They find what would be the first condor nest on the Caribbean coast and the third in 49 years in Colombia

In recent days, an unprecedented census has been carried out in the country to find out how many condors there are in the national territory. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, in the Colombian Andes, where the animal is critically endangered, an estimated 130 condors.

This work will serve to create policies focused on the preservation of the species and will help it continue to be one of the most representative animals in the country.

Andrés Ramos, director of Agrotour Perijá and one of the participants in the census organized by National Natural Parks, Neotropical Foundation, WF Colombia, WCS, with the support of the Secretary of the Environment of La Jagua de Ibirico and of the George Dahl Hydrobiological Foundation, carried out the observation of what would be the first Andean condor nest in the Colombian Caribbean region, located more precisely in the Serranía de Perijá, department of Cesar.

The newspaper El Heraldo assured that Ramos made the sighting of the species on February 13, 14 and 15, after having climbed a mountain, reaching about 2235 meters of altitude, he managed to spot “a male condor courting the female, giving her marks of love.” There was also a third condor very close, attentive witness of the loves of the couple in love “. For experts, this would give indications that at least one nest of this species is in the area.

The director of the Neotropical Foundation, Francisco Ciri León, also spoke about the discovery with the environmental portal Ecolecua, and said that The discovery is to be celebrated, as it is the third recorded nest in Colombia in the last 49 years.

“This discovery of Andrés Ramos’ nest is the first reported for Serranía del Perijá and the Colombian Caribbean. The second for the country took place in 2015 in the Almorzadero páramo, in Santander, by Alejandra Parrado and Fausto Sáenz. What was considered a first nest for Colombia was described by American researcher Jordan McGahan in 1972“Said the director in said environment, where, in turn, he reported that the first sighting had been made in Ecuador, more precisely in Cerro del Ángel.

“If we confirm the existence of another in Perijá, we would be faced with good news … It would be a very significant discovery for the scientific and research community” said the director of El Heraldo.

Ciri León also announced that spotting and identification work has also been carried out in La Guajira, where records of these species have been made in the Bañadero mountain range, near Riohacha.

Preparation of the first national census of the Andean condor

The work was carried out until February 15 in more than 100 mountainous areas at more than 3,200 meters of altitude in the country. Observation sites were located there where they sought, in addition to recording the passage of birds, to label each of them with a particular character.

“So far we have partial results from the census, which ended last Monday at noon and We collect the information that all observers and coordinators in each region send us. More than 160 people participated in this information“, he claimed Fausto Saenz, scientific director of the Fundación Neotropical, on Caracol Radio.

The importance of the bird is not only for what it represents in the country, but it has a special job in cleaning up ecosystems, because by feeding on carrion (decomposed meat, especially animals) , it helps to clean up the environment.

“The Andean condor has a fairly high ecosystem importance due to its scavenging nature, it helps to clean up high mountain ecosystems. In addition. reduces the likelihood of contamination of water sources in páramo ecosystems, due to the presence of carrion for long periods’explained the official.

The census also counted with the collaboration of some colleagues from the neighboring country, Ecuador, members of an organization called Andean Condor Foundation Ecuador They were part of the campaign, since the Chiles volcano is located in the border area of ​​Colombia and Ecuador, which is an area where the animal is present.

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