Juan Croatto

This is a marsh area in the very heart of the protected wetlands in the east of Uruguay, but today it has almost completely disappeared. A message in the guaraní language, an "India Muerta" prayer, sounds the alarm about the dire consequences for nature of what human beings are doing.

In the east of Uruguay there is a little-known region of vast wetlands in a beautiful natural setting which is a sanctuary for thousands of species of flora and fauna. Although it is officially protected, it is under threat from rice producers who are draining parts of the area.