LIFELINE

Wildlife protectors help turn the tide in major marine reserve

In the Colombian Pacific, a lone catamaran named Silky patrols waters around the remote island of Malpelo — a refuge that is protected yet full of peril for endangered marine species.

Silky crew members look out for boats illegally fishing inside the reserve some 500 kilometers off mainland Colombia, one of the richest countries in terms of marine fauna.

The vast Pacific coastline of Colombia, which is due to host the United Nations biodiversity conference 2024 (COP16) starting Oct 21, is on a key migratory route for hammerhead sharks, whale sharks and other wildlife species, many of them endangered.