The 58,069-hectare Peruvian reserve holds white-sand forests, Nanay River floodplain habitats and hundreds of species. Its proximity to Iquitos supports research and tourism but also exposes highly specialized habitats to logging and urban expansion.
Podocnemis sextuberculata lost more than half its population over 36 years in the Brazilian Amazon and moved from near threatened to endangered on the national list. The decision calls for nest protection, trafficking controls and management with river communities.
New mapping identifies Brazilian forests that are crucial for recycling moisture toward Peru and Bolivia. The proposal targets conservation where atmospheric flows converge and where deforestation, roads and gaps in legal protection threaten the regional water cycle.