FUNDING FOR "ART WOLFE'S TRAVELS TO THE EDGE" IS PROVIDED BY... MICROSOFT -- WORKING TO PROVIDE PHOTOGRAPHERS LIKE YOU THE SOFTWARE THAT HELPS PRESERVE AND SHARE THE IMAGES THAT YOU WORKED SO HARD TO CAPTURE.

WITH TOOLS DESIGNED TO MANAGE YOUR FILES INSIDE SO THAT YOU CAN CAPTURE IMAGES OUTSIDE.

AND BY.. CANON.

DEDICATED TO INSPIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS TO PRESERVE AND TO PROTECT THE BEAUTY, DIVERSITY, AND GRANDEUR OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

FROM CAPTURE TO DISPLAY, CANON CAMERAS, HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO, PRINTERS, AND PROJECTORS HELP TO FUEL THE PASSION AND THE CREATIVITY THAT BRING THIS INCREDIBLE WORLD INTO FOCUS.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY... CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL.

WE ARE ALL PART OF TEAM EARTH.

I'M IN BRAZIL EXPLORING ONE OF THE GREAT WETLAND TREASURES, BUT THIS IS NOT THE AMAZON, IT'S THE PANTANAL, AND IT'S AN ECOLOGICAL PARADISE.

I'M ART WOLFE.

THIS IS "TRAVELS TO THE EDGE."

THE PANTANAL IS A LANDLOCKED RIVER DELTA THAT EXPERIENCES ANNUAL CYCLES OF FLOODING AND DROUGHT.

LYING IN THE CENTER OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN CONTINENT, THE PANTANAL STRETCHES SOUTH OF THE AMAZON BASIN AND EAST OF THE ANDES, CROSSING THE BORDERS OF EASTERN BOLIVIA AND PARAGUAY INTO WEST-CENTRAL BRAZIL.

I'M TRAVELING WITH RUSS MITTERMEIER, ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING CONSERVATIONISTS AND AN EXPERT ON THIS PRISTINE AND BIOLOGICALLY RICH ECOSYSTEM.

Mittermeier: THE PANTANAL IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST WETLAND.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AREA THAT IS SOMETHING ON THE ORDER OF 20 TIMES THE SIZE OF OUR EVERGLADES, WHICH IS OUR MOST FAMOUS WETLAND, AND IT HAS ENORMOUS CONCENTRATIONS OF WILDLIFE, DENSITIES OF SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FLAGSHIP SPECIES IN THE SOUTH AMERICAN CONTINENT.

SO THIS IS A GIANT FLOOD PLAIN.

AND DOES IT FLOOD, IN FACT?

IT DOES IN FACT FLOOD EVERY YEAR, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THE PANTANAL IS THE DYNAMIC OF THE WATER.

AT CERTAIN TIMES OF YEAR, PARTS OF THE PANTANAL ARE ENTIRELY UNDERWATER LIKE A GIGANTIC LAKE, AND THE ANIMALS HAVE TO MOVE INTO THE SLIGHTLY HIGHER AREAS TO AVOID THE WATER, BUT MANY OF THEM, LIKE THE CAPYBARAS, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE PERFECTLY ADAPTED TO AN AQUATIC SYSTEM.

I'M GETTING A GREAT SHOT OF TWO HYACINTH MACAWS JUST PLAYING ON A BRANCH.

IT'S SO NICE WHEN THE TWO ARE TOGETHER.

THEY JUST ARE INTERACTING.

I REALLY LIKE THOSE KIND OF SHOTS WHERE TWO ANIMALS ARE REALLY SHOWING SOME SORT OF AFFECTION OR CONNECTION.

MACAWS ARE BIRDS THAT HAVE VERY STRONG PAIR BONDS.

VERY OFTEN, THEY MATE FOR LIFE, AND THIS PREENING BEHAVIOR IS REALLY PART OF MAINTAINING THAT PAIR BOND.

THIS IS A REALLY INCREDIBLE GROUP OF FOUR SPECIES OF MACAWS THAT ARE ENTIRELY BLUE.

THIS ONE, THE HYACINTH MACAW, IS 5,000 OR SO INDIVIDUALS REMAINING, WHICH REALLY ISN'T VERY MUCH, AND THE MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE FOUND HERE IN THE PANTANAL.

IT'S A BIT DECEIVING, THOUGH, WHEN YOU SEE THEM SO COMMON HERE IN THESE FAZENDAS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE PANTANAL, YOU DON'T REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A SPECIES THAT IS REALLY ENDANGERED AND IS EXTREMELY HARD TO FIND ANYWHERE ELSE OUTSIDE THE PANTANAL.

THE REASON THEY'RE GOING EXTINCT IN THE WILD IS THEY'RE BEING COLLECTED.

WILDLIFE TRADE, ABSOLUTELY.

THEY'RE WORTH THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER ANIMAL, AND SO THERE'S A HUGE INCENTIVE TO CAPTURE THEM AND SELL THEM ILLEGALLY.

THIS IS THEIR MAJOR STRONGHOLD, AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO SURVIVE INTO THE FUTURE, THIS IS WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE.

THESE ARE CHESTNUT-EARED ARACARIS, AND IT'S A SMALL TOUCAN, BASICALLY.

THE TOUCANS AND THE ARACARIS ARE MY SECOND-FAVORITE GROUP OF BIRDS AFTER THE PARROTS AND THE MACAWS HERE IN SOUTH AMERICA.

OH, THESE GUYS ARE REALLY COLORFUL WITH THAT YELLOW AND THAT RED OR RUST COLOR.

THEY ARE COOL BIRDS.

Wolfe: THIS IS DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE OF THE TOUCANS.

IT'S SO STRIKING.

YEAH, THIS IS THE CLASSIC FRUIT LOOPS TOUCAN.

THIS IS RAMPHASTOS TOCO, THE TOCO TOUCAN, WHICH IS THE LARGEST OF ALL THE TOUCANS.

SPECTACULAR, HUGE BEAK, AND THAT BLUE EYE RING AND DEEP BLACK EYE, IT'S REALLY, REALLY AN IMPRESSIVE CREATURE.

IT LOOKS ALMOST TOP-HEAVY.

THE BILL IS SO LARGE IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S ALMOST GOING TO FALL OVER.

THE WHOLE BEAK AND THE EYE IS STANDING OUT THROUGH THAT TANGLE OF BRANCHES, AND IT'S REALLY ACTUALLY A BEAUTIFUL SHOT.

IF YOU WANTED TO DESIGN A SPECTACULAR-LOOKING SPECIES, THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT YOU WOULD COME UP WITH.

ABSOLUTELY.

Mittermeier: THIS IS ONE OF THESE RARE PLACES WHERE HUMAN ACTIVITIES AND WILDLIFE ARE ABLE TO COEXIST VERY, VERY EFFECTIVELY.

AND ABOUT 95% OF THE LAND HERE IS IN LARGE LANDHOLDINGS, THESE FAZENDAS, THESE BIG FARMS OR RANCHES WHERE CATTLE ARE RAISED AT A FAIRLY LOW DENSITY, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO COEXIST VERY EFFECTIVELY WITH ALMOST ALL OF THE WILDLIFE.

HERE, YOU STILL HAVE COWBOYS HERDING CATTLE, MOVING THEM THROUGH THIS LANDSCAPE THE WAY THEY DID 100, 150 YEARS AGO IN THE AMERICAN WEST.

IT FEELS VERY MUCH LIKE THE OLD WEST WITH PALM TREES.

THE PANTANEIRO COWBOY IS VERY MUCH A THROWBACK TO THE OLD WEST OF NORTH AMERICA.

THIS IS QUITE A TRADITIONAL SCENE THAT'S BEEN UNFOLDING FOR OVER 100 YEARS, AND JUST TO GET THIS IS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT.

IT'S VERY INTERESTING THAT CATTLE ARE WATCHING US.

THIS IS REALLY QUITE STRIKING WITH THESE THOUSAND HEAD OF CATTLE COMING THROUGH THIS WATER.

IT'S AMAZING.

WHAT A SCENE.

THAT WAS NICE.

WHAT A NICE MOMENT.

[ COW MOOS ] I AGREE.

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.

[ MEN WHOOPING ] Wolfe: IT'S ROUND-UP TIME ON THESE BIG CATTLE RANCHES.

I'M NOW TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF THE COWBOY CULTURE.

THIS COWBOY IS ROUNDING UP THESE CATTLE.

THEY'RE BACK-LIT AND COVERED IN DUST, AND, SUDDENLY, IT BECOMES A PAINTING.

LOW-DENSITY CATTLE RANCHING IS THE NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY HERE, AND HARD-WORKING PANTANEIRO COWBOYS ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS ECONOMY.

AS A LONG DAY COMES TO A CLOSE, THESE PANTANEIROS MAKE CAMP AND GET READY TO ENJOY SOME WELL-DESERVED DOWNTIME.

THIS IS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT IN THE EARLY MORNING MIST AS THESE PANTANEIROS GET READY FOR THEIR JOURNEY.

THIS IS JUST LIKE THE OLD WEST WITH THESE GRAND CATTLE DRIVES, AND IT'S HAPPENING STILL HERE IN THE PANTANAL.

THE LOW ANGLE OF LIGHT EARLY IN THE MORNING WHERE THE PANTANEIROS ARE BREAKING CAMP, AND THEY'RE ROUNDING UP THE CATTLE AND THEY'RE MOVING ON FOR ANOTHER JOURNEY ACROSS THE PANTANAL, AND THE RISING MIST, THE ANGLE OF THE LIGHT, IT'S LIKE LOOKING INTO MULTIPLE PAINTINGS.

AND THESE ARE THE MOMENTS WHEN I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW LUCKY I AM TO HAVE BEEN HERE.

THESE CAIMAN ARE ONE OF THE MOST EMBLEMATIC AND PREHISTORIC ANIMALS OF THE PANTANAL.

THEIR TEETH GROW SO LONG THEY COME UP THROUGH THEIR SNOUT.

IT'S A REALLY NICE SITUATION WITH WILD ANIMALS, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THEY'RE UNPREDICTABLE AND THEY HAVE SHARP TEETH MAKES ME A LITTLE BIT APPREHENSIVE, BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO SLOWLY MANEUVER AROUND AND GET SOME VERY PROVOCATIVE AND VERY INTERESTING SHOTS.

OKAY, THAT'S ACTUALLY A NICE SHOT.

THIS IS RIGHT IN THEIR FACE, AND ALL I GOT IS A SHOT OF TEETH AND REALLY INTERESTED CAIMAN.

IT'S NOT ONLY PREDATORS THAT EXIST IN ABUNDANCE IN THE PANTANAL.

BIRDS ARE ESPECIALLY DIVERSE, AND THEY THRIVE HERE.

THE CHALLENGE OF PHOTOGRAPHING KINGFISHERS IS MANEUVERING THE BOAT IN A CURRENT, TRYING TO GET UP CLOSE TO WHAT IS NORMALLY A PRETTY JITTERY AND NEUROTIC LITTLE BIRD.

OH, SO BEAUTIFUL.

WOW, THAT BEAK IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.

THAT'S WHAT'S SO CLASSIC ABOUT THESE KINGFISHERS IS THEIR BEAKS ARE ENORMOUS.

I LOVE IT WHEN THEIR LITTLE TAIL COCKS UP AT AN ANGLE.

THEY OPEN THEIR BEAK AND THEY CHATTER.

THAT IS A...

PERFECT KINGFISHER MOMENT.

JUST GOT HIM BEFORE HE FLEW.

I'M SO HAPPY.

THAT WAS REALLY NICE.

[ Whispers ] There he is.

LET'S GO UP HERE ONE MORE TIME.

I LOVE FOLLOWING AN ANIMAL LIKE THIS IN ITS ENVIRONMENT, AND TRYING TO GET THAT SHOT.

THIS LITTLE RIVER OTTER IS VERY SMART AND VERY ELUSIVE.

AND WHEN WE GO DOWN RIVER, IT GOES UP, IF WE GO RIGHT, IT GOES LEFT.

SPENDING THREE HOURS ON THIS RIVER -- [ Whispers ] There he is!

I'M WILLING IT TO COME OUT ON THIS LOG.

OH, HE'S BACK UP RIVER.

THERE'S EITHER TWO RIVER OTTERS OR THIS ONE IS REALLY FAST.

[ Whispers ] Now he's come out of the water, he's chomping on a fish, and where is he?

100 yards down river.

We lose again.

THIS CAIMAN'S COME IN FOR A REALLY CLOSE VIEW.

AND JUST THE WAY THE LIGHT IS PLAYING ON ITS HEAD, AND REFLECTING IN THE WATER, THERE'S A REALLY NICE MIRROR IMAGE.

DRIVING DOWN THE ROADS WITH A GIANT SPOTLIGHT, YOU CAN PICK UP SO MANY ANIMALS.

CERTAIN ANIMALS LIKE OWLS AND GIANT POTOOS, CATS, CERTAINLY, HAVE HIGHLY REFLECTIVE EYES.

IT'S REALLY LIKE AN EASTER EGG HUNT.

YOU'RE OUT THERE HOPING TO SEE SOMETHING LOOKING BACK AT YOU OUT OF THE BLACKNESS.

LOOK AT THAT, RUSS.

Mittermeier: OH, YEAH.

GREAT POTOO, WHAT AN AMAZING BIRD.

USING THIS POWERFUL SPOTLIGHT TO ILLUMINATE THE SUBJECT WORKS REALLY WELL.

OTHERWISE, I'D HAVE A FLASH HERE THAT ONLY GOES OUT ABOUT 30 FEET.

CLEARLY THAT POTOO'S ABOUT 50 OR 60 FEET AWAY.

IT'S SO BIZARRE-LOOKING.

A VERY COOL BIRD.

[ Whispers ] Wow.

I've got a giant anteater over here about 15 feet away.

It's one of the most iconic animals of the Pantanal.

They're so bizarre.

These animals hang out during the day in the quiet refines of the forest, but at night, they come out into this open grassland that is so characteristic of the Pantanal.

They eat 30,000 ants a day, which is an amazing amount, but given the size of the animal, they really need that quantity to survive.

I'M PHOTOGRAPHING A PAURAQUE, WHICH IS A NIGHTJAR.

IT'S A NIGHTTIME BIRD, GOT REALLY BEAUTIFUL EYES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, A VERY CAMOUFLAGED SET OF FEATHERS.

THEY RELY ON THEIR CAMOUFLAGE TO REMAIN HIDDEN, SO AS LONG AS THIS BIRD THINKS THAT I CAN'T SEE IT, IT'S GOING TO STAY IN PLACE.

I'M GOING TO QUICKLY GET A SHOT HERE, BECAUSE AS SOON AS WE TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT AWAY, IT'S GONE.

IT WILL KE OFF.

CAN YOU MAKE A LITTLE SOUND?

HE KEEPS LOOKING -- THAT'S IT, THAT'S IT.

THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT HORNED OWL, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS.

NO, NO, IT LOOKS LIKE THE STRIPED OWL.

YOU HAVE GOOD LUCK WITH OWLS.

SEEN A BUNCH OF THEM ALREADY ON THIS TRIP.

OH, I JUST LOVE 'EM, I MEAN, THEIR EYES ARE SO BIG, AND LOOK AT THE RUST COLOR ON THAT ONE.

I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING IN HERE, BECAUSE WE SAW THE EYE SHINE.

Woman: IT'S AN OCELOT.

[ Whispers ] It's an ocelot.

That is unbelievable.

We've got an ocelot right here.

They're so difficult to see in the wild.

Wow, he is so pretty.

Look at how he's just wanting to come out, but he's so tentative.

THERE'S A NUMBER OF SPOTTED CATS HERE IN SOUTH AMERICA.

THIS THE SECOND-LARGEST AFTER THE JAGUAR, AND IT'S JUST A STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL.

THAT WAS FLEETING BUT BEAUTIFUL.

GETTING SHOTS OF WILDLIFE TAKES PATIENCE AND DETERMINATION, SO I'M BACK TO FLUSH OUT THAT WILY OTTER.

OH, HE'S GOT -- HE'S GOT A FISH.

I'M GETTING STELLAR SHOTS OF A REALLY RECLUSIVE LITTLE OTTER MUNCHING ON A FISH.

IT'S GREAT LIGHT BECAUSE THE SUN IS RIGHT AT MY BACK, AND IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT SHOT, BUT THERE'S A GAP THROUGH THESE LOGS.

LOOK AT HIS TWO LITTLE PAWS AROUND THAT FISH.

I MEAN, HE'S A HAPPY CAMPER RIGHT NOW.

[ OTTERS CALLING ] [ LAUGHS ] WHAT A CALL.

I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING QUITE LIKE THAT.

FANTASTIC.

THEY'RE SO NOISY.

[ MITTERMEIER LAUGHS ] THE GIANT OTTER, REALLY THE GREAT FLAGSHIP SPECIES OF THE PANTANAL, AND ONE OF THE GREAT ANIMALS OF SOUTH AMERICA.

IN MANY OF THE SPANISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES, THEY CALL IT LOBO DEL RIO, THE WOLF OF THE RIVER.

THIS IS AMAZING.

THESE GUYS ARE SO BIG.

AND THEY'RE SO NOISY.

WHAT'S THE WEIGHT OF THESE GUYS?

BOY, THESE GUYS WILL GET UP AROUND 70 POUNDS.

70 POUNDS.

AND SIX TO SEVEN FEET LONG.

THEY'RE REALLY A VERY, VERY BIG ANIMAL WHEN YOU SEE THEM STRETCHED OUT ON LAND, AND THEY'RE JUST INCREDIBLY AGILE AND MOST EFFICIENT FISHERMEN YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE.

IT'S LIKE AN AQUATIC LEOPARD, OR A PUMA.

HE'S LOOKING RIGHT AT US.

THIS IS REALLY NICE.

IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE.

WE'RE OBVIOUSLY AT A DISTANCE THAT THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE.

AW, YOU KNOW, OTTERS EPITOMIZE PLAY BEHAVIOR AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

Wolfe: THIS IS BEAUTIFUL RIGHT NOW.

I LOVE FLOATING DOWN THE RIVER AND JUST HAVING THINGS PASS BY, GENTLY.

THIS IS A GREAT TIME OF DAY.

PANTANAL IS ABOUT AS CLOSE TO A PARADISE AS YOU CAN FIND.

CERTAINLY THIS EVENING ON THIS RIVER -- IT'S JUST GORGEOUS.

I WOULD NOT DEBATE THAT.

CAPYBARA, CAIMANS, AND BIRDS FLYING TO THEIR ROOSTING SITES.

OH.

THIS IS THE KIND OF PLACE WHERE YOU REALLY CAN ACHIEVE CONSERVATION OBJECTIVES, TOO, AT A SIGNIFICANT SCALE.

I'D LOVE TO BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY THAT HAVE NEVER GONE OUT INTO A WILDERNESS AREA, PLUNK 'EM DOWN, LET 'EM SEE THE SHEER AMOUNT OF WILDLIFE HERE, AND YOU'D HAVE A CONSERVATIONIST FOREVER.

I'M ART WOLFE.

JOIN ME NEXT TIME ON "TRAVELS TO THE EDGE."

THIS PROGRAM AND OTHER EPISODES FROM THIS SEASON ARE AVAILABLE ON THREE-EPISODE DISCS FOR $17.95 EACH, PLUS SHIPPING AND HANDLING.

AN AWARD-WINNING BOOK OF ART WOLFE'S LANDSCAPES FEATURED IN THIS SERIES AND BEYOND, "EDGE OF THE EARTH, CORNER OF THE SKY," IS AVAILABLE FOR $49.95 PLUS SHIPPING AND HANDLING.

TO ORDER THE BOOK OR DVDs, PLEASE CALL 1-800-440-2651.

Wolfe: HERE ARE THREE OF MY FAVORITE IMAGE FROM THIS EPISODE.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE, AND HOW THESE IMAGES WERE PRODUCED, PLEASE VISIT artwolfe.com.

FUNDING FOR "ART WOLFE'S TRAVELS TO THE EDGE" IS PROVIDED BY... CANON.

DEDICATED TO INSPIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS TO PRESERVE AND TO PROJECT THE BEAUTY, DIVERSITY, AND GRANDEUR OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

FROM CAPTURE TO DISPLAY, CANON CAMERAS, HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO, PRINTERS, AND PROJECTORS HELP TO FUEL THE PASSION AND THE CREATIVITY THAT BRING THIS INCREDIBLE WORLD INTO FOCUS.

AND BY.. MICROSOFT -- WORKING TO PROVIDE PHOTOGRAPHERS LIKE YOU THE SOFTWARE THAT HELPS PRESERVE AND SHARE THE IMAGES THAT YOU WORKED SO HARD TO CAPTURE.

WITH TOOLS DESIGNED TO MANAGE YOUR FILES INSIDE SO THAT YOU CAN CAPTURE IMAGES OUTSIDE.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY... AT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL, OUR MISSIOIS TO CONSERVE AND PROTECT THE WORLD'S MOST PRECIOUS NATURAL RESOURCES.

BUT EQUALLY, IT IS TO CHAMPION A CAUSE LARGER THAN OURSELVES.