CERRITO, Columbia: A community initiative in the Colombian Andes fosters harmony between villagers and the Andean Condor, the world’s largest bird of prey, promoting conservation and economic benefits for the region.
High in the mountainous northeastern municipality of Cerrito in Colombia, a transformative conservation effort is underway as villagers seek to mend their relationship with the iconic Andean Condor. Once viewed with suspicion and deemed a threat to livestock, the majestic condor is now the focus of a community initiative led by the ACAMCO association, formed by 19 families in 2019.
The villagers have embraced practices to protect their livestock, including building pens and providing platforms where carrion is left for the condors, fostering a peaceful coexistence. Previously, hostile measures such as leaving out poisoned carrion or shooting at the condors were employed by locals, reflecting a history of conflict.
The ACAMCO association, supported by the Jaime Duque Foundation, engages in buying weak or sick animals from breeders to offer them to the condors. This approach allows for the study of the condor’s eating habits using camera traps, contributing to broader conservation knowledge.
Andrea Florez, from ACAMCO, emphasizes the dual goals of “protecting and learning about” the Andean Condor, highlighting the potential economic benefits for the region through increased tourism. The initiative challenges negative perceptions surrounding the condor and emphasizes the need for its protection.
The Andean Condor, classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), faces threats from deliberate poisonings by humans, leading to a declining population. Carlos Grimaldos, an expert with the Jaime Duque Foundation, underscores the importance of protecting the condor due to its slow reproductive rate and essential role in maintaining ecosystem balance.
As the Andean Condor finds itself in a critical situation across the Andes, conservationists stress the urgency of conducting a comprehensive census throughout Latin America. Guillermo Wiemeyer, an Argentine researcher, and Alexcevith Acosta, director of Santander’s environmental authority, advocate for cross-border collaboration to safeguard the condor’s future.
