Equipped with headlamps, a group of biologists in Rio de Janeiro ventured into the lagoons of the Jacarepagua neighborhood late at night to examine broad-snouted caimans, a species affected by habitat pollution and unregulated urban growth.
The biologists, who captured and subsequently released the caimans, collected vital data to monitor the population's health and gauge the impact of lagoon pollution on these creatures.
"We have low reproduction rates year after year," said Ricardo Freitas, president of the Jacare Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting Rio de Janeiro's biodiversity since 2009, with a particular focus on the broad-snouted caimans. In addition to educational programs and animal rescue missions, the Jacare Institute also provides consulting and environmental services.
Marine biologist Mario Moscatelli pointed out that the encroachment of unregulated urban development near the caimans' habitat presents a significant threat. "The environment is the one who is always affected by the lack of public policies," Moscatelli said.
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