Environmental education workshops about Cauquén Colorado

Asociación Ambiente Sur will develop environmental education workshops about the Cauquén Colorado, a bird that is in critical danger of extinction, in primary schools of Río Gallegos, as part of the Project to raise awareness about this species that has been carried out since 2017.

From April 16 to May 4, the NGO will dictate environmental education workshops on Cauquén Colorado to children in the 4th grade of the primary level, which will be in charge of the educators of the Association. Through an interactive presentation, games and the presence of the mascot "El Colo", which represents the Cauquén Colorado, it is sought that the students know the species, its characteristics, the threats it faces, why it is in danger of extinction and what actions are being taken to avoid it. The mascot is a fundamental tool in the sensitization of children, who interact with it and who, in the framework of the workshop, invites them to sing a song about the protection of birds. As usual in this work carried out by Ambiente Sur, the NGO team has prepared pedagogical material in digital and printed format, which will be given to the teachers to continue working in the classroom.

Asociación Ambiente Sur began last October the specific implementation of a project to raise awareness about the species due to the critical state of conservation of the Cauquén Colorado (Chloephaga rubidiceps), which takes place simultaneously in Río Grande (Tierra del Fuego), Río Gallegos (Santa Cruz) and the surroundings of both cities. The project is one of the lines of work that the NGO carries out within the framework of the COM.UNI.D.A.D. (TO UNDERSTAND UNITED the Environmental Dynamics in the Diversity).

Cauquén Colorado is one of the most endangered birds in the country. The Urban Coastal Reserve of Río Gallegos is a site of great importance for its conservation since many adults remain in it during the reproductive season and it is possible that they tried to nest if there were not so many introduced predators (dogs and cats mainly). This species of cauquén has also been sighted in other urban natural reserves of Río Gallegos. The only 800 to 1000 individuals that live in continental Patagonia and that we share with Chile, transform it into one of the most endangered species, similar to Maca Tobiano, and depend for its survival to a large extent on conservation efforts and commitment to be taken to achieve this goal.

Actions for the Cauquén Colorado

Within the framework of the Project, Ambiente Sur has already carried out various actions such as talks with specialists from Argentina and Chile on the species and its conservation status; the public presentation in gardens and schools of the mascot "El Colo", which will be part of all environmental awareness and education activities planned within this Project.

Also, in addition to the aforementioned workshops, the Association will implement another awareness-raising strategy, the "Coloface", a printed material with a Facebook page format called "El Colo", where specific information about the species will be disseminated: its family (other species) of cauquén); his friends (species of birds with which he shares environments); blocked contacts (threats), among other information referring to their characteristics and conservation status.

Along with these actions, another of the NGO's important bets to raise awareness about the threats facing this cauquén is the staging of the fourth environmental play for children, produced by Ambiente Sur with local artists: "Odyssey for survival" In this work one of the main characters is "El Colo" (red cauquén). "Odyssey ..." premiered last October; in 2017 there were 6 free functions that were seen by more than a thousand spectators and during 2018 new functions will be offered for children and adults.

These actions undertaken in defense of the red cauquén have the support of the "Zero Extinction" Program of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Nation.