Peruvian rainforest

Geography case study - Peruvian rainforest (Amazon)

What percentage of all bird species live in the Peruvian Rainforest?

About 45%

What percentage of all mammal species live in the Peruvian Rainforest?

About 60%

Why is timber useful in the Peruvian Rainforest?

There are many highly valued hardwood trees in Peru and logging is widespread

Why are minerals useful in the Peruvian Rainforest?

There are valuable minerals including oil, natural gas and gold

Why is hydro-electricity useful in the Peruvian Rainforest?

There are plans to construct fifteen large dams in the Peruvian Amazon, primarily to export electricity to supply Brazil’s giant aluminium and extractive industries

Why are Indigenous tribes important in the Peruvian Rainforest?

Many traditional tribes live in the Peruvian Amazon

Why are Medicinal Plants useful in the Peruvian Rainforest?

The Peruvian Amazon has many medical plants Scientists believe that some rainforest plants can help cure diseases such as cancer, aid digestion and even help cure addiction, and the possibility of more plants as yet to be discovered. 

How is timber a threat to biodiversity?

There are many valuable hardwood trees in the rainforest, in particular the mahogany tree. Up to 95 per cent is thought to be unregulated and illegal. Profits are so high that trees are even being felled in protected areas such as National Parks.

How is energy a threat to biodiversity?

There are valuable reserves of oil and natural gas in the Peruvian Amazon. China has invested in oil exploitation in the Madre de Dios region an area that is home to more than 10 per cent of the world’s bird species and a popular destination for eco-tourists. The extraction of oil can lead to oil leaks and serious pollution of water courses.

How is gold mining a threat to biodiversity?

Gold is found in river deposits in the Peruvian Amazon. This is exploited by huge machines and often involves the blasting of river banks and the removal of rainforest to provide access to remote areas. Mercury is used in the operation and this is highly toxic, causing considerable harm to aquatic ecosystems and poisoning local tribes who depend upon rivers for food and water. An area where this has been happening is Madre de Dios.

How are highways a threat to biodiversity?

one of the most significant threats to Peru’s rain forests is the Trans-oceanic Highway, a road project that will connect Pacific ports to a major highway in Brazil.The improved road will lead to deforestation and will worsen illegal logging in the region’s protected areas.

How is agriculture a threat to biodiversity?

Areas are being deforested to create land for farming, particularly for growing soybeans and for rearing cattle. Fires used to clear land can sometimes burn out of control, wiping out valuable habitats and killing animals.

How is the threat of deforestation being managed?

Snce 2000, management plans are required for all forest-related harvesting activities. With so much illegal logging and such a vast area to police, implementation of this law faces huge problems. 

How is the threat of gold mining being managed?

In areas like Madre de Dios, the lure of gold mining and the fact that areas can be more easily accessed by the Oceanic Highways has caused much illegal logging that can be hard to stop as people can make 10-100 times more in a day from gold than they make in a month from farming. To reduce this the area established 7 army bases to tackle illegal mining. The army has powers to arrest miners and destroy their platfoms and camps. This policy has reduced rates of deforestation in this area. 

How are these threats being managed for the Indigenous community?

Indigenous community reserves have been established, giving local communities land ownership and rights over the extraction of materials from their land. These communities have their own sustainable management plans. 

What is the Purus-Manus conservation corridoor

The Purus-Manu Conservation Corridor is in the Madre de Dios region in southeast Peru close to the border with Brazil. Comprising an area of over 10 million hectares, this is the largest preserved area in the Peruvian Amazon. It is recognised as being one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. There are around 60 local communities that depend on the rainforest for water, food, medicine, clothing and housing. Some of these communities are among the most isolated in the rainforest and wish to remain so. It functions as a refuge for threatened species, such as river dolphins, red howler monkeys, spectacled bears and mahogany.