Wildlife of
Rondônia

Lowland Amazonian moist forests, upland and floodplain, are the main vegetation in Rondonia. Closed-canopy forests with high tree diversity cover most areas, with riparian forests and successional stands along rivers and disturbed sites.

Dominant biome across most of the state; still the largest land cover despite extensive clearing, especially outside protected/Indigenous areas.

Seasonal and semi-deciduous transitional forests appear toward the southern/southeastern portions and in ecotones where the dry season is more pronounced and soils differ, forming a gradient toward more seasonal systems.

Patchy and localized, mainly in the south/southeast and transition zones; generally a minor component relative to moist rainforest.

Amazonian savanna islands and open vegetation are natural clearings and savanna-like patches inside the forest, linked to certain soils and fire patterns and moving toward central Brazil's savanna belt.

Scattered, small to locally significant patches; most frequent in southern/eastern transition landscapes.

Large river corridors (Madeira, Guapore and major tributaries), oxbow lakes, small forest streams, and floodplain water bodies underpin aquatic biodiversity and connectivity, with strong seasonal water-level fluctuations.

Statewide along all major basins; densest along the Madeira system and broad alluvial plains.

Seasonally flooded forests and floodplains, riparian backwaters, marshy depressions, and river-edge wetlands occur along major rivers and low-lying areas, supporting waterbirds, fish nurseries, and aquatic plants.

Concentrated along floodplains (especially major rivers) and lowland depressions; variable extent by season.

Extensive upland rainforest with tall, closed canopy and high plant/animal diversity; includes intact blocks within protected areas and Indigenous territories as well as fragmented/edge-affected forest in settled zones.

A mosaic of mature forest, secondary regrowth after clearing, and selectively logged stands; forest edges are widespread in the deforestation frontier.

More seasonal, semi-deciduous to deciduous-leaning forest formations in drier southern transition areas, often intergrading with agricultural frontiers and savanna enclaves.

Natural open habitats/savanna enclaves embedded within the forest matrix, often associated with sandy or nutrient-poor soils and periodic fire; important for distinct plant communities.

Open, non-forest patches (including natural openings and extensive human-created pastures) that now dominate many deforested landscapes, especially along highways and settlement corridors.

Major whitewater river channels (notably the Madeira) and numerous tributaries with rapids, sandbars, and dynamic banks that create shifting habitats for fish and riverine wildlife.

Oxbow lakes and floodplain lakes formed by river meanders, important for fish, caimans, and waterbirds; often seasonally connected to rivers.

Small permanent or seasonal ponds in floodplain/backwater areas and in disturbed landscapes (e.g., borrow pits), supporting amphibians and aquatic insects.

Floodplain wetlands and seasonally inundated lowlands that expand during the rainy season; includes aquatic herbaceous zones and saturated soils near river margins.

Permanently or long-duration waterlogged forested wetlands (including palm-dominated swamps in some areas) and backswamps along river floodplains.

Herbaceous wetlands along floodplains and low-lying depressions, especially where sediment deposition and seasonal flooding create open wetland vegetation.

Large areas converted to cattle pasture and mechanized crops in the arc-of-deforestation belt; fragmentation creates high edge density and pressure on remaining habitats.

Localized commercial tree plantings and agroforestry systems (e.g., timber species and perennial crops) in settled regions; typically small relative to pasture but increasing in some areas.

Urban and peri-urban habitats around cities such as Porto Velho and other municipalities, including riparian urban corridors and disturbed lands that can still host adaptable wildlife.