Too big to swallow horizontal; Cocoi heron with a large suckermouth catfish, Rio Cuiaba, Pantanal, Brazil

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The Pantanal wetlands in Brazil are the world's largest tropical wetlands and they occupy a vast area rich in environmental biodiversity, harboring many endangered and threatened species. The Pantanal ecosystem is reported to be home to over 300 mammalian species, 400 fish species, 480 reptile species, 1000 bird species, and over 9000 different subspecies of invertebrates. Jaguars (Panthera onca) are threatened throughout much of their range, but along the banks of the Rio Cuiaba and its tributaries is it still possible to catch site of these magnificent creatures as they come to the river to hunt for caimans and capybaras, some of their favorite food. The ones on the Rio Cuiaba river systems seem to be pretty well fed and spend a lot of time lying around on the river bank, either in the open or under the bushes, and in patrolling their territory. Many fishing birds, such as this Cocoi heron can be seen fishing near the river banks. This bird caught a large suckermouth catfish that it was having difficulty swallowing.

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Size: 5000px × 3999px
Location: Rio Cuiaba, Pantanal wetlands, Mato Grosso State, Brazil
Photo credit: © Terry Allen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: adventure, ardea, attempting, bank, bill, brazil, catfish, cocoi, cuiaba, dead, eay, fish, grasses, grosso, habitat, heron, horizontal, hypostomus, large, leaves, mato, pantanal, plecostomus, reflections, rio, river, side, state, suckermouth, travel, view, wetlands