Cormacarena will impose sanctions on the influencer who killed and burned snakes and other species alive

According to what Rodríguez says in his most recent video, the justification is that the snake is a poisonous coral and that it is necessary to burn and kill it to protect “the family and the livestock.” The man, who has almost 30 thousand followers on his Facebook page, is dedicated to promoting llanera culture and according to the information on his social networks, he is a resident of the municipality of Cumaral (Meta).

However, through social networks several biologists, such as herpetologist Álvaro Andrés Velásquez, have denounced that the snake that Rodríguez claims is a poisonous coral, is actually a Erythrolamprus bizonaa snake from the hunter family that does not pose a risk to people and is very similar to the coral.

The most alarming thing about the case is that this would not be the first animal that Rodríguez has burned or killed claiming that it is poisonous. “In the video where he burns the false coral he says he knows how to recognize poisonous animals, and mentions the macabrel, which is also not poisonous. The other two photos are from a video where he bathes an Amphisbaena, which is a harmless, legless lizard, with thinner, arguing that it is rotten. It becomes very difficult to do environmental education and change people’s mentality when popularizers/influencers like this appear, spreading wrong information and also displaying animal abuse,” said biologist Velásquez.

Velásquez, who is also dedicated to science communication, has pointed out that, in any case, even if it were a poisonous snake there would be no reason to kill it, since these animals play an essential role in ecosystems as pest controllers and rodents.

“From the ecological point of view and environmental balance, snakes are animals that help control the populations of other organisms, including: mammals, fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles (including poisonous snakes), and even invertebrates. such as snails, worms and larvae of some insects. In addition, they are beneficial for people, since some of these animals (which are consumed by snakes) can be possible vectors of diseases that affect crops, or even endanger people’s lives,” highlighted the expert.

Given this, Ronal Yamid Lozano, deputy director of the Cormacarena Environmental Authority, which is the environmental corporation with jurisdiction in the area, announced that they rejected the fact and that they are already carrying out investigations to impose sanctions on Rodríguez if necessary.

“Cormacarena categorically rejects the conduct carried out by this bad influencer who not only demonstrates his ignorance of wildlife but also violates environmental regulations and the penal code. In this case, we are going to initiate sanctioning processes in accordance with Law 1339 of 2009 and copies will be certified to the Attorney General’s Office so that this person can answer for the environmental crimes that he may have committed,” Lozano noted.