Illegal Gold Mining Destroys Over 500 Hectares in Peru's Tambopata Reserve

Satellite monitoring by the Amazon Conservation Coalition (ACCA) documented that more than 500 hectares of forest were lost to illegal gold mining in the Tambopata National Reserve of Madre de Dios between 2025 and early 2026. The images show a resurgence of clandestine camps, heavy machinery, and new extraction points along the Malinowski River corridor, with an estimated 1,000 miners operating in the protected area.

A separate report covering January–February 2026 recorded an additional 69 hectares of deforestation within the reserve. Experts warn that the mining boom, driven by rising global gold prices, threatens biodiversity, endangers park rangers, and fuels related crimes such as drug trafficking and exploitation. Despite a state of emergency declared in 2023 and recent raids that destroyed equipment, illegal operators quickly re‑establish activities, often near government outposts.

Local communities report contaminated rivers, loss of agricultural land, and a rise in violence linked to the mining networks. Authorities face challenges in monitoring remote terrain and in curbing the illicit financing of political figures by mining interests.