New Animal and Plant Species Found in Colombia’s Caqueta and Putumayo Rivers
The Rios Diversos project, led by the Amazonian Scientific Research Institute SINCHI, in partnership with the Biodiversity and Development Initiative for Putumayo (IBDP), led by the National Center for Water and Biodiversity of the National Association of Entrepreneurs of Colombia (ANDI), has just delivered the results of its research, which managed to characterize the aquatic ecosystems extending between the basins of the Caqueta and Putumayo rivers, in southern and eastern Colombia.
The study was developed in 25 strategic locations (15 in the Caqueta River basin and 9 in the Putumayo River basin), covering landscape units of hills, alluvial plains and mountains. Hydrology and water quality parameters were evaluated, in addition to carrying out two biological samplings of fish, macroinvertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, microorganisms and flora in municipalities such as Puerto Asis, San Miguel, Orito, Puerto Caicedo, Villagarzon, Puerto Guzman and Mocoa (Putumayo), together with Curillo and San Jose del Fragua (Caqueta).
Species attractive to unauthorized trade
The fieldwork uncovered a fauna and flora richness of appreciable value for the country. A total of 165 fish species were recorded, including seven migratory species essential for the food security of local communities, and some species were recorded that, as of 2023, had still not been recorded for Colombia and the Amazon.
Five possible new species of termites for science were also identified, as well as some other aquatic macroinvertebrates, such as the record for Colombia of the aquatic beetle Pagelmis amazonica.
The research documented 281 species of flora distributed among 62 botanical families, many of them with medicinal and industrial uses, as well as uses for soil protection and nitrogen fixation. And something very important: it warned about the presence of species that may be attractive to unauthorized trade, such as the glass frog (Vitreorana ritae) and the caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus), for which environmental education and species monitoring work must be carried out for their protection.
A distinctive feature of Rios Diversos was its participatory approach. More than 100 residents of the region (including community leaders, presidents of community action boards and rural residents) worked hand in hand with scientists from the SINCHI Institute as co-researchers.
That constant dialogue made it possible to confirm that local communities value water not only for domestic or fishing use, but also for its deep cultural and recreational roots. At the same time, residents identified the greatest threats to their rivers, wetlands and oxbow lakes: deforestation of riverbanks, poor disposal of solid waste and untreated discharges.
Accelerated transformation of the natural landscape
Along with the biological findings, the research provides a valuable diagnosis of the conservation status of the area, pointing out the aspects that require priority attention.
For example, the samplings detected 31% of the amphibian species and 35% of reptiles (lizards and snakes), compared with what had previously been recorded for the region. This decline suggests an accelerated transformation of the natural landscape and the accelerated loss of forests that guarantee their reproduction and survival.
Although water quality is classified mostly as “acceptable,” a recurring presence of total coliforms was identified in several of the locations investigated.
This organic contamination (caused by untreated domestic discharges and runoff from livestock areas) shows that the water is not suitable for direct human consumption, making the installation and/or improvement of the basic sanitation systems available to the municipalities and their rural areas imperative.
As part of the upcoming actions of the IBDP Alliance, outreach sessions will be held with rural communities and institutional actors. At these meetings, educational tools, illustrated fauna catalogs and the official scientific book compiling the valuable biological legacy documented by the Rios Diversos project will be delivered.
The Biodiversity and Development Initiative for Putumayo (IBDP) is a public-private alliance led by ANDI, in which different actors from the territory converge, such as companies from the energy sector (Amerisur, GeoPark Colombia, Gran Tierra Energy), civil society organizations such as WCS Colombia, and entities such as Corpoamazonia, National Natural Parks of Colombia, IDEAM, Humboldt Institute and the Amazonian Scientific Research Institute SINCHI.
The purpose of this alliance, which was created in 2016, has been to combine technical, logistical and financial efforts and initiatives among institutions and companies aimed at the protection, conservation, restoration, ecosystem connectivity and sustainable development of biodiversity, with a participatory and differential approach in Putumayo (Caqueta – Putumayo interfluve).
Listening to communities and supporting every action with scientific evidence transforms environmental management into a shared commitment. This alliance between technical work and territorial knowledge makes it possible to make clear decisions that protect river basins and sustain the development of the region in the long term.