Iberá Wetlands

The Iberá Wetlands (in Spanish, "Esteros del Iberá", from Guaraní "ý berá" "bright water") are the second-largest wetlands in world after Pantanal in Brazil. They are located in the center and center-north of the province|Corrientes|Argentina. The "Esteros" are a mix of swamps, bogs, stagnant lakes, lagoons, natural slough and courses of water of pluvial origin, with a total area of between 15,000 and 20,000 km².

Since 1982, the wetlands are part of a protected area (the Iberá Natural Reserve), which comprises 13,000 km² (14% of the surface area of Corrientes, the largest protected area in Argentina). Iberá is also one of the most important fresh water reservoirs in the continent.

The Natural Reserve hosts a large biodiversity, including four species that have been declared "provincial natural monuments": the neotropical river otter, the maned wolf, the pampas deer, and the marsh deer. It is also home to the two Argentine species of alligator, the Yacare caiman ("yacaré negro") and the broad-snouted caiman ("yacaré overo"), as well as the capybara (the world's largest rodent) and about 350 bird species.

References

* [http://www.esterosdelibera.com/ General Information of Ibera] (in English and Spanish)
* [http://www.argentrip.com/e/ibera/eabajoiberaa.htm Marshlands of Iberá] (in English)
* [http://www.posadadelalaguna.com/ Posada de la Laguna] (in English, Spanish, Francais)
* [http://www.iberaesteros.com.ar/ Posada Aguapé] (in Spanish)
* [http://jastgou.blogspot.com/2008/05/ibera-wetlands-aka-guide-to-colonia.html Guide to Ibera and Carlos Pellegrini] (in English)