Ecuador: Pitching Eco-Tourism Against Oil Exploration

clipped from www.dw-world.de Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Worth saving at any cost: Ecuador's Amazon forests are home to the Achuar and a precious source of biodiversity The world's rainforests are home to more than half of all known types of living organisms. In Ecuador, the Indigenous Achuar people are trying to save this precious resource from the threat of exploitation.   The Amazon rainforests of South America represent the largest biodiversity in the world. Scientists believe their preservation is essential for the earth's survival. The Achuar had little contact with the outside world until Christian missionaries arrived in the late 1960s. Many avoided being missionized, and the Achuar's unique identity remained largely intact. Oil companies eager to take advantage of the region's rich resources are the new enemy To pharmaceutical companies, the forests are a goldmine. the Achuar want to continue to live "without having to cut down the forest, without having to accept the oil companies coming in