The Dark Side of Colombia Few People Know

Illegal armed groups are expanding into Colombia’s national parks and conservation zones. They cut down trees, plant coca, and open secret mines deep in the jungle—places meant to be untouched by human activity. Rangers often flee after receiving death threats from the groups controlling these territories.

The damage is enormous. Rivers once clear now run dark with sediment and chemicals. Animals disappear as forests are burned to make room for crops and mining. What should be safe havens for wildlife have instead become hiding grounds for criminal operations.