Juan Pablo Ampudia

Documentary Photographer

AMAZON WILDIFIRE SANCTUARY

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Clients: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, GATOPARDO, LOS ANGELES TIMES, UNICEF, INSIDER

School: Centro de Estudios en Ciencias de la Comunicacion Foundry Photojournalism Workshop

This armadillo is one of 70 ani...f his release back to the wild.

This armadillo is one of 70 animals rescued from the fire zones around Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and treated in Centro de Rescate para Víctimas de Incendios Biotermal, a hotel turned animal treatment center in the small community of Aguas Calientes. Hotel owner José Sierra tries to calm the animal ahead of his release back to the wild.

Young volunteers from Robor&...ix million acres in the region.

Young volunteers from Roboré, a town about 20 miles from Aguas Calientes, attempt to extinguish flames. The young men work as a group to fight the fires that have already burned more than six million acres in the region.

Veterinarian Fabiola Su&aac...n't survive the night.

Veterinarian Fabiola Suárez cradles an orphaned baby peccary at the rescue center in Aguas Calientes. The baby, recovered from a fire zone, didn't survive the night.

Each day, staffers and voluntee...ors, they leave corn and water.

Each day, staffers and volunteers at the center go out to search for surviving animals. They see many skeletons. For any unseen survivors, they leave corn and water.

Baby parrots receive care at th...ought the birds to the shelter.

Baby parrots receive care at the rescue center in Aguas Calientes. They were saved by members of the indigenous Ayoreos tribe following a fire in their village. Police brought the birds to the shelter.

Veterinarians at the center tre... and new bandages to the burns.

Veterinarians at the center treat an anteater, named Valentina, whose legs were badly burned. Here, they apply ointment, medication, and new bandages to the burns.

A volunteer feeds a young parak...r the animals around the clock.

A volunteer feeds a young parakeet at the center. Volunteers from Santa Cruz University and a local wildlife park are helping care for the animals around the clock.

This baby armadillo was found o...nicipal Zoo for long-term care.

This baby armadillo was found on the side of a road, disoriented and dehydrated. Although it made a full recovery, it was too young to return to the wild and has been taken to Santa Cruz Municipal Zoo for long-term care.

The rescue team leaves water an...d water are almost always gone.

The rescue team leaves water and seeds in palm husks for surviving animals. When they return the next day to check the sites, the food and water are almost always gone.

$Two toucans found by residents ...h had fractures in their wings.$

Two toucans found by residents of a nearby community rest inside cages. Severely dehydrated, both had fractures in their wings.

Biologist Daniela Vidal monitor...ee burns, she fell into a coma.

Biologist Daniela Vidal monitors Valentina the anteater's vital signs. Shortly after Valentina was admitted with third-degree burns, she fell into a coma.

After 18 hours, Valentina emerg... enjoys some milk and termites.

After 18 hours, Valentina emerged from her coma and slowly started to eat. Here, she enjoys some milk and termites.

Valentina's burned feet...mp;#39;ll make a full recovery.

Valentina's burned feet are kept wrapped in bandages. Although healing will be slow, her veterinarians are hopeful that she'll make a full recovery.

Milagros ("Miracles&am...iving treatment, Milagros died.

Milagros ("Miracles") suffered fourth-degree burns on her face and neck when she was trapped by fire in a fenced field. By the time she arrived at the rescue center, she'd already suffered for several days. Despite receiving treatment, Milagros died.

Volunteer firefighters from the...hrough brush toward the flames.

Volunteer firefighters from the community of Roboré light their path as they move through brush toward the flames.

Volunteers from nearby San Lore...t have closed in on their town.

Volunteers from nearby San Lorenzo prepare to fight new fires that have closed in on their town.

An aerial view of destroyed lem...rates the scale of destruction.

An aerial view of destroyed lemon trees in Roboré illustrates the scale of destruction.

Staff from the Aguas Calientes ...equipment, and long-term staff.

Staff from the Aguas Calientes rescue center, joined by government officials, release a hawk that made a full recovery. The facility has a temporary government permit, but owner José Sierra emphasizes the need to make it permanent in order to receive funding, equipment, and long-term staff.

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Public Project

AMAZON WILDIFIRE SANCTUARY

Copyright Juan Pablo Ampudia 2024

Date of Work Sep 2019 - Sep 2019

Updated Feb 2022

Location Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Topics Aerial, Agriculture, Animals, Climate Change, Community, Conservation, Documentary, Dying/Death, Editorial, Environment, Fire, Forest, Hope, Journalism, Landscape, Latin America, Loss, Nature, Photography, Photojournalism, Portraiture, Reportage, Still life, Wildlife

Nothing in the Amazon is adapted to deal with the fires raging across parts of Bolivia and Brazil—most set intentionally to clear forest for agriculture. To date in the Chiquitanía region around Santa Cruz, six million acres of forest have burned. The toll the blazes are taking on the Amazon’s wildlife may never be known. Still, eyewitness accounts illustrate the consequences for individual animals—and the tremendous challenges facing the people trying to help. A rescue center, called Centro de Rescate para Víctimas de Incendios Biotermal opened in a small hotel in Aguas Calientes, a town of about 900 people outside Santa Cruz, Bolivia. They’ve rescued and treated 100 animals so far, and are out in the fire zones every day looking for more.
Inside the efforts to help animals hurt by the Amazon fires
Across Bolivia and Brazil, wild animals are dying in the blazes. One rescue center is working to help every survivor.

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