Thursday,
January 12, 2006 Posted: 1925 GMT (0325 HKT)
The threat
mirrors the more publicized situation in the Amazon, where ranchers and loggers
have cleared vast areas of the rain forest at an alarming rate.
The
Pantanal, an area of low-lying forests, marshes and dry plains, covers about
77,230 square miles (200,000 square kilometers) in the western Brazilian states
of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul near the borders with Bolivia and
Paraguay.
It is home
to a huge variety of wildlife, including jaguars, anteaters, tapirs and
crocodiles, and it floods in the rainy season.
The
Conservation International report said deforestation had destroyed 17 percent
of the natural vegetation of the Pantanal and if it continued unchecked, all
the original forest would disappear within 45 years.
Scientists
used satellite images to compare the deforested areas with those that still had
natural vegetation.
"They
concluded that agriculture, cattle grazing and coal mining are the major
threats to the Paraguay River
Basin, a
significant hydrographical drainage of the South American continent," it
said.
Overall in
the Paraguay River Basin, which includes the Pantanal, ranching and agriculture
has destroyed almost
45 percent
of the original vegetation.
The
destruction had put wildlife and the ecological system at risk.
"These
locations contribute to wildlife populations and serve as refuges for the fauna
during unfavorable seasons, sheltering species that migrate to avoid floods and
climate extremes," said Sandro Menezes, manager of Conservation's Pantanal
program.
It mentioned
the hyacinth macaw, which is threatened with extinction because the manduvi
tree where it shelters and breeds is being wiped out.
Calling
the Pantanal situation critical, the report urged action at local, state and
government levels to stop the destruction and to restore damaged areas.
Thursday, January 12,
2006 Posted: 1925 GMT (0325 HKT)
A maior área alagada do mundo, o Pantanal do
Brasil, está sendo destruído pelo aumento da agricultura, criação e mineração,
de acordo com um relatório pela conservadora ambiental Conservation
International.
The threat mirrors
the more publicized situation in the Amazon, where ranchers and loggers have
cleared vast areas of the rain forest at an alarming rate.
A ameaça reflete com mais publicidade a situação no
Amazonas, onde fazendeiros e madeireiros limpam vastas áreas de floresta
tropical a uma taxa alarmante.
The Pantanal, an
area of low-lying forests, marshes and dry plains, covers about 77,230 square
miles (200,000 square kilometers) in the western Brazilian states of Mato
Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul near the borders with Bolivia and Paraguay.
O Pantanal, uma área de baixa florestas, pântanos e planície seca, cobre certa de 77.230 milhas quadradas (200.000 quilômetros quadrados) no oeste brasileiro nos estados do Mato Grosso e Mato Grosso do Sul próximo dos países vizinhos Bolívia e Paraguai.
It is home to a huge
variety of wildlife, including jaguars, anteaters, tapirs and crocodiles, and
it floods in the rainy season.
É um local de grande variedade de vida selvagem,
incluindo onças, tamanduás, antas e jacarés, e suas inundações no período da chuva.
The Conservation
International report said deforestation had destroyed 17 percent of the natural
vegetation of the Pantanal and if it continued unchecked, all the original
forest would disappear within 45 years.
A Conservation International diz em seu relatório que a desflorestação destrói 17 por cento da vegetação natural do Pantanal e se isto continuar incontrolado, a floresta original desaparecerá dentro de 45 anos.
Scientists used
satellite images to compare the deforested areas with those that still had
natural vegetation.
Cientistas usam imagens de satélites para comparar
a desflorestação das áreas com aquelas que possuem vegetação natural.
"They concluded
that agriculture, cattle grazing and coal mining are the major threats to the
Paraguay River
Basin, a significant
hydrographical drainage of the South American continent," it said.
“Eles concluem que a agricultura, pastoreio de gado
e a mineração de carvão são ameaças maiores para a Bacia do Rio Paraguai, uma
significante bacia hidrográfica do continente Sulamericano”, ele dizem.
Overall in the
Paraguay River Basin, which includes the Pantanal, ranching and agriculture has
destroyed almost
45 percent of the
original vegetation.
Em toda parte da Bacia do Rio Paraguai, que inclui
o Pantanal, fazendeiros e agricultores destruíram quase 45 por centro da
vegetação original.
The destruction had
put wildlife and the ecological system at risk.
A destruição colocar a vida selvagem e o sistema ecológico em risco.
"These
locations contribute to wildlife populations and serve as refuges for the fauna
during unfavorable seasons, sheltering species that migrate to avoid floods and
climate extremes," said Sandro Menezes, manager of Conservation's Pantanal
program.
“Estas locações contribuem para a população da vida selvagem e serve para refugiar a fauna durante as estações desfavoráveis, protegendo espécies que migram para escapar das enchentes e dos climas extremos,” disse Sandro Menezes, dirigente do programa de conservação do Pantanal.
It mentioned the
hyacinth macaw, which is threatened with extinction because the manduvi tree
where it shelters and breeds is being wiped out.
Foi mencionado uma arara (hyacinth macaw), que está ameaçada de extinção por causa que a árvore manduvi que a protege e está sendo eliminada.
Calling the Pantanal
situation critical, the report urged action at local, state and government
levels to stop the destruction and to restore damaged areas.
Chamando a situação de crítica no Pantanal, o relatório que pede urgência de uma ação no local de diversos níveis de estado e do governo para parar a destruição e restaurar as áreas prejudicadas.
Reuters -2006