Environmental authorities released this Monday, in a protected area in northern Colombia, 18 pink flamingos that had been seized in operations against trafficking and illegal possession of wild animals.
Some of these animals were voluntarily surrendered by their captors, who kept them as pets, the Efe agency reported.
The flamingos arrived in the Colombian department of La Guajira from Bogotá and were released in the DMI Musichi protected area.
“Trading, transporting and consuming wildlife is a crime classified in the Colombian penal code, together we must guarantee its care and protection. Today I celebrate the freedom of these flamingos,” highlighted the director of the regional environmental entity CORPOGUAJIRA, Samuel Lanao.
The birds went through a process of rehabilitation, acclimatization and adaptation to the environment to promote their natural behaviors, explained biologist Tatiana Vasche.
“I feel happy to participate in this release of flamingos, for me it is a privilege to be part of what is done today for this species, and to be able to see these flamingos collected from other flocks,” highlighted, in turn, Adanies Epiayú, guardian of nature by DMI Musichi.
Flamingos, an emblematic bird of the Musichi protected area, currently face threats due to the effects associated with the climate crisis and are highly sought after on the black market to be kept as pets, due to their elegant physical characteristics.
Source: TSF
