Gustavo Gonzalez Duran
- Project: Amphibian Survival
- Function: Amphibian Leader
Gustavo has been working for the Wildlife Conservation Society WCS Colombia since 2008. He is mainly concerned with the taxonomy, systematics, history and conservation of amphibians and reptiles in the Colombian Andes. As Amphibian Leader, he currently supports the amphibian conservation strategy in Colombia's national parks.
Video: Zoo Zürich, Nicole Schnyder
Three questions for Gustavo
What is your motivation for the Amphibian Survival project?
One of my greatest motivations is the urgent need to protect amphibians, the most threatened group of vertebrates on the planet. Many of these species are currently facing extinction, and in my country, which has the highest number of endangered species worldwide according to the IUCN, this work is crucial for safeguarding species that might otherwise vanish.
An unforgettable moment in your project?
One of the most joyful and fulfilling moments has been rediscovering species that had not been seen in over 40 to 50 years and discovering new species for science. Equally rewarding is seeing rural communities empowered through our endangered species conservation programs.
What is your greatest wish for your project?
My greatest wish is for the project to continue to grow and for us to keep helping more species avoid extinction. Our national projects for protecting amphibians will continue to grow stronger, as will the impact we've made on rural communities and governmental authorities to sustain conservation efforts.
«Amphibians are the most endangered of all vertebrate groups – we urgently need to protect them.»
