SANTIAGO: Chile’s Los Flamencos national reserve is experiencing a decrease in the number of flamingoes and scientists are investigating their movement patterns.
“The numbers of flamingoes that we have seen this year are far less than those two years ago,” discloses Guillermo Cubillos, who is the head of conservation and investigations unit in the National Zoo in Chile.
Cubillos reveals that last year between 100 and 150 flamingos were found at the North Reserve as opposed to 15-20 accounted for this year.
“Threats like climate change, mining – lithium in this case – could possibly be a direct threat to this species and its habitat,” he said, adding that even sounds from automobiles could disrupt their environment since they were too sensitive about any changes to it.
“So changing anything in the ecosystem, first of all flamingos feel it.”
Scientists catch up them and place satellite transmitters on them to get information about their movement including where they feed, breed and generally use their surroundings; these data will help propose conservation sites and management actions for these three flamingo species found here, such as high altitude lagoons and wetlands which are very delicate ecosystems according to Cubillos.
“The spirit of the flamingo conservation project is also aimed at providing science based evidence upon which land use decisions should be made,” says Cubillos who goes on further by noting that area where the reserve exists is important for mining purposes as well as protecting biodiversity.
