Âé¶¹´«Ã½

Living dangerously

By Ehsan Masood

3 February 2001

Cocaine, murder, insurrection. That’s the image of Colombia pretty much everywhere. But as Colombian ecologist Cristian Samper will tell you, the hype misses the real story. True, the country is ripped apart by the 37-year war against drugs and a revolutionary army in revolt against a right-wing government. But the nation also teems with pristine forests, rare plants and animals. It’s a paradise for scientists like Samper, director of Columbia’s premier research centre, the Humboldt Institute for Biological Resources in Bogota. His researchers work in dangerous areas-the ones controlled mainly by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC). And…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with Âé¶¹´«Ã½ events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop