Animal Health in the Pantanal
In June of 2004, veterinary students and faculty from the University of Georgia and Texas A&M University traveled to Mato Grosso do Sul, in southwestern Brazil, to participate in a week-long workshop on animal health issues in the Pantanal. Throughout the ten days in Brazil, they worked closely with veterinary faculty from Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Ministry of Agriculture officials, Mato Grosso do Sul state authorities, and veterinary students from the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul.
Faculty and students pose for a photo in Campo Grande pior to boarding the bus for the Patanal.
Workshop leaders, left to right: Corrie Brown, University of Georgia, Ademar Mori, IAGRO, Nilson de Barros, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Otto Feldens, Ministerio de Agricultura, Claudio Barros, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Ricardo Lemos, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul
During the week-long trip, students were oriented to the unique ecosystem of the Pantanal. The Pantanal is an alluvial floodplain, approximately 200,000 square kilometers, roughly the size of France. There is annual flooding, so that in the dry season, the region is a large savannah, but then in the flooded season, the Pantanal consists of widely spaced islands, most of which are accessible only by boat.

Three-quarters of the Pantanal is in Brazil, the remainder is in Bolivia and Paraguay. Of the Brazilian Pantanal, 80% is in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul.

The Pantanal boasts some of the greatest diversity of species of anywhere on earth, including 90 species of mammals, 700 species of birds, 50 species of amphibians, and 16 species of reptiles. The region contains 400,000 capybara, 5,000 anteaters, 50,000 jabiru (giant stork) nests, and 3 million adult caymans.

During the flooded period, animals tend to cluster together on the islands, often with domestic cattle mingling closely with wild animals.

There are 11 ecological zones in the Pantanal, each with its own type of soil and flooding pattern. There are three main economic activities in the Pantanal – extensive raising of cattle, fishing, and eco-tourism.

Students were tasked with developing reports around three main topics:

Rabies in the Pantanal

The interface between agriculture and ecology in the Pantanal: a delicate balance

The Role of the Veterinarian in the Pantanal
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