Unveiling the Amazon: Inside the Rolex and National Geographic Perpetual Planet Expedition

Representing over half of the entire area of remaining rainforests on Earth, the Amazon is the sprawling green ocean of life, breathing as the literal and figurative lungs of our planet. Beneath its towering canopy lies an intricate network and of rivers, lakes and wetlands meandering and webbing like dendritic blood vessels throughout the South American continent, and nourishing an ecosystem of unimaginable biodiversity. Explorers, scientists and conservationists have made expeditions into this enigmatic wilderness for decades, yet the Amazon still guards its secrets closely. As climate change, deforestation and pollution continue to put this vital region under threat, understanding the inner details of how the Amazon works is becoming more urgent than ever.

In this rarefied field of discovery and preservation, the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative and the National Geographic Society have joined hands.The landmark Rolex and National Geographic Perpetual Planet Amazon Expedition was launched to profoundly probe into the Amazon’s secrets, and to raise awareness of its importance in the Earth’s ecosystem. It has been a gargantuan and ambitious endeavour, bringing together scientists, explorers and local communities for more than two years with one common goal: studying and safeguarding the Amazon for the future of the Earth, and that of humanity itself.

The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative: A Legacy of Exploration

Rolex has had a long tradition of supporting exploration. For nearly a century, the manufacture has supported pioneering adventurers who expanded the boundaries of human achievement. Today, Rolex’s commitment has evolved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery, to protecting the planet. In 2019, Rolex launched the Perpetual Planet Initiative — a movement to enable science-driven solutions for environmental challenges. This Initiative had its origins in supporting the Rolex Awards for Enterprise and key partnerships with Mission Blue and the National Geographic Society.

Rolex has since built on that success, expanding its portfolio to encompass over 30 partnerships with organisations that are fighting against the most pressing challenges all over the world — from the polar oceans to the extensive South American plains. It supports individuals and groups of people who are trying to secure a future for the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex has strived not only to enable pioneering research but also to ensure that these stories find their mark in the global consciousness. This was the reasoning behind the Rolex and National Geographic Perpetual Planet Amazon Expedition, an audacious, two-year mission that aims to better understand and safeguard the Amazon’s complex ecosystems.

Unveiling the Lifeblood of the Amazon

A fresh catch of arapaimas are transported across a floodplain in the Amazon Rainforest, near the Lago Serrado community. Arapaimas are the largest scaled freshwater fish in the world and are under threat. Local community groups have put fishing quotas in place throughout the river, helping the arapaima population increase by over 600 per cent in 15 years. ©André Dib/National Geographic

The Rolex and National Geographic Perpetual Planet Amazon Expedition went on an unparalleled journey through the Amazon Basin from 2022 to 2024. While most other research initiatives up to that time had focused on the terrestrial aspects of the rainforest, this one investigated its waterways: the huge aquatic web that nourishes and links up the forest. It sought to answer one of the most critical questions: how is climate change, deforestation, pollution and loss of biodiversity affecting the water system of the Amazon basin — an area as large as Australia?

It was a mission divided into seven distinct projects, each dealing with different aspects of the Amazon’s intricate ecosystems. One of the most ambitious projects involved monitoring the source of Amazon’s lifeblood. Baker Perry and Tom Matthews climbed the Nevado Ausangate glacier in the Andes of Peru and installed one of the world’s highest weather stations. Perched at an altitude of almost 6,000 metres above sea level, the station provides very important data on this glacier’s melting patterns, yielding insights into the response of the source waters to climate change in the Amazon.

An aerial view of ponds and sand piles created by human activity in south-eastern Peru. Similar pools can be found throughout the Amazon and are a clear indicator of the impact that people are having on the ecosystem. ©Musuk Nolte/National Geographic

Downstream, the river’s famous pink river dolphins received attention from this expedition. Fernando Trujillo, recipient of the award for 2024 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year, and one of his experts, María Jimena Valderrama, studied such charismatic creatures — quantifying population numbers and tracking contaminants in their blood. In their work, using the dolphins as a barometer for overall river health illustrated the interplay between aquatic species and water quality.

The discovery of a mangrove forest living in freshwater by Marine Ecologist and National Geographic Explorer Angelo Bernardino was one of the most astounding sights in the Amazon Delta, unparalleled in any scientific records. Together with Margaret Owuor, Bernardino’s research went further than just extending the frontiers of knowledge on mangrove ecosystems; it underlined their resilience and adaptability to environmental change. As Bernardino himself noticed, “This partnership between National Geographic and Rolex is a unique opportunity for both research and communication. A big part of our work is communicating to people what we do.”

Meanwhile, Ruthmery Pillco-Huarcaya and Andrew Whitworth began to study the population of Andean Bears in the cloud forests on the edges of the Amazon, where these bears help regenerate such a fragile habitat, one that is increasingly under threat due to climate change. Their work clearly demonstrated how the health of those forests is inextricably linked to the behaviours and survival of this key species.

Another team led by Thiago Silva and Julia Tavares utilised advanced light detection and ranging — LiDAR technology — to map seasonal wetlands of the Amazon. Analysing the functional traits of the region’s trees, they unravelled how these forests adapt to environmental changes, thus painting a clearer picture of their resilience and vulnerabilities.

A view of the Japurá river flood plains. Global climate models do not show any wetlands like this in the Amazon. They represent it as one gigantic terrestrial forest, not accounting for mountains or wetlands. ©Pablo Albarenga/National Geographic

Closer to the communities that depend upon the Amazon, Andressa Scabin and Rolex Awards for Enterprise Laureate João Campos-Silva worked with local groups to protect six key riverine megafauna species, including the endangered arapaima. Beyond conserving these key species, their work empowered local communities to manage and sustain these vital resources. The results have been astonishing: through such community-led initiatives, the population of arapaima has increased by as much as 600 per cent in 15 years in some areas — a true testament to grassroots power. Hinsby Cadillo-Quiroz and his colleagues, Jennifer Angel-Amaya and Josh West took a different approach: they studied artificial ponds created by human activities. These transformed landscapes have the potential for regeneration. Their research into how such ponds might be managed sustainably offered new solutions for balancing human needs with ecological restoration.

A Union for an International Cause

Documenting all the activity was National Geographic photographer Thomas Peschak. Through his lens, the expedition’s challenges and triumphs — between icy Andes summits and steamy rainforests — were brought into focus. His work puts the Amazon into global consciousness. “It was the union of National Geographic and Rolex, and all the explorers, scientists and communities, that made this mission possible,” he said.

The impact of this expedition goes far beyond the research itself. By pointing out the waterways of the Amazon as a key part of its ecosystem, Rolex and National Geographic are rewriting the narrative of the world’s largest rainforest. The Amazon is not merely a forest — important as that is in itself — but also an immense and complex aquatic web that is vital to the health of the planet and the future of humankind.

Protecting the Lungs of the Earth

National Geographic Explorer and photojournalist Thomas Peschak at the expedition team’s campsite in Chiribiquete National Park, reviewing his photos. ©Andy Whitworth/National Geographic

The findings from the Rolex and National Geographic Perpetual Planet Amazon Expedition emphasise the Amazon’s crucial role as a global carbon sink and climate regulator. Its protection is an urgent collective responsibility. As climate change accelerates and human activities increasingly encroach upon its boundaries, safeguarding the Amazon has become not just an environmental necessity but a moral imperative.

Together, Rolex and National Geographic have created a model for addressing large-scale environmental challenges. Their partnership demonstrates that cutting-edge science, grassroots action and global storytelling can drive meaningful change and foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

While the expedition has concluded, its legacy has only just begun following the knowledge it has generated as well as the awareness it has raised. The Amazon continues to be a place of fascination and mystery, but thanks to this mission, humanity is one step closer to understanding its vital role in sustaining life on Earth. For the love of this planet and its people, the call to protect the Amazon is clear: it is a mission for Earth and for humanity.

This article was first seen on Men’s Folio Singapore.

For more on the latest in luxury watch reads from WOW, click here.

The post Unveiling the Amazon: Inside the Rolex and National Geographic Perpetual Planet Expedition appeared first on LUXUO.