Rheas
The continent's largest bird.
Fernando Nanzer — CC BY-SA 4.0 · ....Christopher Borges.... — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fernando Nanzer — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Andreza Oliveira Borges — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fernando Nanzer — CC BY-SA 4.0
Emas National Park protects about 1,320 square kilometres of cerrado between Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul and is part of the Cerrado Protected Areas World Heritage Site. Its name means «Rhea Park», after the greater rhea, South America's largest bird, which grazes its open plains. The park is an almost treeless savanna dotted with tall termite mounds, home to the giant anteater, maned wolf, giant armadillo and pampas deer and a small population of jaguars, making it one of Brazil's best places to see cerrado wildlife. A sea of soybean fields surrounds it. Its strangest sight comes at night: on October and November nights the termite mounds glow green with the light of the click-beetle larvae living inside them. The Bandeira gate is 30 km by dirt road from the town of Chapadão do Céu, and the Jacuba gate 88 km by paved road from Mineiros. The park has 354 km of trails, some open to self-guided visits and some only with an accredited guide, including a float trip on the Formoso River. Tickets are about R$18, and R$9 for local residents.
The continent's largest bird.
Spring nights.
Anteaters and maned wolves.
Bandeira gate near Chapadão do Céu, Jacuba gate near Mineiros, Goiás
Mostly on October and November nights, with green light from click-beetle larvae, seen on guided night tours.