Brazil Expands Pantanal Protected Areas by 70%
Why this is here: Brazil increased its protected Pantanal land by over 100,000 hectares during the opening ceremony of a major international conference on migratory species.
The Brazilian government increased the size of two protected areas in the Pantanal wetlands by 70 percent. The expansion adds 104,200 hectares to the Pantanal Matogrossense National Park and the Taiamã Ecological Station. This raises the total area of protected wetlands from 4.7% to 5.4% of the Pantanal.
The Ministry of Environment stated the expansion will strengthen the ecosystem’s resilience to climate change. It will also protect endangered species and fish breeding grounds. Expanded fire brigades will reinforce efforts to combat wildfires, a major threat to the wetlands.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced the expansion during the opening of the COP15 UN conference on migratory species. Silva said lasting prosperity in Latin America requires biodiversity protection. The Pantanal, a UNESCO World Heritage site shared by Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia, provides habitat for jaguars, tapirs, and anteaters.