Page 34 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #11
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“For years I had a vision that Colombia visited Colombia in 2001 and became birdwatchers, 17 per cent of whom make at
in peace would be the greatest eco-tourism “obsessed” with the country’s protected areas. least one overseas trip a year,” says Myers.
destination in the world,” says John Myers, Three years later, he returned and started to “We realised then just how big Colombia’s
former director of the Latin American explore remote regions and conflict zones. potential was.” With a team of economists,
Program for the National Audubon Society Taking up the post at Audubon in 2013, he Myers co-authored a study concluding that a
and visionary of the birding trail, which knew that an interpretive birding trail in the birdwatching trail supported by Americans
opened in February 2016. “Northern same league as those in North America would alone would generate an annual revenue of
Colombia is home to three outstanding prove irresistible to affluent aficionados who $46 million and more than 7,500 jobs.
eco-regions: the Santa Marta Mountains, the would stop at nothing to glimpse a white- Key to its success would be a network
Guajira Peninsula and the Northern Tropical tailed starfrontlet in its natural habitat. of professional guides. To that end, 43
Andes, all of which host significant numbers “My colleagues and I had been poring over individuals from local communities, some
of endemic, endangered and migratory birds.” this study by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, of whom had been caught up in the armed
Growing up in Minnesota, Myers first which claimed that the US has 48 million conflict, were enrolled into a year-long
apprenticeship to learn – in English – the
particulars of Colombian birdlife. “It wasn’t
Above: the white- easy,” recalls graduate Angel Ortiz, a former
tipped quetzal occurs
in the Santa Marta paramilitary recruit and now a respected
Mountains and two tour leader. “It took me a week to be able to
highland locations pronounce ‘crimson-backed tanager.’”
in neighbouring Quetza : Murray Cooper/M nden/FLPA;
Venezuela. Left: Early birds
a viewpoint on
the Cuchilla de San So here I am, making my way up a stony
Lorenzo, which sits track on the Cuchilla de San Lorenzo, a
within the 880ha thickly vegetated ridge that hosts virtually
El Dorado Nature all of the Santa Marta endemics and, an
Reserve, rewards birdwatchers: Sandra Eichmann Perret/WhereNext.com/ProColombia;
early risers with hour ago, offered spectacular views of the
breathtaking views mountains at sunrise. It’s still early, but the
of mist-shrouded greenery is filling with colour, butterflies are andscape:WhereNext.com/ProCo omb a;
valleys and peaks.
coming out of hiding and the air is positively
jangling with the noise of birds and frogs.
I’m not really attempting to put names to
feathers, but given that I’ve already met the
34 BBC Wildlife November 2018
