The Pampas
In extreme southern Brazil continuing southward through Patagonia is a region termed the pampas. In human
history, this is the land of the gauchos, talented horsemen indeed. The pampas are a vast expanse of mostly
grassland that is part of the southern temperate zone. The pampas are essentially south of the Tropic of Capricorn
and thus not part of the Torrid Zone but will be treated briefly here because of their intrinsic interest as well as the
fact that they are frequently included in various ecotours, such as those increasingly popular tours combining nature
watching with wine tasting.The pampas consist of extensive stands of tussock grasses (Stipa brachychaeta, S. trichotoma). In areas of sandy soil
and decreased rainfall, dry woodland occurs, consisting mostly of a single legume species, Prosopis caldenia.
The windswept, barren pampas host a diversity of unique animals. The Pampas Deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) is
endemic. Rodents are abundant, including the Mara (Dolichotis patagonum), sometimes called the Patagonian Cavy
or the Patagonian Hare. Superficially resembling a hare (including the long ears), this rodent can leap a distance of
1.8 m (6 ft).Charles Darwin was fascinated by a group of burrowing rodents of the pampas collectively called the tucotucos
(Ctenomys spp.). Darwin wrote, in The Voyage of the Beagle:
This animal is universally known by a very peculiar noise which it makes when beneath the ground. A person,
the first time he hears it, is much surprised; for it is not easy to tell whence it comes, nor is it possible to guess
what kind of creature utters it. The noise consists in a short, but not rough, nasal grunt, which is monotonously
repeated about four times in quick succession; the name Tucutuco is given in imitation of the sound.Plate 14- 29. Feeling lucky? Jaguars do swim and sometimes afford memorable looks as they swim past your boat. Photo by
Andrew Whittaker.chapter 14 don’t miss the savannas and dry forests 261