In the remote region of Guainía in eastern Colombia, where the waters of the Orinoco and the Amazon meet, scientists have discovered an unexpected alliance: ancient Indigenous languages are helping to reveal the richness of the local fauna. When researchers began studying dragonflies in this area, scientific data mentioned only about ten species. Working together with local communities made it possible to increase the number of known species to almost one hundred and twenty.
The project "Dragons of Guainía" revealed that the diversity of these insects is linked to the region's unique position at the junction of several ecosystems. Here live species characteristic of the Orinoco basin, the Amazon, and endemics of the Guiana Shield. Dragonflies and damselflies serve as distinctive indicators of the state of freshwater ecosystems, sensitive to changes in the water.
However, the water bodies of Guainía are under growing pressure. Mining, deforestation, uncontrolled waste, and growing tourism threaten the fragile balance. Without precise knowledge of the species and their habitats, protecting these territories becomes more difficult.
The scientists held a series of meetings with residents, including children and elders who have preserved ancestral knowledge. At these gatherings, the insects were shown and people were asked to name them in local languages — Tucano, Puinave, Curripaco. Some names were recovered from the memory of the last speakers, while others had to be created anew in languages that are themselves under threat of extinction.
The leader of the Tucano community, Delio Suárez, noted that such work makes one reflect on the return of lost words and on turning to the wisdom of the ancestors. Communities now not only record species but also develop their own methods of monitoring dragonflies as markers of water purity.
This approach shows how knowledge encoded in language becomes a tool for nature conservation. When people name a creature in their native tongue, it ceases to be an abstract object and becomes part of their world, for which they bear responsibility.
Preserving languages together with ecosystems allows local residents to monitor the state of their rivers and lakes more effectively.
