Campos Amazônicos National Park

Campos Amazônicos Overview

Campos Amazônicos National Park, known locally as Parque Nacional dos Campos Amazônicos, is a distinctive and ecologically diverse protected area located in the western Amazon region of Brazil. Covering an expansive 3,870 square miles (10,002 square kilometers), the park straddles parts of the states of Amazonas, Rondônia, and Mato Grosso.

Its vast landscape lies within the interfluvial region between the Madeira and Tapajós rivers, forming a mosaic of ecosystems that blend typical Amazonian rainforest with unique savanna-like enclaves. This rare combination contributes to the park’s reputation as one of the most intriguing and biologically rich areas in the entire Amazon Basin.

The terrain of Campos Amazônicos is notably varied, comprising undulating plateaus, lowland rainforests, and elevated campos rupestres—rocky savanna patches that appear almost out of place in the heart of the Amazon.

The park features scenic rivers such as the Roosevelt and Madeirinha, which cut through the landscape with winding blue-green curves. While the dense rainforest areas brim with tall, broadleaf evergreen trees, the open campo areas feature grassy meadows dotted with stunted vegetation, shrubs, and occasional clusters of buriti palms.

This blend of vegetation types creates dramatic contrasts in color and structure across the terrain and fosters high levels of biodiversity, including numerous endemic plant species.

Wildlife in the park is equally diverse and dynamic. Mammals commonly spotted include jaguars, giant anteaters, white-lipped peccaries, and tapirs, all of which rely on the park’s mixed habitats for foraging and breeding. The park is also home to a vibrant population of primates, such as the white-nosed saki and howler monkeys.

Birdlife is particularly abundant, with colorful species like the hyacinth macaw, harpy eagle, and various toucans frequently observed. The ecotonal environment of Campos Amazônicos allows for a meeting point between species typical of the Amazon rainforest and those more associated with cerrado and savanna regions, making it a critical area for avian and mammalian research.

Among the park’s most popular features are its scenic rivers, which offer both ecological richness and striking natural beauty. The Roosevelt River, named after former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, is of historical and ecological significance and draws adventurous travelers interested in wildlife viewing, fishing, and canoeing.

Visitors can also experience the park through guided trekking routes that explore its forest trails and open grasslands, often leading to panoramic viewpoints and rare habitat transitions. The blend of ecosystems offers a visual and ecological experience unlike any other Amazonian park.

Visiting Campos Amazônicos National Park is primarily done through eco-tourism and scientific expeditions, as infrastructure remains limited to preserve its pristine nature. Experiences are deeply immersive and appeal to birdwatchers, conservationists, and those seeking solitude in a largely untouched Amazonian landscape.

Conservation challenges include illegal logging, mining, and encroachment from nearby agricultural developments. However, the park has seen successes in coordinated management efforts, especially under the oversight of Brazil’s Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).

These efforts focus on monitoring biodiversity, limiting illegal activities, and working with indigenous and local communities to promote sustainable coexistence.

Park Map

Campos Amazônicos National Park Highlights

Wildlife

Campos Amazônicos National Park in Brazil is a fascinating conservation area that bridges the Amazon rainforest and the cerrado (tropical savanna). This transition zone supports a rare mix of flora and fauna, including species adapted to both forest and open grassland habitats. The park’s diversity makes it a refuge for iconic mammals, stealthy predators, and uniquely adapted creatures.

Giant Anteater
With its long snout, bushy tail, and slow gait, the giant anteater is perfectly suited to feed on ants and termites across the park’s savanna and forest edges. It uses powerful claws to tear into insect nests and can consume thousands of insects daily.

Maned Wolf
This tall, slender canid is known for its reddish fur and black legs. Despite its appearance, it’s not a true wolf. The maned wolf thrives in open grasslands and is an important seed disperser thanks to its fruit-rich diet.

Jaguar
As the top predator in the region, the jaguar silently patrols both dense forests and more open areas. It uses its immense bite strength to hunt prey such as peccaries, deer, and even caimans.

Giant Armadillo
This nocturnal, burrowing mammal is rarely seen but leaves clear evidence of its presence through large, deep burrows. It is crucial to the ecosystem, as its excavations create shelters for other species.

Brazilian Tapir
A shy but ecologically vital mammal, the tapir feeds on fruits and foliage, playing a key role in seed dispersal. It often moves between forest and wetland habitats, using mud to cool off and avoid parasites.

Collared Peccary
Traveling in noisy groups, these wild pig-like animals are tough and social. They forage on roots, fruits, and small animals and can defend themselves with surprising aggression when threatened.

Ocelot
A smaller but strikingly patterned wild cat, the ocelot is a solitary predator that hunts rodents, birds, and reptiles. It thrives in the varied terrain of the park, using stealth and agility.

Tayra
This large weasel-like mammal is both curious and adaptable. Active by day, it moves swiftly through trees and on the ground in search of fruit, birds, and small mammals.

Capybara
Often found near rivers and wetlands, capybaras are social rodents that spend much of their time in water. Their calm nature and large size make them a common sight and an important food source for predators.

Puma
Also known as the cougar, the puma is highly adaptable and shares territory with jaguars, though it generally avoids direct conflict. It hunts a wide variety of prey and can thrive in both forest and savanna habitats.

Birds

Campos Amazônicos is a birdwatcher’s paradise, with its unique blend of cerrado and Amazonian environments attracting a remarkable variety of avian species. From large raptors to colorful songbirds, the skies and canopies here are alive with activity and sound.

Hyacinth Macaw
The largest flying parrot in the world, this brilliant blue bird is both rare and iconic. Found in open woodlands and savannas, it feeds primarily on palm nuts and nests in tree hollows or cliffs.

King Vulture
With a striking head of vivid red, yellow, and black, the king vulture is a scavenger that helps keep ecosystems clean. It soars effortlessly on thermals, searching for carrion across wide areas.

Red-legged Seriema
These long-legged birds are often seen striding through the grasslands. They are known for their loud, yelping calls and their habit of smashing prey like snakes or lizards against the ground.

Yellow-rumped Cacique
These vocal, colonial nesters build hanging nests in tall trees. Their bright yellow rumps and loud songs make them easy to spot near rivers and forest edges.

White Hawk
With its pristine white plumage and broad wings, the white hawk is a majestic sight. It hunts reptiles and small mammals from perches in the forest canopy.

Rufous-tailed Jacamar
Often mistaken for a hummingbird due to its slender body and metallic sheen, this insectivore sits still on branches, darting out to catch flying insects.

Peach-fronted Parakeet
Small and social, these parakeets move in flocks through open areas, feeding on seeds and fruit. Their peach-colored foreheads and constant chattering are easily recognizable.

Great Potoo
Master of camouflage, the great potoo spends its days perched like a broken branch. At night, its haunting calls echo through the forest as it hunts flying insects.

Laughing Falcon
Named for its eerie, laughter-like call, this falcon specializes in hunting snakes. It often perches high above open areas and forest clearings.

Blue-crowned Trogon
A brilliantly colored bird with a mix of blue, green, and red, this trogon is often found perched quietly in the lower forest canopy, feeding on fruit and insects.