A voice from the sky that no one had formally documented before
En las cumbres nubladas del Parque Nacional Farallones de Cali, dos pequeñas ranas han emergido del anonimato científico para recordarnos que la naturaleza guarda secretos incluso en los territorios más estudiados. Investigadores de la Universidad del Valle han descrito dos nuevas especies del género Pristimantis, nombrándolas en honor a quienes custodian estos bosques y al canto que resuena entre las alturas. El hallazgo no es solo un dato taxonómico: es un argumento vivo a favor de la protección continua de uno de los ecosistemas más ricos del hemisferio.
- Dos especies de ranas completamente desconocidas para la ciencia fueron identificadas en un parque que, pese a su fama, aún esconde formas de vida sin nombre.
- La biodiversidad del Farallones —más de 1.000 especies de árboles, 620 de aves y un centenar de mamíferos— enfrenta presiones constantes que hacen urgente cada nuevo descubrimiento.
- Los científicos de la Universidad del Valle nombraron una especie en tributo a los guardaparques, visibilizando el trabajo humano silencioso que hace posible la conservación y la ciencia.
- La otra rana recibió el nombre de 'cantora celestial' por su llamado en las cimas, un gesto que recuerda que conocemos la naturaleza también a través de sus voces.
- El descubrimiento refuerza la necesidad de continuar las expediciones científicas y fortalecer la protección del parque, cuya extensión de 196.000 hectáreas sigue revelando secretos.
En las alturas del Parque Nacional Farallones de Cali, dos ranas han dejado de ser invisibles. Investigadores de la Universidad del Valle —Wilmar Bolívar García, Oscar Cuellar y Brayan Esteban Bolaños Molina— describieron recientemente dos nuevas especies del género Pristimantis, cuya existencia fue anunciada por Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia. Cada nombre elegido cuenta una historia distinta sobre cómo los seres humanos se relacionan con lo silvestre.
La primera, Pristimantis regadatore, lleva en su nombre un reconocimiento: el de los guardaparques y guardianes que recorren a diario los territorios protegidos del país. Es un homenaje a la labor invisible que sostiene la conservación, sin la cual ningún descubrimiento científico sería posible. La segunda, Pristimantis cantorcaelestis —'cantora del cielo'— debe su nombre al llamado peculiar que emite en las cimas del parque, un canto que los investigadores escucharon antes de comprender plenamente a quién pertenecía.
El Farallones de Cali es un territorio de abundancia extraordinaria. Con más de 196.000 hectáreas, es el área protegida más extensa del Valle del Cauca, y alberga más de mil especies de árboles, más de 620 de aves y más de cien de mamíferos, entre ellos osos de anteojos, jaguares y ocelotes. El parque no solo resguarda especies: produce agua y regula el clima para las comunidades del entorno.
El hallazgo de estas dos ranas es, en el fondo, una advertencia y una promesa. Una advertencia de que lo que aún no conocemos puede perderse antes de ser nombrado; una promesa de que la ciencia y la custodia, juntas, pueden seguir revelando lo que estas montañas guardan.
In the high reaches of Colombia's Farallones de Cali national park, researchers have identified two frog species previously unknown to science. The discoveries—Pristimantis regadatore and Pristimantis cantorcaelestis—were announced recently by Colombia's National Natural Parks authority through social media, marking another addition to the catalog of life in one of the country's most biodiverse protected areas.
The first species, Pristimantis regadatore, carries a name rooted in gratitude. Park officials chose it as a tribute to the park rangers and guardians who work across Colombia's protected lands, acknowledging their commitment to conservation. It is a naming that speaks to the human labor often invisible in stories about wilderness—the daily work of protection that makes scientific discovery possible.
The second frog, Pristimantis cantorcaelestis, takes its name from something more ethereal: the creature's distinctive call, heard in the high peaks of the protected area. Cantorcaelestis translates to "singer of the sky," a poetic acknowledgment of the frog's voice echoing across the mountain summits where it lives. The name captures something essential about how we come to know wild things—through their sounds, their presence, the marks they leave on the landscape.
The research team behind the discovery includes Wilmar Bolívar García, Oscar Cuellar, and Brayan Esteban Bolaños Molina, all affiliated with the Universidad del Valle. Their work is part of ongoing scientific expeditions in the park that continue to expand understanding of amphibian diversity across southwestern Colombia. Each expedition adds layers to what we know about this region's biological richness.
Farallones de Cali itself is a landscape of extraordinary abundance. The park encompasses more than 196,000 hectares, making it the largest protected area in the Valle del Cauca department. Within its boundaries live over 1,000 tree species, countless orchids, bromeliads, and ferns. More than 620 bird species—residents and migrants alike—move through its forests. The park is also home to emblematic mammals: spectacled bears, jaguars, and ocelots, each playing a crucial role in the ecosystem's delicate balance. Scientists have documented more than 100 mammal species navigating the dense vegetation.
The park functions as more than a repository of species. It is a producer of essential services for the surrounding communities of Valle del Cauca—water, climate regulation, the intangible benefits of a functioning ecosystem. The discovery of two new frog species is not merely a scientific footnote. It is evidence that the park still holds secrets, that its depths remain incompletely known, and that the work of protection and study must continue. Each new species identified is a reminder of what exists in these mountains, and what stands to be lost if the work of guardianship falters.
Notable Quotes
Recognition of park rangers' commitment to protecting Colombia's conservation areas— Colombia's National Natural Parks authority, on naming Pristimantis regadatore
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why name a frog after park rangers? It seems like an unusual choice for a scientific name.
Because the people who protect the land are part of the story. Without them, there's no park, no research, no discovery. The naming is an acknowledgment that science doesn't happen in a vacuum.
And the second frog—the one with the celestial name—what makes its call distinctive enough to inspire that?
It sings in the high mountains where few humans ever go. The researchers heard it, recognized it as something new, and the name captures that moment of encounter—a voice from the sky that no one had formally documented before.
How many species do you think are still undiscovered in that park?
No one knows. The park is 196,000 hectares. We've found over 1,000 tree species, 620 birds, more than 100 mammals. Two new frogs. The pattern suggests there's far more we haven't seen yet.
Does finding new species change how the park is managed?
It should. Every new species is evidence of complexity, of ecological relationships we don't fully understand. It's an argument for protection, for letting the work of discovery continue.
What happens to these frogs now that they're named?
They exist in the scientific record. They're part of the conversation about what matters in that landscape. Whether that translates to actual protection depends on what happens next—whether the park remains a priority, whether the rangers keep doing their work.