The heroic effort in the Amazon to save the harpy eagle from deforestation

The heroic effort in the Amazon to save the harpy eagle from deforestation

Heroes of the harpy

Brazil-nut collectors, land owners and tourism providers are among the groups helping scientists to find a sustainable path to save Brazil’s harpy eagles (Harpia harpyja). The spectacular birds — whose talons can be larger than a grizzly bear’s claw — once ranged southern Mexico to northern Argentina. “We’re burning the world’s most biodiverse forest to raise a few skinny cows,” says biologist Everton Miranda. “To stop deforestation, we need to find a smart way of integrating the Amazon with the global economy.”

National Geographic | 12 min read