The largest river on Earth is actually in the sky – Iseult Gillespie

VIDEOSCRIPT:

The Amazon, the largest rainforest in the world, exists between two rivers—but not in the traditional sense. At ground level, the Amazon River and its tributaries weave their path. Above the canopy, larger waterways, known as “flying rivers,” are on the move. These nearly invisible aerial waterways are essential to life on Earth.

As rain infiltrates the soil, trees draw water up through their roots, pumping it through their trunks and out through the leaves and stems, a process known as transpiration. In the Amazon, a single mature tree transpires between 200 and 1,000 liters of water daily, creating a massive release of water vapor into the atmosphere. This process produces a startling phenomenon: immense jets of humid air that continually flow above the canopy, carrying about 20 billion tons of water through the air each day—more than the Amazon River’s daily outflow into the ocean.

Along the equator, trade winds move from east to west, carrying these flying rivers toward the Andes mountains. The Andes act as a natural barrier, forcing the winds and the flying rivers to redirect southwards. When they encounter colder air, the water vapor condenses, leading to heavy torrents of water. In this way, flying rivers bring rain, cooler temperatures, and humidity across much of South America.

However, these essential flying rivers are under threat. Deforestation for agriculture and industry in the Amazon is already causing them to dry up, leading to drought and rising temperatures across South America. If this trend continues, vast swaths of land could become desert-like within a few decades. In response, an urgent movement has emerged to preserve the rainforest—and, with it, the flying rivers.

In the northwest of the Peruvian Amazon, the indigenous people of the Wampís Nation, a community of over 15,000, manage over 130,000 square kilometers of land. For thousands of years, they have practiced sustainable hunting, fishing, and agriculture, living in harmony with the rainforest. Historically, the Wampís people have defended their land from invaders, expelling the Incas and later resisting Spanish colonists in the 15th to 17th centuries. Today, they are fighting against extractive industries that threaten the forest and their way of life.

Since the 1960s, the Peruvian government has granted licenses, or sanctions, to corporations for gold mining and oil extraction in Wampís territory. These activities poison rivers, clear thousands of trees, and endanger the Wampís lifestyle. In 2015, after years of protests and negotiations, the community formed the Autonomous Territorial Government to assert control over their lands, forests, and internal affairs. Although they remain Peruvian citizens, the Wampís seek recognition as a self-governing entity responsible for their land.

The Wampís Nation emphasizes collective land ownership, cultural preservation, and the protection of animals, plants, and natural cycles essential to the rainforest. This approach aligns with their philosophy, “Tarimat Pujut,” which promotes living in harmony with nature to ensure food, friendships, and quality of life. The Wampís’ lush, humid forests are crucial to the flying river cycle, contributing over 34 million liters of water daily to a system that benefits Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.

To monitor this, Wampís scientists measure rainfall, track wind patterns, and assess water levels in leaves and soil. Their goal is to protect these natural systems, including the carbon-sequestering soil and the forest’s role as a fire barrier. Despite constant pressure from corporations, the Wampís continue to resist. Between 2016 and 2018, they fought illegal gold mining along the Santiago River, staging protests, uncovering mercury pollution, and even dismantling illegal machinery.

In 2017, the Wampís succeeded in a petition to bar a private oil company from their land. However, they and other Indigenous groups still require greater recognition and support. While Indigenous people manage over a quarter of the world’s land, they hold legal ownership of only a small portion. Additionally, less than 1% of international climate and forest funds go to Indigenous-led conservation efforts, despite evidence showing forests managed by Indigenous people have higher survival rates.

The Amazon is often described as a giant organism—one that lives, dies, breathes in carbon dioxide, and exhales oxygen. Its sustainability relies on a complex network of interwoven elements: water, air, soil, and human interaction, which can be both harmful and protective. Our understanding of this intricate system remains incomplete, but some, like the Wampís, are closer to grasping its essence.