Which activity is listed as a major driver of deforestation in the Amazon?

• A. Poaching
• B. Ranching and Agriculture
• C. Commercial fishing
• D. Bio Piracy and Smuggling

Answer: (B)

The primary pressure on Amazon forests comes from converting land to pasture and cropland. Ranching and agriculture drive the most deforestation because forests are cleared to create large areas for cattle pastures and for crops like soy, which are highly profitable and incentivize rapid expansion. Once land is cleared, it’s easier to monetize, so this shift leads to large-scale, ongoing forest loss. In contrast, poaching targets wildlife within the forest, fishing occurs in rivers and seas, and illegal trade activities don’t remove forest cover on the same expansive land scale, so they don’t match the impact of converting forest to grazing and farming land.