These three South African academics took on the mighty Amazon River in the name of climate change

Take three academics, give them canoes and drop them in one of the most inhospitable spots on Earth – a place where deadly piranhas lurk, anacondas slither and a swarm of mosquitoes are out for your blood.

The result? An adventure of epic proportions that changed not only the lives of the three intrepid adventurers but also shone a spotlight on climate change.

South African adventurer Wayne van Zijl (33) has first-hand knowledge – literally – of the bloodthirstiness of the place while camping on the banks of the Rio Madeira, one of the Amazon River’s tributaries.