Chaco-formosa - Argentina

[c'est ma]

Oh, man, what a paradise! Pato, thanks so much for the wonderful travelogue. Seeing all that beautiful A. chacoana habitat makes me feel a little guilty for keeping mine in such limited circumstances...

Every site looks fascinating but I'm esp. taken with the Bañado la Estrella. Like a fantastic forest of natural topiary...

The epiphytic cactus is pretty cool as well; so are all those frogs...

How come the only shots that no longer show up are of the famous car?

Is Argentina working on any eco-tourist ventures? Also, what family are the quebrado trees in? Wait--guess I can google that!

You sure got some fantastic shots of those T's!

Thanks so much for sharing...Can't wait for your next report.

--Diane

 

[pato_chacoana]

Thank's Diane! I'm glad you like it. Chaco Region is really amazing, and very few people appreciate it. Eco-tourism in Argentina is fairly popular, as it has several protected areas comparing with other south american countries. Argentina was the second country in the world to create a National Park, and these days has National Parks in almost every Eco-Region. Although the parks should be bigger and there should be more of them. It's a fight against farming and very corrupted goverments...

About Bañado La Estrella, well it's a very special place! I was amazed too when we got there. Never seen anything like it. That place use to be a forest, and a big flood happened about 20 years ago, from Pilcomayo river (limit between Paraguay and Argentina). The trees died and have those plants all over and a big swamp was born, very big. It's full of wildlife and this swamp then connects with unflooded forest, creating a unique rich environment, where it's likely that endangered animals such as Jaguar are still roaming.

Quebracho Colorado trees are what defines the Chaco Region. There are 3 species I believe in the genus Schinopsis. The Quebracho Blanco belongs to another kind of tree which doesn't relate much but it's also a very tall tree with an extremly hard wood, the genus is Apidosperma

Well this year I got a new decent camera, and hopefully will make another field trip and post many pictures!

Best regards,

Pato-

 

[c'est ma]

Thank's Diane! I'm glad you like it. Chaco Region is really amazing, and very few people appreciate it. Eco-tourism in Argentina is fairly popular, as it has several protected areas comparing with other south american countries. Argentina was the second country in the world to create a National Park, and these days has National Parks in almost every Eco-Region. Although the parks should be bigger and there should be more of them. It's a fight against farming and very corrupted goverments...

Pretty universal problems, sounds like.

Hope I get to be an Argentinian eco-tourist some day!

About Bañado La Estrella, well it's a very special place! I was amazed too when we got there. Never seen anything like it. That place use to be a forest, and a big flood happened about 20 years ago, from Pilcomayo river (limit between Paraguay and Argentina). The trees died and have those plants all over and a big swamp was born, very big. It's full of wildlife and this swamp then connects with unflooded forest, creating a unique rich environment, where it's likely that endangered animals such as Jaguar are still roaming.

Really, really amazingly cool!

Quebracho Colorado trees are what defines the Chaco Region. There are 3 species I believe in the genus Schinopsis. The Quebracho Blanco belongs to another kind of tree which doesn't relate much but it's also a very tall tree with an extremly hard wood, the genus is Apidosperma

Having once been a botanist of sorts, I had to look those up. As you no doubt know, those two genera are in different families! Gotta love common names--

(Actually, it IS a pretty cool common name...I also learned this: "Their common name is quebracho, from Spanish quiebra-hacha, "axe-breaker", a recognition to the hardness of their wood. ")

If there are any other plant wonks on here, here are links about the two families:

Apocyanaceae (Apidosperma)

http://www.sju.edu/biology/ksweb/plantax/PlantTour/tsld025.htm

Including...ahem...this note of interest:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...serid=10&md5=ddb071dc847ebd60dbce5fc15687dfa2


Anacardiaceae (Schinopsis)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacardiaceae

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schinopsis

"Schinopsis is the exclusive food plant of the moth Coleophora haywardi." (Pretty dull little guy...)


Guess you can tell, I like to travel vicariously!

Thanks, Pato. Looking forward to your next adventure!

 

[pato_chacoana]

Thank's Diane, I can't wait for next trip ! I was going to be out in October, but I still couldn't go anywhere yet! But the weather is getting perfect for tarantula seeking

Pato-

 

[dtknow]

Wow amazing! Besides that mouse(?!!)...have you observed what else the tarantulas are consuming in the wild? Any reports of slings? I'm guessing the slings start their own little burrows and barring unfortunate circumstances remain in the same burrow for life.

 

[pato_chacoana]

They consume everything that walks near their burrow and they can catch basically. There's quite a variety of insects in this region, so crickets, roaches, coleoptera sp. and such are plentiful. Also small verts such as frogs, lizards and mouses are common. A hungry tarantula would eat anything, I fed wild tarantulas while I was there, it's fun hehe.

Pato-

 

[gulogulo82]

Great pics!!!

I read another one of your posts on a different forum and you said you have yet to come across G. aureostriata in the wild, but i was wondering if any of those photo's or other species would be similar to where or how a G. a. would live in the wild. I would like to set up a proper natural terrarium for mine when it's grown.

 

[pato_chacoana]

Thank you! Well, yes... G. aureostriata is also from the Chaco Region, so it's supposed to be from this same habitat If some day I happen to find one I will post pics for sure!

Best regards,
Pato-

 

[Ehhpic]

I'm sorry I missed the pics- photobucket doesn't show them any more can you repost?