Tocantins: The Next Survivor Location

A Closer Look at Survivor: Tocantins & a Primer on the Brazilian Highlands of Tocantins

Starting February 12, 2009, Survivor fans can enjoy the 18th season of Survivor. Survivor 18 will be located in the previously obscure region of Tocantins, one of the states in Brazil.  Survivor: Tocantins (pronounced by Jeff Probst as toe'-can-cheens) is the second Survivor season to be filmed in Brazil. The terrain in Tocantins will be different than what we saw in Survivor 6, filmed on the Amazon river. Survivor: Tocantins will be located in the Jalapão Desert of the Brazilian Highlands. Filming began in the beginning of November, according to Samuel Daltan on the official website of Tocantins, Brazil.

Climate

Tocantins is located in an equatorial climate and has no dry season. We can expect the Tocantins Survivors to get wet a lot, and a good shelter will be very important. Tocantins is located at the boundary of the Amazon rainforest and the coastal savannah, and Survivor video footage that has leaked out on YouTube shows both desert and tropical scenes.

The YouTube footage pictures beautiful waterfalls, lush rainforest, barren desert, and dry brushland. Animals of the area include anaconda, jaguars, emu, toucans, parrots, foxes, wolves, and crocodiles. This Survivor is located on the banks of the Rio Novo. The river is crystal clear, and is described by the official Tocantins web site as "one of the last rivers of drinking water in the world". It is surrounded by beautiful beaches and wilderness.

Culture

Survivor always tries to integrate a little of the local culture into the show. In previous seasons, Survivors have competed for rewards like having a local come into camp to teach them survival skills, shopped in local markets, or participated in local rituals. CBS employed around 180 Brazilians during the filming.