Latest news with #UniversityofPuertoRico
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Puerto Rican coquí frogs are loud. Islanders want to keep it that way.
For many Puerto Ricans, the nightly chirping of 'coh-KEE' — the sound of a tiny frog known as the coquí — is like a national lullaby. But for one purported tourist, the noise felt more like a nightmare, according to a now-deleted Reddit post from May on the Puerto Rico Travel thread. The post, titled 'Spray to keep the noisy frogs quiet?' alarmed residents and lovers of the amphibian. In the last month, dozens have voiced their concerns across social media about their fears that visitors to the island appear to want to silence the creature. On TikTok, videos pleading to leave the coquís alone have millions of views. Some users have urged people not to come to Puerto Rico if they don't like the sound of the coquÍs. Others have joined in the chorus of voices calling on people to protect coquís from possible harm. Alejandro Ríos-Franceschi, an associate professor of ecology, biodiversity and evolution at the University of Puerto Rico, Ponce Campus, said that before the social media post, he had never heard of people in Puerto Rico attempting to kill coquís. Puerto Rican environmental officials have not weighed in on the online uproar. However, Ríos-Franceschi isn't surprised by the fears expressed by many locals and environmental enthusiasts online, given how beloved the frog is. On the island, many Puerto Ricans are taught from a young age to care for and appreciate them. 'The coquÍ is not noise — it's a living soundtrack of the Puerto Rican identity,' Ríos-Franceschi said. There are 17 species of coquís, most of which are endemic to Puerto Rico, according to Ríos-Franceschi. The creatures are tiny, muddy and brown. Males are known for making 'co' sounds to dissuade other males, while the 'qui' sound is meant to attract females. As a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico is subject to the rules and laws of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, which means anyone who harms a coquÍ could face serious legal trouble. As of 2017, some coquÍs were listed as endangered. But the common coquÍ, which makes the iconic sound, are not endangered. The frog is also an invasive species in Hawaii, Ríos-Franceschi said. In 2003, The Associated Press reported that state and federal officials were trying to eradicate the Oahu coquÍ frog population, citing the need to control them. The superstar rapper and singer Bad Bunny, who is from Puerto Rico, has even posted about the creature. Last week, he appeared to allude to the ongoing discussion about them by sharing an Instagram story featuring their croaking in the background of a clipped version of his song 'Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii,' which translates to 'What Happened to Hawaii.' Ríos-Franceschi, who is also a research director for the nonprofit conservation group Proyecto Coqui, said if tourists are actually coming to Puerto Rico and trying to spray the coquí with chemicals, it could enter the groundwater and spread to other creatures, possibly disrupting the entire ecosystem of the island. To Puerto Ricans, the sound of the frogs, Ríos-Franceschi said, is "melody for our ears, but I can understand that for tourists that are not used to it, it can be bothering.' 'But that doesn't mean that when tourists come here, they have the right to kill them just because they're annoying.' This article was originally published on
NBC News
6 days ago
- General
- NBC News
Puerto Rican coquí frogs are loud. Islanders want to keep it that way.
For many Puerto Ricans, the nightly chirping of 'coh-KEE' — the sound of a tiny frog known as the coquí — is like a national lullaby. But for one purported tourist, the noise felt more like a nightmare, according to a now-deleted Reddit post from May on the Puerto Rico Travel thread. The post, titled 'Spray to keep the noisy frogs quiet?', alarmed residents and lovers of the amphibian. In the last month, dozens have voiced their concerns across social media about their fears that visitors to the island appear to want to silence the creature. On TikTok, videos pleading to leave the coquís alone have millions of views. Some users have urged people not to come to Puerto Rico if they don't like the sound of the coquÍs. Others have joined in the chorus of voices calling on people to protect coquís from possible harm. Alejandro Ríos-Franceschi, an associate professor of ecology, biodiversity and evolution at the University of Puerto Rico, Ponce Campus, said that before the social media post, he had never heard of people in Puerto Rico attempting to kill coquís. Puerto Rican environmental officials have not weighed in on the online uproar. However, Ríos-Franceschi isn't surprised by the fears expressed by many locals and environmental enthusiasts online, given how beloved the frog is. On the island, many Puerto Ricans are taught from a young age to care for and appreciate them. 'The coquÍ is not noise — it's a living soundtrack of the Puerto Rican identity,' Ríos-Franceschi said. There are 17 species of coquís, most of which are endemic to Puerto Rico, according to Ríos-Franceschi. The creatures are tiny, muddy and brown. Males are known for making 'co' sounds to dissuade other males, while the 'qui' sound is meant to attract females. As a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico is subject to the rules and laws of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, which means anyone who harms a coquÍ could face serious legal trouble. As of 2017, some coquÍs were listed as endangered. But the common coquÍ, which makes the iconic sound, are not endangered. The frog is also an invasive species in Hawaii, Ríos-Franceschi said. In 2003, The Associated Press reported that state and federal officials were trying to eradicate the Oahu coquÍ frog population, citing the need to control them. The superstar rapper and singer Bad Bunny, who is from Puerto Rico, has even posted about the creature. Last week, he appeared to allude to the ongoing discussion about them by sharing an Instagram story featuring their croaking in the background of a clipped version of his song 'Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii,' which translates to 'What Happened to Hawaii.' Ríos-Franceschi, who is also a research director for the nonprofit conservation group Proyecto Coqui, said if tourists are actually coming to Puerto Rico and trying to spray the coquí with chemicals, it could enter the groundwater and spread to other creatures, possibly disrupting the entire ecosystem of the island. To Puerto Ricans, the sound of the frogs, Ríos-Franceschi said, is "melody for our ears, but I can understand that for tourists that are not used to it, it can be bothering.' 'But that doesn't mean that when tourists come here, they have the right to kill them just because they're annoying.'
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
UCF helping Puerto Rican students pursue their academic dreams
The last-minute preparations are in, and the annual Florida Puerto Rican Parade and Festival is set to kick off in downtown Orlando Saturday. Through the years, the connection between central Florida and Puerto Rico has grown stronger. That connection was on full display with the University of Central Florida giving a helping hand to students on the island in pursuing their academic dreams. The University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla has a beautiful campus, where you'll find plenty of sharks, seeing as its mascots are Sharky and Tintorera. But you'll actually find some Knights there as well. This is thanks to the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, a federally funded program designed to prepare undergraduate students for doctoral studies, research and other activities. 'They're UCF McNair program students, but at the University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla,' said Fernando Rivera, director of the UCF Puerto Rico Research Hub McNair was a physicist, astronaut and scholar. His legacy lives on following the Challenger space shuttle's explosion. Now that legacy inspires new generations through education. "They put a program together to increase the number of unserved and unrepresented populations to go into grad school," said Rivera. The program recently spotlighted Nathalie Nieto-Torres from Aguadilla. She's a first-degeneration STEM student and future Ph.D. candidate in molecular biology. She says McNair empowered her to pursue her dreams. There's also Adriana Camacho-Badillo, a junior studying biology who has a passion for research. She says UCF's McNair program has provided unwavering support. The two visited UCF for a conference recently. It was just one of many opportunities the program offers to give students the chance to network and gain new mentors. "The scholars are doing fantastic, getting a lot of summer programs, placement into grad programs," Rivera said. The director of UCF's McNair program recently visited La Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico and UPR to share insights on graduate school and summer research with current and future scholars on the island. 'A very neat collaboration and sort of tells you sort of the capacity that the students from Aguadilla do actually have, and sort of the collaborations and that tie between Puerto Rico and Florida," Rivera said. Those students are from Aguadilla, which is the city being featured in this year's Orlando parade. WFTV is the official broadcast partner for the Florida Puerto Rican Parade and Festival. It will be streamed live on air and online at starting at 11 a.m. Saturday. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Aguadilla shines as a coastal beacon for travelers to Puerto Rico
Channel 9 is spotlighting stories of community before the annual Florida Puerto Rican Parade and Festival this Sunday. Channel 9 anchor Kirstin Delgado is sharing what Aguadilla has to offer. The city of Aguadilla is two hours west of San Juan. It's known for its location bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, making for great surfing on its famous 'Crash Boat Beach.' The city of roughly 60,000 people is currentlyThe city will be one of many featured during the Florida Puerto Rican Parade, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. celebrating its 250th anniversary. Aguadilla is also home to the University of Puerto Rico. The city will be one of many featured during the Florida Puerto Rican Parade from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. WFTV will have live team coverage of the parade in downtown currently Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
USA Today
18-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Puerto Rico faced a massive power outage. Why does this keep happening?
Puerto Rico faced a massive power outage. Why does this keep happening? Show Caption Hide Caption Puerto Rico hit with massive island-wide power outage Puerto Rico was hit with another power outage, the second since New Year's Eve. 'The grid has become the poster child of the decay of the colonial system, its institutions and a very vulnerable population," said Cecilio Ortiz García, of the University of Puerto Rico. Damage to the island's power grid caused by Hurricane Maria persists years later. And in 2022, Hurricane Fiona once again plunged the island into darkness. For years, Puerto Rico has also faced a debt crisis which left the island unable to afford to maintain the grid, according to Laura Kuhl, of Northeastern University. Crews once again worked to restore power in Puerto Rico after a massive blackout, the latest to the strike the island's beleaguered power grid. An islandwide blackout hit the U.S. territory April 16, an issue Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón called "unacceptable." By the morning of April 18, nearly all customers had their power restored, according to LUMA Energy. The already fragile power grid has been repeatedly damaged by hurricanes, leading to regular rolling blackouts. About 1.2 million customers spent New Year's Eve without power in a massive outage that took days to resolve. And compounding crises driven by climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and fiscal pressures have pushed the grid to the breaking point, Cecilio Ortiz García, co-founder of the University of Puerto Rico's National Institute of Energy and Island Sustainability previously told USA TODAY. 'The grid has become the poster child of the decay of the colonial system, its institutions and a very vulnerable population," Ortiz García said. Make your journey safer and smarter: Sign up for USA TODAY's Travel newsletter. Hurricanes pummel the power grid Hurricane Maria knocked out power to Puerto Rico, causing the largest blackout in U.S. history and second-largest in the world, according to the Rhodium Group, a policy analysis firm. It took nearly a year to completely restore restore power after the Category 4 storm slammed the island on Sept. 20, 2017. Damage to the island's power grid caused by Hurricane Maria persists years later. And in 2022, Hurricane Fiona once again plunged the island into darkness, causing a blackout that affected the entire U.S. territory of 3.2 million people. 'It is unacceptable that five years after hurricane Maria, nothing has fundamentally changed," Agustín Carbó, the San Juan-based senior manager of energy transition at the Environmental Defense Fund, said in 2022. "The current energy crisis is dire, and Puerto Ricans and the island's economy are suffering." Additionally, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake rumbled across Puerto Rico in early 2020, knocking out power to virtually the entire island. Former President Joe Biden approved billions of dollars in disaster funding for Puerto Rico and promised then Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm would lead a 'supercharged effort' to modernize Puerto Rico's power grid. Chronic underinvestment in infrastructure For years, Puerto Rico has also faced a debt crisis which left the island unable to afford to maintain the grid, according to Laura Kuhl, a professor of public policy and urban affairs and international affairs at Northeastern University. The lack of maintenance combined with the centralized, top-down system make the grid particularly vulnerable to massive outages, Kuhl told Northeastern Global News in January. Previously reported: 6 reasons why Puerto Rico slid into financial crisis 'In contrast, if Puerto Rico had, for example, a lot of renewable energy sources where the generation was more distributed, even individual outages wouldn't have those widespread repercussions,' she said. Power companies face protests, financial problems The Puerto Rico Power Authority has also grappled with chronic financial problems. Facing $9 billion in debt, the troubled power company effectively filed for bankruptcy in summer 2017. In 2020, the power authority signed a 15-year contract with LUMA Energy, a Canadian-American electricity consortium. The company pledged to reduce the frequency and length of power interruptions, but the outages persisted. Puerto Ricans, including rapper Bad Bunny, have repeatedly protested against LUMA Energy and called on the governor to cancel LUMA's contract. The most recent blackout renewed these calls for the Puerto Rican government to cancel its contracts with Luma and Genera PR, the company that generates the power, according to the Associated Press. González-Colón, the governor, said the process of canceling the contract with Luma and finding possible replacements would be slow. (This story has been updated to add new information.) Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez, Grace Hauck, Amanda Pérez Pintado, David Oliver and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY
