Otuquis National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area, Protected natural area in Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia.
Otuquis National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area sits in southeastern Bolivia, where the country borders Brazil and Paraguay, covering a large section of the Bolivian Pantanal. The terrain shifts between wetlands, savanna, and patches of forest that flood during the rainy season and dry out in winter.
The park was created in 1997 to protect the Pantanal ecosystem and its native wildlife from deforestation and uncontrolled hunting. Its founding was part of a broader Bolivian effort to give legal protection to the lowland natural areas of the country.
The name of the park comes from the Otuquis River, which runs through the area and is central to local life. Fishing along its banks has long been part of daily routines for communities living near the park.
The area is remote and paths can become impassable depending on the season, so traveling with a knowledgeable local guide is essential. Visiting during the dry season makes it easier to move around and reach the central parts of the park.
During certain seasons, the receding floodwaters leave behind shallow pools packed with fish, drawing large numbers of caimans, wading birds, and river otters to the same spot at once. This seasonal gathering makes some parts of the park among the best places in South America to watch wildlife up close.
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