Since the 2016 peace agreement, the number of new species discovered has surged in Colombia, according to a study by Colombian botanist Oscar Alejandro Perez Escobar, shared exclusively with Reuters. Thanks to the opening of former conflict areas and natural reserves—historical refuges for guerrilla groups—researchers from Colombia and abroad now have access to new areas where countless plant, animal, and amphibian species remain undiscovered.
The number of new species discovered in Colombia has tripled since 2016, but challenges remain
Perez Escobar’s analysis shows that the number of new species discovered annually in Colombia has tripled since the peace agreement between the Colombian state and FARC in 2016. Previously averaging 53 discoveries per year, the country now records about 178 new species annually.
According to testimonies from Colombian researchers shared with Reuters, what were once war zones have become areas conducive to scientific research. “I was excited about the prospects of finding new species … but also nervous because of the danger it represented going there,” said Perez Escobar, referring to the Andean páramo ecosystem.
“I could see the helicopters shooting at the guerrillas and the guerrillas fighting back,” adds Mauricio Diazgranados, science director at the New York Botanical Garden. Now, more than ever, researchers are free to investigate Colombia’s natural riches.
Newly discovered species include butterflies, crabs, beetles, frogs, and orchids. Among Perez Escobar’s findings is the first known polymorphic orchid, a species in which two different flowers bloom on the same plant. A green-brown striped rain frog species was even named “Pristimantis pactumpacis” in honor of the peace agreement.
Colombia is a megadiverse country and among the top three most biodvierse countries in the world with Brazil and Indonesia. It hosts over 67,000 animal and plant species, accounting for approximately 10 percent of the world’s species. It is home to over 1,800 bird species, including 160 hummingbird species—the highest number globally—as well as the second-highest number of amphibians, reptiles and plant species, with a recent study showing that Colombia still has the highest number of undiscovered plant species worldwide.
Despite these achievements, natural research in Colombia still faces significant challenges, including deforestation. While biologists have benefited from the peace, the guerrilla retreat also opened areas for livestock, agriculture, and illegal mining. Although official data reports a decline in deforestation since the start of President Gustavo Petro’s administration, renewed conflicts among illegal armed groups have worsened deforestation in the country.