Nature Conservation Ambassador
Gustavo Gonzalez Duran
Gustavo is a conservation ambassador for our Amphibian Survival conservation project.
Gustavo has been working for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Colombia since 2008. As the Amphibian Program Director, he is particularly dedicated to the conservation of amphibians and reptiles in the Colombian Andes.
Gustavo Introduces Himself
Video: Zoo Zurich, Nicole Schnyder
«Amphibians are the most endangered of all vertebrate groups—we urgently need to do more to protect them.»
Three Questions for Gustavo
What motivated you to join the Amphibian Survival conservation project?
One of my greatest motivators is the urgent need to protect amphibians—the most threatened group of vertebrates on our planet. Many amphibian species are threatened with extinction. According to the IUCN, my country has the largest number of threatened amphibians worldwide. Our work is therefore crucial to protecting species that would otherwise disappear.
An unforgettable moment in your project?
One of the most joyful and fulfilling moments was rediscovering amphibian species that hadn’t been sighted in over 40 to 50 years, as well as discovering entirely new species and describing them for science. I am also very pleased that rural communities are being strengthened through our species conservation programs.
What is your biggest wish for your project?
My greatest hope is that our project will continue to grow and that we can continue to help save species from extinction. We want to further strengthen our national amphibian conservation projects, as well as our collaboration with rural communities and government agencies to support sustainable conservation efforts.