Page 16 - ATA

A14 LOCAL
Tuesday 27 augusT 2019

Insular Alert II Wara-Wara the Crested Caracara Episode XXXII

Loss of habitat:

Our beautiful Crested Caracaras are less frequently encountered today
in Aruba. However they are still common in South America. We recom-
mend avoiding areas where they breed since this can affect researchers’
ability to estimate population trends. Based upon Etnia Nativa’s research,
findings revealed that population has dropped by 50% since 1985, which
indicates protection must be considered or even to be listed as a species
that is very much threatened. Wara-wara, as we called this magnificent
bird in Papiamento, are resourceful animals that eat just about anything.

In the following sequence of four pic- launched a meeting in Paris to agree
tures, we can observe a breba cac- the final text of a major U.N. report on
tus disappearing which had a long the state of nature around the world
standing nest in it, while one bird is – the biggest and most thorough as-
jumping around in stress around what sessment to date, put together by 150
once used to be its nest, then stands scientists from 50 countries.
on the pile of the bulldozed cactus, The report was mostly grim reading. Pic.1 Wara-Wara
only to fly away and contemplate the We humans have already significantly
ongoing destruction with the rest of its altered three-quarters of all land and
family that lost their home to develop- two-thirds of the oceans. More than
ment. a third of land and three-quarters of
From the moment we decided to de- freshwater resources are devoted to
velop our home into a top tourist des- crops or livestock.
tination, island officials had solely fo- Around 700 vertebrates have gone
cused on the revenue this could gen- extinct in the past few centuries.
erate for the island, and the money Forty per cent of amphibians and
they can earn without much consider- a third of coral species, sharks and
ation for our environment. This myopia marine mammals look to follow. The
has had devastating consequences main reason is simple: Our expanding
that is blowing up in our face as we neighborhoods and the number of
speak. We had to import thousands of hotels are leaving less space for wild-
workers that also only had the money life. The other major causes are the di-
they could send back home to their rect exploitation of wildlife by bulldoz-
families in their country of origin in ing everything to the ground, climate
mind. Many, who have had no formal change, pollution and the spread of
education, come to compete with lo- invasive species and burning down
cals and could be exploited in a way the Amazon is set to become ever Pic.2 Breba cactus standing in Pic. 7. Awareness art
locals reject for themselves. This un- more destructive. full glory projectregarding loss of habitat and
ecocide on the island.
fortunate situation brought the need In this episode I would like to dedicate
for more housing, more infrastructure a few words to a very special scaven-
and supporting development, which ger, a bird whose main job is to keep
had its toll on our lives and on our the island clean of dead carcasses
fragile ecosystem. This form of exploi- which can spread disease. Our wara-
tation of our island, by turning a blind wara or crested caracara is a bird of
eye to the essence of what we have prey in the family Falconidae. It was
had to share with our visitors, sincere formerly considered conspecific with
friendliness, pristine ecosystem and a the southern caracara and the ex-
yearlong sunny climate is in danger tinct Guadalupe caracara as the
of disappearing forever. At this pace "crested caracara".
we are destroying our island’s ecosys- The name “caracara” is said to be of
tem at an unprecedented rate in the Caquetio Indian origin, Guara-wara
name of progress and threatening derived from the unusual rattling vo-
the survival of all species that only live calization that the bird utters when
on Aruba. The evidence is irrefutable. agitated.
The destruction of our biodiversity and The crested caracara is a bird of open
ecosystem services has reached lev- habitats, typically grassland, prairie,
els that threaten our well-being our pastures, or desert with scattered
product, as much as human-induced taller trees, shrubs, or mature cande-
climate change on the “disputed or labra cactus in which it nests.
controversial global warming effect.”
With these words chair Robert Watson Continued in Page 15