One of the most important conservation bastions in Mexico is located in the Mayan Forest, the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. The biodiversity of the reserve is so rich hosting important wildlife populations essential for the region’s ecosystem. Here, each year during the dry season, wildlife struggle for their survival due to limited access to water. For Tapirs (an important seed disperser) water is of vital importance. Tapirs require water to drink and also to regulate their temperature. Without water, Tapirs, can suffer from dehydration, diseases and even death.
Water holes (locally known as aguadas) are temporary natural or artificial bodies of water. These ‘aguadas’ are a core part for the conservation of wildlife in the reserve and the wider Mayan Forest region. Aguadas represent an indispensable source of life, for both wildlife and people. However, during the dry season water holes retaining water are reduced to a few, pushing wildlife to have to move between distant territories to find water. To local communities, the absence of these water holes limit their ability to do their livelihoods activities adequately (farming livestock, apiculture, forestry, ecotourism, etc.).
Therefore, we monitor and characterize water holes to generate relevant information that allows us to identify threats and generate appropriate conservation and management strategies. These strategies will enable us to maintain water sources throughout the year and will be key during the critical drought months. All in all, these actions will contribute to conserve species such as the Tapir and support local communities doing their productive activities.
Data obtained during the project will allow us to prepare a proposal to promote the ‘aguadas’, of Calakmul and the region, as a RAMSAR site and thus ensure there is a legal conservation scheme.
Drought periods in the Mayan Forest pushes various species to struggle for their survival. The ‘aguadas’, which represent the source of life for wildlife and the local communities, are mostly dried during these drought periods and only a few have limited water reserves. For Tapirs this is a serious problem since it has to travel several kilometers in search for water. Often this causes Tapirs to approach to areas inhabited by local communities, facing undesired encounters.
Many tapirs fail to find these water sources and die from dehydration or other diseases. Therefore, it is required to ensure that ‘aguadas’ and other water sources, (artificial pits, cavities, etc.) that are the backbone of life in the Mayan jungle, can retain the water for as long as possible during the year and especially for the dry season. Unfortunately, periods of drought are increasingly worst due to the impacts caused by climate change.
This research will help in two ways. First, the monitoring and characterization of the water bodies allow us to determine Tapirs conservation status and to study population trends, visitations and wildlife behavior. Second, with the information generated, comparisons will be made between water bodies and will help us analyze the factors that support the retention of water and to determine why certain ‘aguadas’ are more attractive among visiting wildlife.
The implementation of conservation and restoration actions in the ‘aguadas’ of the Mayan Forest is of paramount importance for wildlife species in the region and for the local communities. For the tapirs´ conservation it is necessary to ensure they has access to water; the species is a significant seed disperser supporting the jungle to continue its growth and regeneration.
The information and data will assist the decision-making process to implement and compare appropriate water collection and ecological restoration techniques. These techniques can be the classic ecological restoration with plants and props for adequate retention of water and the implementation of engineering technologies that support the capture water from air.
With the knowledge generated, as a mid-term goal, we will support the efforts made to prompt the Calakmul water holes as a RAMSAR site and thus ensure its proper management at the local level and through international cooperation.
On arrival, you will get to know the team and will receive orientation and training to do the field work and the action research activities.
In this region you will find yourself working with researchers and managers in a deep jungle where the converging of socio-cultural and natural elements, make the region exceptional to work in biodiversity conservation.
In collaboration with the team and the local community you will enter the dense jungle to visit several water sources to characterize and monitor the habitat and the species that make use of them. In our immersion into the jungle, if circumstances allow, you will appreciate the birds and mammals of the region, and the outstanding vegetation of this jungle.
You will go through territories inside and outside the reserve, in Voluntarily Dedicated Conservation Areas, where you will understand the importance of water holes for the livelihoods of the local population. You will get involved with the various actors to collaborate for the conservation of the Mayan Forest.
NOTE: Field conditions and research needs can lead to changes in the itinerary and activities. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
Departure from Protected Area
The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is part of The Mayan Jungle, the most extensive continuous jungle in Latin America after the Amazon. It is located in the south of the Yucatan Peninsula. It comprises 723,185 hectares of protected land with around 52 privately owned parcels. There are several remnants archeological sites of the Mayan civilization.
Its privileged natural environment offers a vast diversity of animal and plant life. It consists of Tropical humid forest ecosystem type covered with Evergreen tropical humid forest, semi-deciduous forest with low temporally flooded forest, thorn forest and tropical deciduous forest. There are more than 1,600 varieties of plants, 73 types of orchids and 94 species of mammals, making it one of the most important areas in Latin America for the conservation of nature.
Director of protected areas in tropical ecosystems working for the National Commission of Protected Areas. He has relevant experience collaborating with native communities.
PhD in Ecology Science and Management of Tropical Systems. His main studies have focused on the ecology of medium and large mammals in southeastern Mexico.
Upon arrival and before departure you will stay in a local hotel/apartment in the village where the park headquarters are located.
While conducting the fieldwork, you will stay in the field station in a shared bunker, a tent or just your sleeping bag. You will be hearing the magnificent night jungle sounds.
Fly to Cancún, Mex (CUN)
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