20 million animals killed by catastrophic tropical wetland wildfires last year

By Stephen Beech via SWNS

Up to 20 million animals were killed when catastrophic wildfires swept through the world's largest tropical wetland last year, according to a new report.

The wildfires in the Pantanal wetland of Brazil caused the immediate death of potentially 16.9 million vertebrates - including lizards, birds and primates, say scientists.

The fires burned between January and November 2020, causing massive damage to the world’s largest tropical wetland.

Researchers estimated wildfire animal deaths by counting carcasses in burned areas. They sampled carcasses at intervals along tracts of wetland - 114.4 kilometres (71 miles) in total - in the immediate aftermath of a fire.

They found 302 carcasses and, despite their poor condition, were able to identify the species in most cases.

The team then scaled up their numbers for both small vertebrates, with a body weight less than two kilos (4.4 lbs) and medium-to-large vertebrates, with a body weight greater than two kilos, to estimate how many animals were killed in total.

The authors estimate that between 13,206,700 and 18,811,300 small vertebrates were killed across the 39,030 square kilometer burnt area of the Pantanal wetlands between January and November last year.

Small vertebrates included small lizards, birds and rodents.

The research team also estimate that between 691,090 and 1,196,570 medium-to-large vertebrates were immediately killed, including primates.

They provide an overall total estimate of 16,952,000 vertebrates killed in the fires.

They say that their sampling likely missed several species known to have also been killed by the fires including jaguars, pumas and tapirs.

They also cautioned that their estimation does not reflect the full impact of the wildfires that would have caused subsequent animal deaths from habitat loss.

Study co-author Dr. Walfrido Tomas, of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), said: "The study highlights the catastrophic impact the 2020 wildfires had on wildlife in the Pantanal wetlands and the importance of preventing future disasters."

The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports.