The catastrophic effects of Pantanal fires on wildlife

After being ravaged by fire, Brazil’s Pantanal wetland is set to endure a long and severe period of famine, with several animal and plant species at risk of extinction. These are just some of the direct and indirect consequences for the biome, which has been burning out of control for over two months thanks to a series of forest fires that have already destroyed 23 percent of the Pantanal this year alone.

The potential impact for the fauna and flora in the Pantanal — the largest wetland in the world — are laid out in a report by the Instituto Homem Pantaneiro, the organization in charge of several environmental reserves within the Pantanal, specifically in the Serra do Amolar region.

The findings are attached to the Federal Police’s inquiry into the wave of fire outbreaks, which investigates four farmers for allegedly starting blazes that destroyed over 25,000 hectares of vegetation.

Irreversible changes for wildlife

The Pantanal is home to a huge wealth of wildlife species, including at least 130 mammals, 80 reptiles, 460 birds, 30 amphibians, and 260 different types of fish. Among the most famous animals in the region, jaguars are suffering from the effects of the widespread fires, alongside tapirs, deer, alligators, toucans, Tuiuiu storks, snakes, and macaws.

The Instituto Homem Pantaneiro report shows that the biome’s animals will suffer from increased exposure to predators, changes in their habitats and...