The Industrial University of Santander, through the Zootechnics program at its Málaga campus, is promoting academic and social responsibility initiatives for the care and recovery of wildlife victims of illegal trafficking.
As part of the “Zoocría” course, taught by Professor José Acevedo, a group of students is providing nutritional, behavioral, and health care for a macaw that was seized by environmental authorities after being removed from its natural habitat.
“The bird arrived in poor physical condition and highly imprinted as a result of constant contact with humans. Now, the Animal Husbandry program is providing support in the bird’s recovery process,” explained Professor Acevedo.
The activities carried out by the students include designing and balancing a diet in accordance with the species’ natural history, with food provided three times a day, simulating its feeding habits in the wild. This process, which will last for 15 days, seeks to restore the bird’s physical condition, reestablish its eating habits, and strengthen its well-being while it is transferred to an authorized conservation center.
It should be noted that, although the species is part of Colombia’s fauna, it does not naturally inhabit the García Rovira region, as its distribution corresponds mainly to the Magdalena Medio and the Caribbean Coast.
Through this academic exercise, students not only strengthen their professional skills in wildlife management, but also reaffirm the UIS’s commitment to biodiversity conservation and environmental education in the region.
