ABC News Live Presents Documentary On One Amazon Tribe's Fight To Protect Their Ancestral Homeland

The largest and most important rainforest on Earth has increasingly been under assault by intentionally set fires, illegal logging operations and a Brazilian government that has slashed environmental protections. This week, ABC News Live will present an hour-long prime-time documentary on one Amazon tribe's dangerous fight to protect their ancestral homeland. The original documentary "Guardians of the Amazon" premieres Friday, Feb. 14 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EST), on streaming news channel ABC News Live.

Within the Arariboia Indigenous Reserve, members of the Guajajara tribe-armed with simple hunting rifles, bows and arrows, machetes and chains-have formed a paramilitary operation called the Guardians of the Forest, which tracks down and apprehends illegal loggers. An ABC News team, led by correspondent Dan Harris, gained extraordinary access to the Guardians, embedding with the group during a multiday mission deep into the jungle.

Harris and his team followed the Guardians and their leader, Laercio Guajajara, as they trekked day and night through the Amazon, stopping at numerous villages, hunting for fresh clues and intelligence. The ABC News team captured it firsthand when the Guardians successfully apprehended several men they accuse of illegally logging and brought them to the federal police. The documentary also covers the deadly backlash that came in the aftermath of the mission.

"Guardians of the Amazon" is produced by "Nightline," in partnership with ABC News' investigative unit. Steven Baker is executive producer of "Nightline," and Eamon McNiff and Emily Taguchi are senior producers. Chris Vlasto is senior executive producer of the investigative unit, and Cindy Galli is chief of investigative projects. Brian Epstein and Evan Simon are producers on the documentary.

The documentary will re-air on ABC News Live at 11:00 p.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 14, and at various times over the weekend.

"Guardians of the Amazon" joins a growing slate of original documentaries produced by the "Nightline" team, including "48 Hours with Kygo," "The Bomber," "A Killer on Floor 32" and "Modern Baby," which are available to watch on demand on ABCNews.com, the ABC News mobile and OTT apps, and on Hulu. Documentary film "After Parkland," directed by Jake Lefferman and Taguchi, has its theatrical release on Wednesday, Feb. 12, and premieres on Hulu on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

ABC News Live is available for streaming on The Roku Channel, Hulu Live, Xumo, Sling TV, ABCNews.com, the ABC News and ABC mobile apps, and the ABC News OTT app on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV.

Photo credit: ABC News

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