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Entries for September 2020

THE MAIN REFUGE OF DUNN’S MUD TURTLE IS IN BAJO BAUD'

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THE MAIN REFUGE OF DUNN’S MUD TURTLE IS IN BAJO BAUD'
(September 14, 2020)   -   This is one of the four species of endemic turtles in Colombia and one of the least studied. This region of Chocó, where in 2017 the creation of a protected zone was made official, would guarantee the future of this reptile, also known as ‘cabeza de trozo’, and in vulnerable condition due precisely to its reduced distribution. WCS Colombia and Turtle Survival Alliance will soon initiate a research in this region, to monitor its populations.

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Posted in: English


FISH IN THE MAGDALENA-CAUCA BASIN EMIT SOUNDS TO LET FEMALES KNOW THAT IT IS TIME FOR REPRODUCTION

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FISH IN THE MAGDALENA-CAUCA BASIN EMIT SOUNDS TO LET FEMALES KNOW THAT IT IS TIME FOR REPRODUCTION
(September 14, 2020)   -   Research in the Magdalena-Cauca basin proves that through unique calls, perceptible to the human ear, the Magdalena River prochilodus or bocachico and the moino fish (or comelón) let females know that they are ready to fertilize their ovules and ensure the birth of new fish.  The research, led through hydroacoustic systems by Silvia López Casas, PhD in biology, supports new arguments for the establishment of conservation measures for these species.

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Posted in: English


ZOONOTIC DISEASES, ANOTHER SERIOUS CONSEQUENCE OF WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING

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ZOONOTIC DISEASES, ANOTHER SERIOUS CONSEQUENCE OF WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING
(September 14, 2020)   -   Besides the impact on biodiversity, wildlife trafficking increases the risk of zoonotic diseases that can be fatal and reflect the bond imbalance between humans and animals. Rabies, Psittacosis, Leishmaniasis, Leptospirosis, Brucellosis and Covid 19 are some of them. WCS Colombia is developing a program to mitigate illegal wildlife trade and, consequently, the surge of these infections which represent 75 percent of emerging diseases in humans.   

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Posted in: English


‘I CONTINUE BELIEVING IN THE POWER OF SCIENCE AS A TRANSFORMING FORCE’

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‘I CONTINUE BELIEVING IN THE POWER OF SCIENCE AS A TRANSFORMING FORCE’
(September 14, 2020)   -   In September, the Alexander von Humboldt Institute celebrates the 25th anniversary of its foundation. This organization is in charge of investigating our natural resources, to contribute with their conservation and sustainable use. We talked with its Director, Hernando García, on the challenges he faces in these times of enormous pressures on paramos, forests and other strategic ecosystems. A fourth part of a century seems like a long time, but it can also be only the beginning.

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Posted in: English