The environmental disaster in the Pantanal is devastating, and it is not over yet. Even though it rained for a few days in October, animals are still dying of hunger, suffering from burns, and a large part of the forest has turned to ash, while residents of the region have had their homes burned, losing everything they had.
However, amidst one of the greatest tragedies ever recorded in the biome, solidarity and volunteer work are making a difference and alleviating the consequences of this ecological disaster. In particular, it is worth 
highlighting the story of unity from the NGO Ampara, led by Marcele Becker, and Pantanal tour guide, Eduarda Fernandes, who met during this tragedy and joined forces to try to save the forest.
One of the first people to witness this tragedy and try to take action was the region’s tour guide and founder of Wild Jaguar Safaris, Eduarda Fernandes. She recounts that it all started in July when she saw the fire spots and smoke still far away. “Three days later, the fire increased drastically, and I began to find several injured animals in need of help. Then, I had the idea of forming a wildlife rescue group. I managed to get everything set up in a week, and coincidentally, our veterinarian also worked with Ampara, which is when our partnership was formed.”
She reports that at first, all the help came from local NGOs and volunteers. Soon, images began circulating on social media, and this environmental disaster caught the attention of international NGOs willing to help. In the meantime, Eduarda and other volunteers launched a fundraiser on Instagram called “Pantanal Relief Fund” and managed to raise $75,000, which helped hire veterinarians, acquire more equipment to rescue and care for the animals, and finance the placement of feeding troughs for the animals that were starving.
Regarding her personal experience as someone who works in the area, hiking and walking through the forest, Eduarda says she is at a loss for words to describe how she feels. “There are places where I used to walk every day, and I can no longer recognize them; the same trail has now turned to ash, trees have 
burned completely and turned to dust; it is a desolate and catastrophic scene,” she laments.
The NGO Ampara Silvestre has been around for four years, and with its specific department for rehabilitating animals and helping them return to nature, it began operating in the Pantanal with 15 volunteers assisting in actions for the animals rescued from the fires, such as bringing food and water to them and treating burns on their paws and bodies.
In an interview with Amparo co-founder Marcele Becker, she states that despite some rain in recent days, the situation is still bad. “We mainly operate in the Transpantaneira area, and our concerns now are: the soil that continues to burn from within and injuring the animals’ paws, thirst due to lack of water, and hunger because all the trees have been burned.” She adds that 80% of the Encontro das Águas State Park has been completely destroyed.
Just as Eduarda reported, Marcele Becker agrees that this tragedy could have been avoided if help had been quicker. Both Marcele and Eduarda add that amidst all this, the greatest lesson is to recognize the importance of forests as a source of life for humans to live in this world. And never forget that if the forests are destroyed, all living beings will also die.Data
According to the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe), fires in the Brazilian Pantanal region increased by 210% in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. Considering the period from January to September 2019, there were 4,660 fires recorded in 2020, with 14,489 hotspots recorded. Until then, the record was 12,536 fires in 2015, surpassed in the first seven months of 2020.
A study published by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Copernicus System of the European Union revealed that fires in New South Wales (Australia), Siberian Arctic, the west coast of the United States, and the Brazilian Pantanal were the largest ever recorded. The research was based on 18 years of data on global wildfires compiled by organizations.
VIVIANE FAVER
Journalist
vfaver@gmail.com