Episode 433: Holding A Rainforest Hostage? (Update)

Published August 30, 2013 at 12:13 PM EDT

A brown woolly monkey and its baby in the Yasuni National Park.

Ecuador's Yasuni National Park, a pristine corner of the Amazon rainforest, is home to jaguars, giant otters, and the golden-mantled tamarin. The park also sits on top of hundreds of millions of barrels of oil, worth billions of dollars.

The government of Ecuador faces a choice: Should it protect the park, or go for the money?

Until very recently, the country was trying to do both. The government said it would leave the rainforest untouched — if rich countries gave billions of dollars.

We reported on the story earlier this year. Today, we find out how the story ends.

Note: This is an update of an episode that was originally posted in February. Note #2: Starting next week, podcasts will be posted on Wednesday and Friday, rather than on Tuesday and Friday.

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