An operation carried out by the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Cundinamarca (CAR), with the support of the National Police and the Carabineros Police, made it possible to stop the illegal trafficking of wildlife in the municipality of Nimaima, where 10 borugos – also known as tinajos – that were being raised in captivity for sale as meat during the Christmas season were seized.
The action was achieved thanks to an anonymous complaint from citizens, who alerted the authorities about the presence of these animals in irregular conditions. Nine juvenile specimens and one infant were found at the site, kept for commercial purposes, a practice that seriously endangers the survival of this species.
According to the CAR, the borugo is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in critical condition, due to indiscriminate hunting driven by the high demand for its meat, whose value in the illegal market can reach 350,000 pesos per specimen.
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In addition to its use as food, the species faces additional pressure due to popular beliefs that attribute supposed medicinal properties and an immunological capacity against snake bites, which further encourages its capture, especially for the consumption of people with different diseases.
The borugo is a herbivorous rodent with brown fur with white spots that lives in forested areas near rivers and streams. Its ecological importance is fundamental, since it acts as a seed disperser, contributing to the natural regeneration of forests. However, the loss of its habitat and its low reproductive rate—it reproduces only twice a year—have significantly reduced its populations.
Given this panorama, the CAR reiterated its call to citizens to avoid the hunting, capture and commercialization of wildlife, remembering that these practices constitute an environmental crime. The protection of species such as the borugo is key to preserving the ecological balance and biodiversity of the territory.