The Pantanal is the world’s largest tropical wetland area. Located mostly within Brazil, it also extends into portions of Bolivia and Paraguay and an area estimated at between 140,000 and 195,000 square kilometres (54,000 and 75,000 sq mi). Roughly 80% of the Pantanal floodplains are submerged during the rainy seasons, nurturing aquatic plants and helping to support a dense array of animal species. The Pantanal region includes sanctuaries for migratory birds, critical nursery grounds for aquatic life, and refuges for animals such as the yacare caiman, deer, and Pantanal jaguar.