4. Bromeliads – Native varieties – Fauna & Flora of Paraguay and surroundings

To enjoy and make the most, the main thing to remember regarding the bromeliads, is that they are both; As epiphytic when they have very little land, and terrestrial bromeliads in the ground of their natural habitat. The epiphytic grows harmlessly upon another plant, such as a tree. The second kind grows on the ground, although stony deserts or chaparrals. The root system growth is quite reduced and it serves mainly as fastening device. Therefore, they are ideal to be grown in rather small pots. They need water and nutrients in abundance, which it’s absorbed through their leaves and central vessel. Most striking are their bright colors and large flowers that grow like a flame in the heart of the plant. These flowers can exhibit the most vibrant colors, red, yellow, orange, purple, and even bicolor. However, the Bromeliad is very special. It generally only blooms every two or three years. After flowering, the central rosette dies, but the advantage is that new sprouts are born around the single plant that will produce new growths. These sprouts can be transplanted to other pots when they reach a height of 15 centimeters or have been growing a few months. In addition, for the epiphytic variety, it’s recommended to treat them with acid substrate.

Carica Papaya, also called Mamón – Flora – Fruits of Paraguay

The papaya, also called Mamón or milky melon, tree melon or bomb fruit. Although, this latter name also belongs to another variety of small size. The Melicoccus bijugatus is the fruit of the papaya Carica papaya, a variety from the Caricaceae family. It is a plant of Central American origin, known and used throughout America for several centuries, but today is grown mainly in countries of other continents. Native from the Mexican forest, Central America and northern South America, the papaya plant is actually cultivated in the global inter-tropical countries. The papaya is known as fruit consumption, as direct eatable fruit, in juices and sweets (dulces, made with green fruits cooked with sugar), or other nutritious preparations that has magnificent properties in helping digestion difficulties, facilitating food digestin due to its high content of papain. From this enzyme called papain, more than 1000 tons are being produced annually worldwide. The derivative utility of this product is used in the beer brewing, cosmetics, and food industry. Mamón is considered one of the most important and most consumed fruit, highly appreciated for its nutritional properties and its subtle flavor. Ideal for diets as it contain vitamins B1, B2 and B3 or Niacin, all of the B complex, which regulates the nervous system and the digestive system; fortifies the heart muscle; protect the skin and hair, essential for growth. Contains also vitamins A and C, rich in minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, sulfur, silicon, sodium and potassium. Moreover it has low calorific value around 53 calories per 100 grams of fruit. The fiber content improves digestion. It has astringent properties. Likewise, the peel’s zest contains a substance that helps eliminate cough, resulting in a sustainable fruit that it’s utilized almost totally . Ecology: Mamón grows at low to medium elevations up to 1000 meters above sea level, dry or humid climates with 75 to 2500 mm rainfall, but requires a marked dry season to flower and produce satisfactorily. It can tolerate frost, grows in a wide variety of soils but prefers deep, fertile soil of calcareous origin. Mamón will also grow and thrives even in poor soil so that in Colombia it has been used as recovery for degraded soils and grows wild in coastal dry sites. This fruit is more effective than drugs according to some studies. In addition, it’s a fast growing plant and its first harvest takes place as early as ten months from first planting. Mamón Chutney (Dulde de Mamón) belongs to Argentina Creole cuisine. The preparation for this sweet dessert is very ancient and ancestral, of Guaraní origin. In the areas where they should plant, replenish or replace trees without any specific necessity to maintain uniformity, the diversity should be pursued based on native species and the specifics of that particular country.

The blue Macaw (Hyacinth macaw) Fauna – Birds

The blue Hyacinth Macaw inhabits South America. Its natural habitat range includes eastern Bolivia, northern Paraguay and much of Brazil, from the Amazon, the Tapajós River to the south at the river mouth in Maranhão to the region south of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. Notwithstanding, this variety has not being seen in the whole area. Their numbers were severely reduced due to indiscriminate hunting to supply the pet market trade. It is estimated that in the early 1980 ‘s, about 10,000 Blue Macaw’s were caught disappearing entirely in Paraguay. Today, at the end of 2002, we are seeing an increase in quantity thanks to the work of the Brazilian wildlife preservation team. However, it’s still considered as a seriously threatened specie. According to McGrath (2002) is estimated that a total Blue Macaw population out in nature is approximately 6,500, which is very successful, since according to Sick (1993), in 1988 the quantity estimated was to exceed 2,500. We are unsure if they have returned to their usual living area in Paraguay, nor we know about their population in Bolivia either. The Blue Macaws lives in the jungles, in the vegetation openings where palms exist. You will also see them in the gallery forests (forests that grow on the riverbanks), in the forest which is not very humid, and groves of the plains like the wetlands (pantanal) of Brazil. Usually they stay in pairs or small groups. These groups which a decade ago did not approximate ten, now they are counting up to 2 dozen pairs. They have being documented from a elevation of 800 meters above sea level. They place their nest in hollow trees, palms and cracks in the rocks, and accepts nest boxes placed in the trees for preservation. They usually lay two eggs but it could be from one to three. Incubation takes about 30 days. The young chicks leave the nest within two/three months of birth, but remain with parents for another six months, learning how to survive. Once they get independent from parents, there are groups of the same specie with which they integrate. This birds become adults at age seven. Once a pair is formed the bond is for life. The estimated longevity when living in the wild is about 50 years. Their nutrition is based on large seeds complemented with fruits. This is the largest specie in the Psittaciformes variety (parrots and their relatives). Its length is between 93 cm and one meter. It weighs up to 1.5 kg. Both genders are similar, in fact, identical. To determine the gender, because apparently macaws have their own system which works better, will be necessary to do blood tests. Although according to McGrath (2002) in their nature habitat, after incubation period, the females shows their tail feathers somehow bent, due to time spent in the nest. Otherwise, the blood test is the only way we know for sure. The Blue macaw live in the Guaraní region

. The sun and the moon – A Guaraní legend

When GodTupá (God in Guaraní) created the first couple, He left them on Earth. The man prepared the soil and the woman planted corn with so they could have food to eat. One day the man departed but the woman, inspired by the child in her womb, followed him through the jungle, where a hungry jaguar killed her, but from her belly twins boys were born. Their name were Erekeí and Erevuí. They were raised among beasts until becoming men. One day, Añá, the devil came and took them to his hut where Añá’s (devil in Guaraní), beautiful young daughter lived. Meanwhile, the three of them fled leaving the devil with his schemes, as GodTupá was calling them with a very loud voice. They found God, who was represented as a kindly old man, who asked them what their wishes were. - I want to be the light - Erekeí said, - then you’ll be the sun! God answered. - I love the light in the shadows -, Erevú added – , then you’ll be the moon - replied again Tupá God-. So, these two stars were created, to which, according to the Guaraní’s story, they always have to solemnly salute the two stars, especially the sun, from the beginning of time. According to the Guaraní people, the major celestial bodies which are observed with the naked eye, were born in a very peculiar way. So for example, Kuarahy (the Sun) is the product of the union between Ñamandu (God, our father), and Ñande Sy (our mother), who dies during childbirth of Kuarahy (the sun). Under the energetic influx of Kuarahy (the sun) on the bones of his mother, Jasy (the Moon) is born, and a reason why is that as we approach the date of death of Ñande Sy (our mother), Jasy (the moon) loses strength (waning moon) to disappear and reoccur in the sunburst. The new moon is the manner of remembering that birth.