Since the age of Taíno civilization, the vibrant call of the coquí has been a symbol of Puerto Rican culture. But beyond being emblematic, the call carries an important warning about the health of the island’s wild ecosystems. Now, Puerto Rican researchers are using it to monitor local forests and contribute to conservation efforts. As […]
The hum of life sits warm around me like a thick blanket. The ceilings here go up and up and up, letting the footsteps of students walking to a fro echo out into the collective consciousness of human life. Bits and fragments of conversation pierce through the cloud of sound like stars, forming constellations of
In this edition of En Diario, I spoke to Gisela Crespo, a boricuan scientist using bioacoustics to monitor the health of Puerto Rican rainforests. By recording and analyzing the calling activity of melodious coquí frogs, Crespo is able to investigate the impacts of changing microclimates on the forests of the island.
Even though their populations have recuperated from the harmful effects of Hurricane María in 2017, the Puerto Rican parrot is now experiencing a worrying genetic challenge: mutations created by the use of just a few birds to increase their population have resulted in abnormally weak eggshells. Now, boricuan scientists investigate the issue to find the
Genetic Mutations Weaken the Eggshells of Puerto Rican Parrots Read More »
After hurricane María, Puerto Ricans had to adjust to sudden and dramatic changes in their environment—but they weren’t the only ones. A new study published in June in the journal Science uncovered that the macaque monkeys on cayo Santiago, close to Humacao, have been adapting to the impacts of the devastating cyclone. The research shows
Research confirms: monkeys on cayo Santiago are nicer after Hurricane María Read More »
In response to a recent string of encounters with large exotic snakes, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DRNA in Spanish) has issued a new administrative order. To mitigate the potential impacts to Puerto Rico’s ecological and public safety, the department has declared six species of snake as “damaging and dangerous” and now permits
The DRNA authorizes the “unlimited” hunting of five species of exotic snake Read More »
The Puerto Rican Manatee has received a new name. In a new study- led by scientists from the Caribbean Center for Manitee Conservation-, new terminology has been suggested for the Antillean mammals, a change that hopes to improve communication and conservation in countries of the region. Read more here.
Scientists present New Names for Manatees Read More »