“Apocalyptic… a tragedy of colossal proportions,” described Luciana Leite, a scholar of ecology at the Federal University of Bahia, as she witnessed plumes of smoke obscuring the sky in Pantanal’s flaming forests in South America. Fires are no rare occurrence in the world’s largest wetland, but scientists have observed a whopping 3,682 fires in the Pantanal forests in 2020, triple the number of fires that occurred in 2019. This massive spike in wildfires has critically harmed the area’s wildlife and rich biodiversity.
Volunteer veterinarians are scrambling to rescue and heal as many animals as they can, especially jaguars, whose population is starting to decrease at an alarming rate. Panthera, a wild cat conservation organization, estimates that at least 600 jaguars are at risk due to the rampant wildfires. One such jaguar is Ousado (pictured here on the left), who suffered second-degree burns during the recent wildfires in the Pantanal forests. On September 11, 2020, veterinarians found Ousado, barely able to walk on a riverbank. Ousado’s veterinarians treated his injuries for more than a month with various techniques, such as ozone and laser therapies, and on October 20, Ousado finally was released back into the wild. With his burns healed, Ousado bounded into the forest.
Other injured jaguars are not as lucky as Ousado. For example, the tendons of Amanaci, a jaguar who suffered third-degree burns in the Pantanal fires, were irreversibly damaged. In an attempt to accelerate her rate of healing, Amanaci has been receiving injections of stem cells, a new form of treatment. Nevertheless, Amanaci is unable to extend her claws, rendering a return to the wild impossible.
Although the Pantanal fires are yet another example of the climate’s worsening condition, the response to it shows the positive impact of altruistic volunteers willing to spend time and resources to preserve the vibrant diversity of the Pantanal.