Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest directly threatens the welfare of hundreds of mammal species through habitat destruction, fragmentation, hunting pressure, and displacement.
The welfare impacts of deforestation are immediate and severe. Animals displaced by chainsaw and fire suffer acute trauma, burns, and disorientation. Those that survive immediate destruction face a fragmented landscape where food, water, and mates are scarce. Large mammals like jaguars and giant anteaters require vast territories and cannot survive in small forest patches. Primates may starve when fruiting trees are removed. Road construction through forests increases hunting pressure and vehicle strikes. The suffering caused by industrial deforestation represents one of the largest-scale welfare emergencies affecting wild mammals globally.