Deforestation in the Amazon is forcing jaguars into smaller, more fragmented areas—leading to deadly consequences for the species.
Imagine living your whole life in one place, only to wake up one day and see it destroyed—burned to the ground or bulldozed for someone else’s gain. That’s what’s happening to jaguars in Brazil’s Pantanal region, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.
Environmental authorities in Brazil found that a single cattle farm had cut down more than 1,000 hectares illegally—that’s two and a half times the size of an average professional football field. The farm is located in one of the most well-known territories for jaguars, the species who became the global symbol for the loss of biodiversity.
However, it isn’t just this one farm that is putting jaguars and other important species at risk.
To raise more cattle or grow massive amounts of animal feed like soy for pigs and chickens kept in factory farms, companies are clearing huge chunks of land. This destruction—known as deforestation or slash-and-burn agriculture—is turning lush forests into lifeless fields. And it’s pushing wildlife like jaguars out of their homes.
According to the BBC, as these habitats disappear, jaguars are forced into smaller and more fragmented areas, increasing their chances of coming into contact with humans—which often leads to deadly consequences for the animals. A study by the nonprofit Global Witness obtained by the BBC found that jaguars have already lost twenty-seven million hectares of native vegetation in Pará and Mato Grosso—an area that is larger than England, Scotland, and Wales combined.
A 2021 study estimated that around 1,400 jaguars were killed or displaced between 2016 and 2019—a shocking (and conservative) number. To put it in perspective, that would be like the population of São Paulo dropping by two percent every year. One of the researchers called the rate “alarming”—and it’s easy to see why.
As their habitats vanish, jaguars struggle to find food and are pushed closer to human settlements, where they may prey on farmed animals. This leads to dangerous human-wildlife conflict. Just like in the US, where ranchers often kill coyotes or wolves to prevent them from preying on farmed animals, Brazilian farmers have begun hunting jaguars. Tragically, this not only puts the species further at risk, but also fuels the illegal wildlife trade, with jaguar parts ending up in domestic and international markets.
But it gets worse.
Deforestation doesn’t just displace wildlife. It makes wildfires more intense and frequent. Without trees to hold moisture and protect the soil, land dries out quickly and becomes a fire hazard. Fires—whether started by accident or deliberately set to clear land—can spread fast and destroy everything in their path.
According to the Western Fire Chiefs Association, while wildfires can temporarily enrich soil with nutrients from ash, they come with serious downsides. These fires reduce air quality, release massive amounts of greenhouse gases, and drastically lower local biodiversity—exactly what we’re seeing in jaguar habitats.
The smoke from these fires doesn’t just stay local, either. It can travel far and wide, disrupting weather patterns and reducing rainfall. Less rain means drier conditions, which fuels even more fires. It’s a vicious cycle. In 2019 alone, nearly 85 percent of the wildfires that scorched between 1,640 and 4,000 square miles of the Amazon rainforest occurred right next to areas that had been deforested the year before. With fewer trees to retain moisture and regulate temperature, these regions became hotter, drier, and windier—perfect conditions for wildfires to spiral out of control.
According to Global Forest Watch, fires around the world have increased three percent annually in the past twenty years, even in areas that have regular fires as part of the ecosystem. In the Pantanal, fires have become more common since the 2000s, wiping out entire ecosystems and burning animals alive. Jaguars that survive lose the forest they depend on for food, shelter, and safety.
This is yet another reason why World Animal Protection is calling for an end to factory farming. Not only is it cruel to the billions of animals trapped inside these systems, but it also fuels environmental destruction that harms wild animals, too.
One of those wild animals who almost lost everything is Xamã, who was rescued from the Sinop region of Brazil in August 2022. Because he was about two months old and just over twenty-two pounds, World Animal Protection and our rescue partners in the region concluded he was separated from his mother who was fleeing from a large forest fire that occurred in the area.
After more than two years of developing critical survival skills in an enclosure in the Amazon, Xamã was released on October 21, 2024—marking him as the first male jaguar to be rehabilitated in Brazil and freed into his natural habitat!
Protecting jaguars like Xamã means keeping their habitats safe and intact. That starts with reducing the demand for factory-farmed meat and investing in sustainable food systems that don’t rely on destroying the planet. Choosing more plant-based foods is a powerful way to reduce pressure on forests and protect wild animals in their homes.
You can help animals like Xamã recover from devastating wildfires and protect their future by joining The Wild Side. With your help, we can ensure that all wild animals maintain their right to live a wild life.