Saturday, August 23, 2008

Esteros del Ibera - Corrientes (English)

When arriving at the Ibera lagoon we can hear from the scrub the howling of theC arayá monkey. It’s one of the emblematic species and its presence is a good sign of the preservation of the small islands in the scrub.When picturing Iberá, people immediately imagine marshes, areas of marshland and lagoons. Nevertheless, pasturelands are also prominent in this protected region, theh abitat of such endangered species as the Pampas deer or the yellow-headed blackbird.The biological value is amazing since more than 1.400 types of plant and 600 vertebrate have been found in the area. Among them, there are 125 fish, 40 amphibians, 60 reptiles, 350 birds, and 60 varieties of mammal.
The Ibera champions:

- Capybara: the biggest rodent in the world (1,30 m and 75 kg)
- The Caraya: considered the noisiest animal in the planet. Its strong voice can be heards everal kilometres away.
- The Mars deer: the largest South American deer (more than 2m long and weighing 150 kg)
- The Maned wolf: The largest South American canine (1,70 m long)
- The Curiyú boa: The largest boa-constrictor in Argentina, the longest known is 7m. Generally this specimen does not exceed 3m long.
- The Cururú toad: The biggest amphibian in Argentina.Marshes consist of reed beds and aquatic grasses. The aquatic grass is formed by water plants, such as Camalotes, when it rains the Camalotes are swept along forming true “islands”. Several animals use this environment to live and commute.Iberá is magical beyond your expectations; you will be surprised by the wild life, the starry nights, the eerie silence, and its people.

Other activites include:
Boat trips around the lagoon, a visit to the Park’s “Interpretation Centre", walks through the native jungle, Photography Safaris, Fishing, Bird Watching, A visit to “Cambá Trapo”, Canoeing and Horse riding.Boat RidesTwo different tours of the marshland begin at the wharf lodge.

The guide was born and raised in the region and has worked within the nature reserve. He has an in-depth knowledge of the region and its animals, whiche nsures sightings of the wildlife. The tours will provide a very colorfull andscape, full of flora and fauna of Ibera’s ecosystem and plentiful opportunities for seeing Capybaras or “Carpinchos”, alligators, river otters, marsh deer, and 350 different species of bird. The tours are approximately 2 hours each.

Canoes
The canoe is an excellent way to glide stealthy and smoothly through the Iberal agoon while taking photos of the wonderful landscape. The steady pace wille nable you to spot herons, jacanas, capybaras, and ducks to name but a few of the birds and animals in the surrounding environment.

Horse back rides
Several horseback rides are available:-Palmares Caranday: Approximately a 2 hour’s ride through neigh paring areas of the lagoon, crossing palm forests and marshy areas.-Pellegrini: Approximately a one-hour ride through the tour of Carlos Pellegrini, you will ride past many areas of cultural interest.-Camba: This is a whole day ride from Pellegrini to Camba. Along the way you will cross the Palmares (palm forest) and arrive at the House of Jose where you will enjoy a typical “Correntino” stem for lunch. After lunch you will rest and then return to Pellegrini.Ibera Nature Reserve
Ibera is different, unique and magical. You will be pleasantly surprised at thea bundant wildlife, the incredible starry nights, the sound of silence, and the friendly locals.
Bird watching
There are more than 300 species of birds within the nature reserve. The staff atP osada de la Laguna have specialized guides who will accompany you on your bird watching adventure.

How to get here from Buenos Aires
By plane: Flight from Aeroparque (AEP) to Posadas, Misiones. From there a special transfer to Colonia Carlos Pellegrini.
By Bus: From Buenos Aires Bus Terminal, to the City of Mercedes, Corrientes. From there a special transfer to Colonia Carlos Pellegrini.
By Car: It’s about 800 km from Buenos Aires. Up Route 14 through the Province of Entre Rios, up to the City of Mercedes. Fill up the petrol tank and then proceed to Colonia Carlos Pellegrini.
From Iguazú or Posadas: You can hire a special transfer to Colonia Carlos Pellegrini, or take a bus to Mercedes and then, take another transfer to the Colonia C.P.
www.corrientes.gov.ar
www.naturalezaparaelfuturo.org



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