The NGO World Animal Protection has been working with the University of Guadalajara to create an action plan designed to protect animals in case of a possible major eruption of the Colima Volcano.
The program culminated recently in a drill where animals were evacuated from the community of Juan Barragan, located next to the volcano, which is the most active in Mexico.
Earlier in March, veterinary academics from various institutions attended a “Risk Management and Adaptation to Climate Change” course at the University of Guadalajara. During the training, they developed a map and risk reduction plan for animal owners from Juan Barragan.
“It’s the first time the course has been taught in Latin America,” said veterinarian Juan de Jesus Taylor Preciado. “We are not only talking about rescuing animals as we have previously done. On this occasion, we are tackling the issue of prevention in the face of a possible disaster, beginning with the management of risk, later, adaptation to climatic change and finally rescuing animals, if that turns out to be necessary.”
At the end of the course a drill was conducted to test the methodology developed. Preparation for this began more than six weeks earlier, when an inventory of all of the animals in Juan Barragan was drawn up. These included dogs, cats, cattle, pigs and chickens.
World Animal Protection’s Juan Carlos Murillo was responsible for guiding the academics through the process. “This project has been in development for several years in Jalisco,” he commented. “From Jalisco we take this knowledge to the rest of the world because everything we learn can be exported, little by little, to other places.”
The Colima Volcano has experienced a series of exhalations in recent months, many sending plumes of smoke and ash several thousand meters into the sky. Experts say this does not necessarily mean that the volcano, is readying for a major eruption. Despite its name, the volcano lies in the state of Jalisco, on the borders of Colima.