SHOTLIST AP Television Junin, Peru, 4 November 2009 1. Medium shot of Puyas and lamas 2. Close up of Puya 3. Close up of Puya with lama in background 4. Wide shot of sheep eating near forest Puyas Raimondi 5. Wide shot of Forest Puyas Raimondi 6. Medium shot of Puyas Raimondi 7. Medium shot of sheep eating near Forest Puyas Raimondi 8. Wide shot of Puyas that have grown on the rocky slopes of the hills 9. Close up of Puyas Raimondi 10. Zoom out of Puya Raimondi baby plant (10 years old) 11. Wide shot of forest with Puyas 12. Zoom in to Ospino standing near Puya Raimondi 13. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Juan Ospino, Biologist from Universidad Nacional del Centro (Junin): "Puya Raimondi is a xenofit (xerofitica) plant (plant that grows on dry soil, cactus) that is found only in very few areas of our country, like in Junin, Ancash and part of the Cerro de Pasco. Here in Junin in the province of Chupaca, in the district of Yanacancha, near Huascar, is a xerofitica plant that only blooms for 90 to 100 years, and at the moment we are in a blooming time. Unfortunately some local people (peasants) have burnt some puyas because of the lack of knowledge and because they are protecting their animals that get entangled in the thorny leaves." 14. Wide shot of burned puyas 15. Medium shot of burned puyas 16. Close up of burned puya 17. Pan of puyas forest 18. Close up of a Puya 19. Medium shot Puya Raimondi spike 20. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Juan Ospino, Biologist from Universidad Nacional del Centro (Junin): "This cactus is endangered because the locals burn the plants to protect their animals from getting entangled in the leaves and because of climate change. Those are two of the factors that are influencing the disappearance of this species. If we do not pay attention, if our institutions don't take care of this type of species, then in a few years we will not have any (puyas). We are in blooming season and we need to take care of the plant, specialists should come, botanicals experts should take care of this species and save the seed in a special bank, this is a very important thing to do." 21. Medium shot of Puyas being checked by Ospino 22. Medium shot of burnt puya 23. Various close ups puya leaves 24. Medium shot of puyas 25. Pan of the area where puyas grow with sheep LEAD IN A rare cactus plant growing in the rocky mountains of Bolivia and Peru is facing extinction. One of the oldest plant species in the world, the Queen of the Andes is threatened by locals and climate change. STORYLINE The unmistakable figure of the Queen of the Andes (Puya Raimondi) dominates the landscape of the Peruvian hills, creating an unusual spectacle on the arid puna. The cactus grows only in the highest parts of Bolivia and Peru at 3,800 meters above sea level. It is of the same family as the pineapple, and so far six species have been identified of Puya. The "Raimondi" is the tallest variety, when it blooms it can reach over 12 meters. The queen of the Andes is considered a true living relic, being one of the oldest plant species in the world, a veritable living fossil. But the rare cactus is threatened by extinction, as it becomes more and more vulnerable to the threats from the environment, animals and local farmers. Biologist, Juan Ospino, says that despite it being blooming time at the moment, there are not many puyas to be seen. "Unfortunately some local people (peasants) have burnt some puyas because of the lack of knowledge and because they are protecting their animals that get entangled in the thorny leaves." The cactus grows on the sunny slopes on rocky areas. The puyas only bloom when they reach maturity at age 80. Its flower takes the longest time to bloom. You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/c88473b22d878e68f507246b6376695e Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

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