The Uros souvenir in question, featuring a stylised Titicaca water frog (Telmatobius culeus) and Andean flamingo (Phoenicoparrus andinus). Photo: Moebius.
A tourist visiting Lake Titicaca would have to be truly hard-hearted to leave without buying a souvenir. On the reed islands – floating platforms of totora sedge – Uros families welcome visitors with such warmth that it is difficult to walk away empty-handed from all the handicrafts on display: woven reed boats and, above all, a wealth of colourfully woven garments and wall hangings. Almost all of it is thoroughly impractical, but fortunately last year we managed to limit our purchases to an easily rolled-up case decorated with images of a bird (the Andean flamingo, Phoenicoparrus andinus) and – I am not entirely certain – stylised depictions of the Titicaca water frog (Telmatobius culeus, see Nomen, page 20).
Not a bad choice, as that single case captures two iconic, rare and endemic species in one souvenir – without any suffering on the part of the animals concerned. That last point is not to be taken for granted: until recently, tourists in the region were frequently offered green ‘libido-boosting’ smoothies containing blended Titicaca water frogs alongside maca root and other vegetables. To curb the illegal capture of frogs and foster greater appreciation for this rare amphibian, the Peruvian central bank issued a commemorative 1-sol coin in 2019 bearing an image of the Rana gigante del Titicaca. A bold move, given that in 2013 the Ugly Animal Preservation Society had voted the frog the fourth ugliest animal species in the world.
The frog coin was, however, very warmly received by local communities around Lake Titicaca (Herpetology Notes, 2023), and has since appreciated to roughly 17 times its original face value. The attention surrounding the frog has also given rise to local production of frog-themed souvenirs: knitted frog toys, frog hats and frog finger puppets. Now that many of us are on the verge of leaving our own little frog-filled country for a visit to more exotic destinations, it may be worth bearing this in mind when the moment comes – as it almost inevitably will – to bring something home. Our Titicaca case has since been stuffed into a cushion and, at the very least, gives us excellent lumbar support.
Gert van Maanen, Editor-in-Chief, Bionieuws