Even in a country roughly the size of California, the land-locked country of Paraguay in the southern part of South America is made up of 11 unique eco-regions. Paraguay’s diversity makes it home to many different species of birds, mammals, plants and trees, yet all of this is under threat with increasing deforestation and climate change.
Paraguay's ecological diversity in such a small area makes it special. The country is located in the intersection of other larger ecosystems, such as the Pantanal, which is shared by Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil. The Pantanal is the world's largest wetland, home to animals like jaguars and cabybaras, as well as floral and fruit trees that can only be found in the region. The entire northern part of the country, which includes all of the area northeast of Asuncion, is a dry, arid eco-region called the chaco seco (the dry chaco). Although it takes up 61% of the area of the country, just 3% of the population lives here. This region experiences extremely high temperatures, often reaching above the 100 and even 110 degree Fahrenheit mark in the summer.
