Birdwatching Tourism: a new look at the environment in Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil)

Abstract

The state of Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil), privileged by the occurrence of the Pantanal, Cerrado, Atlantic Forest and Chaco biomes, the latter being limited to the municipality of Porto Murtinho, has become a unique space for birdwatching. A relatively recent activity in the state, it has stood out as a possibility for exploring ecotourism. A consolidated practice in the world and nationally, the state welcomes observers from several states and abroad, interested in the more than 600 species of birds and birds already catalogued. However, bird watching by the local population is still recent and began after the decline of hunting and predatory fishing and the need to enable new forms of sustainable exploitation of tourism in the state. This work presents the historical characteristics of the formation of rural properties and their forms of economic exploitation. It presents the birdwatching activity in the state, as well as a history of actions and actors that have been building this new segment to be explored internally and externally. It presents the female role in the conduction of initiatives that give visibility to the activity.