Amazon Stories

The report, New Species of Vertebrates and Plants in the Amazon 2014-2015, details 381 new species that were discovered over 24 months, including 216 plants, 93 fish, 32 amphibians, 20 mammals, 19 reptiles and one bird.

On a river in Brazil, a quadcopter drone whirred over the water, transmitting a stream of images to a computer. Researchers and the small aircraft had the same job: spotting river dolphins.

The innovative tool, known as Project Finance for Permanence, has provided a brilliant approach to cover the costs associated with maintaining protected areas in Brazil.

Behind beef, soy is the second largest agricultural driver of deforestation worldwide. From the Northern Great Plains of the U.S. to the Amazon of Brazil, forests, grasslands, and wetlands are being plowed up to make room for more soy production. 

The Amazon’s animal athletes demonstrate skill and strength humans can only envy.

Eduardo Escompani Viñas is a shiringuero; he collects natural latex from shiringa trees. He and the other members of ECOMUSA, a cooperative of natural rubber producers, feel duty-bound to protect their natural resources and their way of life. They demonstrate that there are ways to reap the value and benefit of forests without harming them.

 

WWF’s plan to secure a permanent future for some of the highest-priority protected areas on Earth

Capturing atmospheric data in the Amazon

A growing number of cooks in Peru rely on the country’s protected areas—parks, nature reserves, and sanctuaries—to keep their menus vibrant and their customers satisfied. That's part of why WWF is working with the Peruvian government and partners to fund the proper management of protected areas.

Public, private, national, and international partners, including WWF, are working on a way to fund the permanent protection of Peru’s natural treasures. Such funds could be used to conduct wildlife surveys, create jobs in ecotourism, and purchase equipment that enables park rangers to better patrol protected areas.

WWF's Meg Symington describes the luck and rewards of working to save the Amazon rain forest.

How indigenous communities, government agencies, nonprofits and businesses work together to stop the clearing of forests

The Amazon, central Africa, the Mekong. These are home to some of the world’s most species-rich, culturally significant and stunningly beautiful forests. But large swaths of these forests, and many others around the world, may not be there in 15 years if we don’t do more to save them.

A shaky platform allows a snapshot that soars

The sounds and silences of floating down the Amazon

A model for conservation, the Amazon Region Protected Areas ensures 150 million acres—three times the size of all US parks combined—of the Amazon are protected for life.

WWF is only one voice among many

Journey into the world’s largest tropical forest—and uncover one of the biggest conservation initiatives the world has ever seen.

The Global Environment Facility: Big solutions for a small planet

Sloths—the adorable and lethargic animals living in treetops—depend on the health and survival of Central and South American tropical forests. Take a look at some common questions about sloths whose habitat WWF helps protect.

Sharing the world through reading, writing and ecology

Evolving efforts to save the world’s largest rain forest