Public Project
2017 - Lagrimas de Cocodrilo
En las piletas de la Estación Biológica Roberto Franco quince cocodrilos llaneros esperaban impacientes por pisar las playas del río Manacacias (Meta) y por primera vez sacar a flote su instinto reptil y vivir en libertad. Un coordinador biológico, dos coordinadores logísticos, tres biólogos y dos veterinarios, pusieron alma y corazón durante tres días e hicieron posible el sueño de libertad de estos quince animales en cautiverio. La travesía empezó el jueves, la mitad del equipo viajaba desde Bogotá a la unidad biológica en Villavicencio, el plan, alistar los animales con el resto del equipo para ser enguacalados el viernes. Los animales estaban previamente escogidos, no se vale llevar animales que tengan consanguinidad, todos los cocodrilos fueron estratégicamente elegidos y preparados para la liberación, solamente la fuerza de ocho hombres es capaz de neutralizar a cada macho más grandes y cuatro para las hembras que son más pequeñas. Los lazos, la cinta y los guacales ya estaban listos para esta larga y complicada tarea.
La salida del Sol del siguiente día anunció lo que sería el comienzo de una aventura no solo para los cocodrilos sino para el equipo de trabajo. Se respiraba tensión en las piletas de la unidad, es como si los cocodrilos superan que ese día algo estaba fuera de lo normal. Empezaron con uno de los machos más grandes, había que probar finura y tantear terreno, dos machos más y doce hembras deberían ser amarrados y enguacalados en el transcurso del día, una carrera contra reloj que no discriminaba el agotamiento y cansancio del equipo. Los cocodrilos debían estar en moviendo en la noche, quince vidas dependían de estos ocho hombres. Chapoteos, colazos, jalones y machucones soportaron durante el día para poder cumplir con la meta, a las seis de la tarde ya dos camiones de la Policía estaban cargando el peso de siete cocodrilos cada uno, abajo los machos en cajas más grandes soportaban el peso de las hembras más pequeñas y delicadas encima. Y así fue como la noche del viernes vio partir desde Villavicencio hacia Puerto Gaitán en dos camiones y un bus a estos hermosos reptiles en vía de extinción.
Tres paradas se hicieron durante el camino, se debía monitorear el estado de los reptiles pues la temperatura es un factor que puede matarlos, no podía subir de veintisiete ni bajar de veinte, viajar seis horas amarrado y metido en un guacal no es cosa fácil para ningún individuo, estos fuertes animales estaban dispuestos a soportar lo que fuera, es como si supieran que iba a ser un pequeño esfuerzo por una vida eterna en libertad. La vereda de Pachaquiaro fue la primera en recibir a estos quince cocodrilos para la inspección, una taberna con un borracho dormido en orinal fue el lugar de hidratación para el equipo de trabajo mientas los veterinarios revisaban a los animales, esa sería la oportunidad para llenar la maleta de galguearías para el camino, pues las otras dos paradas serían en medio de la nada por la carretera hacia Puerto Gaitán.
Una de la mañana del sábado, clima cálido y húmedo, una fuerte bulla por la fiesta del malecón y un dolor de cuello tenaz por la pésima dormida en el bus, una última inspección a los cocodrilos y a embarcar los quince guacales en tres lanchas que ya estaba esperando en el puerto. No hubo tiempo para recargar energías, el agotamiento empezaba a ser un factor dominante en la travesía, con sueño, estallados por el esfuerzo y picados por hormigas arrieras estos ocho hombres emprendieron su camino a lo largo del Río Manacacias en las tres lanchas, dos más grandes con seis cocodrilos y una más pequeña con tan solo tres. El brillo de las estrellas de un hermoso cielo estrellado iluminó lo que quedó de noche del sábado, sentados en los guacales a treinta kilómetros por hora, sintiendo los fuertes golpes de los cocodrilos estresados e impacientes, contemplaron el hermoso amanecer naranja y rosa en el río Manacacias, ya se podía respirar esperanza y libertad, estos quince cocodrilos estaban a tan solo ciento setenta kilómetros río adentro de su libertad.
El plan contempló tres puntos de liberación, ocho horas navegando con los cocodrilos para llegar al lugar, con dolor de espalda, muertos de sueño y dolor de nalga que le deja a cualquiera sentado tantas horas sobre una tabla, arribaron. El clima los había tratado bien, no pico tanto el Sol y más bien se sentía un ambiente cálido y húmero, fue dos minutos después de llegar cuando el cielo pareció caerse del aguacero que se desplomó, no hubo tiempo de sacar carpas, lavados de pies a cabeza continuaron con la tarea, el tiempo corría y los quince reptiles debían terminar de ser liberados a más tardar las cinco de la tarde. En Cada punto de liberación se quedaban cinco cocodrilos, empezaron con uno de los machos más grandes, bajar este reptil de la lacha era una tarea que cada vez se hacía más difícil, los músculos de estos hombres sentían que cada minuto que pasaba estos reptiles se hacías más pesados, como si la gravedad de la tierra aumentara, los alientos empezaban a pasar cuenta de cobro. Todo esto despareció al ver este gigante reptil pisar la arena a la orilla del Río, todo el esfuerzo, el desgaste físico y mental valió la pena, el cansancio se esfumó al ver este gigante adentrarse al agua y dejar una estela en el agua, como si agradeciera por esta nueva aventura que le espera en libertad. Así transcurrieron las demás liberaciones, fue emotivo ver cómo corrían hacia el agua estos gigantes reptiles, la infinidad de nuevas sensaciones que experimentaron estos cocodrilos, el agua tibia en la orilla y helada en el fondo, los peces, la melodía de la selva, cosas que jamás habían experimentado en cautiverio. Ya empezaba a terminar el sábado cuando se liberó el último cocodrilo, después de tanta agua que cayó del cielo, el naranja y rosado volvió a apetecer en el cielo para despedir a estos ocho hombres que cumplieron el sueño de libertad de estos hermosos reptiles, después de pasar por tantas dificultades, desgaste físico, mental, ausencia de sueño, largos trayectos por tierra y agua, varadas hasta de dos horas mientras navegaban en el río Manacacias, pasadas cuarenta y ocho horas la misión se culminó exitosamente. Los quince cocodrilos, un atardecer hermoso y las estrellas de la noche despidieron a estos valientes hombres que retornaron hacia Puerto Gaitán sobre guacales vacíos, Rafael, Willington, Robinson, Felipe, Alvaro, Thomas, Carlos, Gonzalo y los tres lancheros Melquisedec padre e hijo y Luis, me les quito el sombrero por tan valerosa misión, por trabajar en pro de conservar esta especie, por la fuerza que aún no sé de dónde la sacaron, mis más sincero respeto a todos.
Crocodile Tears is a project that shows the journey in the release of 15 specimens of Crocodylus Intermedius (Orinoco crocodile), which is in danger of extinction. For more than two years, scientists from the National University of Colombia worked to plan and launch the largest release of crocodiles –until now–. This release was carried out in the Manacacias River, 200 km from Puerto Gaitán, in the department of Meta, and it was a feat, since it was carried out in record time, the specimens were released in three days, and were moved from the Roberto Franco station in Villavicencio, where they are raised and kept in captivity until their adulthood. This project seeks to raise awareness about the disappearance of the Crocodile, it is part of an extensive list of endangered species and the work done for the conservation of this species is very important and should be known.
In the pools of the Roberto Franco Biological Station fifteen llanero crocodiles waited impatiently to set foot on the beaches of the Manacacias River (Meta) and for the first time bring out their reptilian instinct and live in freedom. A biological coordinator, two logistics coordinators, three biologists and two veterinarians put their heart and soul into it for three days and made the dream of freedom possible for these fifteen animals in captivity. The journey began on Thursday, half of the team traveled from Bogotá to the biological unit in Villavicencio, the plan was to prepare the animals with the rest of the team to be enguacalados on Friday. The animals were previously chosen, it is not worth taking animals that have consanguinity, all the crocodiles were strategically chosen and prepared for release, only the force of eight men is capable of neutralizing each larger male and four for the smaller females. little. The bows, the ribbon and the boxes were already ready for this long and complicated task.
The sunrise the next day announced what would be the beginning of an adventure not only for the crocodiles but also for the work team. There was tension in the pools of the unit, it is as if the crocodiles overcome that that day something was out of the ordinary. They started with one of the largest males, they had to test finesse and test the ground, two more males and twelve females should be tied up and enguacalados during the day, a race against the clock that did not discriminate the exhaustion and fatigue of the team. The crocodiles must be on the move at night, fifteen lives depended on these eight men. Splashes, tails, pulls and bruises endured during the day to meet the goal, at six in the afternoon two Police trucks were already carrying the weight of seven crocodiles each, below the males in larger boxes supported the weight of the smaller and more delicate females on top. And so it was that Friday night saw these beautiful endangered reptiles leave from Villavicencio to Puerto Gaitán in two trucks and a bus.
Three stops were made along the way, the condition of the reptiles had to be monitored because the temperature is a factor that can kill them, it could not go above twenty-seven or below twenty, traveling for six hours tied up and put in a crate is not an easy thing for no individual, these strong animals were willing to endure anything, it's as if they knew it was going to be a small effort for an eternal life in freedom. The Pachaquiaro village was the first to receive these fifteen crocodiles for inspection, a tavern with a drunk asleep in a potty was the place for the work team to hydrate while the veterinarians checked the animals, that would be the opportunity to fill the galguearias suitcase for the road, because the other two stops would be in the middle of nowhere on the road to Puerto Gaitan.
One Saturday morning, hot and humid weather, a loud uproar due to the party on the boardwalk and a tenacious neck pain due to the terrible sleep on the bus, a last inspection of the crocodiles and loading the fifteen guacals in three boats that have already I was waiting at the port. There was no time to recharge energy, exhaustion began to be a dominant factor in the journey, sleepy, exhausted by the effort and stung by ants, these eight men began their journey along the Manacacias River in the three boats, two more large with six crocodiles and a smaller one with only three. The brightness of the stars of a beautiful starry sky illuminated what was left of Saturday night, sitting in the crates at thirty kilometers per hour, feeling the strong blows of the stressed and impatient crocodiles, they contemplated the beautiful orange and pink sunrise in the river Manacacias, hope and freedom could already be breathed, these fifteen crocodiles were only a hundred and seventy kilometers inside the river from their freedom.
The plan contemplated three release points, eight hours sailing with the crocodiles to reach the place, with back pain, dead sleep and buttock pain that leaves anyone sitting for so many hours on a board, they arrived. The weather had treated them well, the Sun did not peak so much and rather it felt like a warm and humid environment, it was two minutes after arriving when the sky seemed to fall from the downpour that fell, there was no time to take out tents, foot washing Head on they continued with the task, time was running out and the fifteen reptiles had to finish being released no later than five in the afternoon. Five crocodiles stayed at each release point, they started with one of the largest males, lowering this reptile from the menhaden was a task that became more and more difficult, the muscles of these men felt that each minute these reptiles passed you became heavier, as if the earth's gravity increased, the breaths began to take their toll. All this disappeared when seeing this giant reptile stepping on the sand on the banks of the River, all the effort, the physical and mental exhaustion was worth it, the fatigue vanished when seeing this giant enter the water and leave a wake in the water, like if you were grateful for this new adventure that awaits you in freedom. This is how the other releases went by, it was emotional to see how these giant reptiles ran towards the water, the infinity of new sensations that these crocodiles experienced, the warm water on the shore and frozen at the bottom, the fish, the melody of the jungle, things that they had never experienced in captivity. It was already beginning to end on Saturday when the last crocodile was released, after so much water that fell from the sky, orange and pink once again appeared in the sky to bid farewell to these eight men who fulfilled the dream of freedom of these beautiful reptiles, after After going through so many difficulties, physical and mental exhaustion, lack of sleep, long journeys by land and water, stranded for up to two hours while sailing on the Manacacias River, after forty-eight hours the mission was successfully completed. The fifteen crocodiles, a beautiful sunset and the stars of the night said goodbye to these brave men who returned to Puerto Gaitán on empty crates, Rafael, Willington, Robinson, Felipe, Alvaro, Thomas, Carlos, Gonzalo and the three boatmen Melquisedec father and son and Luis, I take my hat off for such a courageous mission, for working to conserve this species, for the strength that I still don't know where they got it from, my most sincere respect to all.
In the pools of the Roberto Franco Biological Station fifteen llanero crocodiles waited impatiently to set foot on the beaches of the Manacacias River (Meta) and for the first time bring out their reptilian instinct and live in freedom. A biological coordinator, two logistics coordinators, three biologists and two veterinarians put their heart and soul into it for three days and made the dream of freedom possible for these fifteen animals in captivity. The journey began on Thursday, half of the team traveled from Bogotá to the biological unit in Villavicencio, the plan was to prepare the animals with the rest of the team to be enguacalados on Friday. The animals were previously chosen, it is not worth taking animals that have consanguinity, all the crocodiles were strategically chosen and prepared for release, only the force of eight men is capable of neutralizing each larger male and four for the smaller females. little. The bows, the ribbon and the boxes were already ready for this long and complicated task.
The sunrise the next day announced what would be the beginning of an adventure not only for the crocodiles but also for the work team. There was tension in the pools of the unit, it is as if the crocodiles overcome that that day something was out of the ordinary. They started with one of the largest males, they had to test finesse and test the ground, two more males and twelve females should be tied up and enguacalados during the day, a race against the clock that did not discriminate the exhaustion and fatigue of the team. The crocodiles must be on the move at night, fifteen lives depended on these eight men. Splashes, tails, pulls and bruises endured during the day to meet the goal, at six in the afternoon two Police trucks were already carrying the weight of seven crocodiles each, below the males in larger boxes supported the weight of the smaller and more delicate females on top. And so it was that Friday night saw these beautiful endangered reptiles leave from Villavicencio to Puerto Gaitán in two trucks and a bus.
Three stops were made along the way, the condition of the reptiles had to be monitored because the temperature is a factor that can kill them, it could not go above twenty-seven or below twenty, traveling for six hours tied up and put in a crate is not an easy thing for no individual, these strong animals were willing to endure anything, it's as if they knew it was going to be a small effort for an eternal life in freedom. The Pachaquiaro village was the first to receive these fifteen crocodiles for inspection, a tavern with a drunk asleep in a potty was the place for the work team to hydrate while the veterinarians checked the animals, that would be the opportunity to fill the galguearias suitcase for the road, because the other two stops would be in the middle of nowhere on the road to Puerto Gaitan.
One Saturday morning, hot and humid weather, a loud uproar due to the party on the boardwalk and a tenacious neck pain due to the terrible sleep on the bus, a last inspection of the crocodiles and loading the fifteen guacals in three boats that have already I was waiting at the port. There was no time to recharge energy, exhaustion began to be a dominant factor in the journey, sleepy, exhausted by the effort and stung by ants, these eight men began their journey along the Manacacias River in the three boats, two more large with six crocodiles and a smaller one with only three. The brightness of the stars of a beautiful starry sky illuminated what was left of Saturday night, sitting in the crates at thirty kilometers per hour, feeling the strong blows of the stressed and impatient crocodiles, they contemplated the beautiful orange and pink sunrise in the river Manacacias, hope and freedom could already be breathed, these fifteen crocodiles were only a hundred and seventy kilometers inside the river from their freedom.
The plan contemplated three release points, eight hours sailing with the crocodiles to reach the place, with back pain, dead sleep and buttock pain that leaves anyone sitting for so many hours on a board, they arrived. The weather had treated them well, the Sun did not peak so much and rather it felt like a warm and humid environment, it was two minutes after arriving when the sky seemed to fall from the downpour that fell, there was no time to take out tents, foot washing Head on they continued with the task, time was running out and the fifteen reptiles had to finish being released no later than five in the afternoon. Five crocodiles stayed at each release point, they started with one of the largest males, lowering this reptile from the menhaden was a task that became more and more difficult, the muscles of these men felt that each minute these reptiles passed you became heavier, as if the earth's gravity increased, the breaths began to take their toll. All this disappeared when seeing this giant reptile stepping on the sand on the banks of the River, all the effort, the physical and mental exhaustion was worth it, the fatigue vanished when seeing this giant enter the water and leave a wake in the water, like if you were grateful for this new adventure that awaits you in freedom. This is how the other releases went by, it was emotional to see how these giant reptiles ran towards the water, the infinity of new sensations that these crocodiles experienced, the warm water on the shore and frozen at the bottom, the fish, the melody of the jungle, things that they had never experienced in captivity. It was already beginning to end on Saturday when the last crocodile was released, after so much water that fell from the sky, orange and pink once again appeared in the sky to bid farewell to these eight men who fulfilled the dream of freedom of these beautiful reptiles, after After going through so many difficulties, physical and mental exhaustion, lack of sleep, long journeys by land and water, stranded for up to two hours while sailing on the Manacacias River, after forty-eight hours the mission was successfully completed. The fifteen crocodiles, a beautiful sunset and the stars of the night said goodbye to these brave men who returned to Puerto Gaitán on empty crates, Rafael, Willington, Robinson, Felipe, Alvaro, Thomas, Carlos, Gonzalo and the three boatmen Melquisedec father and son and Luis, I take my hat off for such a courageous mission, for working to conserve this species, for the strength that I still don't know where they got it from, my most sincere respect to all.
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