Someone Posted an Instagram Selfie. Scientists Spotted a Giant New Species in the Background

Key Points:

• Scientists have discovered a new species of giant waterlily, named Victoria colombiana, after spotting it in an Instagram post from Colombia’s Inírida region; the finding was confirmed through a two-year expedition and satellite imagery.
• The discovery involved collaboration among international researchers, indigenous communities, and technology such as GIS satellite surveying and social media platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp.
• Victoria colombiana is estimated to have only 30 to 50 individuals remaining in the wild, leading researchers to consider it critically endangered and plan to submit it for formal conservation status with the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
• Efforts are underway to cultivate the species in botanical gardens in Bogotá and the UK, and to establish monitored populations near indigenous communities to help prevent its extinction.
• The discovery highlights the importance of combining traditional knowledge, modern technology, and cross-cultural collaboration in biodiversity research and conservation.