Edson Vandeira's Image

The burnt corpse of a yacare caiman lies on what was once lush wetland in the Brazilian Pantanal. The unfortunate reptile was unable to outrun the flames and, with no water to run to, was burnt alive.

Most of the area's fires in 2020 were started by ranchers clearing land for cattle and soya, but because of a period of severe drought, and because the Brazilian government had not enforced a moratorium on fire-setting and had blocked resources for wildfire control, the fires spread out of control.

Edson spent two months volunteering with firefighters and veterinarians in the Pantanal, where he was witness to one of 2020's great tragedies. The fires are estimated to have incinerated at least a quarter of the plant cover of this vast floodplain and affected at least 65 million native vertebrates and 4 billion invertebrates, based on known species densities, profoundly altering the ecosystem.

Covering an area larger than the whole of Great Britain, the Pantanal is the world's largest tropical wetland. It lies mostly in Brazil but extends into Paraguay and Bolivia and is home to the largest aggregation of wildlife in South America.

Rampant deforestation and fires in the Amazon have also altered rainfall over the northern Pantanal. It is feared that much of the region may soon be transformed from wetland into dry savannah.

How you can help

• Land clearance for cattle is driving deforestation and ecosystem breakdown. Consider eating less meat and buying locally reared meat.
• Support organisations working to protect the world's wetlands.
• Talk to your family and friends about the situation in the Pantanal and encourage them to take steps to protect the world's wetlands.