buzzards and vultures all over the park.
Around the water's edge, you may occasionally see
tapirs
, a large animal shaped rather like a
pig with a long snout. Smaller, but also with a pig-like appearance, is the
peccary
, dangerous
when cornered, but shy around humans. The
caí
, or
capuchin monkey
, is often seen on the
Argentine side and is recognizable by its long legs and tail, small size and the black skullcap mark
that gives it its name. These monkeys travel the forest canopy in large groups and emit strange
bird-like cries. Far bigger and with a deep voice is the
howler monkey
. You may not see any,
but you're likely to hear their powerful voices emanating from the jungle. With a good eye you
should also be able to see
toucans
,
parakeets
and
hummingbirds
even without straying
from the main paths. Again, their most active hours are soon after dawn when it's cooler.
tra
ckers and would not survive alone in the wild). There is also a large walk-through
butterfly cage - butterflies are bred throughout the year and released when mature. All
the butterflies and eighty percent of the eight hundred bird species here are Brazilian,
many endemic to the Atlantic forest.
Parque Nacional do Iguaçu
BR-469 Km 22.5 (Av das Cataratas) • Daily 9-5pm • R$48.80, includes buses inside the park (last bus departs Porto Canaos; parking fee
R$15 •
W
cataratasdoiguacu.com.br • Bus #120 from Foz do Iguaçu
The finest overall view of the
Iguaçu Falls
is obtained from the
Parque Nacional do
Iguaçu
on the Brazilian side, best in the morning when the light is much better for
photography. If you skip all the activities on offer, you'll only need about half a day
here (longer if you're also visiting the Parque das Aves), since, although the view is
mind-blowing and it's from here that you get the clearest idea as to the size of the falls,
the area from which to view them is fairly limited.
Buses from Foz terminate at the
visitors' centre
at the park entrance where, after
paying the entrance fee, you transfer onto a
park bus
for the ride to the falls: buses make
stops along the way, terminating at the tourist complex of shops and restaurants at the
top of the falls,
Porto Canoas Square
, which makes a pleasant spot for a snack.
The main event is accessed from bus stop #5 (the one before Canoas), the “
Path
of the Falls Stop
” where a stairway leads down to a 1.2km cliffside
path
along the
rim of the falls. From spots all along the trail there are mesmerizing views, at first
across the lower river at a point where it has narrowed to channel width. At the
bottom of the path, where the river widens again, there's a walkway leading out
towards the falls themselves at
Garganta del Diablo
(Devil's Throat) - the point
where fourteen separate falls combine to form the world's most powerful single
cascade in terms of the volume of water flow per second. Depending on the force
of the river, the spray can be quite heavy, so if you have a camera be sure to carry a
plastic bag. From here, you can either retrace your steps back up the trail (it's not
that steep) or take the
elevator
(daily 9.30am-6.15pm; free) to the top of the cliff
