BEAUTIFUL BEETLES, BUTTERFLIES, BIRDS & MORE
All around Bonito you have the chance of spotting amazing wildlife, not only under or in the water, but also on land and in the air. Beautiful beetles, butterflies, birds and dragonflies are everywhere.
DURING TOURS & AT ANY OTHER TIME
While we were hiking at Nascente Azul, we saw a young marsh deer, a monitor lizard and a green vine snake. At Barra do Sucuri we were lucky to see otters, cutias and monkeys all from up close. Driving back from Barra do Sucuri to Bonito, we also spotted monkeys crossing the road. On a side street of that road, we came across a farmer who got followed by a tiny animal. We couldn’t see what it was; not a cat, not a rabbit, not a monkey, but a baby coati!
CUTEST ANIMAL EVER
The farmer found this baby coati all alone and had decided to adopt it. It immediately came to us curiously and sniffed our hands. We could pet her and we could easily see this cutie liked it and we could even hold her. She was so playful, yet so quiet and so lovely. After some peaceful wrestling, she fell asleep in our hands. Amazingly cute! We would have loved to adopt her!
As we were so in love with this animal, we even drove back here another time to visit her again. The farmer was super friendly and excited for us to bring him and his beloved pet a visit. The third time we came back for them, this South American Coati was brought to an animal sanctuary, on the farmer’s boss’ insistence, to avoid getting into trouble and for the farmer to focus on his work… Sad for the man and the coati (we believe), but we hope she is at a good place now too, with many other coati’s, where she lives happily ever after.
Please keep in mind that the adult or bigger coatis can seriously harm you with their sharp claws and big teeth, they can carry diseases too and you should avoid contact with them. This of course goes for all (wild) animals. Remember not to disturb the nature and not to feed wild animals.
WILD & ORGANIC FRUITS TOO
It pays off to have a close look around you, not only to see amazing creatures, but also edible fruits. There is fruit growing everywhere; organic and ready to eat. Do make sure they are edible. We found the following kinds of fruit:
- Mango (many trees in the town of Bonito)
- Papaya
- Avocado
- Orange
- Lime (e.g. at Barra do Sucuri)
- Red/black mora (Looking like raspberries, but growing on a tree, e.g. at Barra do Sucuri)
- Green mora (Very sweet. Don’t eat the white/yellow ‘milk’ that can come off the stem when picking the fruit, it can burn your skin and throat, e.g. at Barra do Sucuri)
- Pitanga (Looking like a little pumpkin, spicy flavour, e.g. at Barra do Sucuri)
- Acerola cherry (Looking like little red apples 2-3cm, found in many places)
- Guavira (Typical fruit of the Bonito region. Green ‘berry’ 2-5cm, grows on a bush. Only harvested one month a year, around November, we picked some and were lucky to drink the juice in restaurant Juanita and eat guavira ice cream at Allegra Gelato e Café)
- Jambu (Rose apples, light yellow fruit that smells and tastes like sweet roses, e.g. Nascente Azul)
TAMANDUÁ BANDEIRA
While searching for guavira fruit close to the Bonito Airport, we were lucky to spot the giant anteater very close by. Although they look very cute, slow and a bit stupid sometimes, you should be careful approaching them. Brazilian children learn at school about their ‘deadly hug’; they hug you and pierce their big and sharp claws through your lungs.
