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- Colombia exhibits its biodiversity in interactive butterfly gardens
Colombia exhibits its biodiversity in interactive butterfly gardens
Santiago Meza
CALI, Colombia - In a bid to attract the attention of tourists and scientists regarding a little-known fact about the biodiversity of Colombia, three zoos in the country are exhibiting hundreds of lepidopterans in interactive butterfly gardens which recreate natural ecosystems. The specimens comprise some 3,500 butterfly species, some of them unique in the world, in exhibitions aimed at satisfying educational and research needs.
The butterfly gardens in the cities of Cali, in the south-east of the country, Medellín and the municipality of Calarcá comprise gardens of more than 450 square metres where hummingbirds, seed-eating birds and dragonflies live together among colourful vegetation, reported EFE. They are decorated with waterfalls and streams, and provide a privileged atmosphere to observe hundreds of lepidopteran species living in ecosystems which mimic their natural environments, and which are protected from the outside world by extremely small and imperceptible nets.
The Cali butterfly garden's caretaker, Alejandro Pérdomo, told La Patria, "This exhibition has been designed for people to learn about and appreciate the role these insects play in the natural environment, and how important it is for us to ensure their conservation".
He also explained that the species selected for the exhibitions depend mainly on the longevity of the butterflies in this artificial environment, which can reach up to nine months in some cases, reported Terra. The caretakers are in charge of collecting eggs, controlling the growth and metamorphosis of the caterpillars and chrysalises, the exhibition of adult specimens, and ultimately their release into the wild.
More than 3,500 butterfly species have been recorded in Colombia, compared to the 4,000 found in Peru, reported EFE. The two countries, whose territories include part of the Amazon jungle, comprise the richest region in the world in terms of butterfly varieties, where researchers record the discovery of new lepidopteran varieties on a daily basis.
Pérdomo said that official figures of catalogued species in the two countries change "almost on a daily basis" given the number of butterflies present in multiple ecosystems, and the difficult and costly access to Colombian natural environments for researchers. The Cali butterfly garden's caretaker concluded to Terra, "Records have yet to be made in many places where new species may be found, which would increase our knowledge of these insects".
Source: http;//infosurhoy.com
