Page 70 - AlertDiver_Spring2013

graciously pointed out the big cat that was furtively making its
way along the bank behind the cover of some brush. As if taking
a curtain call, it entered a small clearing less than 20 yards away
and lay down on the riverbank to gather the warmth of the
morning sunshine. Whether out of vanity or curiosity, it posed
contentedly as the paparazzi fired away.
Bonito
We flew on to Mato Grosso do Sul under ominous skies
to meet up with our guides Daniel and Juca to explore the
region of Bonito. Our first stop was the Aquarium Natural, a
stunningly clear body of fresh water teeming with dourado,
piraputanga, pacu and various other colorful tropical fish.
The cool water of the rivers in this region, which keeps out
the piranhas, is clarified by a calcium-rich bedrock formation
known as karst. This formation acts as a natural filtration
system and is rich in nutrients, allowing fish to proliferate.
The Rio Formoso and the giant green anaconda (Eunectes
murinus), or sucuri, were the true objects of our search. The
weather had turned dire for the last crew of photographers to
visit the area; they spent the previous week painfully searching
in the rain. Again, it was the dry season, and the rain should
have stopped many weeks before. When we arrived, the
weather cleared, and the temperature warmed — both factors
would improve our chances of an encounter. As exothermic
reptiles, anacondas avoid the shallow river when the water
temperature dips, but our guides were seasoned experts at
finding the snakes in this part of Bonito and were confident
the conditions were favorable.
Feeling the excitement, Brandon and I prepared to snorkel
down the river, paying close attention to the banks, where both
anacondas and their prey would most likely be. The snakes are
here this time of year to mate and feed upon capybaras and
caimans, the same prey jaguars seek. We swam a little way
68 | spring 2013