Where to see the Giant Otter
Pteronura brasiliensis · mammal · Mustelidae
Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is recorded in 27 protected areas and wildlife sites across 4 countries in our database. The places with the strongest evidence are Yasuni National Park (Ecuador), Planície Alagável da Bacia do Alto Paraguai (Brazil) and Cristalino State Park (Brazil).

Where is the best place to see the Giant Otter?
Based on GBIF records and our guides, the best-documented places to see the Giant Otter are Yasuni National Park (Ecuador), Planície Alagável da Bacia do Alto Paraguai (Brazil) and Cristalino State Park (Brazil). Most sites are in Brazil (19), Peru (3) and Colombia (3).
Top 25 places for the Giant Otter
| # | Place | Country | GBIF records | Years | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yasuni National Park | Ecuador | 57 | 2017–2023 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 2 | Planície Alagável da Bacia do Alto Paraguai | Brazil | 41 | 2008–2022 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 3 | Cristalino State Park | Brazil | – | – | Reported by our guide |
| 4 | Parque Estadual Cristalino | Brazil | – | – | Reported by our guide |
| 5 | Amapá National Forest | Brazil | 20 | 2011–2020 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 6 | Encontro das Águas State Park | Brazil | 18 | 2012–2022 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 7 | Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas | Brazil | 18 | 2012–2022 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 8 | Área de Proteção Ambiental Meandros do Rio Araguaia | Brazil | 16 | 2009–2019 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 9 | Bajo Napo | Ecuador | 15 | 2018–2023 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 10 | Maracá Island Biological Reserve | Brazil | 8 | 2013 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 11 | Maracá Ecological Station | Brazil | 8 | 2013 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 12 | Maracá Biological Reserve | Brazil | 8 | 2013 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 13 | Reserva de la Biósfera del Manu | Peru | 8 | 1961–1999 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 14 | Amanã Sustainable Development Reserve | Brazil | 7 | 2012–2023 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 15 | Manu National Park | Peru | 7 | 1961–1991 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 16 | Parque Nacional Natural La Paya | Colombia | 6 | 1952–2019 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 17 | Reserva Natural de la Sociedad Civil El Lagunazo en Santa Clara | Colombia | 6 | 2018 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 18 | Parque Estadual do Cantão | Brazil | 5 | 2017–2019 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 19 | Tambopata National Reserve | Peru | 5 | 1992–2025 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 20 | Jaú National Park | Brazil | 4 | 2007–2008 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 21 | Serra do Pardo National Park | Brazil | 3 | 2009–2010 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 22 | Serra do Pardo | Brazil | 3 | 2009–2010 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 23 | Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Cristalino I | Brazil | 3 | 2001–2013 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 24 | DNMI Cinaruco | Colombia | 3 | 2015–2021 | Recorded on GBIF |
| 25 | Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Lote Cristalino | Brazil | 3 | 2001–2013 | Recorded on GBIF |
2 more places in the interactive map.
By country
Brazil: 19, Peru: 3, Colombia: 3 and Ecuador: 2.
Take it with you
Build a free printable field guide or e-book for any of these places, with photos and a checklist.
Make a field guide for Yasuni National ParkGBIF downloads: Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Colombia.
Data last updated 2026-11-05. Species–place links come from GBIF occurrence downloads (GBIF.org) matched to protected-area boundaries from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL) and other open boundary sources, plus places listed by our own guides. Record counts are what has been reported to GBIF, not population sizes. Reptiles and amphibians are never shown at park level. How this database works · Data sources and limits.