Existe un humedal en la amazonía boliviana hasta donde miles de cigüeñas llegan todos los años para anidar masivamente. Un admirable espectáculo natural que pronto podría desaparecer.
Por *Eduardo Franco Berton
«Los cazadores mataron al último Tapir hace un mes», dice Edwin Martínez, residente local y guía de nuestra expedición, mientras machete en mano va cortando las hojas de las plantas de Patujú, abriendo paso por los estrechos y densos senderos que llevan hasta El Curichi, un humedal ubicado en el distrito Antofagasta, al norte del Municipio de San Carlos, en el departamento de Santa Cruz.
El Curichi es un área de 1.270 hectáreas formada por un fragmento de bosques, que se encuentra rodeada por cultivos de arroz, soya y caña de azúcar. Todos los años en la época seca este lugar es testigo de un espectáculo natural formidable: el anidamiento masivo de miles de cigüeñas de la especie Mycteria americana, las que volando desde lejos llegan hasta aquí para reproducirse y criar de sus polluelos.
Los lugareños las conocen como garzas cabeza seca, pero estas aves pertenecen a la familia de los cicónidos y son consideradas una especie de cigüeña. En los meses de julio y agosto, cuando las aguas de El Curichi están bajas, llegan en bandadas de hasta 4.500 ejemplares, en búsqueda de los árboles de Ochoó en donde construyen sus nidos.
Las copas de estos árboles que se encuentra sin hojas a causa del invierno, se visten de blanco debido a las 30 a 50 cigüeñas que se posan sobre ellos para anidar. Los polluelos una vez nacen permanecen bajo el cuidado de sus madres durante tres meses, antes de aventurarse a su primer vuelo hacia la independencia, momento en el que dejan vacíos más de 1.200 nidos, para retornar algún día como adultos y dar continuidad a su ciclo natural.
Excursión a la colonia de cigüeñas
Los primeros rayos del sol anuncian que será un día caluroso. En los alrededores la sinfonía del bosque nos recibe inquieta con el rugido de una familia de monos aulladores, el golpeteo de un pájaro carpintero sobre el tronco hueco de un árbol y el chillido de una veintena de monos ardilla que nos observan curiosamente como si fuesen los centinelas del lugar.
Durante el trayecto es sorprendente la cantidad de aves que se pueden ver. Esto se debe a que El Curichi es una isla de bosque dentro de grandes extensiones de cultivo y por ello se ha convertido en su albergue natural, hospedando 92 especies, entre las que se encuentran las majestuosas parabas azules (Ara ararauna), las parabachis verdes y algunas especies consideradas sensibles como la pava campanilla.
Luego de una hora de expedición arribamos al riachuelo Tacuaral, una desembocadura del río Palacios, el río que atraviesa la famosa Reserva Forestal El Choré. Este riachuelo en conjunto con el Jochi son los principales afluentes que año tras año inundan más de 400 hectáreas de El Curichi, formando un gigantesco humedal en donde se encuentra el sitio de anidamiento de la Mycteria americana.
El Curichi es una isla de bosque dentro de grandes extensiones de cultivo
En esta etapa de la travesía, Edwin nos indica que debemos pasar el río. Nuestro anterior puente fue el tronco de un árbol caído, pero en esta oportunidad debemos caminar por el agua. Mientras pasamos, decenas de diminutos peces se acercan a picarnos los pies, a nuestra derecha un grupo de crías de caimán observan nuestra hazaña sin inmutarse. «Mientras su madre no nos sorprenda hambrienta, todo estará bien», comenta Edwin entre risas.
Una vez llegamos al sitio de anidamiento nos recibe una escena increíble y enternecedora: Miles de pichones de cigüeñas chillan hambrientas como si no hubieran comido nunca, recordando a sus madres que es hora del almuerzo. Al aproximarnos un poco más, las cigüeñas adultas aletean nerviosas, dejando caer una lluvia de peces sobre nuestras cabezas, como alertando que debemos guardar distancia.
Los ventones y sardinas son parte de la dieta principal de las crías, cuyas madres pescan hábilmente de los riachuelos, aprovechando la bajura de sus aguas. Ellas introducen delicadamente el pescado dentro de los rosáceos y pequeños picos de sus polluelos. Una vez satisfechos guardan silencio tan solo unos minutos antes de volver a chillar de nuevo.
Amenazas y urgencia de conservación
El año 2009 el Gobierno Municipal de San Carlos declaró al área como Reserva Natural de Inmovilización, una categoría de protección transitoria contemplada en la Ley del Medio Ambiente que dura cinco años y prohíbe el aprovechamiento de los recursos naturales y los asentamientos humanos. Desde abril de este año, El Curichi se encuentra desprotegido nuevamente y vulnerable ante la presión de algunos avasalladores que pretenden convertir sus bosques en cultivos agrícolas.
los chaqueos y la expansión agrícola son amenazas latentes
El año 2012, la deforestación y quema fueron los causantes de un incendio forestal que consumió gran parte del lugar, ocasionando que las cigüeñas no vuelvan a anidar el 2013. Este año la historia casi se repite nuevamente porque el fuego producto de los chaqueos que realizaron los avasalladores estuvo a punto de reducir toda la zona a cenizas. «La situación era grave, no teníamos herramientas para controlar el fuego. Me preocupaba tan solo pensar qué sería de las miles de cigüeñitas, gracias a Dios impedimos que el incendio se expanda, evitando una catástrofe mayor», comentó Javier Quino, una de las personas que ayudó a apagar el fuego.
Actualmente los chaqueos y la expansión agrícola son algunas de las principales amenazas del Curichi y su biodiversidad, y de las 1.270 hectáreas iniciales ya se han perdido 400. La fauna silvestre también está amenazada por la cacería y captura de aves para el comercio ilegal de mascotas. A todo ello, se suma la amenaza de la demanda forestal local, puesto que es el único sitio donde hay árboles con potencial maderable para la construcción de viviendas y otras necesidades de las comunidades.
Estudios de la Fundación Natura Bolivia indican que al ser El Curichi el último parche de vegetación continua en los alrededores del Distrito Antofagasta, brinda un aporte valiosísimo para el micro clima y el ciclo hidrológico de la zona y sus 20 comunidades aledañas. Ayudando a mantener la humedad y regular el régimen de lluvias que son de beneficio para los cultivos de sus alrededores. Es por esto que su conservación y mantenimiento es de vital importancia para el bienestar de las familias de San Carlos.
A pesar de las amenazas, una nueva visión y liderazgo están surgiendo en San Carlos y el municipio ha decidido adscribirse al Mecanismo de Bosques, la propuesta de Bolivia para mitigar y adaptar contra los efectos del cambio climático. Este compromiso incluye un ambicioso plan de conservación de 10.000 hectáreas de bosque y la recuperación de su cobertura forestal, esfuerzo que brinda algunas luces de esperanza para la conservación de este maravilloso lugar.
Al caer el atardecer aún escuchamos a la distancia los graznidos desesperados de los pichones, «es como si estuvieran implorando ayuda a gritos… esperemos los escuchemos a tiempo», dice Edwin.
*Eduardo F. Franco Berton es abogado ambiental, conservacionista y fotógrafo de naturaleza. Especialista en políticas públicas ambientales, cambio climático y conservación de áreas naturales. Fue coordinador de políticas y asesor legal en la Fundación Natura Bolivia. Ha sido autor de tres ensayos fotográficos premiados por la agencia brasileña de noticias ambientales O Eco: «Paso a Paso del Nacimiento de un Guajojó», «Miradas Salvajes» y «Colibrí, el Cupido de la Amazonía Boliviana».
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