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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><a name="_Hlk182737748"><span>On 13 November2024, heavy rains in Bogotá caused a portion of the
roof of the Instituto de Ciencias Naturales (Natural Science Institute) to fail,
which flooded the bird collections in the Department of Ornithology. The
following newspaper articles from the newspapers <i>El Tiempo</i> and <i>El
Espectador</i> (English first, followed by the originals in Spanish) detail the
damage and include videos of the damage and the beginning of the clean-up
operation and other information.<span></span></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span>Emailed <b>letters of support for funding</b>
for the ICN would be greatly appreciated. Please address emails to the ICN
director, Dr. Gonzalo Andrade at </span></span><a href="mailto:inscien_bog@unal.edu.co" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span><span>inscien_bog@unal.edu.co</span></span></a><span><span> or </span></span><a href="mailto:mgandradec@unal.edu.co" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span><span>mgandradec@unal.edu.co</span></span></a><span><span> and to the Rector of the Universidad
Nacional, Dr. Leopoldo Múnera, </span></span><a href="mailto:lamunerar@unal.edu.co" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span><span>lamunerar@unal.edu.co</span></span></a><span><span> or </span></span><a href="mailto:rectoria@unal.edu.co" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span><span>rectoria@unal.edu.co</span></span></a><span><span><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12pt">Alert for possible collapse of the roof of
the Institute of Sciences of the National University <span></span></span></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><i><span lang="EN">El Tiempo</span></i></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN">, Bogotá <span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN">The Institute of Natural Sciences of the National
University is at risk of collapse after the rains of the last few days.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN">A collection of 1,800 species of birds,
safeguarded for research, is in danger. </span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/eltiempo" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span><span>#ElTiempo</span></span></a><span><span class="gmail-yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color"><span style="color:rgb(6,95,212)"><span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span><span> </span></span></span></p>
<span></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><a name="_Hlk182737762"><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12pt">It rained and flooded the most important biological
collection of birds in Colombia again <span></span></span></b></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12pt">The recent rains put at risk again the bird
collection of the Institute of Natural Sciences (ICN) of the National
University of Colombia, one of the most important in the country.</span></b></span></span><span><b><span style="font-size:12pt"><span></span></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><i><span lang="ES-EC">El Espectador</span></i></span><span><span lang="ES-EC">, Bogotá<span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span lang="ES-EC">13 de
noviembre de 2024 - 12:45 p. m.<span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span lang="ES-EC"><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN">The recent rains have once again affected the bird collection at the
Institute of Natural Sciences (ICN) of the National University of Colombia.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN">The building of this institution, which
houses one of the most important and complete natural history collections in
the country, has been a cause of concern among scientists and researchers, who
have been warning for several years about the damage that unique species of
great scientific value could suffer due to water leaks and the humidity it
would cause.</span></span></span><span><span><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">“As always, the main problem is the capacity
of the drainage channel above the bird collection, so the water came through
the roof again, as it did at the beginning of this year, even though we had
already corrected the gutter problem,” says Gonzalo Andrade, director of the
ICN.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Andrade
explained that the drainage pipes cannot handle the volume of water that fell,
causing the channel to overflow and the water to enter the bird collection
again, as has happened on other occasions.</span></span></span><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">However, the professor confirms that, despite
the emergency, no damage has been detected to the specimens in the collection.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">“The specimens are already drying, as we did
on the previous occasion, taking all the necessary measures to protect them
despite the residual humidity.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The furniture is already dry thanks to the intensive use
of fans, among other measures,” says Andrade.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The University sent hydraulic engineers and
architects to assess the situation.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">As soon as it is safe, because the building’s roof is
still wet from the rain, these people will climb onto the roof to begin
repairs.<span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The corrections will include the installation
of five additional outlets in the channel beam to drain water directly to the
ground and prevent it from accumulating.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">To understand the importance of this
collection, it is enough to say that an individual diving duck is preserved
there, a species that is currently categorized as extinct.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">“This collection represents all the bird
species present in Colombia and is kept at the ICN, where knowledge of the
country's avian biodiversity is preserved,” says Andrade.</span></span></span><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">And what about the building promised by the
Ministry of the Environment?</span></b></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> <span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">On July 5, the Ministry of the Environment
announced an investment of 59 billion pesos to preserve the biological
collections of the ICN and the Natural History Museum of the National
University.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">But this is
only one of three stages.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The Ministry
of the Environment is financing the first, which includes the construction of
two buildings for the National Herbarium, offices, research laboratories, and
work spaces related to the herbarium and the institute's botanical researchers.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The work is expected to begin in February of
next year, since the necessary agreements and permits are in place.</span></span></span><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Stage 2, which has not yet been financially
finalized, aims to create infrastructure for the zoology, archaeology, and
paleontology collections, and work spaces for professors and researchers in
these areas.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Finally,
Stage 3 will focus on the creation of an additional building to house the
Natural History Museum, with technical studies already underway.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">To obtain funding for Stages 2 and 3, it is
necessary to complete all technical and infrastructure studies until reaching
Phase 3, similar to the process of the first stage.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">“It is key to clarify that ICAN does not have
its infrastructure problem completely resolved, since only funding for Stage 1
has been secured;</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">it is still
pending to obtain the resources for Stages 2 and 3,” says Professor Andrade.</span></span></span><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">That is, in the first stage of the project,
which is about to begin, only the National Herbarium will be included, but the
Institute of Natural Sciences has a total of 13 collections: in addition to the
herbarium, there are 10 zoological collections, one paleontological collection
and one archaeological collection.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">These other collections are planned for stage 2. Stage 2
is estimated to cost approximately 60 billion pesos.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Furthermore, based on the experience of stage
1, the architects estimate that stage 3 could cost between 40 and 45 billion
pesos, although the final value will also depend on further analysis.</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">For both stages, there is no guaranteed
financing.</span></span></span><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Earlier this year, three scientific societies
representing researchers from a variety of disciplines wrote an open letter
expressing “their concern about the lack of support facing biological
collections, including those in public, private, government, and academic
museums and herbaria.”</span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-hwtze"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">These are the
Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE), the American Society of Naturalists
(ASN), and the Society of Systematic Biologists, three of the oldest and most
important scientific associations in the world.</span></span></span><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The reason for sending this open letter was
three specific cases, although “their concern is broader,” which show the lack
of support for these important resources for science: “The decision to relocate
the Herbarium located at Duke University (United States), the infrastructure
problems at the Institute of Natural Sciences (ICN) at the National University
of Colombia, and the decision to close the Evolutionary Biology Unit at the
South Australian Museum.”<span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">The case of the ICN in Colombia was reported
by <i>El Espectador</i> in this article entitled “The fractures of the
Institute of Natural Sciences of the National University,” which explains the
risk faced by the more than three million biological specimens housed in the
collection, which include extinct species and whose only record is held at this
institute:</span></span></span><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span></span><a href="https://www.elespectador.com/educacion/las-fracturas-del-instituto-de-ciencias-naturales-de-la-universidad-nacional/" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">https://www.elespectador.com/educacion/las-fracturas-del-instituto-de-ciencias-naturales-de-la-universidad-nacional/</span></span></a><span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span><span><span> </span></span></span></p>
<span></span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><b><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:12pt">Alerta por posible colapso
del techo del Instituto de Ciencias de la U. Nacional<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f33tlTocM_Y" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span lang="ES-EC">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f33tlTocM_Y</span></a><span lang="ES-EC"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><i><span lang="ES-EC">El Tiempo</span></i><span lang="ES-EC">, Bogotá<span class="gmail-yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color"><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span class="gmail-yt-core-attributed-string--link-inherit-color"><span lang="ES-EC" style="color:rgb(19,19,19)">En riesgo de colapso está el Instituto
de Ciencias Naturales de la Universidad Nacional tras las lluvias de los
últimos días. Una colección de 1.800 especies de aves, salvaguardadas para
investigación, está en peligro. </span></span><span lang="ES-EC"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><b><span lang="ES-EC"><span> </span></span></b></span></p>
<h2 style="margin:2pt 0in 0in;line-height:107%;break-after:avoid;font-size:13pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:rgb(47,84,150);font-weight:normal"><b><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:12pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext">Llovió y se volvió a inundar la colección biológica de aves más
importante de Colombia</span></b><b><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:12pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:windowtext"> <span></span></span></b></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><b><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:12pt">Las recientes lluvias volvieron
a poner en riesgo la colección de aves del Instituto de Ciencias Naturales
(ICN) de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia, una de las más importantes del
país.<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.elespectador.com/ciencia/llovio-y-se-volvio-a-inundar-la-coleccion-biologica-de-aves-mas-importante-de-colombia/" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span lang="ES-EC">https://www.elespectador.com/ciencia/llovio-y-se-volvio-a-inundar-la-coleccion-biologica-de-aves-mas-importante-de-colombia/</span></a><span lang="ES-EC"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC">El Espectatador, Bogotá<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC">13 de noviembre de 2024 - 12:45 p. m.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span class="gmail-rynqvb"><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Las últimas lluvias volvieron a afectar la colección de aves del
Instituto de Ciencias Naturales (ICN) de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
El edificio de esta entidad, en donde se resguarda una de las colecciones de
historia natural más importantes y completas del país, ha sido objeto de
preocupación entre científicos e investigadores, quienes alertan desde hace
varios años sobre los daños que podrían sufrir especies únicas y de gran valor
científico debido a las filtraciones de agua y a la humedad que estas provocan.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-box--float-left" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-font--secondary" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">“Como siempre, el principal problema es la capacidad que tiene el canal
que está encima de la colección de aves, entonces nos volvió a caer la cascada,
esa que tuvimos a principios de este año, a pesar de que entonces ya habíamos
hecho una corrección”, señala Gonzalo Andrade, director del ICN. Andrade
explica que las tuberías de desagüe no pueden manejar el volumen de agua que
cayó, provocando que la canal se desborde y el agua entre nuevamente en la
colección de aves, tal como ha sucedido otras ocasiones.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-font--secondary" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC">Sin embargo, el profesor confirma que, pese a la
emergencia, no se han detectado afectaciones en los especímenes de la
colección. “Ya se están secando, como hicimos en la ocasión anterior, tomando
todas las medidas necesarias para protegerla a pesar de la humedad residual.
Los muebles ya están secos gracias al uso intensivo de ventiladores, entre
otras medidas”, dice Andrade. La Universidad envió a ingenieros hidráulicos y
arquitectos para evaluar la situación. Tan pronto sea seguro, debido a que las
tejas del edificio están aún húmedas por la lluvia, estas personas se subirán
al techo para comenzar las reparaciones.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC">Las correcciones incluirán la instalación de cinco
salidas adicionales en la viga canal para drenar el agua directamente al suelo
y evitar que se acumule. Para entender la importancia de esta colección, basta
decir que allí se encuentra conservado un individuo de pato zambullidor, una
especie que actualmente está categorizada como extinta. “Esta colección
representa a todas las especies de aves presentes en Colombia y se resguarda en
el ICN, donde se conserva el conocimiento de la biodiversidad aviar del país”,
dice Andrade.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><b><span lang="ES-EC">¿Y el edificio que prometió
Minambiente?<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC">El pasado 5 de julio, el Ministerio de Ambiente
anunció una inversión de $59.000 millones para preservar las colecciones
biológicas del ICN y el Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Nacional.
Pero se trata apenas de una de tres etapas. El Ministerio de Ambiente está
financiando la primera, que incluye la construcción de dos edificios destinados
al Herbario Nacional, oficinas, laboratorios de investigación, y espacios de
trabajo relacionados con el herbario y los investigadores botánicos del instituto.
Se espera que la obra comience en febrero del próximo año, ya que se cuenta con
los convenios y permisos necesarios.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-font--secondary" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">La etapa 2, que aún no tiene cierre financiero, tiene como objetivo
crear infraestructura para las colecciones de zoología, arqueología,
paleontología, y espacios de trabajo para los profesores e investigadores en
estas áreas. Finalmente, la etapa 3 se enfocará en la creación de un edificio
adicional para albergar el Museo de Historia Natural, con estudios técnicos ya
en marcha. Para obtener el financiamiento de las etapas 2 y 3, es necesario
completar todos los estudios técnicos y de infraestructura hasta alcanzar la
fase 3, similar al proceso de la primera etapa. “Es clave aclarar que el ICAN
no tiene su problema de infraestructura completamente resuelto, ya que solo se
ha asegurado la financiación para la etapa 1; aún queda pendiente obtener los
recursos para las etapas 2 y 3″, dice el profesor Andrade.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-font--secondary" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-font--secondary" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Es decir, en la primera etapa del proyecto, a punto de comenzar, solo se
incluirá el Herbario Nacional, pero el Instituto de Ciencias Naturales tiene un
total de 13 colecciones: además del herbario, hay 10 de zoología, una de
paleontología y una de arqueología. Estas otras colecciones están previstas
para la etapa 2. Se estima que la etapa 2 tendrá un costo aproximado de 60 mil
millones. Además, con base en la experiencia de la etapa 1, los arquitectos
calculan que la etapa 3 podría costar entre 40 mil y 45 mil millones de pesos,
aunque el valor definitivo también dependerá de más analisis. Para ambas
etapas, no hay financiación segura.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-font--secondary" style="margin:0in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span lang="ES-EC" style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC">A principios de este año, tres sociedades
científicas que agrupan a investigadores de diversas disciplinas escribieron
una carta abierta para manifestar “su preocupación por la falta de apoyo por la
que están pasando las colecciones biológicas, incluyendo las que se encuentran
en museos y herbarios públicos, privados, de los gobiernos o académicos”. Se
trata de la Sociedad para el Estudio de la Evolución (SSE, por sus siglas en
inglés), la Sociedad Americana de Naturalistas (Amnat) y la Sociedad de Biólogos
Sistemáticos, tres de las asociaciones científicas más antiguas e importantes
del mundo.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC">Su motivación para enviar esta carta abierta se
dio por tres casos puntuales, aunque “su preocupación es más amplia”, en los
que se evidencia la falta de apoyo para estos importantes recursos para la
ciencia. “La decisión de reubicar el Herbario que se encuentra en la
Universidad de Duke (Estados Unidos), los problemas de infraestructura en el
Instituto de Ciencias Naturales (ICN) en la Universidad Nacional de Colombia, y
la decisión de cerrar la Unidad de Biología Evolutiva del Museo del Sur de
Australia”.<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC">El caso del ICN, en Colombia, fue reseñado
por El Espectador en esta nota titulada </span><a href="https://www.elespectador.com/educacion/las-fracturas-del-instituto-de-ciencias-naturales-de-la-universidad-nacional/" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><b><span lang="ES-EC">Las fracturas del Instituto de Ciencias Naturales de
la Universidad Nacional</span></b></a><b><span lang="ES-EC">, </span></b><span lang="ES-EC">en la que se explica el riesgo en el que se encuentran
los más de tres millones de ejemplares biológicos que alberga la colección, que
incluyen especies extintas y cuyo único registro se tiene en este instituto.<span><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.elespectador.com/ciencia/llovio-y-se-volvio-a-inundar-la-coleccion-biologica-de-aves-mas-importante-de-colombia/" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span lang="ES-EC">https://www.elespectador.com/ciencia/llovio-y-se-volvio-a-inundar-la-coleccion-biologica-de-aves-mas-importante-de-colombia/</span></a><span class="gmail-MsoHyperlink" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span lang="ES-EC"><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span class="gmail-MsoHyperlink" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline"><span lang="ES-EC"><span><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span lang="ES-EC"><span> </span></span></p>
</div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">John E. Simmons<br>Writer and Museum Consultant</span></font></div><div dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Museologica<br><i>and</i><br>Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia<br>Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima</span></font><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>