According to biologists' estimates, more than 2 million animals have lost their lives in the fires in Bolvia: an important and worrying loss
After the devastating fires that hit the Amazon rainforest during the summer, the first estimates of the losses caused by the flames arrive. According to biologists, only 2,3 million wild animals have died in Bolivia including anteaters, tapirs, badgers but also faster animals such as pumas and jaguars.
"We consulted biologists from Chiquitania and surpassed the estimate of 2,3 million animals missing in many protected areas," said Sandra Quiroga, Professor at the University of Santa Cruz.
The estimate was made based on the number of charred carcasses found in the areas affected by the fires which have destroyed over four million hectares of Bolivian forest since August, including the XNUMX hectares of the Tucavaca reserve, east of Santa Cruz.
In the meantime, wildlife recovery centers are working to search for surviving animals and provide them with rescue, but finding the missing specimens is difficult and being able to guarantee them adequate care requires economic resources and lacking equipment in the facilities used to shelter injured animals.
The loss of so many specimens in such a limited time is worrying why significantly reduces biodiversity and this will have important and disastrous consequences on the ecosystem of the forest.
“The forest is completely charred and the damage is irreversible. It will never go back to normal again, ”Professor Quiroga added.
This summer they were registered 34.000 fires in Bolivia, 75% compared to last year.
The eastern area of Santa Cruz was the most affected and starting from August 5000 between firefighters and military are in action on the ground and on helicopters and firefighting planes to put out the flames, but to date the fires are not yet completely extinguished.
The Bolivian government follows the position of the Brazilian one and attributes the spread of the flames to the dry climate and winds.
Environmentalists, on the other hand, attribute the blame for the attacks to the policy of President Evo Morales who, like that of Bolsonaro, is encouraging the destruction of the forest to allow farmers and ranchers to extend their productive activities.
Read also:
- Fires in the Amazon: from the giant armadillo to the crowned eagle, 265 animal and plant species are at risk of extinction
- Amazonia: not only Brazil, Bolivia is also burning. A million hectares of forest on fire
- The Amazon rainforest is burning at a dizzying rate and the smoke is visible from space
Tatiana Maselli
Photo credit: Alerta Geo
