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Juan Pablo Ampudia

An anteater, its paws burned, recovers from its injuries by snacking on milk and ants at a sanctuary in Aguas Calientas, Bolivia. Fires raged across Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay in 2019. Most were set deliberately to clear the land for plantations, with a colossal toll on the wildlife – particularly the slow moving animals like anteaters and sloths, but even swift creatures like monkeys. In Brazil’s Pantanal wetlands, the damage was devastating. The following year, in 2020, the Pantanal burned again – and the area affected by fire tripled.

Wildfires, seasonally supercharged by dry spells and extreme heatwaves, decimate ecosystems and release carbon from one of its most stable stores – trees – into the atmosphere. This self-spiralling cycle can ultimately lead to regeneration, but in a world already depleted of its forest, enduring a human catalysed extinction event and suffering rising temperatures, fire – quite apart from the human cost – is a foe we cannot afford. This aerial view of destroyed lemon trees in Robore, Bolivia, illustrates the scale of wildfire destruction against an area untouched by the flames.

This armadillo was rescued from the fire zones around Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and treated in a hotel-turned-animal-hospital in the small community of Aguas Calientes. Hotel owner José Sierra tries to calm the animal ahead of his release back to the wild. From "Inside the efforts to help animals hurt by the Amazon fires," September 2019.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.