Paraguay: Rodents, Dreams, and Dusty Tracks

Paraguay had been sitting near the top of my mammalwatching wish list for years. Like many people who spend far too much time reading trip reports instead of doing sensible things, I was inspired by Jon Hall's adventures in the country. A remarkable number of the rodents found in Paraguay and neighbouring Argentina occupied prominent positions on my "most wanted" list, and the prospect of finally exploring the legendary Chaco had long felt like one of those mammalwatching dreams that might never quite happen. Fortunately, this time it did.

This trip was made possible with the help of Andrey and Karina and Toby from Wild Chaco Expeditions.  (Link to webpage here)  They are famous from the Saiga viewing from years ago but now call Paraguay home.  And in the few years they’ve lived here they have become true experts in the flora and fauna of the country.  And on top of that, they’ve developed an impressive set of relationships with many private land owners and conservation groups which allow them to take guests in to some of the most wild and mammal-rich areas of Paraguay.  They are fantastic people with a wealth of amazing stories and information.  In my 16 days with them, there was not a moment of boredom or frustration.  We had a great time together and I highly recommend them as guides for the Chaco!  The best! And their 3-year old guide in training, Toby, was an absolute pleasure to travel with too! A very interesting and interested young man taught me a lot of Russian and natural history of the Chaco, his home.

The route itself was ambitious and would take us across a sizeable chunk of the Paraguayan Chaco. Starting in Asunción, we headed northwest through Neuland and Aurora Chaqueña before reaching Iparoma Camp. From there we continued to Agua Dulce, returned to Iparoma, then visited Fortín Toledo and the Chacoan Peccary Center. The journey continued through La Patria, Parque Nacional Teniente Agripino Enciso, Reserva Natural Cañada El Carmen and Campo'i before looping back through La Patria and Reserva Neuland Selva Serena. We then returned via Aurora Chaqueña and Chaco Lodge before eventually making our way back to Asunción. Looking at the itinerary on a map beforehand, it appeared to involve a great deal of driving through what many people would simply describe as "empty". As mammalwatchers know, empty landscapes are often anything but.

Our first stop was around Aurora Chaqueña and the Neuland Mennonite Colony, an interesting region where settlements carved out by Mennonite communities are surrounded by vast expanses of Chaco habitat. At first glance the landscape can seem harsh and unforgiving, dominated by thorn scrub, dusty tracks, cacti and drought-adapted woodland. Spending even a short time there quickly reveals how full of life it actually is. Birds appeared almost everywhere, tracks criss-crossed sandy roads, and there was a constant feeling that something interesting might emerge from the scrub at any moment.

The Mennonite colony is worth a mention. Neuland is one of the main Mennonite settlements in the Paraguayan Chaco and, after hours of driving through seemingly endless thorn forest, it feels a little like stumbling upon civilisation again. Founded by Mennonite settlers in the 1940s, the town now acts as a regional centre for the surrounding Chaco. While it provides a welcome opportunity to refuel both vehicle and mammalwatchers, the real reason for being there is the remarkable wildlife found in the surrounding habitats, which harbour everything from armadillos and foxes to some of the Chaco's most sought-after rodents. The township looks like something right out of California or Australia. A small sample of modernity in a region that is mostly filled with vast stretches of Chaco scrub and dusty villages. And the roads here are paved! But that pavement ends very shortly out of town. This normally wouldn’t phase me at all but the roads in Paraguay are most clay-based and upon being rained on they turn in to ice rinks and virtually impossible to drive on for many hours or days until they dry.

Even before reaching some of our main destinations, the mammals started appearing. Along the road towards Neuland we found a Diminutive Serotine (Eptesicus diminutus) under a bridge that Andrey scoped out years before. This is a species that would have been enough to make me happy on many trips. Not long afterwards, the same bridge produced a Lesser Bulldog Bat (Noctilio albiventris), proving that even transfer days in Paraguay can generate worthwhile records if you keep your eyes open. We caught more of these gorgeous bats in an abandoned bat when returning down the same road at the end of the trip. In the same house we got awesome looks at Common Vampire Bats (Desmodus rotundus) too. Sadly the road through the Wet Chaco toward Neuland, while passing through vast wetlands, also had quite a bit of roadkill ranging from Giant Anteaters, Tamandua and many smaller mammal species.

The real excitement began around Aurora Chaqueña, a private reserve owned by the Mennonite Colony. My first mammal was my most desired target, the Chacoan Mara (Dolichotis salinicola)! For years this species had existed in my mind largely as a strange-looking rodent in field guides and photos. Seeing one in its natural habitat, moving through the dry Chaco vegetation exactly where it was supposed to be, was one of those satisfying mammalwatching moments where a long-held target finally becomes real. One of the first mammals to appear on our night hike was a Southern Three-banded Armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus). There is something inherently entertaining about these animals. They seem to have been designed by someone who thought regular armadillos were far too practical and decided they needed the ability to turn themselves into footballs. Seeing my first one wandering through the Chaco scrub was a fantastic start to the trip.

The mammal list continued to grow when we encountered our first Pampas Fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus) inside Neuland. Foxes always add a certain sense of character to a trip, and this individual paused long enough to provide excellent views before continuing on its way. By this point it was becoming clear that Paraguay was going to live up to expectations. We had barely begun the expedition and already several long-desired species were on the board, all against the backdrop of the unique and endlessly fascinating Chaco landscape.

Most importantly, the opening days confirmed what had drawn me to Paraguay in the first place. The Chaco may not possess the obvious glamour of a famous rainforest, but for mammalwatchers it offers something just as appealing: huge horizons, an astonishing diversity of specialised wildlife, and the constant feeling that the next dusty road might produce exactly the species you've spent years hoping to see.

The following gallery contains images of the flora and fauna in and near Neuland, our first stop in this epic expedition:

Hotel Campestre Iparoma

Our next major stop was Hotel Campestre Iparoma, a spectacular estancia situated on the edge of the Paraguayan Chaco and perfectly positioned as a gateway to the more remote regions further west. Set amongst dry woodland, grassland and scattered waterholes, the lodge proved to be far more than just a convenient overnight stop. The mix of habitats around the property supports a surprisingly diverse range of wildlife, making it an excellent mammalwatching destination in its own right.

We actually visited Iparoma twice during the expedition. The first stay came on our journey into the deep Dry Chaco, while the second followed our visit to Agua Dulce on the return leg. Rather than separate the sightings, it makes more sense to combine them here, as together the two visits produced some of the most memorable mammal encounters of the trip.

One species that quickly became a familiar sight around the area was the Chacoan Mara (Dolichotis salinicola). The Mara were so common actually that they became my daily photographic challenge!  We had them every day of the trip with the last couple days for some reason they were not coming out for a view.  Having enjoyed our first sightings at Aurora Chaqueña, we encountered many more around Iparoma. Seeing these peculiar large rodents (although not as large as the Patagonian Mara) dashing across open areas never really got old. They somehow manage to look both elegant and slightly bewildered at the same time.

My first new species at the lodge was the Yellow-Toothed Cavy (Galea musteloides). A group of them provided excellent views around the grounds, especially at the campsite, allowing plenty of time to appreciate a species that had been high on my target list for years. Like many South American rodents, it is easy to overlook if you're not specifically searching for it, but finally seeing one in the wild felt immensely satisfying.

The most impressive large mammal sighting came during our second visit. After dark, while checking a nearby waterhole, we encountered a South American Tapir (Tapirus terrestris). There is always something special about seeing a tapir emerge from the darkness. Despite being South America's largest terrestrial mammal, they possess an uncanny ability to appear almost silently from nowhere. Watching the animal at the waterhole under the night sky was one of those moments that instantly becomes a highlight of any trip.

However, the undisputed star of Iparoma was always going to be Azara's Night Monkey (Aotus azarae). This was one of my primary targets for the site, and after an unsuccessful search during our first stay, I was beginning to wonder whether the species might prove elusive. Fortunately, fortune smiled on us when we returned from Agua Dulce. Not only did we find the monkeys, but we found them in the most convenient location imaginable. A group of six animals appeared in the trees immediately outside our rooms, providing outstanding views. It is hard to ask for a much easier mammalwatching experience than stepping outside your accommodation and finding one of your key target species waiting there. The monkeys moved quietly through the trees, occasionally pausing to look back at us, and the encounter provided a perfect conclusion to our time at Iparoma.

By the time we finally left, Hotel Campestre Iparoma had proven itself to be far more than a stopover on the route to the deeper Chaco. Between the cavies, tapir, abundant maras and the superb night monkey encounter, it had delivered some of the most enjoyable mammalwatching of the entire expedition and set a very high standard for the sites still to come.

Agua Dulce

If Iparoma felt like the gateway to the Chaco, then Agua Dulce felt like we had finally arrived in the real thing. Located deep within Paraguay's Dry Chaco, the area is a vast landscape of thorn forest, spiny scrub, scattered cacti and seemingly endless dusty tracks stretching towards the horizon. Wildlife and flora here are superbly adapted to the harsh conditions, and despite the landscape initially appearing sparse, every drive seemed to reveal something new. The sense of remoteness was one of the major attractions. Out here, you genuinely feel a long way from anywhere.

Agua Dulce feels kinda like a “Ghost City” in China - “Build it and they will come” sort of scenario. The area has a huge sign, long row of stree lights, a large general store and now a reasonably comfortable hotel that is nearly finished being built. There are big rectangular parcels of land for sale if you are interested in building your dream house 178 kilometers from civilization!

Agua Dulce was originally scheduled for later in our itinerary, but the weather had other ideas. Heavy storms were forecast to arrive in the region, and local knowledge possessed by Karina and Andrey suggested that once enough rain fell, the road would rapidly transform from dusty tracks into an impassable mud bath. Given that these roads can already be something of an adventure in dry conditions, the prospect of navigating them after a major downpour was not especially appealing. We therefore reshuffled the itinerary and moved Agua Dulce earlier in the expedition. Looking back, it was absolutely the right decision. Even in dry weather some stretches were rough, deeply rutted and capable of demanding your full attention. A good coating of Chaco mud would almost certainly have turned the journey into an unplanned extended stay.

My main target in Agua Dulce was the Chacoan, or White-coated Titi Monkey (Callicebus pallescens), and thankfully this proved to be a target with unusually cooperative behaviour. I had expected a challenging search involving distant silhouettes disappearing through dense vegetation. Instead, we found them with remarkable ease and ended up seeing them every day. The highlight came when one individual sat at eye level in vegetation directly beside the vehicle, providing outstanding views. After years of seeing photographs of this species, being face to face with one in the wild was a genuinely special moment. Sometimes a target species makes you work for every glimpse; sometimes it practically poses for photographs.

The mammal list continued to grow throughout our stay. A Crab-eating Fox (Cerdocyon thous) provided excellent views and was a welcome addition to the trip list. Despite its name, it seemed thankfully uninterested in demonstrating its dietary preferences for us. I think the one we saw would be more appropriately called a “Frog-eating Fox”. We also encountered a Southern Brown Brocket (Subulo gouazoubira), one of several Chaco mammals that possess an impressive talent for standing perfectly still until the exact moment you have almost driven past them. We ended up seeing many of these lovely tiny deer, mostly from a distance as they did not stick around long enough for great images.

Foxes were a recurring theme throughout the expedition, and Agua Dulce added more encounters with Pampas Foxes (Lycalopex gymnocercus). By this stage I was becoming increasingly fond of these adaptable canids, which regularly appeared along roads and clearings and always seemed willing to pause briefly before continuing on their way. By the end of the expedition I would hazard a guess that we’d seen dozens of Pampas and Crab-eating Foxes.

The two most exciting and frustrating sightings of our time in Agua Dulce involved an awesome Lesser Grison in the day time and a Geoffroy’s Cat during our night drive! Of course I was extatic to see both of these very rare species with my own eyes, neither of them allowed me enough time to capture them with my camera. Both gave me awesome views for seconds. Oh well, these images will have to be the ones in my mind only and that is fine.

Although the trip was primarily focused on mammals, Agua Dulce also delivered one of my most memorable bird sightings. Here I finally saw my first Black-legged Seriema. As someone who had already seen the Red-legged Seriema elsewhere, this meant I had now managed to complete the pair and add both species to my life list. There is something wonderfully prehistoric about seriemas, and seeing the Black-legged species striding across the Chaco landscape felt entirely appropriate. Even dedicated mammalwatchers are allowed the occasional birding success, especially when the bird in question looks like it has wandered out of another geological era.

By the time we left Agua Dulce, it had exceeded expectations on every front. The roads had provided just enough excitement to keep things interesting, the timing adjustment had saved us from potentially spectacular mud-related problems, and the mammal watching had been excellent throughout. Most importantly, my main target, the Chacoan Titi Monkey, had gone from a hoped-for sighting to an almost daily companion. It's hard to ask much more from a stop than that.

Fortín Toledo and the CCCI

From Agua Dulce and a return stay at Iparoma, we continued to Fortín Toledo, one of the most historically and biologically significant sites in the Paraguayan Chaco. The surrounding landscape is classic Dry Chaco: flat expanses of thorn forest, quebracho woodland, cacti and dense scrub that appears almost impenetrable in places. Despite the harsh appearance, the area supports an impressive range of wildlife and is particularly famous among mammalwatchers as one of the best locations associated with the conservation of the elusive Chacoan Peccary, or Tagua. The region is also notable for its birdlife.

Fortín Toledo is also an important historical site. During the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia (1932-1935), it was the scene of significant military action. Today, visitors can explore a small museum that helps bring this history to life, displaying artefacts recovered from the conflict, photographs, and information about the soldiers who fought in the region. Around the fort are reconstructions and remnants of defensive positions, trenches and military structures, providing a fascinating glimpse into what must have been an extraordinarily difficult campaign fought in one of South America's most unforgiving environments. The contrast between the area's wartime history and its modern role in wildlife conservation is striking.

Mammal watching around Fortín Toledo was somewhat quieter than I had hoped. We continued to encounter Chacoan Maras (Dolichotis salinicola), which by this stage had become a familiar and always welcome sight. However, my biggest hope was to find a wild Chacoan Peccary (Catagonus wagneri). Fortín Toledo is one of the species' strongholds and, as every mammalwatcher knows, being in the right habitat naturally leads to thoughts of what might be lurking just beyond the next bend in the road.  I was secretly hoping for a Puma or Geoffroy’s Cat too.

Unfortunately, the wild peccaries remained frustratingly elusive. In fact, aside from the maras, we failed to add any significant wild mammal sightings during our visit. Thankfully, the visit was far from a disappointment thanks to the excellent Centro Chaqueño para la Conservación e Investigación (CCCI), commonly known as the Tagua Project.

The CCCI is one of the world's most important conservation facilities for the endangered Chacoan Peccary. Established following the remarkable rediscovery of the species in the 1970s, the centre focuses on captive breeding, research, education, conservation management and reintroduction efforts. Over the years it has played a critical role in improving our understanding of a species that was once known only from fossils and believed to be extinct. Visiting the facility provided an excellent opportunity to learn about both the peccary and the wider conservation challenges facing the Gran Chaco.

One of the biggest attractions of the centre is the opportunity to see all three peccary species found in Paraguay. Although not in wild conditions, we enjoyed good views of Chacoan Peccary (Catagonus wagneri), Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu), and White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari). Seeing the differences between the species side by side was particularly interesting, and while it didn't quite match the dream of finding a wild herd emerging from the thorn scrub, it was still a valuable and enjoyable experience.

In the end, Fortín Toledo turned out to be less about adding mammals to the list and more about understanding one of the Chaco's most iconic species. Between the fascinating war history, the excellent museum, the important conservation work being carried out at the CCCI, and some very enjoyable birding, it proved to be a worthwhile stop. Of course, I still would have preferred a wild Chacoan Peccary wandering across the road there I was rewarded with a sighting a few days later near La Patria! 

 La Patria and Parque Nacional Teniente Agripino Enciso

From Fortín Toledo we continued west towards La Patria and Parque Nacional Teniente Agripino Enciso, one of the premier protected areas in Paraguay's Dry Chaco. This is the Chaco at its most wild and remote, with vast expanses of thorn forest, quebracho woodland, cacti-studded scrub and sandy tracks disappearing towards the horizon. The park protects an enormous area of relatively intact habitat and is rightly regarded as one of the best places in the country for Chaco wildlife. Despite the often harsh and unforgiving appearance of the landscape, it supports an impressive diversity of mammals, birds and reptiles specially adapted to survive in one of South America's toughest environments.

By this stage of the expedition, it would probably be more surprising if we didn't see any Chacoan Maras (Dolichotis salinicola). Sure enough, they continued to appear throughout our time in the area. The species had gone from coveted target to regular travelling companion, although I never quite got tired of seeing these wonderfully odd rodents sprinting across the open scrub.

One of the mammalian highlights was encountering Plains Vizcachas (Lagostomus maximus) around the national park. Having previously enjoyed close encounters with remarkably confident individuals at El Palmar in Argentina, these Paraguayan vizcachas were noticeably more cautious and considerably less interested in becoming mammalwatching celebrities. Nevertheless, watching them cautiously emerge from their burrow systems as darkness approached was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. There is something undeniably charming about a vizcacha peering out from the entrance to its den before deciding whether the outside world is safe enough to venture into.

The standout wildlife moment, however, came during a trek through the national park. While walking one of the trails, we unexpectedly encountered another magnificent South American Tapir (Tapirus terrestris). The encounter could hardly have been better. The animal was clearly aware of our presence long before we noticed it, yet displayed absolutely no sign of surprise or alarm. Instead, it seemed mildly annoyed that a pair of mammalwatchers had chosen to stand directly in the path between itself and the waterhole it was heading towards.

For several memorable moments we found ourselves sharing the trail with what is effectively a quarter-tonne forest bulldozer that had somewhere important to be. The tapir calmly assessed the situation, appearing to conclude that we were simply an inconvenient obstacle rather than a genuine threat. After enjoying outstanding views, we wisely stepped aside and allowed the rightful owner of the trail to continue its journey. The animal then ambled off towards the waterhole through a shortcut in the thicket.

Encounters like that are the reason I travel to places such as the Chaco. While new species are always welcome, sometimes the most memorable moments come from an unexpected interaction with a familiar animal behaving naturally in its habitat. Between the vast wilderness, the ever-present maras, the emerging vizcachas and the wonderfully unimpressed tapir, La Patria and Parque Nacional Teniente Agripino Enciso provided some of the most authentic and rewarding wildlife experiences of the entire expedition.