A deadly mission: how Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira tried to warn the world about the Amazon’s destruction

The Audio Long Read

The Guardian

Society & Culture

4.3 • 2.4K Ratings

🗓️ 5 June 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

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Summary

The Guardian journalist and the Brazilian Indigenous expert were killed while investigating the impact of deforestation. In this extract from the book Phillips was writing at the time of his death, he reflects on his encounters with the rainforest and its people – and why it is so vital to save this precious place By Dom Phillips. Read by Felipe Pacheco. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is The Guardian.
0:02.0	Hey, it's Babberton de Alessi here.
0:11.0	I've just got back from an epic road trip around the island of Ireland.
0:16.0	From exploring natural wonders and stunning cost of views to chilling in a seaweed bath.
0:21.5	It's a vibe.
0:23.7	Best of all, you don't have to pick between the Causeway coastal routes and the Wild Atlantic Way.
0:28.9	You can experience both iconic routes in one unforgettable trip.
0:33.4	Explore everything Ireland has to offer at the Guardian.com forward slash tourism island.
0:38.9	This message was paid for by Tourism Island.
0:48.6	Welcome to The Guardian Long Read, showcasing the best long-form journalism covering culture, politics and new thinking.
0:55.4	For the text version of this and all our long reads, go to the Guardian.com forward slash long read.
1:04.1	A deadly mission.
1:06.1	How Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira tried to warn the world about the Amazon's destruction by Dom Phillips,
1:13.3	read by Philippi Pacheco.
1:18.2	Phillips and Pereira disappeared on a research expedition into the far western Amazon.
1:25.1	Pereira had received death threats due to his work helping indigenous people protect the rainforest
1:29.7	from illegal fishing and hunting. When the pair did not return, a search was launched. After 10 days,
1:39.0	their bodies were found. Two men will go on trial for their murder later this year.
1:45.0	Snake!
1:54.0	The cry came from near the end of the line of 11 men, strung out along a narrow trail being hacked out of
2:01.9	thick Amazon rainforest.
2:04.4	I shivered.
	...

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