Asunción CityParaguay travel guide
Paraguay wildlife: jaguar, the Chaco and the Paraguayan PantanalCharles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0

Wildlife

Paraguay wildlife: jaguar, the Chaco and the Paraguayan Pantanal

Paraguay's wildlife is extraordinary, but keep expectations realistic: the jaguar (yaguareté) survives in the dry Chaco, the Pantanal and the Mbaracayú forest and is almost impossible to see. Capybaras, caimans, jabiru storks, rheas and, in winter, flamingos on the Chaco's salt lagoons are far easier.

The country combines the Chaco, the southern tip of the Pantanal (the Paraguayan Pantanal), the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest, with more than 700 bird species. Most of the best sites are remote, with dirt roads and little cell signal, so the season and the guide matter as much as the destination.

Updated · 2026-09-29

Jaguar: what to realistically expect

The jaguar is listed as near threatened worldwide, but the national list rates it critically endangered. It lives in Defensores del Chaco National Park, the Alto Paraguay Pantanal and the Mbaracayú Reserve, and can only be visited with guides and rangers. Its tracks are easier to find than the animal.

To see one up close, honestly, there is Tekotopa, Itaipú's environmental center in Hernandarias, opened in 2025: its Jaguar Trail (1.6 km) has enclosures with jaguar, puma and tapir. It is free with a reservation and closed on Tuesdays. These are animals in enclosures, not wild ones.

Jaguar

Jaguar

The largest cat in the Americas and a symbol of Paraguay's wild forests; scarce and very hard to see.

The Chaco: flamingos, chacoan peccary and palm savannas

Along the Transchaco road, without leaving the car, you will see karanda'y palm savannas, marshes and animals like capybaras, jabirus and rheas. The salt lagoons of the Central Chaco (Laguna Capitán, Laguna Chaco Lodge) host Chilean flamingos and coscoroba swans from May to September; numbers vary with the water level and visits must be arranged in advance.

The Chacoan peccary (taguá), known only from fossils until it was found alive (published in 1975), can be seen in captivity at Fortín Toledo, by reservation. In the wild it lives in the deep dry Chaco, which requires a 4x4 and notice to the environment ministry.

Chilean flamingo

Chilean flamingo

Pink flocks on the salt lagoons of the Central Chaco, an unexpected spectacle in the heart of Paraguay.

Capybara

Capybara

The world's largest rodent, calm and sociable; you'll see it in almost any wetland.

Jabiru

Jabiru

The largest stork in the Americas: white, with a black head and an unmistakable red collar.

Presidente Hayes

Reserva Laguna Capitán

Salt lagoons in the Central Chaco with flamingos, spoonbills and shorebirds, on land owned by the Chortitzer cooperative.

The Paraguayan Pantanal: Bahía Negra and Tres Gigantes

The Paraguayan Pantanal sits in the far northeast of the Chaco. Bahía Negra is the base: boats leave its port to see caimans, capybaras and jabiru storks. About 40 km away, reachable only by boat, is the Tres Gigantes Biological Station (Guyra Paraguay), where with patience you may see caimans, marsh deer and giant otters; with great luck, the jaguar. Capacity is very small.

Go from July to October, in the dry season. With just a few millimeters of rain, dirt roads close, and from August to October there is fire risk. Buses and flights change often: verify everything.

Must-see

Bahía Negra · Alto Paraguay

Bahía Negra y el Pantanal paraguayo

The last Paraguayan town upriver: caimans, capybaras, otters and Yshir culture in the Pantanal.

900 km2-3 days
Estación Biológica Los Tres Gigantes

Bahía Negra (río Negro) · Alto Paraguay

Estación Biológica Los Tres Gigantes

A Pantanal reserve reachable only by boat, named after the giant otter, the giant anteater and the giant armadillo.

940 km2-3 days

Alto Paraguay

Parque Nacional Río Negro

The protected Paraguayan Pantanal: karanda'y palm groves, flooded forests and wetland wildlife along the Negro River.

Marsh deer

Marsh deer

South America's largest deer, with branching antlers and black legs: king of the marshes.

Birds and the Atlantic Forest

The Bay of Asunción has 269 recorded species, including shorebirds arriving from North America. The Mbaracayú Reserve, with about 400 species, is the largest remnant of Atlantic Forest: bellbird (the national bird), tapir and jaguar. Laguna Blanca, in the Cerrado, adds 283 species. The best general season is spring (September to November); winter is better for the Chaco. Mbaracayú must be booked with the Moisés Bertoni Foundation, which recommends at least two nights.

Laguna Blanca
Must-see

Santa Rosa del Aguaray · San Pedro

Laguna Blanca

White sand, see-through water and cerrado all around: Paraguay's most unexpected beach.

286 km1 day
Bare-throated bellbird

Bare-throated bellbird

Paraguay's national bird since 2004. Its metallic call rings through the Atlantic Forest.

When to go and how to travel well

  • Chaco: May to September. In summer it exceeds 40 °C and rain cuts the roads.
  • Hire local guides, and bring a 4x4, water and spare fuel.
  • Use repellent and closed shoes: there are pit vipers (yarará), ticks and mosquitoes.
  • Drive slowly at dawn and dusk: anteaters, foxes and armadillos cross the road.
  • Do not buy animals, skins or feathers: it is prohibited by wildlife law.
  • Check vaccinations (the CDC recommends yellow fever outside Asunción).
Giant armadillo

Giant armadillo

The world's largest armadillo, a nocturnal digger that almost no one ever gets to see.

Maned wolf

Maned wolf

South America's largest canid: reddish coat, black mane and extra-long legs for seeing over the tall grass.

Frequently asked questions

Can you see a jaguar in Paraguay?

In the wild it is very rare and only with guides. In captivity, Tekotopa's Jaguar Trail in Hernandarias is free with a reservation.

Is there a Pantanal in Paraguay?

Yes, the Paraguayan Pantanal is in Alto Paraguay, with Bahía Negra as the base. It is best visited from July to October.

How many bird species does Paraguay have?

More than 700 registered species, according to Guyra Paraguay; the South American checklist confirms 694.

Can you visit the Chaco on your own?

To the Central Chaco, yes: the Transchaco is paved. Beyond it, toward the parks or the Pantanal, take a guide and a 4x4.

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