Why is Brazil’s Pantanal breaking wildfire records? It has lost the most water since 1985, says study

Sub: Geography

Sec: Mapping

About Pantanal:

It is the world’s largest freshwater tropical wetland, located in South America
The Pantanal spans over 179,000 sq km in Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia and boasts.
It is one of Earth’s most biodiverse ecosystems and one of the highest concentrations of flora and fauna in South America.
Amazon rainforest located to its north
The headwaters of the region’s two major river systems, the Cuiabá and the Paraguay rivers, are located here,
Some of the Pantanal’s most lively inhabitants include jaguars, giant anteaters, piranha, howler and capuchin monkeys, and green anacondas—the world’s largest snakes
unlike the Amazon, where the thick jungle obscures the view, the Pantanal is such an open environment
Part of the Pantanal is UNESCO World Heritage site

Record Wildfires in the Pantanal:

The Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland, experienced unprecedented wildfires this year, setting January-June records.
Fires are primarily due to significant water loss; 2023 saw a 61% reduction in annual water surface compared to historical averages.
Only 2.6% of the Pantanal was covered by water last year, a significant decrease from previous years.
2024 has seen peak drought conditions with no flood peaks, making fires difficult to control.

Impact on Biodiversity:

Fires in the Pantanal have increased over tenfold compared to last year, with fears of another record-breaking fire year.
The Pantanal is home to significant biodiversity, including caiman, capybara, and the highest density of jaguars.

Water Surface Reductions in Other Biomes:

The Amazon: Water surface was reduced by 3.3 million hectares in 2023, suffering a severe drought that caused isolation of populations and deaths of aquatic species.
The Pampa (The grasslands that cover a large area in southern Brazil, northern Argentina and Uruguay): Water surface area of reservoirs was 40% below average.

Positive News from the Cerrado:

Cerrado is a vast area of tropical savanna in eastern Brazil.
- The core areas of the Cerrado biome are the Brazilian highlands – the Planalto.
The Cerrado saw its largest water surface since 1985, totalling 1.6 million hectares, 11% above historical averages.
The increase occurred in anthropogenic areas, though natural water bodies lost surface area.

Overall Water Coverage in Brazil:

In 2023, water covered 18.3 million hectares of Brazil, 2% of the national territory.
This represents a 1.5% decrease compared to historical averages, with a loss of water every month compared to 2022.

Source: DTE