Rodrigo Feitosa

The year 2020 marked the centenary of the birth of the German-Brazilian myrmecologist, Dr. Frei Walter Wolfgang Franz Kempf, O.F.M., (1920-1976), whose remarkable research contributed greatly to the advancement of the taxonomy of Neotropical ants, especially in Brazil. This post is a tribute to mark his centenary and to recognize the relevance of his legacy.

The recent political crisis in Brazil and its consequences on human rights and environment have been occupying the front pages of international newspapers. Particularly, the cuts in the funds for the maintenance of Public Universities, independent of ideology or need, is threatening our biodiversity knowledge. The major part of Brazilian biological collections is hosted by Public Universities. Without basic maintenance there is an imminent potential of a catastrophic deterioration on such collections, leading to the loss of decades of knowledge and millions of dollars in Scientific Investment. Brazilian and international communities need to mobilize themselves against such a policy.