The flames are turning the Pantanal into an open-air tomb

Alligators, piranhas, snakes, toads… The fires in the Pantanal have transformed large areasthe largest swamp on the planet in an open-air grave where Brazilian environmental police are now looking for signs of animal life.

After the worst fires in November, with almost 4,000 fires, a historical record for that period, intermittent rains in the last day gave the biome a break, but left revealed the magnitude of the disaster.

Ash fields spread over many areas as far as the eye can see.

The floor is a black and gray carpet that creaks with every step. Palm leaves have withered and previously flooded pools, so characteristic of this ecosystem swamp, are burial grounds of charred fish.

The patrol of Captain Jorge Martins Júnior, Military Police for the Protection of the Environment of Mato Grosso do Sul, is unfortunately surprised by the extent of the damage: “Everything is burnt.”

They have been on fire so far this year more than a million hectares of the Brazilian Pantanal, although the ecosystem extends to Paraguay and Bolivia and is considered the largest jaguar sanctuary in the world. A good part of that area was consumed just this month.

It is a landscape ravaged by fire, barren of life, from which they could only escape The largest and most skilled animals escape, although not always.

The alligator, an extremely agile species, was unable to escape the flames and all that remained was its twisted shell. In the case of females of this reptile, if they are in the nesting phase, they remain to protect the eggs even if they are surrounded by flames.

To rescue the injured
The Environmental Protection Unit travels the Miranda River by speedboat with a mission: find injured animals to rescue in Pantanal do Rio Negro State Parkwhere it is suspected that a large fire broke out, fueled by high temperatures and strong gusts of wind.

The boat abruptly stops its course.

“Jaguar! Jaguar!” shouts one of the agents. There is a magnificent cat on the shore next to the log that was still smoking. They observe him for a few seconds to analyze his condition. Apparently it’s fine and they continue on their way.

Last week, another patrol rescued an injured toucan, which is now being treated at the police station.

They had to help a turtle desperately trying to escape fires linked to extreme drought in the Amazon, in northern Brazil, caused by El Niño and the worsening climate crisis, according to experts.

The fire, which on many occasions has been almost “impossible” to contain in the Pantanal due to its virulence, has also increased the number of traffic accidents.

“As their natural habitat burns, the animals seek refuge in higher ground without fire. The roads meet these conditions and that’s why accidents are increasing,” explains Martins Júnior to EFE.

Ecological and economic ruin
In addition to environmental damage, the wave of fires also hit the local population hard, especially those who live from tourism.

Ernesto Coutinho, manager of the ‘Passo do Lontra’ inn, says he “couldn’t sleep normally” for weeks because of fears the fire would engulf the hotel, built entirely of wood.

A few days ago, they suffered a fire in the generator area, which already caused them a loss of 500,000 reais (100,000 dollars – 94,000 euros). They currently have no guests.

“Drought is out of the question normally, and the fires end up making it difficult for tourists to visit, which is what drives the region. “It’s bad for us,” says this Angolan citizen who has been working in the Pantanal for almost a decade.

“Each year since I arrived has been hotter than the last and fires rarely hit us in a row. Now they do it practically every year,” he adds.

María Aparecida is also feeling the effects of the fire.

This lady of The 67-year-old lives with her husband in an isolated house a few meters from the lagoon where she has ‘domesticated animals’ dozens of alligators, which he uses as a tourist attraction, asking those who want to see them up close.

“This area is burning badly,” he comments, but remains optimistic. Trust that God will turn the situation around: “Everything will be all right.”