ESTEROS DEL IBERA

With an extension of 1.400.000 acres, Esteros del Iberá, is the second biggest wetland in South America. Old or abandoned channels of Paraná river become in the course of time, this independent and complex wetland chain composed by marshlands, estuaries, lagoons, dammings and pluvial origin courses.

Estuaries of this system are made of holded water of around 1 to 3 metres depth, and its covered by two different aquatic plants: those coming from deep down forming molehills at coasting lines and those like water hyacinth ( "camalotes") or dammings ("embalsados")  floating and covering water surface.

This dammings systems have its origin in the water hyacinth, where wind and water bring dust. This turns into a first coat letting other plant species, including trees, growing up. In due course other coats come before and this formations integrate floating coasts and its loosening give origin to floating islands that are guide by wind and streams.

While mostly are considered "firm lands", is usually common to find more thin areas, so it turns very dangerous to walk over them.
Estuaries keep its level stable as per the capability on holding rainwater due to great quantity of vegetation of this area. According to reports, precipitations that during the year oscillate between 1200 and 1500 Mm., give back the ecosystem same liquid quantity that gets vanish. Less than fourth of this water goes to Paraná River, through Corriente River, which is the only superficial flow of the system.

The Iberá, it's an efficient regulating of water dam, and this causes some effects in the area such as those calling "bañados", one among others of the typical geographic environmental of the region. They build up during plentiful rain period as per water temporal accumulation that drips down brooks covering fall areas.

FLORA

The ecosystem is composed by three botanical provinces: "The Espinal" to the south; "The Chaco Oriental" to the west and; "The Provincia Paranaense" to the north.

The richness of vegetation is due to this diversity of the region where aquatics plants such as "aguapés", "juncales" and embalsados are standing out over water surface.

Over the "embalsados" we can also find a wide variety of other aquatic plans, including trees ("pajonales", "achiras", "yuyales" and little wet ground trees like "sarandíes", laurels, and pehuajó; palmares de yatay, etc).

Among different trees species we can find: "black lapacho", "higuerón", "urunday", "viraró", "black laurel", "white quebracho", "guabiyú", "ombúes", "jacarandas", "ceibos", willows, "curupíes", "timbó"  and  espinillos. Among palm trees, we can find:  "yatay", "lindó" and "caranday".

FAUNA

There are two kinds of alligators ("yacaré") living together at the estuaries: the black one with narrow snout and the one called "ñato" with wide snout. The "ñato" has suffered a deep plundering due to the high value of its skin.

Among other species, there are plenty of the one called "Lobito de río" (river wolf) nature province monument, the capybara ("carpincho") which is the biggest rodent, the deer of the marsh -cervid swimmer; the mane wolf or "aguará guazú"; the red and dark roe deers; "carayás" or yelling monkeys.

There are also other smaller species such as grey wolfs, wild cats, skunks, black armadillo or "tatú", "peludos", "mulitas", ferrets, weasels, hares, "vizcachas", "cuis", wild mouses, "tucu-tucu",  lizards, small lizards, turtles, etc. Among reptiles we can find: water boa or "curiyú", boa of the vizcacheras, "ñacaniñá", constrictor boa; and poisonous snakes like "coral", "cascabel", and "yarará". We can also find amphibian species such as  the "hilidos" and the big toad or "cururú".

There are more than 300 species of birds such as: "capuchinos", all types of herons, goldfinches, and other color species. We can also find different types of fishes such as "terrors", eels, piranhas, "bogus", "sables", catfishes, "dientudos", etc