Testimonials and memories

Tuve el agrado de conocer a un ser maravilloso de ojos lindos «Andreas Kay» en Lausanne - Suiza, nos ilucionamos, nos enamoramos. Se convirtió en el amigo, compañero y padre de mi única hija Alexia Esmeralda. Vivimos momentos hermosos viendo crecer a nuestra hija, aprendiendo a ser padres.
Después de tres años viajamos a mi país de origen «Ecuador» él emocionado por conocer este país rico en flora y fauna con muchos bosques por explorar; se convirtió en su pasión el conocer y dar a conocer al mundo muchas de las especies que existen en este pequeño y lindo paraíso. PAIS DE LAS MARAVILLAS (como él le llamaba); reflejándolo en fotos y videos. (El mejor fotógrafo que he conocido.)
Una persona especial que vivirá para siempre en nuestros corazones.
Te amaremos y extrañaremos por siempre padre y esposo. Atentamente:

Alexia Esmeralda Kay y Jimena Jiménez

Andreas ist immer eigene Wege gegangen. Er war im besten Sinne eigensinnig. Dies zeigte sich schon als Kind beim Spielen. Mit Kreativität, Geduld und Beharrlichkeit verfolgte er ihm wichtige Ziele. Ihm Unwichtiges blendete er gerne aus.
Seine äusserst sensible, liebevolle, zärtliche Seite hat er nicht sofort offenbart. Die unaufdringliche Hilfsbereitschaft haben mehr Menschen erfahren.
Der Liebe zur Natur ging er auf unzähligen Wanderungen nach - vor allem in der Schweiz und Ecuador. Uns Eltern hat er bei vielen gemeinsamen Touren in der Schweiz einen neuen Blick auf die Schönheiten der Welt erschlossen.
Andreas liebte es, ideenreich und humorvoll mit der deutschen Sprache umzugehen. Durch spontane, intelligente Wort- und Satzspielereien schuf er neue Inhalte und Bedeutungen und verblüffte seine Gesprächspartner.
Danke für die wunderbare Zeit mit dir, unser geliebter Andreas!

Eveline und Hans Kay

Dear Heinz,
I first discovered Andreas when I started photographing moths at Finca Heimatlos, near Puyo in 2018 and my entomologist friends directed me to his website. Imagine my surprise when I discovered he actually lived in Puyo. When I returned in 2019 I was determined to meet up with him and I noted that several of my students had him as a friend on facebook and he was a good friend of Ursula's so I invited him to the finca for the night. He put up a moth sheet which inspired us (me and Ferhat the owner of the finca) to make a permanent one which provided us with endless hours of wonderment and which we are going to name after him! I told him so before he died and he liked the idea. He was very dedicated to his work, up at the first light, off through the forest, then at night we went photographing as well and he opened up about himself, about his life, his family, his beloved Alexia, which surprised me as someone said he wasn't a very social person. He had a good sense of humour and he did like to work alone which I could relate to as there is nothing worse than some well-meaning person disturbing your best photo. It was three weeks later that he announced he had the brain tumor, a great shock as there had been no signs of it when he was with us. He was also very practical which was evident in his announcements about his impending death. I liked it how he said he had had a wonderful life, there was no 'poor me', just 'more work needs to be done'. So strange to meet someone fleetingly and then they go from your world.
sincerely
Genevieve

Dr Genevieve Gates, Hobart, Tasmania

Today's Memorial Haiku:

We've seen the world through
the eyes of Andreas Kay;
those eyes are now closed

Doug Yanega

Outings with Andreas Kay
Although we had known each other on the Internet for several years, I first met Andreas Kay in January 2016 at the forest reserve of some mutual friends where he, two friends from Germany, and I spent time photographing insects and other small wildlife. They had organized a party to celebrate my 70th birthday but ran into a minor problem: The guest of honor was stuck en route and didn't show up till the next day. That failed to faze them and there was much merriment in my absence I was told.
Later that year I was surprised to see Andreas in the center of Cosanga where I had come into town to stay for a few days. He said he had just hiked out to visit me at my forest camp but took a wrong trail and never found it. We hiked partway up a trail along the Cosanga River, shooting photos along the way.
In 2017, thanks to a generous offer from a mutual Internet acquaintance, Andreas and I joined him at the swank Wildsumaco Lodge and Reserve. Andreas arrived by bus ahead of me and began hiking uphill toward the lodge while I rounded up a ride. On the way, we caught up with Andreas who squeezed himself into the back seat and further up the road we ran into Dominik Hofer, our host. Andreas and I spent two days and nights at the lodge and on the final night were treated to the arrival of an immense white witch moth at a UV light I had brought for the occasion. It has the broadest wingspan of any moth in the world.
In April 2019 Andreas and I were invited as special participants for the city of Tena in the International Biodiversity Challenge and were given adjoining rooms at a lodge. The contest was to see which city’s participants could take photos of the most species and post them on iNaturalist. Tena mobilized the most participants per capita and placed third in the world for number of photos submitted.

Jim McClarin

I was in contact with Andreas for many years. It started by doing some IDs on his wonderful animals, which sometimes was challenging, since he took pictures of critters, where no references are available. I was fascinated by his documentation of the richness of nature. I am very happy that I could meet Andreas personally during a stay at Wildsumaco, together with Jim McClarin. We talked a lot and he showed me some macro tricks. Actually he saved my photographic life. Without him I would not have been able to get to my level now, still far away from his meticulous and precise quality. I always will remember the two of us standing on the terrace in front of the sheet admiring the hundreds of moths. Andreas was and is through his work still an ambassador for nature for Ecuador, for the neotropics and in these times of nature challenges for the whole globe.
My thoughts are with his family and all his friends. Friends who now will take care of his wonderful legacy. Andreas always will have a place in my heart.

Dominik Hofer, Langnau im Emmental, Switzerland

Persönlich kennengelernt haben wir uns erst, als Andreas nach Puyo gezogen ist. Von da an war Andreas immer willkommen auf unserer Finca am Oberlauf des Río Bobonaza. Man konnte sich keinen besseren Gast vorstellen - intelligent, zuverlässig, bescheiden und immer freundlich und gut gelaunt. Sein besonderes Interesse als Fotograf galt den ganz kleinen Lebewesen - egal ob Insekt oder Frosch oder super mini Orchidee!

2016 haben Lisa Thoerle und Xavier Cornejo eine wunderschöne Lepanthopsis beschrieben, die Andreas auf der Finca gefunden hat, und ihr den Namen Lepanthopsis kayi gegeben.

Viele Unterhaltungen werden mir in Erinnerung bleiben. Und vielleicht geben diese zwei kurzen Beispiele einen besseren Eindruck als viele Worte.
Andreas hatte eine Rustia-Art gepostet. Ich: «Andreas, ich hab den Schlüssel von der Flora of Ecuador.» - Andreas: «Behalt den Schlüssel und öffne mir die Tore damit.»
Nachdem Andreas etliche Aufnahmen von Insekten, die von entomopathogenen Pilzen befallen waren, gepostet hat, war ich etwas entsetzt und habe geschrieben: «Andreas, offenbar hast du nur hässliche Insekten mit Pilzbefall gefunden?» - Andreas:

Sein Ziel, die Flora und Fauna Ecuadors zu dokumentieren, hat Andreas konsequent und geradlinig bis zu seinem letzten Tag verfolgt. Ihm war auch bewusst, dass diese Mammutaufgabe niemals von ihm alleine bewältigt werden kann. Sein Wunsch war, dass die ganze Welt seine Aufnahmen sehen kann. Und ich freue mich jetzt, wenn ich lese, dass seine wundervollen Fotos und Videos junge Menschen so inspirieren, dass sie in seine Fußstapfen treten möchten.

Andreas bleibt für immer unvergessen. Und durch seine Fotos und Videos wird er weiter bei uns sein.

Ursula Gelchsheimer, Ludwigsburg

Com as postagens do senhor Andreas Kay o meu Facebook passou a ter um valor real. Abriu as janelas de um Ecuador que preserva sua biodiversidade.
Não se pode deixar de sentir um profundo pesar por sua partida, que nos parece precoce.
Com certeza o senhor Andreas Kay será lembrado quando contemplarmos a natureza.
Descanse em paz.

Dr Vitorina Rehn, Bióloga / Brasil

With the contributions of Andreas Kay my Facebook has become a real value. He opened the windows of an Ecuador that preserves its biodiversity.
One cannot help feeling a deep regret for his departure, which seems precocious to us.
Certainly Andreas Kay will be remembered when we contemplate nature.
Rest in peace.

Dr Vitorina Rehn, Biologist / Brazil

Im Oktober 2014 haben wir Andreas Kay auf einer Exkursion in den Norden von Ecuador kennengelernt. Er hat uns u.a. durch seinen damals neuen Wohnort Mindo und durch Cotacachi geführt und war auch bei der Erkundung des Dracula Reservats dabei. Wir konnten sehr von seinen umfangreichen Kenntnissen über Pflanzen und Tiere, insbesondere Insekten, profitieren. Er hat uns auch einiges Eindrückliche über die ecuadorianische Kultur und seinen Alltag erzählt. Auf der Reise hatte er immer seinen Fotoapparat dabei. Es war verblüffend mit welcher Geschwindigkeit er seine Fotos machte. Er war äusserst speditiv und brauchte kaum je zwei Versuche um ein gutes Bild zu machen. Es war ein Genuss seine schönen Bilder anzusehen. Er hat sein fotografisches Wissen gerne mit uns geteilt. Wir waren auch sehr beeindruckt von seiner bescheidenen und genügsamen Art. Wir mochten ihn sehr.

Katrin Blassmann & David Meierhofer