Scientists from the Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon (IIAP), in collaboration with the Urarina people, have identified new species of flora in the flooded forests of the Pastaza Fan in 2025.
This area is one of the most important and least altered ecosystems in the Amazon. The discovery, made in April in the upper Tigrillo River basin in Loreto, highlights the extraordinary biodiversity of this zone.
The study recorded animals, plants, and fungi that could be new to science. Final confirmation awaits DNA analysis and taxonomic reviews. This underscores the urgent need to protect these ecosystems from deforestation and pollution.
Indigenous Knowledge
The research involved active participation from indigenous elders, who shared traditional knowledge about plant, animal, and fungi use, as well as sustainable land management techniques.
The Urarina people, numbering approximately 5000, live in the heart of the Pastaza Fan. Their way of life, based on fishing, hunting, subsistence agriculture, and gathering, exemplifies harmonious coexistence with nature.
Conservation Implications
The research results not only enrich scientific knowledge about the Peruvian Amazon but also reinforce the role of indigenous peoples in protecting their environment. It will serve as a baseline for future conservation and territorial management projects.