And now you can have a newly-discovered species of monkey named after you. Just send money …
Ordinarily, the person who discovers a species has the right to name it, and species have often been named for people who supported research or financed an expedition. In this case, Dr. Wallace said in a telephone interview from Bolivia, the discoverers decided to seek a benefactor after the fact, in an online auction that would both raise interest in Madidi park and funds to help manage it.
“We have no idea how much money this can generate,” he said of the auction, which begins Feb. 24 at www.charityfolks.com. “We’re looking for someone who wants to make a lasting contribution to one of the most important protected areas of the world.”
Madidi National Park, which covers about 7,300 square miles in northwestern Bolivia, is one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet. Yet it is threatened by encroaching agriculture and road building, which lead to human settlement. Proceeds of the auction will go to a Bolivian conservation foundation and the country’s park service to carry out a management plan for the area.
The monkey is a variation of the titi monkey, about 15″ tall, and covered in fluffy gold, orange, and burgandy fur. Now, if I had a million dollars …