Dragonflies help protect water and ancestral Indigenous languages in Colombia

Researchers investigating Colombia's remote Guainía region have identified nearly 120 dragonfly and damselfly species, uncovering a biodiversity hotspot for these insects. Indigenous communities are naming the species in their ancestral languages and monitoring local dragonflies to deepen understanding of ecosystem health while connecting biodiversity with water protection and reviving linguistic heritage.

The database and naming initiative are ongoing projects; legal recognition of customary territories and formal water protection measures remain separate processes.