Over the last few weeks, the crisis facing the Amazon has engulfed news sites and our social feeds – sparking international concern for the largest tropical rainforest in the world.
Every year on 5 September, WWF marks Amazon Day, and we want to use this moment to remind you of the magnificence of the Amazon rainforest.
The Amazon contains 10 per cent of our entire planet's wildlife. But there are many other reasons why the rainforest is so important, including:
Roughly 100 billion tonnes of carbon are locked up in its plants and trees, making it vitally important in our global efforts to tackle climate change.
The Amazon is home to more than 30 million people living across a vast region, many of whom rely on the forest for their livelihoods.
The Amazon River flows for more than 6,600 km, and contains the largest number of freshwater fish species in the world.
But if it continues to burn, this rich ecosystem could be pushed to the brink of collapse.
There have been over 90,000 fires between January and August this year, a 71 per cent rise compared to the same period last year, and the Amazon is the biggest deforestation front in the world.
This Amazon Day, help protect this important rainforest and the people and wildlife who depend on it.
Together, we must secure a new deal for nature and people.
