Did you know that the world's largest wetlands are in the heart of South America? In Brazil, the Pantanal Wetlands cover 68,000 square miles -- about the size of the state of Missouri. The Pantanal includes river corridors, gallery forests, perennial wetlands and terrestrial forests. It is one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet.

However, less than two percent of the Pantanal currently has protected status, and the region endures new threats from development every day. The Nature Conservancy has formed a partnership with The Ecotropica Foundation, a local Brazilian conservation group, to preserve the ecological integrity of the area. One of the first tasks of the partnership has been to expand the amount of protected land in the region.

Your daily clicks on The Rainforest Site ensure that The Nature Conservancy is able to fund these crucial programs. We appreciate your continued support.

The Pantanal, in Brazil, is the world's largest freshwater wetlands, and one of its most important ecological regions. Unfortunately, until recently, less than two percent of the region was protected. The Nature Conservancy, along with local Brazilian conservation groups, are working to change this, and your daily clicks on The Rainforest Site support initiatives such as these.

One of the reasons why the wetlands are so important is the sheer number of animals and fish that inhabit it. Every year, heavy tropical rains cause the Pantanal's waters to flood, and during the dry season, the waters recede leaving a rich and complex mosaic of grasslands, forests, lagoons and marshes. Millions of waterfowl breed and feed along its rivers and lagoons, and dense populations of jaguars, capybaras, marsh deer, giant anteaters, tapirs, hyacinth macaws and more thrive in its forests and grasslands. The waters themselves support more than 250 different fish species. Your clicks on The Rainforest Site are helping preserve this diversity of life - thanks for your continued support.

Acurizal Ranch in Brazil's Pantanal freshwater wetlands is home to one of the world's largest populations of endangered jaguars. Acurizal has a drier, more sparse vegetation than the rest of the Pantanal, which ranges from river corridors to seasonally flooded grasslands to semi-deciduous forests. Because of the jaguar population and the dryer climate, the area is favored by scientists doing influential research on large mammals and their habitats. Acurizal also contains the Serra do Amolar mountain range, which is unique to the rest of the lowland, flat Pantanal. The Nature Conservancy and local conservation groups are working to ensure that this unique region is protected but also can be used for small-scale ecotourism enterprises. Your daily click on The Rainforest Site helps The Nature Conservancy fund essential programs such as these. Thank you for your help.