Freshwater Fish Biotopes in Mexico v.2 PDF

A Selection of
Freshwater fish
biotopes
in Mexico
Kai Qvist & Rune Evjeberg
Yucatan Peninsula
A selection of
Freshwater fish biotopes in
Mexico 2
Yucatan Peninsula
A Selection of Freshwater Fish Biotopes in Mexico 2
Yucatan Peninsula
First Edition 2011
First print
© Kai Qvist & Rune Evjeberg
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be

reproduced or utilized in any way.
Copying, photocopying, elecronic or mechanical is
prohibited by any means without permission in
writing from the authors.
Printed in Denmark
Edition and layout: Kai Qvist & Rune Evjeberg

Printing: Scandinavian Book , Aarhus, DK
ISBN: 978-87-993012-1-8
A selection of
FRESHWATER FISH BIOTOPES

IN MEXICO 2
Yucatan Peninsula
Kai Qvist & Rune Evjeberg
Contents
Introduction 9
Intoduction 10
Mexico 13
Mexico 14
Yucatan Peninsula 21
Yucatan peninsula 22
The Yucatan 29
Merida sewer system 45
Travelling Yucatan 48
Sustainable travel 55
Maya culture 61
Biotopes in Campeche 79
Estado de Campeche 80
Laguna Chacambacab 85
Río Bec 89
Biotopes in Quintana Roo 93

Estado de Quintana Roo 94
Sian Ka’an 99
CESiaK 105
Cenote Crocodrillo dorado 113
Cenote Azul 125
Laguna Bacalar 131
Xel-Ha 135
Cenote Escondido 141
Cenote Cristal 147
Cenote Kaape-Ha 153
Beh-Ha 159
Cenote system Ponderosa 167
A selection of freshwater fish biotopes in Mexico 2

Contents
Biotopes in Yucatan 175

Estado de Yucatan 176
Cenote Yalahau 183
Biotope data 189

Laguna Chacambacab 190
Río Bec 192
Cenote Crocodrillo dorado 194
Cenote Azul 198
Laguna Bacalar 202
Xel-Ha 204
Cenote Escondido 208
Cenote Cristal 212
Cenote Kaape-Ha 216
Beh-Ha 220
Cenote system Ponderosa 224
Cenote Yalahau 228
Thanks & credits 232

Thanks & credits 233
Picture credits 233
References 234
References 235
Index 236
Index 237

Introduction
Introduction
U nlike Rune Evjeberg, my

good friend and co-author of
this book, I have never harboured
our long field trip together. Rune
has a great knowledge and great
husbandry with the different spe-
a great desire to write and publish cies and habitats, and he is also a
a book. But working with our first talented and patient photographer.
book has made me want to con-
tinue our collaboration, because My duties have been of a more ad-
we seem to have filled a gap in the ministrative nature, among other
available literature with our writ- things to keep track of our col-
ing. Back in 2006 we developed a lected data, backing up all our
great partnership as a result of our pictures, and researching general
deep conversations and of course information about the places and
10
Introduction
states we have visited throughout complicated in both language and

our journeys. After our first trip in presentation. Basically, we are just
2008 it became clear that it was not keen amateurs trying to convey a
to be the last time we would be on snapshot of the beautiful nature
such a trip. While working with the that we are both passionate about.
first book we agreed that we would
start planning the next trip, which The book you hold in your hand
would then form the basis for our only deals with the Yucatan Penin-
next book release, Volume 2 of the sula where we have travelled from
series. south to north in an effort to give
you a variety of different habitats.
To engage in book production Biotopes from our first book are
without any experience to draw on included, in order to give you an
has been a very instructive and ex- overall picture of the area, but of
citing process, especially when we course with updated data and sev-
repeatedly had to revise our view eral new pictures.
of things. Overall it’s been a very
positive experience, and we have We hope you will find the book in-
always been greeted with great teresting and exciting, and we also
helpfulness and good will wher- hope you can use just some of the
ever we went. information you find in the book.
We chose from the beginning to do Pleasant reading

everything ourselves, because we
believed no publisher would par-
ticipate and support our idea. By
publishing the books ourselves, we
can ensure that they are just how
we want them to be. Our purpose is
to reach as many people as possi- Aarhus, Denmark, March 2011
ble, without being specialized and
11
Mexico
Mexico
M ost people associate early

Mexican history with the
pre-Columbian Mesoamerican
Mexico are fragments of stone tools
found in the Valley of Mexico, ra-
diocarbon-dated to ca. 21.000 BCE.
civilizations such as: the Olmec,
the Teotihuacan, the Maya, the
Zapotec, the Mixtec, the Toltec In the early 16th century the Az-
and the Aztec, which flourished tec civilization was invaded and
for nearly 4.000 years before conquered by the Spaniards, who
the first contact with Europeans. killed millions of Aztecs, including
the emperor, and was credited with
The history goes much further back, the victory of Hernán Cortés over
as the earliest human remains in the whole Aztec empire. Mexico
14
Mexico
became part of the Spanish Em- Still another hypothesis sug-

pire under the name of New Spain. gests that it is derived from
Much of the identity, traditions and Mēctli, the goddess of Maguey.
architecture of Mexico were cre-
ated during this colonial period. As the form of government in
Mexico has changed over time,
After New Spain won indepen- so has the official name. From
dence from Spain, it was decided 1821–1823 and 1863–1867, the
that the new country would be country was known as Imperio
renamed after its capital, Mex- Mexicano (Mexican Empire).
ico City, which was founded in All three federal constitutions
1524 on top of the ancient Aztec (1824, 1857 and 1917) used the
capital of México-Tenochtitlan. name Estados Unidos Mexica-
The name is believed to come nos, which have been translat-
from the Nahuatl language, but ed as “United Mexican States”.
its meaning is not known. It has The term República Mexicana,
been suggested that it is derived “Mexican Republic” was used
from Mextli or Mēxihtli, a secret in the 1836 Constitutional Laws.
name for the God of war and pa-
tron of the Aztecs, Huitzilopocht- Today, the United Mexican States
li, in which case Mēxihco means are a federation whose govern-
“Place where Mēxihtli lives”. ment is representative, demo-
cratic and republican based on
Another hypothesis suggests that a presidential system, accord-
the word Mēxihco derives from the ing to the 1917 Constitution.
mētztli (moon), xictli (navel, centre The United Mexican States are
or son), and the suffix -co (place), a federation of thirty-one free
in which case it means “Place at and sovereign states, which form
the centre of the moon” or “Place a union that exercises jurisdic-
at the centre of the Lake Moon”, tion over the Federal District and
in reference to Lake Texcoco. other territories. The states are
15
Mexico
divided into municipalities, gov- be narrowly defined according to

erned by a mayor or municipal linguistic criteria including people
president elected by its residents. that speak one of Mexico’s 62 in-
digenous languages, or, people who
The 2010 Census showed a popu- self-identify as having an indig-
lation of 112.322.757, making enous cultural background, wheth-
it the most populated Spanish- er or not they speak the language
speaking country in the world. of the indigenous group that they
The population is increasingly identify with. As of 2005 there are
urban, with almost 75% living a little over 10 millions indigenous
in cities. The five largest urban people in Mexico, representing
areas in Mexico (Mexico City, nearly 10% of the total population.
Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla
and Toluca) are home to around There is no official religion in Mex-
30% of the country’s population. ico and the government does not
provide any financial contributions
Mexico is very ethnically diverse to the church. The church does not
and consists of many separate re- participate in public education.
gional and ethnic groups, such as Roman Catholics are the larg-
the various indigenous popula- est group with nearly 77%
tions and European immigrants of the total population, and
who unite under a single national around 47% percent of these at-
identity. The core part of the Mexi- tend church services weekly.
can national identity is formed as
a synthesis of European culture Mexico is located in the south-
with indigenous cultures, known as ern portion of North America and
Mestizaje, meaning that they nei- almost all of Mexico lies in the
ther identify fully with any indig- North American Plate with small
enous culture or with a particular parts of the Baja California pen-
non-Mexican heritage. The catego- insula on the Pacific and Cocos
ry of “indígena” (indigenous) can Plates. Mexico is entirely consid-
16
Mexico
h In the early 16th century the Aztec civilization was invaded and conquered by the Spaniards.
i There is no official religion in Mexico, but Roman Catholics are the largest group with nearly 77%
17
Mexico
h More than 170.000 km2 are considered “Protected Natural Areas”.

i In the Sonoran desert temperatures reach 50°C or more.
18
Mexico
ered part of North America, along Sierra Nevada. A fourth mountain

with Canada and the United States. range, the Sierra Madre del Sur,
The total area is 1.972.550 km2, runs from Michoacán to Oaxaca.
making it the world’s 14th larg-
est country by total area, and The majority of the Mexican cen-
includes approximately 6.000 tral and northern territories are
km2 of islands in the Pacific located at high altitudes, and the
Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Carib- highest elevations are found at
bean, and the Gulf of California. the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.
Mexico shares a 3.141 km north- The Tropic of Cancer effective-
ern border with the United States, ly divides the country into tem-
where Río Bravo del Norte de- perate and tropical zones. Land
fines the border from Ciudad in the north experiences cooler
Juárez east to the Gulf of Mexico. temperatures during the winter
months, and the southern areas are
A series of natural and artificial fairly constant all year round and
markers indicate the United States- vary only as a result of elevation.
Mexican border west from Ciu- This gives Mexico one of the world’s
dad Juárez to the Pacific Ocean. most diverse weather systems.
To the south, Mexico shares an
871 km border with Guatemala Both Mexican coasts, except
and a 251 km border with Belize. for the south coast of the Bay of
From north to south Mexico is Campeche and northern Baja, are
crossed by two mountain ranges, also vulnerable to serious hurri-
Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra canes during the summer and au-
Madre Occidental, which are the tumn. Although low-lying areas
extension of the Rocky Mountains in the north are hot and humid
from North America. From east during the summer, they gener-
to west, the centre of the country ally have lower yearly temperature
is crossed by the Trans-Mexican averages because of more moder-
Volcanic Belt, also known as the ate conditions during the winter.
19
Mexico
Many parts of Mexico, particularly estation is one of the most serious

in the north, have a dry climate with environmental issues in Mexico,
sporadic rainfall, while parts of the with more than one million hect-
tropical lowlands in the south aver- ares of forest being lost each year.
age more than 2.000 mm of annual In 2002, Mexico had the second
precipitation. Many cities in the fastest rate of deforestation in
north, like Monterrey, Hermosillo, the world, second only to Brazil.
and Mexicali experience tempera- More than 170.000 km2 are con-
tures of 40°C or more in summer. sidered “Protected Natural Areas”.
These include 34 reserve bio-
In the Sonoran desert tempera- spheres, 64 national parks, 4 natu-
tures reach 50°C or more. North- ral monuments, 26 areas of pro-
ern Mexico is characterized by tected flora and fauna, 4 areas for
desert, a common feature of natural resource protection, and 17
this latitude around the globe. sanctuaries rich in diverse species.
The very diverse weather and cli-
mate systems of Mexico, makes The discovery of the Americas
it one of the 18 mega diverse brought to the rest of the world many
countries of the world. With more widely used food crops and edible
than 200.000 different species, plants. Culinary ingredients na-
Mexico is home of around 12% tive to Mexico include: chocolate,
of the world’s biodiversity. Mex- avocado, tomato, maize, vanilla,
ico ranks first in reptiles (707 guava, chayote, epazote, camote,
known species), second in mam- jícama, nopal, zucchini, tejocote,
mals (438 species), fourth in huitlacoche, sapote, mamey sapo-
amphibians (290 species), and te, many varieties of beans, and an
fourth in flora (26.000 species). even greater variety of chilli, such
Mexico is also considered to have as the habanero and the jalapeño.
the second most diverse ecosystem Most of these names come from
in the world, and also the fourth indigenous languages like Nahuatl.
largest number of species. Defor-
20
Yucatan
peninsula
Yucatan peninsula
A n area of large contrasts is an

apt description of the penin-
sula, located in the south-eastern
you couple that to a very attractive
climate, rich flora and fauna, the
numerous and well-preserved ruins
corner of Mexico, separating the of cities from the mighty Mayan
Gulf of Mexico from the Carib- culture, that portray many thou-
bean. sands of years of history, it’s an
absolutely wonderful place to visit.
The beaches along the east coast This is in contrast to the beauti-
Riviera Maya, facing the Carib- ful but crowded scenery of a tour-
bean Sea, are magnificent, with the ist sanctuary with huge hotels and
beautiful beaches of palm shaded theme parks galore. Less than 40
fine coral sand of the azure sea. If years ago the area was a pristine
22
Yucatan peninsula
gem that is now visited annually contiguous water systems, with

by around five million tourists, lakes, rivers and large impressive
which at times can seem extremely stalactite caves. Modern diving
overwhelming and confusing. But techniques and equipment have
the tourist magnet, the 160 km long made it possible to study these
Riviera along the east coast, is only submerged aquatic systems, many
a small part of a big, exciting, won- miles away from their entrances,
derful and beautiful area. which has primarily led to major
new discoveries of the organisms
In the states of Quintana Roo, Yu- that live here.
catan and Campeche, which consti-
tute the major part of the Yucatan Almost all cenotes are favourite
Peninsula, live around four million destinations for locals and for rec-
people with around half of them in reational divers, which we experi-
the state of Yucatan alone. A small enced countless times. If you want
portion of northern Belize and to experience and study the cenotes
Guatemala are also geographically in peace, you should come early in
a part of the Yucatan Peninsula. the day and especially avoid week-
ends and local holidays.
The peninsula is the exposed part
of the larger Yucatan platform and Two “idiots” with cameras, under-
has a characteristic karst landscape water cameras and testing equip-
(a landscape shaped by one or more ment usually make quite a stir, and
layers of soluble bedrock, usually it can sometimes make it difficult
carbonate rock such as limestone to take photos and collect water
or dolomite) which in many places samples.
has been eroded by rainwater.
If you see the peninsula from the
This erosion has created count- air, almost every cenote will have
less cenotes, believed to form one faint outlines of what was once a
of the world’s largest underground village. Cenotes have throughout
23
Yucatan peninsula
time been a source for sustaining Although the peninsula lies in the
life, and it is amazing to imagine tropics, the vegetation is not exclu-
how populated the Yucatan Penin- sively lush rainforest. You will also
sula has been compared with today. find dry and grassy places. Broadly
Only a few of the many cenotes speaking, the further to the north-
found in the peninsula are avail- west you go, the drier it gets and
able to visit, since many are tucked less vegetation grows.
away in inaccessible terrain or are
closed to the public. But if there is In practice, the north of the Penin-
access to a cenote, even far from sula is more like an island than a
the beaten track, you can be sure peninsula. The area is surrounded
that someone sits there and charges by the sea to the east, north and
you a fee to enter! west, and in the south the heavy
rainfall and lush forests form a
There are countless exciting and in- southern barrier. It makes the area
teresting caves and caverns across home to many endemic plant and
the entire Peninsula, but not all animal species.
places can be located without local
people to show the direction. If you Along the coast and surrounding
meet the right people, they can lead islands you will find the unique
you to some of the sacred caves and mangroves. Few ecosystems are
waterfalls, which were once used as rich in numbers of species and
by the Mayan kings and queens. other living organisms as the Man-
groves. Mangroves are a special
If you are lucky and are willing to community of plants and animals
try a special experience, you may that occur in tropical areas, and are
find sacred caves with terracotta permanently or temporarily flood-
clay, where you can get a mud bath ed with saltwater.
and subsequent washing under
a waterfall. It is said to be an en- Mangrove has a protective effect
chanting experience! on coastal areas and without them
24
Yucatan peninsula
h Sunset over the magnificent Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve.
25
Yucatan peninsula
h Along the coast and surrounding islands you will find the unique mangroves.
i In the rainy season you can experience some massive thunder storms in the Yucatan.
26
Yucatan peninsula
storm tides would reach much example of a sensible project is

further inland. At the same time Sian Ka’an, which makes a solid
they work as a filter for pollutants, effort to protect natural resources
and over time they pick up sedi- and to educate the visitors. In Mex-
ment helping to build up the coast. ico the budgets for environmental
However, mangroves are also very protection are not significant. It is
fragile. They are vulnerable to hur- often private companies who are
ricanes, manmade drainage and behind the many destinations for
the increasing partitioning of land. the eco-tourist, and it’s a paradox
Actually, two of four main tree that you find the biggest incentive
mangrove species - Red and Black for environmental protection in pri-
Mangrove - are threatened. vately developed eco-attractions.
There are a number of national The culinary tradition of the pen-

parks, and of course commercial insula is a wonderful blend of tra-
sites such as Xcaret and Xel-Ha. ditional Mayan culture and Span-
The commercial sites are often ac- ish traditions, where some dishes
cused of mixing the beauty of na- are very spicy while others are not.
ture with economic interests, but Most widespread is the turkey,
overall they do a fantastic job. The chicken, pork and venison. Some
areas are made accessible to the classic dishes to be served are “Pi-
public in a reasonable way and cre- bil” dishes, which are characterized
ate work for many local people. by their way of being made. Pibil is
Seeing it from a worthy angle it often chicken or pork, spiced with
will always be best to leave nature achiote, wrapped in banana leaves
and wildlife on its own, without in- and cooked slowly in a pit.
terference from human interest, but
we must also realize that develop- Achiote is a widely used spice in
ment has come to stay. Ecotourism the Yucatan Peninsula and with its
and its continuing development oc- rust-red colour it is a mild spice
cur at a tremendous pace. A good that is both slightly sweet and pep-
27
Yucatan peninsula
per-like in its taste. Achiote, which

is the seeds of the Annatto shrub,
is not only used for cooking but
also for colouring textiles, candy
and cosmetics. Street Kitchens are
widespread throughout Mexico
and the Yucatan Peninsula is no
exception. They often offer some
of the more interesting and tradi-
tional dishes that you will not find
at many restaurants. When we refer
to these street kitchens we are of-
ten asked the same question: “Dare
you eat there?” So far we have not
experienced anything negative - on
the contrary, it has offered many
exciting experiences.
Almost every street kitchen we

have seen is well attended by lo-
cals, which will not be the case if
the food was bad. In general you
should keep an eye on where the
locals eat; this is a fine indicator of
good and well cooked food.
As with all places you travel to, it is

important to get the most out of the
tour. This is best done by behaving
properly, respecting the locals and h Flamingos breed in the Rio Lagartos biosphere
their traditions. reserve, in the north of the Yucatan peninsula.
28
The Yucatan
by Jim Conrad
M ost of us think of “the Yuca-

tán” as the app. 300km long,
app. 300 km wide blunt slab of
catán, and some people say that
this is “The Yucatán”. However,
this state accounts for only a frac-
limestone sticking northward like a tion of the whole peninsula. Ev-
flat-tipped tongue into the Gulf of eryone regards Cancún as being in
Mexico, toward the south-eastern The Yucatán, though Cancún lies
US’s underbelly. It is a fairly flat in the state of Quintana Roo.
peninsula seldom rising 15 metres
above sea level. To most of us this The main problem delineating
peninsula is “The Yucatán”, though the Yucatán Peninsula is figuring
there is a Mexican state named Yu- out where precisely the southern
29
The Yucatan
boundaries lie. Attempts to draw catán does have many sinkholes,

the southern boundary are doomed called cenotes, with water in their
to frustration, for the southern pen- bottoms.
insula’s defining features come and
go and are for the most part crook- The Peninsula’s limestone bed-
edly arrayed on the map. Some peo- rock and its cenotes go together, to
ple say the Peninsula extends to the form a landscape technically called
foot of the highlands in the south, “karst topography”. Limestone
but people in Tenosique, Tabasco dissolves in acid, and normal rain-
and southern Petén Department in water is naturally a weakly acid.
Guatemala hardly think of them- Limestone is brittle so it tends to
selves as in the Yucatán Peninsula. develop cracks. Mildly acid rain-
My impression is that in most Yu- water seeps into the cracks dis-
catecans’ minds the Yucatán Pen- solving as it goes, and after a few
insula is severed from the rest of thousand years you get “solution
Mexico by Mexican Highway 186, features”, such as caves. If the ceil-
which runs between Chetumal in ing of a cave collapses forming a
the east and Escárcega in the west. hole in the ground above, and the
As such, the Yucatán includes all collapse zone extends below the
of the Mexican state of Yucatán, all water table so that water pools in
but the southernmost Campeche, it, you get a cenote.
and all but the southern Quintana
Roo. An interesting point about the Yu-
catán cenotes are that some pro-
The cenote-rich north vide great swimming, while others
If you look at a map of the Yucatán are avoided by local swimmers be-
showing surface features such as cause they are known to suck you
rivers, lakes and hills, you will no- under. The ones famed for good
tice that the Peninsula’s low-lying, swimming have bottoms formed
almost flat northern part has no in- by rock debris that had fallen from
land rivers at all. The northern Yu- above, but the ones known for
30
The Yucatan
h i The northern Yucatán does have many sinkholes, called cenotes, with water in their bottoms. The
Peninsula’s limestone bedrock and its cenotes go together, to form a landscape technically called “karst to-
pography”. Limestone is brittle so it tends to develop cracks.
31
The Yucatan
h i A peak in northern Calakmul Biosphere Reserve reaches 306m. The rainfall in the south is much greater
than in the north. Bottom picture shows close up of the tropical rain forest found in the state of campeche.
32
The Yucatan
sucking you under have bottoms nates far away, in the Peninsulas
opening into underground rivers, interior.
and the current in those subterra-
nean rivers can be powerful. Of course cenotes have been pro-
foundly important to the history of
Here is what is happening with the Yucatán Maya people. In this
those subterranean rivers: In The area, for about half of the year,
Yucatán, underground water drains from around November into May,
inexorably from the southern in- the region endures a severe dry
land region toward the costs. This season. Much of the herbaceous
is because not only is the southern layer dies back and many trees lose
inland region somewhat higher in their leaves. The ground cracks
elevation, a peak in northern Cal- and farmers make no effort to grow
akmul Biosphere Reserve reaches their traditional cornfields, or mil-
306m, but also rainfall in the south pas (a crop-growing system used
is much greater than in the north. throughout Mesoamerica normally
including corn, beans, lima beans
You can see evidence of this hy- and squash), until the rains return
drological dynamic by taking a around May. In the old days, if you
half-hour boat ride east of Dzilam did not have access to cenote wa-
de Bravo on the northern coast to ter, you were in a mess.
a spot maybe 200 metres offshore
and in about 60 centimetres of wa- The south marshes and lakes
ter where you find an upwelling of In the southern Yucatán, if you are
freshwater about two metres across. interested in freshwater habitats,
It is a freshwater spring completely you have to be clear on two local
surrounded by saltwater. The guide concepts. You know what a lake
tells you that researchers from the is, and that in Spanish it’s called a
National Geographic Society mea- laguna. One of the new concepts
sured the springs outflow at 3500 needed down south is the aguada,
litres per minute. This water origi- which basically is a small lake with
33
The Yucatan
shallow water and gently sloped a vast, shallow lake studded with
sides. It is formed where the sur- small islands of woody vegetation.
face limestone simply dips below This may be because saltwater-in-
the water table, with no collapsing tolerant woody vegetation is taking
of subterranean cavern ceilings in- advantage of freshwater upwelling
volved. around the rock holes.
The second new concept needed In fact, all through this southern
for understanding freshwater habi- eco region, living things always
tats in this area is the petén. Gua- have to deal with ever-fluctuating
temala’s northernmost and larg- saltwater and freshwater boundar-
est department is called the Petén ies. If a hurricane blows a surge of
because so many petenes occur saltwater far inland, vast freshwa-
in that area. Petenes also occur in ter swamps may temporarily die
the southern Yucatán. A petén is back. An aguada may be filled with
formed when there is a hole in the freshwater during the rainy season,
limestone and water pressure be- but when the dry season comes and
low pushes water out through the its water evaporates it grows ever
hole, flooding surrounding land, more salty. Laguna de Bacalar just
resulting usually in a marsh or north of Chetumal in the Yucatán’s
shallow, open water. south-western corner, the largest
lake in that area, is regarded as a
Often petenes go dry during the freshwater lagoon, but it hosts a
dry season, or shrink drastically, mix of freshwater and marine life
and then when the rains return, the forms.
petenes return. It has been shown
that local rainfall has less to do Costal Yucatán
with the petenes returning than the Coastal environments frame the
heavy rain in the uplands in the in- Yucatán on the west, north and east.
terior, which raises the local water Petenes, mangrove, scrub coastal
table. Often a petén zone looks like dunes, and flooded marine grasses
34
The Yucatan
h Laguna de Bacalar just north of Chetumal in the south-western corner, the largest lake in the area.
35
The Yucatan
h Often petenes go dry during the dry season, or shrink drastically, the peten returns again with the rain.
36
The Yucatan
are typical. Some coastal zones the vegetation gets. Correspond-

are incorporated into protected ar- ingly, the further southeast you go,
eas such as the Parque Natural del toward Belize, the rainier it gets,
Flamengo Mexicano de Celestún, and the lusher and taller the forest
Parque Natural San Felipe, Parque grows. Low, scrubby “thorn for-
Natural Río Lagartos and the est” in the northwest, lush forests
Reserva de la Biósfera Sian Kaán. of a height looking reasonable to a
However, between these protected Northerner in the southeast …
areas development is fast destroy-
ing important habitat, especially Therefore, while geographically
along the coast near Progreso and the Yucatán definitely is a penin-
the “Costa Maya” from Cancún to sula, ecologically it is an island -
Tulum, where enormous destruc- at least, the northern part is. The
tion of mangroves and other criti- northern part is an ecological island
cal habitats has already occurred, surrounded by ocean toward the
and is poised to continue. west, north and east, and toward
the south it is separated from the
Over a million acres of mangrove rest of Mexico by a much rainier
habitat (over 400,000 ha) is consid- environment than that of the north.
ered to exist along the cost of Yuca- If you are a cactus adapted to
tán, and more than 3% of this eco north-western Yucatán’s very arid
system is being destroyed annu- conditions, you will have no cactus
ally.1 Mangroves buffer the impact brethren to the south with whom
of storms, prevent erosion, and to exchange genetic information.
cleanse coastal waters by filtering Therefore, you will be exchang-
them. ing genetic information only with
other cacti living locally, island-
The Yucatán “island” like, and Darwin has made clear
In the Yucatán, the further north- what happens to species on islands:
west you go, the drier it becomes They evolve adaptations beautifuly
and the scrubbier and less dense fit for the local environment but
37
The Yucatan
in doing so they change so drasti- species, of which two are endemic,

cally from their parent stock “on plus there are about 96 mammal
the mainland” that they become species.
genetically isolated, they become
new species. In some cenotes and underground
rivers there are endemics, too.
Therefore, in the Yucatán, if you There is the Giant Killifish (Fun-
want to see land-based species dulus grandissimus), Yucatan Kil-
found naturally nowhere else on lifish (F. persimilis), Ocellated Kil-
Earth, narrowly endemic species, lifish (Floridichthys polyommus),
the best place is the Peninsula’s the fish known as Cyprinodon sua-
arid north-western corner, it’s an vium, and the uncommon Mexican
ecological “island.” Blind Brotula (Typhliasina pear-
sei). Several other species could be
Endemic plants have been esti- classified as near-endemic. Another
mated to account for nearly 10% notable species is the Blind Swamp
of northern Yucatán’s total vegeta- Eel (Ophisternon infernale).
tion. The region contains 10 of the
14 endemic cacti of the Yucatán First impressions can be deceiving.
Peninsula. For the same ecological- If you are crossing the Yucatán on
island reason the northern Yucatán Highway 180 in the north or High-
is considered among the Mexico’s way 186 in the south you see lots of
richest regions for endemic reptiles forest between towns, even around
and amphibians. It’s one of a very the big city of Mérida. All of that
few places in Mexico where the greenness can make you think that
Black-beaded Lizard (Heloderma nature is getting along relatively
horridum) lives, which is interest- well in the Yucatán. Also there is
ing because that species is one of the fact that the vast Sisal planta-
only two venomous lizards known tions of the past, centred around
to exist. The northern-Yucatán eco Mérida and at one time bestowing
region is home to over 290 bird Mérida with the distinction of host-
38
The Yucatan
h Canals running through the wetlands and mangroves of the Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve.
i You can find two species of crocodile in the Yucatan peninsula.
39
The Yucatan
h Jesus lizard, another reptile found in the Yucatan peninsula.

i Cenote Sagrado close to the Maya ruins of Chichen itza in the state of Yucatan.
40
The Yucatan
ing more millionaires per capita other reason, sometimes the farmer
than any other city in the world, plants a milpa, or traditional corn-
now have practically disappeared. field. In a few years weeds and in-
Much of that land now is revert- sects move in and the harvest gets
ing to wild forest. There is not as so poor that the field is abandoned.
much industrial build-up as you In the past, before the forest in that
see in many other areas, so maybe spot would be cleared again for an-
the groundwater is doing OK, too. other milpa, years would pass and
However, there is troubling evi- the forest would regenerate. Soil
dence suggesting otherwise. would regain the greater part of its
productive ability.
Each year more of the Yucatán’s
scrubby forest is being clear-cut, However, now that the Yucatán’s
with fallen trunks cut into sec- population density is much higher,
tions and sold to individual house- often milpa growers do not wait
holds as firewood. Also an ever- long enough between clearings
growing percentage of trunks are for the forest to regenerate and the
chain sawed into segments that soil to recuperate. The result is that
are heaped into piles, covered with now throughout the Yucatán soil is
dirt, and then very slowly charred very thin and even non-existent.
with a burn controlled by the size
of air holes through the dirt, until What is left has little recognizable
charcoal is formed. Charcoal is structure, is low in organic materi-
used in the region’s innumerable al, and is unable to retain adequate
sidewalk taco stands, small res- moisture and nutrients. In the old
taurants and in people’s homes. In days, with low population density,
a region where many people are slash-and-burn was a sustainable
looking for any kind of income, technology, but by no means is that
charcoal production seems to have the case now. An easy way to see
a bright future. Once a plot is clear- the magnitude of deforestation in
cut for charcoal making or some the central Yucatan is to set Google
41
The Yucatan
Earth for a high-altitude look at the the groundwater is threatened. Pes-

Chichén Itzá area. ticide use is so habitual among av-
erage Yucatecans, which often it is
Another concern is the Peninsula’s referred to as líquido, the normal
groundwater. Mérida, the capital Spanish word for “liquid”. Of all
city with about a million inhabit- liquids found in a normal house-
ants, has no sewer system, and I hold, they call for líquido when
cannot find mention of any other they want to squirt a weed at the
Yucatán urban area that does. The- house’s corner.
oretically households have septic
tanks, but when you see the cit- Outlook for the Yucatán’s
ies’ cracked sidewalks, crumbling living things
buildings and poorly maintained My Maya friends living in small
back-streets, you have to wonder towns in the Peninsula’s interior
what shape an average urban fam- tell me that in their grandparents’
ily’s septic tank is in. Some of the days the average family produced
Yucatán’s newer hotels and large about ten children, but nowadays
stores have their own waste man- parents have only three or four.
agement and treatment systems in They say that about a quarter of
place, but many do not. new-borns are brought into life by
young, unwed girls. The average
When you think about all the Yuca- age to marry for a male is about
tán’s leaking septic tanks, the fact 17 and for a girl about 16, though
that chicken and turkey farming just a few years ago it was older.
are among the Yucatán’s leading All this amounts to fast population
industries, that much pesticide is growth in an area where industry is
used in citrus orchards and around not in a rush to locate and natural
people’s homes, and that the re- resources are diminishing. It is al-
gion’s limestone bedrock does not ready hard for most families to get
filter water that streams through along and everyone I ask says it is
cracks and caverns, it is clear that getting harder, fast.
42
The Yucatan
h Maya ruins in the Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve, here at Muyil close to the highway 307.
43
The Yucatan
What’s to be done? a paradise for those wanting to see

Smaller families are the most obvi- exotic cacti. Of course, the Yuca-
ous answer. Education is another, tán’s Maya ruins always will be a
though nearly all of my educated draw.
Yucatec friends work at jobs far
below their level of expertise. Therefore; in the context of think-
ing about a sustainable future, a
In the Yucatán, traditionally inter- handful of suggestions instantly
national tourism has been an im- come to mind: Emphasize family
portant economic factor. However, planning; protect natural areas and
in recent years that have decreased, archaeological zones while edu-
first because of the “Mexican-Flu” cating about what is special about
scare, then the economic crises, each, and establish sewerage sys-
and now the drug cartel known as tems.
the Zetas has claimed the Yuca-
tán and violence is up, especially
in the Cancún area. If the US and
Cuba make peace, which seems in-
evitable, much tourism money still
flowing into the Yucatán will be re-
directed there.
One small bright spot in the eco-

tourism scene is the ever-growing
phenomenon of travellers looking
to add new bird species to their
life lists, or to photograph as many
species as possible. Happily, the
Yucatán is home to about 14 en-
demic bird species. And we have h Typical scenery from the Yucatan peninsula.
seen that north-western Yucatán is Pelicans resting on a small fishing boat.
44
Merida sewer system
by Michael Riniolo
I could make this little article ex-

tremely brief by merely saying
“Merida does not have a sewer sys-
need to understand a little about
the geography and hydrogeology
of the Yucatan Peninsula. Quite
tem”. None at all! End of story. basically, the entire Peninsula is
nothing but pure limestone rock
However, that might leave you with a water table at approximately
wondering what in the world six to eight metre down. There are
does Merida with a population of parts of the Peninsula that do not
1,000,000, and still growing; do even have a viable layer of top-
with all its sewage? To understand soil! The entire city and surround-
the answer to that question, you ing areas use the septic system.
45
Merida sewer system
Septic tanks are usually hand dug up along the coastlines are now re-
to a depth of approximately three quired to have wastewater collec-
to five metres deep, just above the tion and treatment systems. How-
water table. Wastewater is emptied ever, the support towns that grow
into the septic tank and water and around these resorts have few ur-
waste material dissipates and fil- ban services, such as piped drink-
ters through the limestone, eventu- ing water or wastewater collection
ally leaching back into the water and treatment systems. The prob-
table. While this system is crude, ability of contamination to the wa-
it is functional. However, with an ter table has become another major
ever increasing population, there is concern for the government and
great concern that the aquifer will environmentalists, and for those of
become so polluted that it would be us that live there.
impossible to provide safe water to
the residents. Some newer hotels and large stores
in Merida have their own waste
This fact, coupled with the ever in- management and treatment sys-
creasing growth of the porcine and tems in place, and it is permis-
chicken farm industry, is a major sible to flush paper products down
concern to all involved. It is also the toilet. This is not so in the
the reason you cannot drink the vast majority of homes and other
water when you go to Mexico! You businesses, including restaurants.
must buy and drink only bottled Absolutely no paper products are
water that has been processed and permitted. To do so would clog the
purified. septic system and require a very
nasty, almost unforgiving, project
The tourist industry in the Yucatan of having it cleaned out.
has spawned both commercial and
residential growth in previously Some newer homes being built have
undeveloped land areas. The ho- a separate special concrete holding
tels and resorts that are springing tank for “agua negra” (sewage just
46
Merida sewer system
from toilets), while other wastewa- and do not flush that toilet tissue
ter is directed into a regular septic (or any other paper product) down
tank. Both systems drain the wa- the toilet, because Merida and a lot
ter back into the ground, filtered of other cities do not have a sewer
through the limestone, but the spe- system! None at all!
cial concrete holding tank requires
cleaning out once every few years. Editor’s note:
Not really a viable option in my Merida is not the only city on the
opinion. Yucatan Peninsula, or in the rest of
Mexico for that matter, without a
So, until the government and city sewer system, which is the reason
engineers come up with a more ac- for us to publish this article. What
ceptable system, visitors and those most people never even think of,
who choose to live there, have to or care about, is in many places a
deposit paper products in (hopeful- problem to deal with every single
ly) covered trash receptacles in the day.
bathrooms! No flushing the toilet
tissue down the toilet! This is one
of the most difficult things most
folks have to adapt to. Some see it
as utterly disgusting, but really, it
is an absolute necessary evil. But
if you think that practice is bad,
have your septic tank cleaned out
just once and you will be more than
happy to comply with the (unwrit-
ten) rules!
You know the old cliché, “when

in Rome, do as the Romans do”! h Some newer hotels and large stores in Merida
Only drink purified, bottled water have their own waste management
47
Travelling Yucatan
W hether you are an experi-

enced globetrotter or are on
your first trip to the Yucatan Pen-
and aspirations, as all parties must
be able to have a great trip.
insula, planning is the key to suc- Start with a thorough study of the
cess. If you are travelling as part area you are planning to visit, so
of a group it is very important that that all parties have realistic ex-
you agree on common rules in ad- pectations when arriving. Decide
vance. Find in unison the purpose what absolutely must be seen and
of the journey and how to achieve experienced on site, and what can
it, only that way most needs will be seen if time permits. Travel-
be obtained. Be willing to compro- ling in a group, maybe even with
mise on your personal expectations people that you never met before,
48
Travelling Yucatan
can often be difficult, but if you in expectations, because not everyone

advance reconcile all expectations finds it amusing to spend the night
many unnecessary problems will in a hammock.
be avoided.
On our trips we have chosen a com-
When all the practical issues are bination of luxury and primitive
in place and all have agreed on the accommodation, not only for the
trip, one must consider how to book experience but also because there
travel. Today it is not a problem to were no other options. It has of-
order via the Internet and thus find fered some exciting adventures, in-
the cheapest tickets. cluding an outdoor night in a ham-
mock with a raging tropical storm,
We have always chosen to book and we have also tried to share a
and pay through a travel agency, bed with scorpions and tarantulas!
though we could save some money Almost whatever kind of hotel you
by doing it online, but it has always choose you must be prepared to
proved to be a reasonable solution share your room with creatures that
for our part. In case of unexpected have not necessarily made reserva-
problems, cancellations, etc., it is tions. This applies especially to
reassuring to have a travel agency cockroaches, mosquitoes, geckos,
behind you solving the problems ants and other exciting things. A
without any questions asked. The good idea is that you always check
relatively little extra money they shoes and clothing before you put
charge for their service, can quick- it on, shaking your towel, and keep
ly prove to be well spent. your suitcase securely closed.
Accommodation is also an impor- We have always pre-booked our ac-

tant factor. You can find everything commodation in advance through
from luxury hotels to the most a local provider, that way you do
primitive roofs with a hammock. not need to worry about that when
Again it is important to match the changing destination. We outlined
49
Travelling Yucatan
h It can be advantageous to bring a mosquito net, even if you are going to stay at a rather nice hotel.
i CESiaK tent cabins located right at the beach front, a nice place to stay when in the Tulum area.
50
Travelling Yucatan
when and where we wanted to stay, rather than the local Peso as pay-
and they made sure everything was ment. In several places we have
ready when we arrived at the desti- experienced that it was cheaper
nations. We only once experienced to pay with dollars, because the
a destination that was not aware of price would be somewhat higher
our arrival, but that little mistake converted to Peso. More than one
was quickly sorted. credit card is preferable, as it is of-
ten limited what you can withdraw
Both the way of travel and desti- per day on your card.
nations determine what equipment
and clothing you should bring. Our In general you should pack as easy
trips have been with specific pur- and convenient as possible, espe-
poses, and therefore brought us to cially if you do not stay in the same
different places where the demand place for a longer period. A light
for equipment has been varied. jacket, rain jacket, long pants (zip
off), wetsuit and shoes, hat, sensi-
Passport, money and papers are ob- ble shoes, towel, snorkel and mask,
viously the most important things all in addition to the normal every-
to bring along, and in this context day clothes, a minimum when you
one must be aware that the passport pack your suitcase. Moreover, it
must be valid at least six months can be advantageous to bring sun-
after expected return. Upon en- glasses, mosquito net, insect spray,
try to Mexico you fill out a tour- rope/string, knife, multi tool, flash-
ist visa, and the part you get back light with extra batteries, lighter
you have to look out for. Leaving and a first aid kit (including normal
Mexico you must return the extra- painkillers and pills to prevent/cure
dited part again, if not it will cost stomach upset).
both extra time and money to leave
Mexico. We’ve brought both Peso We have also brought with us
and U.S dollars in our travels, as relatively large amounts of photo-
some places prefer U.S. dollars graphic equipment, both for above
51
Travelling Yucatan
and below water, equipment for hind at home. We have on our trips
different types of water testing, chosen to have a private guide with
computer and external hard drive us every time we travelled outside
for backup. For electrical equip- the main tourist areas, something
ment one must have in mind that we will absolutely recommend.
Mexico uses 110V, in contrast to The experiences you get with local
most of Europe, which uses 240V. knowledge are worth every penny,
A travel adapter and a power strip although it obviously increases the
with multiple outlets should also total travel costs.
be a natural part of the baggage. To
avoid problems with your electri- Our guide, we have always used
cal equipment, one should make the same, was in advance familiar
sure that it works seamlessly with with our travel plans, and had be-
110V. fore our arrival, time to explore the
various destinations. The guide has
Language can be a barrier no mat- been both a driver, translator and he
ter what foreign country you visit even stood guard at our equipment
but especially in the southern Yu- when we were busy examining the
catan Peninsula it is an ordeal. different biotopes we visited.
As soon as you move just a little
bit outside the main tourist areas, Regarding transportation, there
which we did a lot, you should not are not many options if you want
expect to encounter many people to experience the more remote and
understanding or speaking English. inaccessible places. Forget about
If you do not speak or understand buses and taxis, only 4X4 will do
Spanish it can be hard to do the the work properly.
most simple and basic things,
which can cause relatively large Rent a car through a reputable com-
problems if you are not prepared pany and make sure that all insur-
for it. A phrase book is an essen- ances are in place prior to driving.
tial thing you should not leave be- Renting a car is relatively expen-
52
Travelling Yucatan
h i Our guide, we have always used the same, was in advance familiar with our travel plans, and had before
our arrival, time to explore the various destinations. The guide has been both a driver, translator and he even
stood guard at our equipment when we were busy examining the different biotopes we visited.
53
Travelling Yucatan
sive, compared to the general price counter many warnings on drugs,

level, but the cost of gasoline is not assault, property crime and the like.
worth mentioning. It has for our part only been some-
thing we have read about, we have
Generally, the major roads are in never experienced anything nega-
good condition and it is relatively tive in that direction. The worst we
easy and straightforward to navi- have ever experienced was when a
gate. Some places have toll roads, couple of young boys stole one of
some expensive to use while oth- our snorkels. On second thought, it
ers are very cheap. Just before and was more our fault than it was the
inside almost all cities, regardless boys.
of size or location, you will meet
the terrible “Tope” (speed bumps), With common sense, respect for
which have a quite considerable the country, its people, their reli-
size. You are not in doubt if you gion and traditions you will get
miss a “Tope”, both luggage and far without problems. Always re-
passenger will change positions member, you are a guest in their
quite quickly. country and should naturally be-
have accordingly. For us, Mexico
Especially in the southern part of has always been a very positive
Quintana Roo and Campeche you experience. We can without doubt
will regularly meet military check- recommend others to go there, and
points, checking car, passengers experience a beautiful and exciting
and baggage for drugs. Do not fear country.
these checkpoints, the soldiers ap-
pear both friendly and pleasant,
and we’ve never felt bothered in
anyway.
If you read the general travel ad-

vice for Mexico, you will often en-
54
Sustainable travel
by Kenneth Anthony Johnson Díaz
Editors note: Kenneth Anthony

Johnson Diaz is the director of the
Cancun based Eco-tour company
S ustainable development em-
braces the triple bottom line of
environmental conservation, social
EcoColors tours. His article is on responsibility, and economic prof-
how sustainable travel is used to itability.
conserve the nature used by tour-
ists and its enviromental, economic It is, therefore, essential to address
and socio-cultural impacts. And at environmental, socio-cultural and
last how his company uses sustain- economic impacts as part of the
able travel to conserve all the beau- holistic approach to sustainable
tiful fauna and flora of the Yucatan. tourism. When thinking about what
55
Sustainable travel
kinds of impacts relate to our spe- steps to advance and try to influ-
cific business activities, we consid- ence other stakeholders to change
er the following their activities to minimize im-
pacts to the environment. Another
Environmental impacts and probably most important ac-
This category encompasses a large tivity EcoColors does is promote
portion of our sustainability efforts. environmental awareness to all the
It relates to operational impacts on tourists they cater.
land, air, water, and other organ-
isms. Recycling waste, controlling Socio-cultural impacts
water usage, minimizing green- Socio-cultural impacts are those
house gases, and protecting natural affect local communities’ social
ecosystems are all measures that structures and culture. One of the
play a role in global environmental benefits of tourism is the promo-
processes. Indeed, loss of biodiver- tion of tolerance and acceptance of
sity, global warming and climate different cultures through educa-
change, as well as water quality tion and direct experience.
and scarcity are all problems that
have a worldwide scope. This can support a diverse “global
community” and not a world of
Just to mentioned a couple of spe- monoculture. As a tourism provid-
cific activities EcoColors is work- er, it is important to help local and
ing currently we have participation indigenous people maintain their
in research project of crocodiles cultural integrity in the face of vast
in Sian Ka’an, we also participate economic promises. In the long
with Marine recreation providers run, this benefits both business and
on the adoption of voluntary stan- the community. Maintaining the
dards that help the reef. cultural integrity of local commu-
nity will also minimize resentment
This are just some specific actions from people who are negatively af-
to address in alocal bases some fected by tourism.
56
Sustainable travel
h EcoColors work together with Amigos De Sian Ka’an on a crocodile research project.
i The guides from EcoColors has a great knowledge about the local enviroment, flora and fauna.
57
Sustainable travel
h Kayaking in the Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve is just one of the activities of EcoColors.
i Chicanna eco-village is a typical example on sustainable tourism.
58
Sustainable travel
This resentment can be directed any amount paid out including

at your clients, thus earning the wages, taxes, supplies and services.
destination a bad reputation, and
threatening the chances of further Indirect impacts are changes in
economic development for the re- sales, income, or employment
gion. EcoColors specifically works within the region of industries that
with many Mayan communitie4s supply products and services to the
establishing business relationships tourism industry. For example, in-
with fair delas where both groups creased sales in linen supply firms
achieve win win situations. resulting from more hotel sales are
an indirect impact of visitor spend-
Some examples are the communi- ing. Induced impacts are changes
ty of Siankaan, community of Ek in economic activity resulting from
Balam, community of Jose Maria household spending of income
Morelos, etc. earned directly or indirectly from
the tourism industry.
Economic impacts
The economic impacts of tourism For example, hotel and linen sup-
are usually broken up into three ply employees spend their income
categories: direct, indirect, and in- in the local region for housing,
duced economic impacts. Direct food, transportation, and house-
impacts include monetary transac- hold products and needs. The sales,
tions from operations during tour- income, and jobs that result from
ist visitation. household spending of increased
wage or salary are included in this
This involves impacts on tourism category.
businesses themselves. For exam-
ple, if more tourists overnight in Leakage is another economic im-
hotels, then the hotels where they pact to be concerned about. It is an
stay will receive a direct monetary entirely negative impact. When a
benefit. This category also includes tourism business buys supplies or
59
Sustainable travel
services from outside the region, many important actions to achieve

the money spent is providing no or get closer to a sustainable tour-
indirect impact to the region, and ism practice. More information is
thus that money is leaking out of available on each company stan-
the local economy. dards.
To be economically sustainable, a
tourism business must minimize i CESiaK also works with sustainable tourism,
they are located in the Sian Ka’an reserve.
their leakage as much as possible.
EcoColors specifically destinates
part of the money to benefit con-
servation with local NGO´s as
Amigos de Siankaan.
EcoColors sustainable travel

EcoColors is actively working to
ensure the preservation of our
destination and culture for future
generations. This equates to more
attractive environments and better
products.
We are currently working with dif-

ferent NGO´s such as World Wild-
life Fund, The Nature Conservancy,
Conservation International, Travel
Foundation, Amigos de Siankaan,
The Coral Reef Alliance and many
more in unique training programs
on ecotourism, development of
best practices, code of ethics and
60
Maya culture
Traditions and legends
W hen you travel to a foreign

country, to experience the
nature and its wonderful aspects,
stories about the area we were in.
He would tell us a great deal about
the nature, culture and especially
one cannot avoid getting in contact of the great legends!
with the local population, its cul-
ture, traditions and legends. Yucatan Peninsula is characterised
by the Maya culture and is home
On our travels we have always had to many ancient structures that are
a very skilled and knowledgeable witness to a proud people who in
guide with us, who would sponta- many ways were far ahead of their
neously tell us special and exciting time.
61
Maya culture
Calakmul is one of the most struc- about seven million people would
ture rich sites found within the call themselves Mayan or could
Maya region and is estimated to say they have Mayan ancestors and
have had a population of 50.000 most of these people live in Mex-
people. There are 6.750 ancient ico.
structures identified at Calakmul
and the largest is the 55 metre high The first people to live on the Yu-
pyramid. This makes it the tallest catán peninsula were hunters and
of all the Mayan pyramids. Four gatherers and are believed to have
tombs have been located within arrived around 9.000 BC. The
the pyramid. Like many temples or Maya people arrived in the Yucatán
pyramids within Mesoamerica, the area much later at around 2.600 BC
pyramid at Calakmul increased in and they were heavily influenced
size by building upon the existing by the civilizations before them on
temple to reach its current size. the peninsula, such as the Olmec
and Izapan.
Ancient Maya culture was at the
time one of the most advanced The Maya people had advanced
anywhere in the world. Mayans knowledge of farming and built
were skilled potters, weavers, ar-their cities with large temples,
chitects, sculptors and painters. pyramids and plazas. The Maya
Their many temples, pyramids and calendar reveals a high degree of
palaces were beautifully decoratedknowledge about the movement of
and many of them are now major heavenly bodies and the cycle of
tourist attractions. the planets. For more than 3.000
years the Maya Civilization thrived
Ancient Mayan culture once and they had advanced knowledge
stretched from central Mexico to of many things such as astronomy,
Honduras and also included parts mathematics, geometry, architec-
of what are now Guatemala, Be- ture, language, music and medi-
lize and El Salvador. As of today cine. The question is, where did
62
Maya culture
h i The Maya people had advanced knowledge of farming and built their cities with large temples, pyra-
mids and plazas. The Maya calendar reveals a high degree of knowledge about the movement of heavenly
bodies and the cycle of the planets. Pictures are from the Tulum ruins.
63
Maya culture
h i As unique and spectacular as Greek and Roman architecture, Maya architecture spans many thousands
of years. The most dramatic and easily recognisable are the stepped pyramids. There are also cave sites that
are important to the Maya, some still used by the modern Maya in the Chiapas highlands.
64
Maya culture
they get all of this knowledge? populations throughout the Maya

Scientists and archaeologists are area, maintaining a distinctive set
still trying to solve this question, of their traditions and beliefs.
but hopefully one day we will be
able to understand this wonderful The Mayan language is in many
culture and its achievements. places still spoken as the first lan-
guage although Spanish is now the
The Mayans are noted for the only dominant language in the countries
known fully developed written lan- where the Maya live.
guage of the pre-Columbian Amer-
icas, as well as its art, architecture,
The geographic extent of the Maya
mathematical and astronomical civilization, known as the Maya
systems. At its peak it was one of area, extended throughout the
the most densely populated and southern states of Chiapas, Tabas-
culturally dynamic societies in theco, Quintana Roo, Campeche and
world. Yucatan. The Maya area also ex-
tended throughout the nations of
The Maya civilization shares many Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador
features with other Mesoameri- and western Honduras. The Maya
can civilizations, due to the high area is generally divided into three
degree of interaction and cultural loosely defined zones - the south-
diffusion that characterised the ern Maya highlands, the southern
region. Advances such as writing, central Maya lowlands and the
epigraphy and the calendar did not northern Maya lowlands.
originate with the Maya; however,
their civilization fully developed As unique and spectacular as Greek
them. and Roman architecture, Maya ar-
chitecture spans many thousands
The Maya people never disap- of years. The most dramatic and
peared and today the Maya and easily recognisable are the stepped
their descendants form sizable pyramids. There are also cave sites
65
Maya culture
that are important to the Maya, flat, like most other civilizations at
some still used by the modern that time, and that it had four cor-
Maya in the highlands. The Maya ners. Heaven was believed to have
writing system was a combination four layers and each layer had its
of phonetic symbols and logograms own god. The underworld, a cold
and it is most often classified as a and not very pleasant place, had
logographic or logosyllabic writ- nine layers. The Maya believed
ing system, in which syllabic signs that when the sun and moon set,
play a significant role. It is the only with the help of the gods they
writing system of the Pre-Colum- went through the underworld. The
bian New World which is known mountains and hills are believed to
to completely represent the spoken be the homes of such ancient gods.
language of its community.
Mayan priests were in control of
The Mayan people also used a vi- education and rituals, like bloodlet-
gesimal number system, known as ting and human sacrifice. Bloodlet-
base-20, and they, independently ting was an important part of many
from other civilizations, developed rituals and was offered to the gods
the concept of zero. The numerals to please and nourish them. Human
are made up of three symbols; zero sacrifice was also quite common
(shell shape), one (a dot) and five and many prisoners, slaves and
(a bar). For example, seventeen children were killed to please the
(16) is written as two dots in a hori- gods. Especially orphans and ille-
zontal row, above three horizontal gitimate children suffered this fate.
lines stacked upon each other. In-
scriptions show the Mayan people The names of the ancient Maya
on occasion working with sums up often depended on the locations of
to hundreds of millions and dates their villages. During research for
so large it would take several lines this book I found some interesting
just to represent it. The ancient information about a village which
Maya believed that the earth was belonged to a people called the
66
Maya culture
h Mystical maya ruins hidden in the forests of the Yucatan, here from the Calakmul biosphere reserve.
67
Maya culture
h The pyramids of the Maya are amazing structures, note the chin of the Maya soldier on the corner.
68
Maya culture
Ah Camul. They were known to far from the village to forever ex-
have had four different names, dur- pel bad spirits.
ing four distinct phases of their
lives. From this moment on, the young
boys and girls were considered
The parents took their new born ready for marriage. When they
children to the Paal Kaba (priest) were married the names were mod-
who then made the child’s horo- ified a third time, also by the Paal
scope and gave them their first Kaba. This substituted the previous
name. For boys the Paal Kaba name, and was composed of the
invariably began with the prefix prefix “Na”, plus the last name of
“ah” and for girls he used “Ix”. the mother and the father. There-
These prefixes were appended to fore, if the mother of Ah Balam
the names of mammals, reptiles or Chel or Ix Cuat Chel had the last
birds. name Chan, they would change
their names to Na Balam Chan
For instance, a boy could be named Chel and Na Cuat Chan Chel.
Ah Balam (jaguar) and a girl could
be named Ix Cuat (snake). Then af- The Ah Camul people also used
ter puberty they took their father’s nicknames and here we find the
last name. If the father was named fourth name. Even powerful men
Chel, they would change their were better known by their nick-
names to Ah Balam Chel and Ix name than by their given names.
Cuat Chel. The father’s last name Examples can be found in The Cal-
was given after a ceremony, which kini Codex, one of the few remain-
can be compared to a baptism, ing indigenous manuscripts, and
where a group of boys and girls among them are Ah Pach Uitz, “The
were sprinkled with rainwater by man that lived behind the hill”, Ah
the Paal Kaba and invited to burn Tupp Kabal, “The man that made
incense and corn in an urn. At the noises like an explosion” and Ah
end of the ritual, the urn was taken Kom Tzohom, “Something red”.
69
Maya culture
Today most people get married usually came with generous pres-
because they are in love with each ents, where treated a feast of turkey
other but for the ancient Maya mar- tamales, beans, potatoes and torti-
riage were often the result of nego- llas. The mother of the groom wove
tiations between the parents and and embroidered a loincloth for her
the priest. The aim of this negotia- son and a skirt and brocaded blouse
tion was procreating large families, for the bride. During the wedding
not a result of two young people in ceremony, at which point the brid-
love with each other. al couple still probably would not
have exchanged a single word, the
The groom’s family hired a pro- couple were blessed by the priest
fessional “Atanzahab” (match- and prayed to the gods. There were
maker) to examine the prospec- no honeymoons as the next day life
tive couple’s horoscopes, to make went on as usual.
sure there were no celestial prob-
lems between the gods and the two Considering that most marriages
people getting married. Another were arranged most couples were
important job for the matchmaker monogamous, although men could
was to negotiate conditions of the be polygamous. Divorce was al-
marriage. The bride’s father want- lowed, as were second marriages.
ed a suitable price for his daughter In some areas, if the man was not
and the groom’s father settled the satisfied with his wife, he could re-
time his son would have to work turn her to her parents’ house, but
for his future in-laws. This work- only during the first year of their
ing period, which could vary from marriage. It makes we wonder,
five to six years, all depended on why was I never told about that op-
the ability of the matchmaker. tion when I was married!
As soon as the wedding date was One of the most well-known tradi-
set preparations began at the tions in Mexico is probably “Día
bride’s house. The guests, who de los Muertos”, Day of the Dead,
70
Maya culture
h i One of the most well-known traditions in Mexico is probably “Día de los Muertos”, Day of the Dead,
a ritual celebration that can be traced back to the indigenous cultures. Day of the Dead is today a mixture of
elements, both Christian and pagan.
71
Maya culture
a ritual celebration that can be hours of October 31st the souls of

traced back to the indigenous cul- dead children appear, and they will
tures. Day of the Dead is today a be received with Atole (drink made
mixture of elements, both Chris- with water and corn flour) and corn
tian and pagan. While Guatema- on the cob. While the children’s
lans dance their way to the ceme- souls are wandering about and eat-
trey, the Maya of Chiapas, Tabasco ing, the family say the rosary and
and the Yucatan Peninsula raise al- pray for them.
tars in their homes and honour their
dead with food and prayer. When the prayers are finished, the
children’s souls leave the house
Among the people of the Mundo and the family eats breakfast. An-
Maya (Mayan World), November other reception is then prepared for
is the month of the dead. They be- midday where an offering, consist-
lieve this is the time where the dead ing of chicken, chocolate, cookies,
are allowed to abandon the great dessert made with squash, bread,
beyond, to wander on the earth for soup, vegetables, Atole and fruit, is
a few days. They come to eat, drink made.
and pick up gifts.
On November 1st the souls of the
Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yu- adults arrive guided by the candles,
catan, which all are a part of the which have been placed around the
Mundo Maya, all celebrate the Day houses. One candle is lit for each
of the Dead in a similar fashion. departed soul, plus a few extra
The celebration begins on October ones in case the family has forgot-
31st, the day on which souls are be- ten someone. The offering for this
lieved to arrive to visit their family day is much more elaborate: Muk-
and enjoy a few days of festivities. bil-pollo (large, cornmeal baked
An offering of food is prepared, dish filled with chicken and pork
according to the preferences of in a spicy chilli sauce), different
the departed. In the early morning flavours of Atole, chocolates, fruit,
72
Maya culture
bread and a variety of candy. Once a son. Although Doña Marina was
the adult souls have eaten, family her father’s firstborn and rightful
and friends join the meal. For the heir, her mother and step-father
Maya people dying is merely leav- favoured the new baby. Doña Ma-
ing this world to inhabit another. rina’s mother gave her away, or
sold her into slavery and declared
On several occasions we heard our that she was dead so the new baby
guide say the word “Malinchista”, would inherit instead of her.
often referring to none-Mexican
things, and the word “Malinche“ Doña Marina travelled from her
about people he thought of as trai- native Nahuatl-speaking region to
tors or did not like. Both words are the Maya-speaking areas of Yuca-
referring to the same person, one tán, where she learned the Mayan
of the most controversial figures of language. Having decided to carry
the Spanish Conquest, the woman favour with the Spaniards rather
known as La Malinche or Doña than fight them, the Maya gave
Marina. them food, cloth, gold and slaves,
including 20 women - one of who
She was born to a noble family, was Doña Marina.
was enslaved and became an inter-
preter and confidante to the Span- She quickly extended her linguistic
ish explorer Hernán Cortés. Some skills by learning Spanish, earned
view her as the betrayer of the Az- the confidence of Cortés, became
tecs while others consider her to be his secretary and mistress and born
a scapegoat for Moctezuma’s fail- him a son.
ure to defend his kingdom success-
fully. She was born in the Paynalla Although some have considered
province of Coatzacoalcos, in her a traitor many consider Doña
the Veracruz region of southern Marina an outstanding historical
Mexico. When her father died, her figure. She was outcast from her
mother remarried and gave birth to own people, owed no allegiance to
73
Maya culture
the other Mesoamerican powers, one of the greatest peoples of Me-

and she did take advantage of her soamerica. The following are leg-
linguistic skills to secure her own ends we were told during our trips.
position.
Chechen and Chacah
Although Doña Marina was just The Chechen tree (Metopium tox-
one of many native women to have iferum) and the Chacah tree (Burs-
children with Spanish fathers she era simaruba) are often found grow-
is the most prominent and her son ing near each other but beware of
by Cortés, Don Martín Cortés, was the Chechen tree, it is toxic. Do not
the first Mestizo (native/European touch it or stand beneath it during
mix) of historical note. She also rain, as its sap creates a poison oak
gave birth to a daughter, Doña type reaction on your skin. Luckily
María, and as a mother of both a the marvellous wonder of Mother
son and a daughter of mixed blood Nature is exemplified by the Cha-
she may rightfully be considered cah tree, which is the natural anti-
the Mother of the Mexican Nation. dote to the Chechen!
Today many Mexican Spanish
speakers use the word “Malinchis- There is a legend that explains
ta” in the meaning “one who pre- the appearance of these trees and
fers foreign things”, and for many why they are found together, and
“Malinche” is synonymous with a this was what we were told: Two
“traitor”. brothers, both great warriors with
enormous strength and skills but
Like many other civilizations the of completely different nature, fell
Maya created tales and legends in love with the same beautiful girl
in which they would interpret, in named Nicte-Ha.
a unique way, the creation of the
Universe and the laws of life. To- The youngest brother Kinich was
day, these tales and legends get us kind, merciful and loved by every-
closer to the thoughts of what was one, while the oldest brother Tizic
74
Maya culture
h Hernan Cortes and La Malinche meet Moct-

ezuma II in Tenochtitlan, November 8, 1519.
Facsimile (c. 1890) of Lienzo de Tlaxcala.
g Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st

Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish
conquistador who led an expedition that caused
the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large
portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of
the King of Castile in the early 16th century
75
Maya culture
i Chacah tree (Bursera simaruba). The good tree;

Kinich was kind, merciful and loved by everyone.
h The Chechen tree (Metopium toxiferum). The

bad tree; Tizic was sullen, and drew strength from
the hate and anger nursed in his heart.
76
Maya culture
was sullen, and drew strength from ent colours this way: Once upon a
the hate and anger nursed in his time, a good but unfortunate man
heart. They declared to each other decided to sell his soul to Kizin (the
to have a fight to the death, to see devil) to get himself out of his trou-
who she would choose. bles. He invoked Kizin and face to
face told him what he wanted, and
The fight was longer and more hid- Kizin liked the idea of taking away
eous than the world had ever seen. the soul of a good man.
The Earth was torn and Heaven
went hiding, but eventually both In exchange for his soul the man
brothers died in each other’s arms. asked for seven things, one for each
After dead they begged the gods day of the week. For the first day
for forgiveness and a chance to re- he asked for money, and straight
turn to the world of the living to see away his pockets were filled with
their beloved Nicte-Ha once more. gold. On the second day he wanted
The gods granted their wish and good health, and it was granted.
Tizic was reborn as the Chechen On the third day he was hungry
tree which seeps black poison from and asked for food, and he ate un-
its branches and burns anyone who til busting. On the fourth day he
touches it, and Kinich was reborn asked for women, and was of cause
as the Chacah tree whose sooth- surrounded by the most beautiful
ing nectar neutralises Chechen’s women imaginable. On the fifth
venom. Now they solemnly watch day he wanted power, and sud-
over Nicte-Ha who died of grief denly he lived like a local ruler. On
and was mercifully restored to life the sixth day he wanted to travel,
as a beautiful white flower. and in a blink of an eye he visited a
thousand places.
The man who sold his soul
Beans come in different colours, On the seventh day Kizin asked
but it has not always been like that. the man what he wanted, and told
An old legend explains the differ- him to think carefully, as this was
77
Maya culture
his last request. The man answered

“I want to wash these black beans
here, until they turn white”.
“That is easy” said Kizin, and he

began to wash the beans. But as the
beans did not turn white he thought
to himself “This man has deceived
me and I have lost a soul. So that
this does not happen again, from
now on there will be black beans,
white beans, yellow beans and red
beans”.
i The most spectacular structures of the Maya is the staired pyramides, they can be really hard to climb.
78
Biotopes in
Campeche
Estado de
Campeche
C ampeche is located in the

south-east region of the Yuca-
tán Peninsula, and the state capital
the south west, the nation of Gua-
temala to the south, and the Gulf of
Mexico to the west.
is San Francisco de Campeche,
which in 1999 was declared a The name of Campeche comes
World Heritage Site by UNESCO. from the Mayan word “Ah Kim
Pech” which means “The Place of
Campeche borders the states of Boa Serpent”, and it was the first
Yucatán to the north east, Quin- natural port of Campeche that was
tana Roo to the east, Tabasco to discovered by the Spaniards.
80
Estado de Campeche
Campeche is home of a large fish- The state capital, San Francisco

ing fleet and agricultural interests,de Campeche or more common
and is also home to some of the known as Campeche City, is locat-
major Maya settlements, such as ed on the Gulf of Mexico, and was
Calakmul. originally called “Villa and Puerto
de San Francisco de Campeche”.
The State of Campeche was long a Campeche City used to be a major
part of Yucatán, and shared its his- city back in the colonial time and
tory through the mid 19th century. was one of the richest ports in the
Campeche broke away from Yuca- Americas during the 16th and 17th
tán and became a separate state on centuries. This made the city a tar-
August 7, 1857. get of many famous pirates, an as
a result of these raids, the city was
The area of Campeche is 56,812 turned into a fort in the early 17th
square kilometres, divided into 11 century.
municipalities, with a population of
only around 800,000 inhabitants. It After the Spanish conquest of
makes Campeche one of the states México natives and Europeans
with the lowest population densi- mixed together, giving origin to
ties in Mexico. The state economy the mixed-race called mestizo, and
is mostly based on fishing, agricul- they are today the most dominant
ture, cattle, forest and energy re- group of people in all of México.
sources, industry and tourism. The present territory of Campeche
was part of a vast region, which
Occupying the western third of in the past was home to the Maya
the Yucatan Peninsula, the state civilization. The Maya civilization
of Campeche is the least vis- was one of the most important with
ited of the three states of the a legacy still present today; not
Yucatan, and is a blessing for only by important archaeological
those wanting a respite from sites but also within the 17 ethnic
the hordes of Peninsula tourists. groups of pure Maya blood that
81
Estado de Campeche
still inhabit many communities. is classified as a dry forest to the

In Mexico you will find around west, medium-height to tall rain-
10% of all plants and animals of forest in the east, and besides the
the world, and in order to protect large population of jaguars you
its biological heritage Mexico has will also be able to find Jaguarundi
implemented a National System of and Ocelot. The Reserve is sepa-
Protected Areas. rated by a highway and only con-
nected by a small corridor, which
There are very few places in the seems to be a severe limitation to
world where a biosphere reserve mobility of animal species between
holds an entire archeological area; the two areas.
one of them is Calakmul Biosphere
Reserve where you will find the The Calakmul archeological area
largest concentration of Maya ru- was discovered by Cyrus Lundell
ins in the Peninsula. The Calakmul in 1931, and covers an area of ap-
Biosphere Reserve is the second proximately two square kilome-
largest protected area in Mexico tres. Within the area the remains of
and home to countless species of around a thousand structures have
plants and animals and is also large been registered, and adding to the
enough to maintain around 400 periphery occupied by smaller resi-
jaguars, one of the largest popula- dential structures, a total of almost
tions on Earth. 6.250 structures have so far been
mapped by archaeologists.
Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, es-
tablished in 1989, is almost 7.300 The stone used in construction at
km², and along with the contigu- the site is soft limestone, which has
ous forested areas of the Maya resulted in severe erosion of the
Biosphere Reserve, it forms one of sculptures. The city was built in a
the largest and least disturbed ter- concentric fashion and can easily
ritories of rainforest in the Ameri- be divided into zones when mov-
cas north of Colombia. The forest ing out from the centre of the site.
82
Estado de Campeche
h Chicanna eco-village is a great place to stay if you want to visit the Calakmul area in Campeche.
i You can find a lot of beautiful orchids in the forsts of the Calakmul biosphere reserve.
83
Estado de Campeche
The innermost zone contains most nowhere you find a comfortable

of the monumental architecture gem, an excellent base for explor-
and has 975 mapped structures. ing the surrounding culture, flora,
The city core was bordered on the fauna and wildlife. Chicanna Eco-
north side by a six metre high wall, village has developed as an eco-
which is believed to have had a logical village, processing organic
defensive function along with the waste from inorganic and they use
possibility to control access from rainwater deposits for a no-pollu-
the north. tion air conditioning system. They
are also managing a nursery of pre-
We have been in the area two times, cious trees, and all of this, com-
and a great place to stay if you want bined with the comforts of a great
to visit the area is at the Chicanna hotel, makes it a great place to stay.
Ecovillage. Right in the middle of
i Black howler monky is just one of the animals you can spot in the Calakmul biosphere reserve.
84
Laguna
Chacambacab
L aguna Chacambacab is a little

explored biotope, at least when
it comes to which fish are found
minutes, before you turn right and
drive in to a small forest road.
here. The lagoon is located not far This will lead all the way down to
from the biotope of Río Bec, a bit the lagoon and you will come to
further into the state of Campeche. an open place with a small cabin.
Here you will find a forest ranger
When you have passed the bridge who has been employed by the
over Río Bec it’s about a 5-10 min- owner of the land because the area
ute drive west, then you turn right around the Laguna Chacambacab
and go on for another ten to fifteen is private land.
85
Laguna Chacambacab
h There is a rather large amount of vegetation in the lagoon; some of these are the Water lilies.
You need permission to access the only crocodile we saw was very far
area, but it should not be difficult from land. Laguna Chacambacab
as the forest ranger is a very nice is a rather large biotope, several
and helpful man. kilometres in length and varies be-
tween a hundred metres and maybe
When we visited the area the for- up to one kilometre in width. There
est ranger drove us up along the are a lot of different fish in the bio-
coastline in his 4x4 because our tope, but it is not safe to get into the
car was not suitable to do that kind water because of Crocodiles.
of driving. The reason he wanted
to take us up the lagoon was that In order to figure out which species
further up there would be a much to be found in the biotope you need
higher chance to see crocodiles. to net the fish, something we did not
Unfortunately we had no luck; the have the opportunity to at our visit.
86
Laguna Chacambacab
h There are a lot of different fish in the biotope, but it is not safe to get into the water because of Crocodiles.
87
Laguna Chacambacab
There are a few smaller ponds con- bottom of the shallow parts of the
nected to the main lagoon, these lagoon is covered with leaves and
are also filled with fish. I would branches from the surrounding
guess there are the same fish you tropical forest.
will find in the lagoon and we saw
Paratheraps synspilum, Gambusia As the lagoon is this big it is im-
sexradiata, and Astyanax mexica- possible to figure out how deep it
nus just to mention some. is exactly. The water parametres of
Laguna Chacambacab are almost
In one of the smaller ponds we identical with Río Bec, except
found the exCichlasoma salvini as from the mS, which are 1890 in
well, easily recognizable because Río Bec and 167 in the lagoon. PH
of its strong yellow breeding co- in the biotopes are from 7,5 - 8,1.
lour. There is also a rather large The temperatures in both areas are
amount of vegetation in the lagoon; quite high, measuring 26 - 33°c.,
some of these are the Water lilies, and the air temperature was around
Nymphea sp. and the well-known 34°c.
aquarium plant Cabomba sp. The
i Laguna Chacambacab is a rather large biotope,
several kilometres in length.
88
Rio Bec
R ío Bec is located on the border

between the states Quintana
Roo and Campeche, and is run-
access to the river and you can park
on the old road on the right side of
the highway, when you are coming
ning from South to North under from Chetumal.
highway 186. We entered the bio-
tope where the highway crosses During our visit at the end of the
the river which is also called Pu- rainy season in September, the wa-
ente Sorpresas. It is located around ter level was quite high and stretch-
100 kilometres from the city of ing out over the surrounding area.
Chetumal and only a twenty min- At its widest point it was around
ute drive from the city of Xpujil. twenty metres, but during the dry
Puente Sorpresas is also the easiest season it probably only is two to
89
Rio Bec
h Bridge crossing the Rio Bec.

i In the rainy season the water flow is quite rapid in the rocky parts of the river.
90
Rio Bec
h This is right under Puente Sopresas in the rainy season, the picture is taken in september.
iThis is also under Puente Sopresas, but during the dry season, this picture is taken in may.
91
Rio Bec
four metres wide. In the rainy sea- was covered with quite large rocks,
son the current was quite fast in the with some fine gravel in between.
narrow places and medium to slow There is no vegetation in the main
in the widest points. river.
The water was very murky so it In the rainy season when the wa-
was impossible to get any good ter raises higher than normal, new
underwater pictures. Due to the habitats are created throughout the
murky water it was difficult to de- surrounding forest floor. These
termine which species that might small flooded areas are covered
live in the habitat, but we managed with leaves from the trees and it
to sort out a few. The easy ones to seems that the fish stay here for
sort were Belonesox belizianus, that period because the current in
Pseudoxiphophorus bimaculatus the river is both fast and strong.
and Gambusia sexradiata. For sure There are also some branches in
there was some Molly’s as well, the habitat. The vegetation in these
but they were not standing still places is only the vegetation that is
long enough for us to see what spe- normally found above the water,
cies they were. My guess is that like some different grass plants.
there are some Cichlid species as
well, probably Thorichthys meeki Río Bec is a very little explored
and Paratheraps synspilum. river, and it’s quite an interesting
site. It’s also easy accessible, so if
The surroundings in the area are you get the chance to explore it you
dense tropical forest, the climate in should do it.
the area is quite hot all year around
which also makes the water of in
Río Bec quite hot.
The main part of the river, where

the main flow is all year around,
92
Biotopes in
Quintana Roo
Estado de
Quintana Roo
Q uintana Roo is located on the

eastern part of the Yucatán
Peninsula, and the state capital is
divided into to nine municipalities.
The population is around 1.200.000
people, but is currently expanding
Chetumal. Quintana Roo borders at a rapid rate due to demand for
the states of Yucatán and Campeche workers for the resort areas.
to the north and west, the Caribbe-
an Sea to the east, and the nation of The state is frequently hit by hur-
Belize to the south. With an area of ricanes because of the exposed lo-
50.212 square kilometres it is the cation of the long coastline edge to
nineteenth largest state in Mexico, the Caribbean Sea.
94
Estado de Quintana Roo
The area of Quintana Roo has been Quintana Roo is experiencing both
through a turbulent period and was a migratory population influx and
for a long time a part of the Yuca- an increase in tourism, and this
tán. During the 1840s the Maya na- only heightens the pressure on the
tion forced all non-natives from the plants and animals native to the re-
area, but in 1902 the area became a gion.
territory of Mexico. In 1915, after
defeating most of the Maya nation, Birds are one of the most varied
the area once again became a part animal assets, with hundreds of
of Yucatán. In 1931 the territory species reside in Quintana Roo per-
was separated from Yucatán, and manently, with still more hundreds
in 1974 Quintana Roo was granted of others either wintering there, or
statehood in the Mexican Republic. using it as a stopover on the long
It makes Quintana Roo the young- journey into South America.
est state in Mexico.
The small island Isla Contoy, lo-
In the early 1970s Cancún, Isla cated about 30 kilometres north of
Mujeres, and Cozumel were devel- Isla Mujeres, has since 1961 been
oped as tourist destinations. In the protected by the Mexican govern-
year 2000, after a decade of prob- ment, and was declared a National
lems with corruption and drugs, Park in 1998.
Quintana Roo fully recovered, and
has become an even more popular Isla Contoy is jointly run by a
destination for tourists. non-governmental organization,
Amigos de Isla Contoy, and the
The Yucatán Peninsula is one of the Secretary of Environment, Natural
most forested areas of the world, Resources and Fishing. Only a few
when considering biotic mass per tour companies have permission to
hectare, but experts have deter- bring a maximum of 200 daily visi-
mined, that Quintana Roo is facing tors to the island, and all of them
a faunal crisis. have to apply for permission first.
95
h The bird sancutary, Isla contoy in the top east corner of the state.
i A egret, one of the many species of birds found in the state of Quintana Roo.
96
Supervised ecotourism and regu- ares of protected land, making the

lated commercial fishing is allowed reserve nearly 1 million hectares in
on and near the island, where four total.
species of turtle find a safe haven
for nesting on the beaches. The re- Sian Ka’an, Mayan meaning “gate-
serve is also a sanctuary to almost way to the heavens”, has for many
150 tropical marine birds, like the years been under a lot of pressure
brown pelican and the frigate bird. from the hotel business, as Quin-
tana Roo includes the main tour-
Sian Ka’an, the third largest pro- ist magnet Cancún and the Riviera
tected area in Mexico, is to be Maya, making it a prime destina-
found along the Caribbean coast tion for sun, sea, sand and food.
just south of Tulum. It is home to In recent years, federal authorities
more than 300 bird species, over have limited the activities of some
a 100 mammal species, has 23 ar- hotels on the edge of the reserve,
chaeological sites, some as many because they pose a threat to Sian
as 2,300 years old, and includes an Ka’an’s turtles and other protected
extensive variety of ecosystems, animals, and to the Mayan archae-
such as islands, coastal lagoons, ological ruins.
wetlands, coastal dunes, and man-
groves. Just north of Coba, a little hour
driving from Tulum, you will find
Since 1986, it has been included in a 5000 hectare ecosystem, known
the World Heritage List by UNES- as Punta Laguna Spider Monkey
CO. Only about a third of the re- Reserve. After many years of local
serve is totally explored, since it is efforts to protect the area, it was in
rather inaccessible, and relatively 2002 declared an “area for protec-
few people live within the reserve. tion of flora and fauna”. The pop-
By the end of 2010 Mexico decid- ulation includes some 600 black
ed to expand the Sian Ka’an nature handed spider monkeys and a
reserve with another 319.000 hect- smaller group of howler monkeys,
97
and is the most extensive continu- Roo, right on the border to Belize,
ing scientific research of spider and are even thinking of building
monkeys ever done. a new international airport in the
area just to boost tourism!
Going there will be an exciting ad-
venture. Explore the ancient Mayan Local environmentalists are against
Ruins while having fun watching it, as the area holds maybe the big-
the monkeys. You can also descend gest underground river system in
into a cave cenote for a swim in the the world. It is a very vital reserve
clear water. The cavern is accessed of fresh water, so additional al-
by a hanging ladder; probably not terations would entail yet another
that much different from how the threat to both nature and its wild-
ancient Mayans did it during times life.
of drought. In recent years, tourism
authorities and the business sector
have discussed developing tourism
in the southern part of Quintana i Wild spider monkeys in the botanical garden of
Puerto Morelos, right in the tourist area.
98
Sian Ka’an
“Gateway to the heavens”
S ian Ka’an, originally a Maya

word translated different ways
depending on who you ask, is the
area is. The area is a unique habi-
tat for all kinds of living animals,
and the Biosphere Reserve consists
largest protected area in the Yucat- of tropical forests, mangroves and
an Peninsula, with nearly one mil- wet lands.
lion hectares of land. “Where the
sky is born”, “Gift from the sky” There is also a large brackish and
or “Gateway to the heavens” are marine section cut off by the Ca-
the most used translations, and no ribbean barrier reef which stretch-
matter which you choose it is ex- es from the tip of the Yucatan and
actly what this enormous beautiful down the coast of Central America.
99
Sian Ka’an
The Biosphere Reserve was listed Sea coastline to the main entrance.
as a UNESCO world heritage site Along the coastline you can find a
in 1986 and inside the Biosphere lot of Eco-friendly hotels that we
Reserve you can find 23 known ar- highly recommend if you are stay-
chaeological sites, which date back ing in the Tulum area.
as far as 2300 years ago.
Sian Ka’an is almost unlimited
There are also more than a hundred when it comes to things to do. It
known species of mammals and is a great place for relaxing, trek-
more than 300 known species of king or having a kayak trip in the
birds. The Sian Ka’an is also home nature without getting run down by
to two crocodile species, Mor- tourists. It is also a great place for
lets Crocodile and the American studying the fishes in their natural
Crocodile. There are also a lot of biotope. As the Sian Ka’an is such
freshwater fish biotopes in the Sian a huge area and most of it is inac-
Ka’an where you can find a series cessible, it is not possible to know
of different fish. The only biotopes exactly how many species of fresh-
within the reserve that completely water fish that are found in the
consists of freshwater are the Ce- area. Our guess is that this area still
notes, but you can also find some has many species still waiting to be
of the fish in the brackish water la- discovered and described.
goons and lakes.
Some of the known livebearer spe-
The easiest way to access the Bio- cies found in the Sian Ka’an is the
sphere Reserve is through the main Mangrove Molly, Poecilia orri,
entrance in the north and to get Gambusia yucatana, Pseudoxi-
there you turn left in the begin- phophorus bimaculatus, Xiphoph-
ning of the town Tulum and follow orus maculatus and Belonesox be-
the sign to the Tulum Hotel Zone. lizianus. But you can also find some
From this point there is a thirty Cichlid species, like the Parathe-
minute drive along the Caribbean raps synspilum, Thorichthys meeki,
100
Sian Ka’an
h Sian Ka’an is a huge biosphere reserve, it was listed a world heritage site in 1986.
i A closer look of the mangroves in the biosphere reserve.
101
Sian Ka’an
h The lagoons of the biosphere reserve meet the Caribbean ocean at Punta Allen.
102
Sian Ka’an
h In the Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve you can find kilometres with virgin beach.
h Most of the reserve is inaccessible, you need a boat or a kayak to get around most places.
103
Sian Ka’an
Parachromis friedrichsthalii and small deep springs in the forest that

exCichlasoma uropthalmus ssp. are completely still, to lagoons that
Other species found here are the shift with the tides and small lakes
tetra Astyanax mexicanus and and channels where the current can
the goby Gobiomorus dormitator. be very strong. All in all, the wa-
Most of these species live in the ter is quite hot all year around in
freshwater Cenotes found within all of Sian Ka’an, and the rain and
the Biosphere Reserve. A couple of hurricane season is from May to
the Cenotes are mentioned in their October. The best time to visit Sian
own chapters in this book. You Ka’an is in the period from No-
can also find some of these fish in vember to April, but if you don’t
the slightly brackish waters, like mind a few afternoon showers the
Xiphophorus maculatus and the summer period is the warmest and
Gambusia species. the greenest.
In the brackish waters near the i The Sian Ka’an is filled with wildlife, this is
coastline and in the brackish water the place to go if you get bored at the beach.
channels between the lagoons, you
find mostly younger specimens of
marine fishes but you can also find
a few brackish water puffer fish as
well. The water temperatures and
how the Cenotes look like, will
be described in their own chap-
ters. For the rest of Sian Ka’an the
basic is that the bottom substrate
is mostly mud and fine sand, and
most of the bottom also has a lot of
debris from the surrounding trees,
like leaves and branches. The wa-
ter currents are very different, from
104
CESiaK
Centro Ecologico Sian Ka’an
by Cameron Boyd
C entro Ecologico Sian Ka’an

is located on the Caribbean
Coast of Mexico near to the Mayan
tours, fishing and beautiful accom-
modation. Various on-site activi-
ties are used to fund conservation
Ruins of Tulum, south of Cancun. and education programs within the
Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.
CESiaK is a small ecotourism and
education centre and serves as a The Centre operates using eco-
model for sustainable development logically responsible technologies,
in sensitive tropical ecosystems. including systems for wetland
The revenue is generated through waste management, rainwater col-
105
CESiaK
lection and solar and wind energy Built on the ruins of the ranch, CE-
generation. CESiaK also operates SiaK was founded in the spring of
educational outreach programs and the year 2000.
biological research and provides
models for sustainable develop- Mission
ment projects as well as informa- Dedicated to the conservation of
tional resource for the Sian Ka’an the invaluable Sian Ka’an Bio-
Biosphere Reserve. sphere Reserve, CESiaK promotes
greater awareness of this unique
History of the Location area through education programs
CESiaK is located on an easily ac- and by modelling community-
cessible 15 acre ranch at the north- based, low-impact tourist activi-
ern end of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere ties.
Reserve. In the mid-1970s, prior to
the designation of the Reserve, the Project Overview
ranch was home of an up-scale re- CESiaK is a non-governmental or-
sort complete with all the creature ganization (NGO) and was created
comforts one would expect of a in the spring of 1998. The goals
destination near Cancun. match those of UNESCO’s “Man
and the Biosphere” program. CE-
However, due to a financial reces- SiaK focuses on environmental ed-
sion within Mexico the resort was ucation as a means to encourage lo-
abandoned in 1982, leaving the cal understanding and support for
buildings open to theft and decay. the conservation of the Sian Ka’an
In 1986 the ranch and 1.3 million Reserve.
acres surrounding it became the
Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve Over 750 local students in our pro-
and in the following year it was gram learn hands-on about their
declared as a World Heritage Site surrounding environment, in addi-
by the United Nation’s UNESCO tion to working on projects for its
program. conservation.
106
CESiaK
h At CESiaK you can rent nice tent cabins right at the tip of the beach.
i In the main building you can eat at the restaurant or just relax at the roof terrace with a view of the area.
107
CESiaK
h A fishing eagle poses for the photographer, one of the many species of bird found here.
i Seagulls are common here as well, like in the rest of the world.
108
CESiaK
Our Ecological Centre employs CESiaK’s ecotours focus on appre-

advanced systems of alternative ciation for the natural environment
energy like solar arrays and wind and strive to provide an informa-
generators. It serves as an example tive introduction to the Reserve.
of clean energy usage and is an in-
formation source for those interest- Sustainable Development
ed in such systems. Similarly, CE- A primary component of CESiaK’s
SiaK’s projects in residual water mission is to build and operate in
treatment and composting toilets an ecologically sustainable way,
also serve as informative examples ultimately providing a model for
of environmental consciousness development in this and other sen-
for the Caribbean coast. sitive tropical regions.
Other projects include seasonal We are fortunate enough to be able

work with other authorised organi- to build our centre and cabanas on
sations on a sea turtle protection the physical ruins of the old resort,
project which monitors popula- thereby eliminating the need to
tions during summer nesting times. clear vegetation for development
In addition there are two working purposes.
native plant nurseries, one dedicat-
ed exclusively to coastal dune spe- In addition, we are committed to
cies (unique in the area) and both re-vegetating areas that were pre-
with the goal of reforestation of na-viously cleared or thinned in order
tive ecosystems. to foster the thriving diverse eco-
system that occurs here naturally.
The internship program is geared Housed in our two small nurseries
toward students and recent gradu- are the seed beds and saplings of
ates in conservation related fields, native plants, including sea grape,
from both Mexican and interna- chit palm, sea lavendar, coco plum,
tional universities, who have an railroad vine, moon vine, bay ce-
interest in the on-going projects. dar, and geiger.
109
CESiaK
Sun, Rain & Wind in experiencing the stunning beau-

Coupled with re-vegetating of the ty of this tropical region, enjoying
dune is our commitment to ecologi- a comfortable stay at our beautiful
cally sound operating systems. CE- accommodation, learning about the
SiaK runs completely on the near diverse ecosystem of the Reserve
endless supply of sun and wind. and participating in its conserva-
Power is generated in 24 volts DC tion. In addition to offering tours
and then stored in a large battery of the Reserve and fly-fishing, we
bank. A have also developed robust educa-
tion and research programs as well
n inverter draws power from the as working on dune restoration and
batteries upon demand and delivers native plant propagation.
123 volts AC to the power socket
outlets. A back-up gasoline genera- Message from the Director
tor is available in the rare cases of a There do exist many truly awe-
prolonged lack of sun or wind, and inspiring places in the world that
in cases of emergency. deserve special protection against
excessive development and poten-
We have developed wetland waste tial environmental destruction. The
treatment systems that recycle Reserve of Sian Ka’an is certainly
greywater and treat all blackwa- one of those places. Protection of
ter. CESiaK uses a rainwater col- unique natural areas is difficult in
lection system for all guest water wealthy developed countries, but
needs other than drinking. This is there are issues unique to resource-
particularly beneficial as the rain poor developing countries that
that reaches us is some of the pur- complicate the management of
est in the world. such parks and reserves.
Activities In developing countries protected

Throughout the year CESiaK ca- areas that don’t “pay” for them-
ters for tourists who are interested selves simply will not be able to
110
CESiaK
h The view from the roof terrace towards the north of the biosphere reserve and Tulum.
111
CESiaK
survive in the long term. At CE- ing conservation and education

SiaK we are attempting to work for programs.
the long-term protection of Sian
Ka’an through experimenting with Please come see for yourself why
low-impact community-based eco- Sian Ka’an has inspired so many
nomic activities that demonstrate people including myself.
the viability of protecting resourc-
es whilst simultaneously promot-
i Please keep Mexico tidy, the sign says it all.
112
Cenote
Crocodrilo dorado
C enote Crocodrilo Dorado, or

the Golden Crocodile cenote,
is located some 90 kilometres from
Since there was a sign it could not
be that far away! But after around
20 kilometres there was another
the main road from Chetumal to- sign telling us that there were still
wards Campeche. 70 kilometres to the cenote, but we
went any way.
Visiting this cenote was not a part
of our plan, but as there was a sign It was not an easy to find cenote.
along the main road saying cenote When there was around ten kilo-
Crocodrilo Dorado and ‘tourist at- metres to go, the road suddenly
traction’, we decided to visit it. went right into the forest, and there
113
Crocodrilo dorado
was not only one road. The road for the last few days. To get to the
split into several different small cenote you should follow the roads
and not so good dirt roads. But as going to the left, and pass through
we had come this far we continued three gates before getting to a small
onward, and then decided that we hill that is not possible to drive up.
should leave our car and walk to Walk up this small hill and there
see if we could find the cenote. is a boundary fence with a small
cabin, this is where the government
After around one kilometre of charge the entrance fee to access
walking and still no cenote, we the cenote. It was rather expensive
turned around and had almost lost compared with others in Mexico, at
hope. Suddenly a father and his son 50 pesos each.
came riding on their motorcycle,
to go fishing in a nearby river. We The road travels alongside the riv-
asked for directions and were told er that marks the border between
that it was too far to walk, and if we Mexico and Belize and this is an-
wanted to reach it we should take other interesting habitat for fish.
the car. As it was in the dry season Unfortunately we did not have the
the roads should not be too bad, time to visit the river this time, and
and we should probably be able to anyway the water here was murky
drive all the way to the cenote. and hard to get pictures in.
We got back to the car and started Cenote Crocodrilo Dorado is lo-
on the last bit to the cenote - and cated just at the border of Belize
what a road! If you don’t have and is probably the cenote that is
a 4x4 you should not try to drive the furthest south on the Yucatan
there, you are sure to get stuck af- Peninsula. As a tourist attraction it
ter just a few hundred metres. Also is most known to adventure tour-
you should stay away from this ists as there is a really good wall
road in the rainy season, or at least for rappelling just along the edge
there should not have been any rain of the cenote. At the time of our
114
Crocodrilo dorado
h The stream coming from the main cenote, running down into the river on the border to Belize.
i The water of the cenote and stream is extreamly clear, the clearest we have ever seen.
115
Crocodrilo dorado
h A small pool in the middle of the stream coming from the cenote Crocodrilo dorado.
116
Crocodrilo dorado
h The bottom is covered wih fine gravel and larger rocks in most parts of the stream.
h You can find some vegetation in the small stream.
117
Crocodrilo dorado
h The edges of the stream and cenote is built up of lime stone.

i There is a lot of livebearers in the stream, especially the mollies.
118
Crocodrilo dorado
visit there were no other people, nic matter. There are also some ar-
this was in early May, so it was just eas with mud and some wood and
the start of the low season for tour- vegetation. The vegetation looks
ists at the Yucatan Peninsula. mostly like a grass plant that is en-
croaching into the water along the
In the cenote Crocodrilo Dorado sides of the cenote and stream.
the water is extremely clear, may-
be the clearest we have ever seen. Poecilia Mexicana, or the Mexican
From the cenote there runs a small molly, is the most dominant spe-
stream and this is the easiest place cies found in the cenote. We could
to study the fish of the biotope. not see any other species that were
The main cenote is nearly impos- in such numbers, but the tetra Asty-
sible to get into, or should we say anax fasciatus was also present in
to get out of, after getting in. If you high numbers. We also saw a few
want to go into the main cenote swordtails in the outflowing stream
you must rappel down the wall on along with a few young cichlids.
the east side of the cenote. Getting We would have to guess, but we
into the cenote and seeing the crys- think it is possible to find more and
tal clear water, after 90 kilometres larger cichlids in the main cenote.
of not knowing if we would reach
it, was totally amazing. Putting the The unique thing with this cenote
camera under water and seeing fish was the mollies. We have never
was even better. The main cenote seen so many colour morphs of one
is around 50-60 metres in diametre, fish located within the same bio-
and the stream is around one and tope. In a small area of the stream
two metres in width and up to one we found a total of five different co-
metre in depth. lour morphs of males - one spotted,
one totally blue, one green with a
The bottom of the cenote is mostly yellow band on the tail fin, one yel-
made up from course gravel and lowish and one almost without any
rocks that look to be from volca- colour at all.
119
Crocodrilo dorado
h The mollies were grazing on the algae of the lime stone on the edges.
i A small group of mollies and a tetra, here the yellow morph male.
120
Crocodrilo dorado
h In between all the different morphs of males we found a small spotted one.
i A almost blackish blue morph of the Poecilia mexiana.
121
Crocodrilo dorado
h Another group of mollies and some Astyanax tetras.
h A closer look at the blue morph with a black spot of the molly males.
122
Crocodrilo dorado
h Parts of the stream are quite rapid, and the vegetation in the surroundings are quite dense.
123
Crocodrilo dorado
The female mollies were almost

the same, but you could clearly
see the signs of mating, especially
from the spotted form, and also of
a yellowish male with a spot on its
side.
Here the females had this same

spot, and the ones that had mated
with the spotted one had a few
spots. The spotted male was clearly
a sneaker male as it was very small,
only three to four centimetres, and
the other males were of a normal
size of around six to eight centime-
tres in length. The females were a
bit smaller.
Absolutely a cenote worth visiting,

even though it’s a long drive and
hard to find, if you are in the Yu-
catan peninsula looking for fish, or
if you just want to see something
extremely beautiful and different.
g The river that runs on the border of Belize and

Mexico, this is were the stream runs into.
124
Cenote
Azul
C enote Azul is located in the

southern part of the state of
Quintana Roo, approximately
Cancun to Chetumal. Cenote Azul
is believed to be one of the deep-
est Cenotes in the Yucatan Penin-
15 minutes by car from the most sula, and is estimated to be at least
southern point of the Laguna Ba- 200 metres deep. This is quite deep
calar. in comparison to the famous blue
hole outside the coast of Belize
The spring is situated just around which is around 150 metres deep.
20-30 metres from the main road, The diametre of Cenote Azul is
highway 307 going down the Yu- 100-130 metres, and the surround-
catan Peninsula coastline from ings are covered with lush forest.
125
Cenote Azul
h Paratheraps synspilum is the most dominant cichlid in Cenote Azul.

i A young fire beek cichlid, Thorichthys meeki.
126
Cenote Azul
h Another young Thorichthys meeki in between the leaves and branches at the bottom.
i A group of mollies close to the edge where it drops down around 200 metres.
127
Cenote Azul
As long as the cenote is this close cause of the great depth; even
to the highway there will always be though the water is crystal clear
some tourists coming here, but not you only have a limited visibil-
too many, because it is located so ity downwards, so when you look
far south on the Yucatan Peninsula. down you see nothing but the great
The tourists that come to this side unknown deep.
of Mexico normally stay in Cancun
and the surrounding areas. Legends say that cenote Azul in
the Mayan times was a holy well,
Cenote Azul is quite easy to find, where the people sacrificed women
there are signs along the main road as a gift to the god Chaahk. Chaahk
showing you the way, and you will was considered in the Mayan civi-
be guided to a restaurant located lization to be the god of rain, and
just next to the water. Here you when he strokes the clouds with his
need to pay a few pesos to the guy lightning axe it produced thunder
taking care of your car while you and rain. The main myth in which
are taking a swim or eating at the Chaahk have an important role to
restaurant. At the restaurant you play, is about the opening of the
can rent small palapas that you can mountain in which the maize was
place all your things in, and you hidden.
can also stay in the shade while not
in the water. The “bottom” of Cenote Azul is
quite rocky, with fine sand and mud
The water of Cenote Azul is quite in between. It looks like the rock
hot and it is all still, there is not any formations are made of limestone,
movement, only the one made by and in the shallow parts the rocks
the winds swiping over the surface. are covered in green algae. As
Probably, I would guess, there are the Cenote is as deep as it is, shal-
some currents at the bottom where low parts are only found along the
the spring is. Cenote Azul has quite sides and up to a couple of metres
interesting underwater scenes be- from the edge, mostly one metre or
128
Cenote Azul
h A pair of mollies flirting in the Cenote Azul.

i The roots of the surrounding trees make good shelter for young cichlids and livebearers.
129
Cenote Azul
less. Around the edges the depth is also saw a few gobies, Gobiomorus
from 10 centimetres to a few me- dormitator, swimming around. The
tres. There are also a lot of debris livebearers found in this habitat
from trees and plants surrounding were the Molly species, Poecilia
the area, in the form of leaves and mexicana ssp., Gambusia yu-
branches. There is not much veg- catana and Gambusia sexradiata.
etation in Cenote Azul, only a few The cichlid species found here are
grass plants and the roots of the Paratheraps synspilum; which is
trees standing along the sides. the most dominant of the cichlids,
Thorichthys meeki, Petenia splen-
In the Cenote there are quite a lot dida and exCichlasoma salvini.
of fish, the most dominant species
being livebearers and cichlids. We
i This is the shallowest accessible part of the cenote Azul, still quite deep.
130
Laguna
Bacalar
L aguna Bacalar, also called the

Lagoon of seven colours, is
the biggest freshwater lake on the
side and mangrove at the side fac-
ing the Caribbean Sea. The lagoon
is 80 kilometres long.
Yucatan peninsula and the second
largest in Mexico. It is located in Next to the lagoon there is a town
the southern part of Quintana Roo, with the same name, Bacalar, and
around a three-hour drive from it is a belief that it has its name
Cancun and approximately a one from the Mayan word b’ak halal
hour drive from Campeche. La- meaning, “surrounded by reeds”.
guna Bacalar is a beautiful place, Bacalar was a Maya city in the pre-
lush and green forests in the west Columbian period. This was the
131
Laguna Bacalar
h The bottom was covered with branches and leaves from the surrounding forests.
i Lush vegatation surround the laguna, the oposite side is covered with mangroves.
132
Laguna Bacalar
h This is the view from the highway 307 towards the laguna Bacalar.
i The water along the west side of the lagoon is mostly shallow beach areas.
133
Laguna Bacalar
first city to be taken by the Spanish temperature of the air was about
Conquistadores in 1543. Laguna the same. The water also had a
Bacalar is so large that it is impos- rather high pH; this was measured
sible to write about the whole of it, to 8,15. mS was 2432, and the Kh
also to visit all of it would take for- and Gh were in the same order, 5
ever. So this will be more of a basic and 47. Oxygen levels were 8mg/l.
for the habitat, and the reason for There was not a lot of fish to see
adding it to the book is, that it is a in this water, just a few gobies, but
very fine and nice place. the lagoon is big and we only vis-
ited a very small part of it.
The water in Laguna Bacalar prob-
ably varies a great deal. It will most
The bottom substrate was also
likely be different depending on quite nice, mostly fine sand which
which side of the lagoon you visit; looked like crushed limestone
the coastline side with the man- which could be natural because
groves or the opposite side with theof all the limestone found all over
lush and green forest. the Yucatan Peninsula. This would
also explain the high pH. The rest
The water along the west side of of the bottom had a lot of branches
the lagoon varies from shallow and leaves from the surrounding
beach areas, to a bit more steep forest, and we saw some unknown
drops. The place that we visited vegetation in patches.
had a small beach, and the water
was rather shallow out to 7-8 me-
tres from land. The depth here was
from ten centimetres to a couple of
metres.
The water in Laguna Bacalar is

quite hot, the temperature at the
time of our visit was 30,7°c. The
134
Xel-Ha
“Our water”
X el-Ha is, together with the

Xcaret Park, one of the big-
gest tourist magnets on the Yucatan
has more activities, while Xel-Ha
is the smaller one with the nature
in focus.
Peninsula. The park is located on
the east coast of Quintana Roo, Xel-Ha, meaning “Our Water”,
around two hours by car from is the Eden of the ancient Mayan
Cancun and only thirty minutes deities and it was destined to be a
from Tulum. Xel-Ha and Xcaret heaven on Earth from the moment
are operated by the same people, it was conceived. Inside the park
and both places are natural water there are many different activities,
parks. Xcaret is a bit bigger and you can snorkel the lagoons, feed
135
Xel-Ha
the marine and freshwater fish, There are also a few smaller ones
jump from cliffs, get something to that you cannot get into which may
eat in many different restaurants be are around twenty by twenty me-
and swim with Dolphins. These are tres. The depth of the bigger ones is
just some of the things you can do hard to determine but in the smaller
besides enjoying the very beautiful ones there are depths up to around
nature in the area. four or five metres. The bottoms of
these are covered with rather large
The park has around 700.000 visi- rocks, with smaller rocks and mud
tors a year, but still they manage to in between. The rocks and bottom
keep the park clean and inviting. of all the Cenotes, both the larger
If you are going there, as we will ones and the small ones, are cov-
highly recommend, you should ered with green algae. It seems to
come early in the morning to avoid be a good feeding substrate for the
standing hours in line to get in. fish living in the Cenotes. Most
In the park you can find a series of likely there are a lot of small cray-
freshwater fish biotopes. There are fish and other small planktonic
several Cenotes open to the public, crustaceans, like Daphnia, living in
but also some that are closed for the algae.
access, which is good since open-
ing these Cenotes for the public, In the bigger Cenotes the Cichlid
would destroy the beautiful and exCichlasoma uropthalmus ssp. is
vulnerable nature, and that would the most dominant species, but you
really be a shame for this beautifulcan also find smaller fish like the
habitat. livebearer Poecilia orri. Poecilia
orri is also called the Mangrove
The biotopes inside the Xel-Ha Molly and it reaches sizes around
vary from Cenote to Cenote. There 6-8 centimetres. Other fish found in
are two rather big Cenotes that you the Cenotes are Cyprinodon sp. and
cannot get into and they are around a goby we were unable to identify.
200 by 50 metres at the widest. It probably belongs to the Gobio-
136
Xel-Ha
h Other fish found in the Cenotes are Cyprinodon sp. and a goby we were unable to identify.
i There are several Cenotes open to the public, but also some that are closed for access.
137
Xel-Ha
h The main lagoon of the park, this is barckish to salt water.

i Most of the cenotes are easy accessible but you are not allowed to go into all of them so be aware.
138
Xel-Ha
h A Poecilia orri shoving of to a small group of females.

i ex Cichlasoma uropthalmus ssp, one of the cichlids found in the cenotes of Xel-Ha.
139
Xel-Ha
soma genus. In the smaller Cenotes There are also mangroves stretch-
where the public are allowed to get ing along the rivers, running
in the water, the Mangrove Molly through the park ending up in the
is the most numerous species. The coastal areas. The park is very
smaller cenotes are normally from committed on taking care of the
a couple of metres in width and environment that surrounds the at-
up to ten metres in length, and the tractions, and the areas that the at-
depth varies from 50 centimetres tractions are placed in.
and up to five or six metres.
They have a Sea Turtle breeding
In the cenotes there is not much program in the Xcaret Park, in
vegetation, just the algae cover- order to help the numbers of Sea
ing the rocks, but in a few cenotes Turtles to get higher. The park also
you can find some Water lilies. The includes more than 270 different
waters are still and quite hot, the plants and trees, many of which are
only places with some current are endangered by the constant clear-
the fresh to brackish water rivers. ing of forests. In the park there is
Here there are not many freshwater also a plant nursery, which pro-
fish, just a few of the Molly’s and duces plants used in relocation for
some Gambusia sp., but they stay vegetation removed to make way
in the upper most region of the riv- for facilities.
er where the water is not that salty.
Natural evergreen forests where the

wild animals run free make this a
wonderful park to visit despite the
only thing not natural - the photog-
raphers with parrots trying to make
money taking pictures of you with
one of their birds.
140
Cenote
Escondido
C enote Escondido, or the “Hid-

den Cenote” translated into
English, is located within the Bio-
road on your left, going south on
highway 307 from Cancun to Che-
tumal.
sphere Reserve of the Sian Ka’an
in the area of Muyil. The Cenote is private owned, and
you have to pay a small admission
To get to this Cenote you have to to get in. The entrance is seen from
drive through the town of Tulum the road and there is also a sign say-
and go on for about thirty minutes. ing ‘Cenote Escondido’. When you
The Cenote is located in the forest approach the gate just honk your
around 500 metres from the main horn a few times and then someone
141
Cenote Escondido
will show up to take the entrance water. On the north side the ground
fee, open the gate and let you in. level is a bit lower, with only a few
Use the same procedure when you steps into the water.
want to leave the cenote.
The underwater caves are connect-
The Cenote is a popular place for ed on the North end of the Cenote
the locals to go for a swim so the and you can feel the cold water
best time for visiting is on week- coming out from the caves. The
days and not at the weekend. There water in the Cenote is relatively hot
can at times be a lot of people and is completely without any cur-
swimming here. Occasionally you rent. Normally the water is crystal
can also meet divers going in to the clear, except after showers of rain,
underwater caves connected to the so if it is raining, don’t go.
Cenote, or just to have some prac-
tice in the open part of the Cenote. The bottom of the Cenote can vary
some; there is a section at the sides
The Cenote is not very large and that are only huge rocks and logs.
it is an open Cenote, and the main On the other side it is just a cliff,
part of the Cenote is around ten to with the roots of the surrounding
twelve metres in width and around trees and vegetation that get into
200 metres in length, plus the cave the water. At the centre part of the
system that is connected. There are Cenote there is what looks like mud
also a few small ponds located in and fine sand, covered with leaves
the North end of the Cenote. The and branches from the trees and
vegetation around the Cenote is bushes. In the Cenote there is not
thick jungle like forest like most of much vegetation, just a few patch-
the Muyil area of the Sian Ka’an es with Water lilies of the genus
is. The Cenote is lying a few me- Nymphea sp. There are also some
tres down in the terrain and on the algae growths in the shallower ar-
south side there are a few steps and eas of the cenotes primarily out to
a small pier where you can enter the the sides. The centre of the Cenote
142
Cenote Escondido
h The cenote Escondido is probably one of the most known cenotes in the Tulum area of Quintana Roo.
143
Cenote Escondido
h The cenote has a quite rocky edge at the west side. It is mostly algae covered lime stone
i The rocky part is where you most of the time will find the Parachromis fiedrichsthalii.
144
Cenote Escondido
h The east side is covered with magrove roots from of surrounding mangroves.
i The molly females mostly swim in between the mangrove roots.
145
Cenote Escondido
is around ten metres deep, so it is The Molly’s in this biotope is quite

hard to reach the bottom without big, and both females and males are
diving equipment. about the same size, while in the
same species in Xel-Ha, the males
You will find a big variety of fish were smaller than the females and
in the Cenote Escondido; the most the fish were smaller in general. In
numerous one is the Astyanax Xel-Ha the males were about five
mexicanus. Poecilia orri, Parath- to six centimetres, while in Cenote
eraps synspilum and Parachromis Escondido they were up to eight
friedrichsthalii can also be found to nine centimetres. The females
in the Cenote. And it looks like the in Xel-Ha are slightly bigger. You
Cichlid species are almost divided can also find the Red-Eared Slider
into two zones. The Parachromis Turtle in the Cenote.
friedrichsthalii seems to prefer the
west side of the Cenote where the
huge rocks and logs are, while the
Paratheraps synspilum stays at the
other side with the cliff and in be-
tween the roots from the vegeta-
tion.
The Astyanax mexicanus seems

to prefer the open water while the
Poecilia orri stays out to the sides
in between the vegetation most of
the time. The Poecilia orri, which
is a Molly, seems to swim in large
groups of females with just a few
males swimming from group to
group to show off and trying to h The cenote is quite deep. Around 10 metres at
mate as many females as possible. its deepest.
146
Cenote
Cristal
C enote Cristal is located along

highway 307, which runs be-
tween Cancun and Chetumal. It is
when it comes to how they look.
To get into the cenote you must pay

a privately owned cenote and the an entrance fee to the man sitting
same person also owns the Cenote in the entrance. The price for enter-
Escondido. ing this cenote is 50 pesos. In this
cenote, like in many other cenotes
The Cenote Cristal is actual- in the Yucatan Peninsula you will
ly located just across the high- meet other people, tourists and lo-
way from the Escondido, but the cals that want to cool off in the hot
two are actually quite different weather.
147
Cenote Cristal
Cenote Cristal is a larger cenote of fish found in the two cenotes are
than the Escondido and is circular different, and you cannot find as
in its form. It is not as deep as the many species in the Cristal as you
Escondido. The name of the cenote can find in the Escondido. When
‘Cristal’ refers to the water being we visited the cenote Cristal, we
crystal clear, except a few excep- did not find many species.
tions when there has been heavy
rain fall - but it clears up quite fast. It is possible that we did not find all
of the species that live in the ceno-
The cenote is an open cenote with te, and those that were found were
a maximum depth of five metres in not in the same amounts as in the
the snorkelling area, although there cenote Escondido. The most domi-
is a small cave on the opposite side nant species of the cenote Cristal is,
to where you would normally en- as in many other cenotes in the Yu-
ter the water, where you can dive catan Peninsula, the tetra Astyanax
deeper. It is not a big cave and fasciatus. Beside this tetra, Poe-
fully equipped divers say that it’s cilia orri was the species that we
not worth a whole dive just for this. encountered the most. There were
There is a halocline in the cave, so also a few small cichlids that we
you can clearly see that the cenote did see, but we were unable to con-
is connected to the ocean. firm their identity. They are prob-
ably either Paratheraps synspilum
It is also said that the cenote Cris- or Parachromis friedrichstalii.
tal is connected to the cenote Es-
condido, but they are probably just Another interesting thing about
connected to the same cave run- the cenote Cristal is that during the
ning out to the ocean because the Caste War (from 1848 to 1902),
cave entrances of the two cenotes between the Mayan people and
are located in completely opposite people of Spanish, Mexican and
directions of one another. Another American decent, the cenote Cris-
indication of this is that the types tal was an important fresh water
148
Cenote Cristal
h Cenote Cristal is a beautiful cenote with a lot of vegetation. It is connected to the cenote Escondido.
i Go early for this cenote, or else you will run into a lot of tourists, as it is easy accessible.
149
Cenote Cristal
h There is a lot of vegetation in this cenote.

i Big groups of tetras can bee seen in the cenote Cristal.
150
Cenote Cristal
h A small grooup of mollies feeding on the algae on the rocks and in between the vegatation.
i A closer look at the tetras and the mollies of the cenote Cristal.
151
Cenote Cristal
hole along the Sac Be. Sac Be was other trees. All in all, this is a nice
the name for the road travelling cenote to visit, the water is clear
between Tulum and Chan Santa and there are a few fish, but there
Cruz, now known as Felipe Carillo is more to experience in the cenote
Puerto. Sac Be is a Mayan word Escondido.
and means ”white road made of
limestone which reflects star and Cenote Cristal has easy access to
moonlight”. the water and good parking for your
car. From the parking to the cenote
Some of the old local people say it’s only about 50 metres, but be
that the Mayan people threw their careful - the rocks where you enter
gold into the cenote, to avoid it be- the water are covered by slippery
ing stolen by the invading forces. algae. So if you are in the area of
Maybe that is why the water is Tulum, you will have to visit both
so clear. The remains of a Mayan of these two cenotes. If you go ear-
woman have also been found in ly in the morning and in the middle
the cave of the cenote Cristal, so it of the week, you will get the place
is possible that they also used this more or less to yourself, avoiding
cenote for sacrificing to their god both locals and all the tourists.
of rain, Chaahk. In the cenote Cris-
tal there is a lot of vegetation, big
fields of green throughout the ce-
note. Where the cenote is not cov-
ered by aquatic vegetation there
are mostly big rocks and course
gravel, but with a few places along
the edges with deep mud.
Along the sides of the cenote it is

the mangroves that are the domi-
nant vegetation, along with a few h The sign at the entrance of the cenote Cristal.
152
Cenote
Kaape-Ha
C enote Kaape-Ha is located in

the Tulum area on the Yucat-
an peninsula. To get to this cenote
middle of the hotel zone, close to
the Hotel Los Lirios, so it is a quite
easy accessible place to visit. Make
you drive out along the Tulum ho- sure to go early and in the week-
tel zone, which stretches from the days, as there are a lot of local kids
ruins of Tulum down to the Sian using the cenote in the weekends.
Ka’an biosphere reserve, and on to
the town of Punta Allen. The ceno- This cenote is actually a group of
te is located on the right side of the several cenotes, located within the
road, when driving towards Punta same property. There are two small
Allen. It is situated almost in the ones and one larger cenote within
153
Cenote Kaape-Ha
5-600 metres. When you enter the owner of the property, these are the
area the first cenote you will see kinds of people that rip off tourists
is about two to three metres at the that doesn’t speak the language.
deepest and it is maybe around five We paid what the man said and he
by five metres wide. The second smiled, but sure we were ripped
one is a bit further to the left on off. So probably you can negoti-
the property, and is slightly larger; ate on the price, but even if they
around ten by ten metres. The last rip you off, it is not a lot of money
one is much larger, around 50 by compared to European standards. I
50 metres and a depth up to five, think we paid 100 pesos, which is
maybe six metres. around six Euros.
To reach the large cenote you have You have to keep an eye on your
to walk around 500 metres on a equipment, as there are often a lot
path through the mangroves and it of children swimming, and once
is not as easy to study fish here as you look away, be sure that they
it is in others. To do this best you have taken you snorkel or mask -
need diving equipment, as the edg- or both as in our case. But all in
es go down steeply into the deep all this is a group of cenotes that
with no shallow point at all. is easy and well worth visiting as
there are a lot of fish in them. In the
The two small cenotes are cov- first and smallest one the mollies is
ered with small rocks, gravel and the fish that you see the most, along
a quite thick mud bottom in some with some cichlids.
parts of them. The large cenote is
covered with much, larger rocks The mollies found here is the same
and smaller grained gravel; much as in the other cenotes in the area;
like cenote Beh-Ha close to the en- Poecilia orri. There are different
trance of the Sian Ka’an biosphere cichlids found in these cenotes,
reserve. When you enter the area Thorichthys meeki is the most
of the cenotes you will meet the common, and we saw them in all
154
Cenote Kaape-Ha
h Kaape-Ha is located in the middle of the Tulum hotel zone along the Caribbean coast.
i There are several small cenotes in the Kaape-Ha system.
155
Cenote Kaape-Ha
h The most magnificent male mollies can be found here, there are several different colour morphs.
i The bottom in the smaller cenotes consists of clay and leaves.
156
Cenote Kaape-Ha
h A Thorichthys meeki out strolling for food in one of the smaller cenotes.
i Another close up of one of the nice male mollies in the smaller cenotes.
157
Cenote Kaape-Ha
three cenotes. Beside Thorichthys means coffee water, the water in

meeki you will also find Parachro- the cenotes is crystal clear and easy
mis friedrichstalii, Paratheraps to watch fish in.
synspilum and exCichlasoma urop-
thalmus. We also saw the tetra, As-
tyanax mexicana – but did not see
any other fish on our visit, like the
catfish Rhamdia guatamalensis or
any Cyprinids.
So if you are in the area, be sure

to take a few hours and visit the
Kaape-Ha cenotes. If you want
to explore the large cenote, more
than just by swimming, you should h A young cichlid in between the leaves at the
bring diving equipment with you. bottom of one of the cenotes.
Even though the translation of the

Yucatec Mayan word, Kaape-Ha, i The edges of the cenotes are made up of lime
stone with a quite smooth edge.
158
Cenote
Beh-Ha
F irst time we visited this beauti-

ful place was back in late 2008
and when we returned in early
persuade the attendants, but unfor-
tunately we had no luck. All data
and pictures in this chapter are for
2010 we were hoping to collect that reason from late 2008.
more data and to shot new pictures.
Unfortunately the cenote was Cenote Beh-Ha is located just be-
closed for the public, apparently side the North entrance of the Sian
because the path from the parking Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. To get
area was in such a poor condition here you have to follow the road
that it was too dangerous to allow through the Tulum hotel zone on
people to use it. We tried hard to the way Punta Allen. Beh-Ha is
159
Cenote Beh-Ha
Mayan and translated to English that you come early in the morn-
it means “water road”. Beh-Ha is ing. During our visit back in 2008
a medium size open Cenote, which we met a few children that showed
is around 50 metres in width and us Amigos how to catch fish, and
100 metres in length. The depth that was without using any net or
varies from just a few metres down fishing pole. They simply used a t-
to around ten to twelve metres and shirt and a bag of potato chips. Tie
you will find shallower parts al- a knot at the head end of the t-shirt
most all the way around the edges and lower it into the water. Sprin-
of the cenote. kle a little of the Potato chips at the
surface of the water and soon the
As the Cenote is located in the Sian fish will gather around to eat, then
Ka’an Biosphere Reserve it is obvi- just pull up the t-shirt and “voila”
ous that the surroundings are cov- you have got yourself one or more
ered with lush tropical forests and fish. The only fish hungry enough
Mangroves. The Cenote is located to get tricked by this method were
in the middle of a Mangrove area the young Cichlids, at the size of
and to get to it you have to walk five to eight centimetres.
on a path made out of old logs cut
from big trees. The walk from the In the Cenote there are different
parking area is four to five minutes types of fish, the most numerous
and then when you get to the Ce- one is the Gambusia, but also Cich-
note there is a small pier to leave lids are found in big numbers. Para-
your stuff at. This is very small so theraps synspilum is the most seen,
leaving your stuff here is at your but you can also find Thorichthys
own risk as the Cenote is also used meeki and Parachromis friedrichst-
for swimming by the locals. In the halii. The livebearer Poecilia orri is
weekends it usually gets crowded also found in this habitat, and here
on the small two by three metres the males are different from the
pier. If you want explore the ce- other locations in the Yucatan Pen-
note by yourself we recommend insula. There are two colours of the
160
Cenote Beh-Ha
h The cenote Beh-Ha is located in between the mangroves right at the entrance of the Sian Ka’an.
i There is a varied and interesting flora and fauna around the cenote Beh-Ha.
161
Cenote Beh-Ha
h The cenote Beh-Ha is a nice place, it is now closed for the public to access it.
162
Cenote Beh-Ha
h A lot of different fish can be found in the cenote, cichlids, livebearers etc.
h Close up of the molly, Poecilia orri, this is a subdominant male with females in the back.
163
Cenote Beh-Ha
h Three young mexicans fishing for cichlids with potato chips.

i And the catch is a Parachromis friedrichshalii.
164
Cenote Beh-Ha
h Paratheraps sysnspilum is the most dominant cichlid in the cenote.

i A group of mollies mating.
165
Cenote Beh-Ha
males in this biotope, the normal up to around ten to twenty females

colouration with the metallic grey- and only one or two males. When
blue body and red fins, and one there is only one male in the shoal
with metallic grey-blue body with we noticed that it was one of the
blue fins. The last one is probably normal colouration that was repre-
the dominant male colouration. sented. If there are two males in the
shoal, you will normally see one of
In this biotope, like in Cenote the normal colouration and one of
Escondido, we can see that the the blue, probably dominant colou-
Cichlids have their preferred ter- ration.
ritories in the Cenote. At the long
side opposite of the pier, and un- The Cenote is as mentioned sur-
der the pier, the bottom is quite rounded by Mangroves and this
rocky with large rocks, this is what Mangrove is most of the vegetation
Parachromis friedrichsthalii seems found in the Cenote Beh-Ha. The
to prefer. Paratheraps synspilum water of the Cenote also stretched
stay between the mangrove most out over the surrounding forest
of the time and Thorichthys mee- floor, but in this part the bottom is
ki are at the far end from the pier just covered with mud and leaves
where there is a wall going down from the Mangroves. In the shal-
from around one metre depth down lower parts of the Cenote there is
to around ten metres. Here you also some algae growth on the rock
can see a series of breeding pairs and the Mangroves. You can also
watching their nests and fry. find mussels in some parts of the
Cenote; they grow on the roots of
The young fish seems to swim all the Mangroves. The Red-Eared
around the cenote after they have Slider Turtle is also represented in
left their parents. The Molly Poe- this Cenote and in the shallower
cilia orri seems to prefer the upper places where the water ends and
and the shallow parts of the Cenote go over to forest, you can find land
and swim in medium sized shoals living crabs.
166
Cenote system
Ponderosa
T he Ponderosa system is located

not far from the tourist magnet
of Playa del Carmen and you will
open, closed and semi closed ones.
The biggest is Cenote Azul, which
means the “Blue Cenote”. This is
easily be able to find it within a an open Cenote located just a few
10-15 minute drive from the town. minutes from the highway 307.
The Ponderosa system is a cave
and Cenote system formed by 13 Cenote Azul is open for tourists to
different Cenotes, all of them con- visit and it is a well-visited cenote
nected by underwater caves and since it is right in the middle of
river systems. You can find differ- the tourist area in the state Quin-
ent types of Cenotes in the system, tana Roo. It is nearly impossible
167
Ponderosa
to come here without any people rent in the system just a slow flow
swimming in the Cenote, but there coming out from the underwater
are not as many people early in the cave system. The air temperature
morning as there is later in the af- around the system was in Septem-
ternoon. Cenote Azul is privately ber around 28°C. The surrounding
owned and they will charge you a area of the Cenote is, on the west
fee to get in. It is not much, just a side, tropical forest, and on the east
few Pesos. side you will meet the Cancun -
Chetumal highway and the Riviera
Two open ponds, connected with Maya before the Caribbean Sea.
a channel, form the main Cenote
of the Ponderosa system. They Most of the Yucatan Peninsula is
are both around 30 by 50 metres. built up by limestone formations
Cenote Azul is in general not very and so is the Ponderosa system. As
deep, it varies between 50 centime- the Cenotes of the Ponderosa sys-
tres and a few metres, maybe down tem are quite hot and get a lot of
to 3 metres at the deepest parts. sun, the algae grow rapidly with
The only places you will experi- the result that the open Cenotes are
ence deeper parts are where the en- covered with algae. This is pretty
trance to the underwater caves are much all the vegetation you can
and in some of the rockiest parts. find in the system, except for some
branches from trees, brushes and
One of the Cenotes is connected to shrubs growing into the biotope.
the underwater cave system in one
of the short sides; here you clearly The algae cover almost all of the
can see the cave entrance when limestone rocks in the habitat. The
snorkelling in the Cenote. The wa- bottom is covered with fine sand
ter in the system is crystal clear and and gravel, with a diametre be-
in the heat of the Caribbean sun it tween one and ten millimetres, be-
feels quite cold, but it’s actually tween the limestone. There are also
very hot. There is not much cur- some leaves and branches in the
168
Ponderosa
h Ponderosa system is found on the right side of the highway 307 going towards Tulum.
169
Ponderosa
h A pair of Jack Dempsey cichlids in their breeding colouration.

i There is a lot of fish in the Ponderosa system, especially mollies.
170
Ponderosa
h You can also find som huge exCichlasoma uropthalmus in the main cenote of the Ponderosa.
i And som magnificent males of the green sailfin molly.
171
Ponderosa
h A male sailfin molly shoving of for the females.

i The bottom of the cenote is covered with fine sand and rocks covered with algae.
172
Ponderosa
h The catfish Rhamdia guatemalensis is found in large numbers in the semi-closed cenote.
i Another picture of the magnificent male green sailfin molly, Poecilia velifera.
173
Ponderosa
bottom, which makes good cover the Jack Dempsey Cichlid, the Cat-
for the fish, along with some large fish Rhamdia guatemalensis and
trees and logs. This is old vegeta- Gambusia yucatana. Gambusia yu-
tion from the surroundings that has catana and Rhamdia guatemalen-
fallen down during the Caribbean sis can also be found in the open
Hurricane season. Cenotes, the Catfish mostly in the
area around the cave opening, and
In the open Cenote there is actu- where the people were feeding the
ally a whole lot of fish. The most fish. In the cave opening we also
common found is the Sailfin Molly, encountered a spotted morph of the
Poecilia velifera, but you can also Catfish, with a very nice black and
find other species, among these, white pattern.
two cichlids, the exCichlasoma
uropthalmus ssp. and the Jack
Dempsey Cichlid, Rocio octofasci-
ata. Poecilia velifera seems to pre-
fer the open spaces of the Cenote
and actually we did not encounter
it in the closed and semi closed ce-
notes.
The Cichlid, exCichlasoma urop-

thalmus ssp. seemed to prefer the
rockiest parts in the deeper ar-
eas although it was also found in
the shallower places. The Jack
Dempsey Cichlid had their ter-
ritories and nests in the shallower
water in the open place, a bit up
against the rocks. In the semi closed h The cenote is surrounded by dense vegetation.
Cenote, the only fish we found was
174
Biotopes in
Yucatan
Estado de
Yucatan
T he state of Yucatán is located

in the north western part of the
Yucatán Peninsula, and the state
tana Roo to the east and southeast,
and the Gulf of Mexico to the north
and west.
capital is Mérida, also known as
“White City” because of the large The area of Yucatán is 39.612
use of white limestone and white square kilometres, divided into 108
paint. municipalities, and with a popula-
tion of almost two million people.
Yucatán borders the states of The northwest part of the peninsu-
Campeche to the southwest, Quin- la, Yucatan, consists predominantly
176
Estado de Yucatan
h Cathedral on the Plaza in Valladolid. Valladolid is a spanish influenced city.
177
Estado de Yucatan
of a flat landscape with little or nothe dinosaurs, and is also known as

elevation. The vegetation is mostly the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction.
trees, shrubs and cacti. Of the 14 Some of the cenotes in Yucatán are
endemic cacti found throughout the surface connections to subterra-
peninsula, ten of them are found in nean water bodies, and best known
the state of Yucatan. are probably the larger open water
pools measuring many of metres
The area is dominated by cattle in diametre, but most of them are
farming and increasing agricultural smaller sheltered sites and do not
development, which has already necessarily have any surface ex-
led to the extinction of the endemic posed water.
cactus Pereskipsis scandens.
Open cenotes are formed when
Before the Spanish arrived, Yu- sections of cave roofs have col-
catán was home to the Yucatan lapsed over time, and revealed an
Maya civilization. Archaeological underlying cave system.
remains show architecture dating Cenote water is often very clear as
back around 3.000 years. More the water comes from rain water
than a hundred Mayan ruins of being percolated slowly through
varying sizes can still be found on the ground, and as a result contains
the peninsula, such as Chichen Itza very little suspended particulate
and Uxmal. matter.
Although cenotes are found very In the north and north-west of the
widely throughout the Peninsula Peninsula the cenotes are in gen-
there is a higher density around eral extensive vertically voids,
the Chicxulub Crater, which is be- penetrating 50 to 100 m below the
lieved to originate from a meteorite modern water table. However, very
impact 65 million years ago. This few of these cenotes appear to be
meteorite impact is also associated connected with underground river
with the time of mass extinction of systems, in contrast to the cenotes
178
Estado de Yucatan
h Sunset in the small fishing town of Rio Lagartos.

i A part of the main plaza in Valladoid, a small quiet town in the state of Yucatan.
179
Estado de Yucatan
h i In addition to the flamingos the reserve is home to around 300 species of birds, 587 species of plants (42
of which are endemic), 75 species of mammals, more than 60 species of reptiles, 13 species of amphibians,
and 140 fish species in 18 different families.
180
Estado de Yucatan
along the Caribbean coast within ern part of the state of Campeche,
the state of Quintana Roo. and is therefore shared between the
two states.
Yucatán is home to some of the
most impressive archaeological The Special Biosphere Reserve,
sites such as Chichen Itza, Uxmal which covers almost 600 square
and Dzibilchatun, all of which kilometres, is a representative zone
are witness to the splendour and of many ecosystems that have not
sophistication of the ancient Ma- yet been altered by man. These
yans. At the same time, Yucatán areas are also habitats to endemic
has some of the most magnificent species threatened with extinction.
colonial buildings, found both in Celestun is both dry forest and
the cities as well as throughout the mangrove wetlands, and is well
countryside, which is full of haci- known for the large breeding pop-
endas - many of which have been ulation of the American Flamingo
converted into luxury hotels. (Phoenicopterus ruber), which can
be observed in their thousands.
Beyond Mayan ruins and colonial
buildings, Yucatán is also a para- The American Flamingo is a large
dise for those interested in adven- species of flamingo that can attain
ture tourism and ecotourism. The sizes up to 140 centimetres. They
coastline is full of beautiful beach- prefer habitats like saline lagoons,
es and numerous nature reserves, mudflats and shallow brackish
providing you with endless oppor- coastal or inland lakes. Their life
tunities for exploration. expectancy of 40 years is one of
the longest of any bird, and it is the
Just one of the many beautiful plac- only flamingo which naturally in-
es to visit, is the Celestun Special habits North America.
Biosphere Reserve. The reserve is
found in the southern part of Yuca- It is beyond word to describe the
tán and extends down to the north- feeling you get watching hundreds
181
Estado de Yucatan
of flamingos feeding in the shallow

water just in front of you. No mat-
ter where you look, all you see is
flamingos!
In addition to the flamingos the re-

serve is home to around 300 spe-
cies of birds, 587 species of plants
(42 of which are endemic), 75 spe-
cies of mammals, more than 60
species of reptiles, 13 species of
amphibians, and 140 fish species in
18 different families. The huge va-
riety of different species makes the
h i You can find a lot of differnet types of herons
reserve an excellent place to visit, in the Ria Lagartos biosphere reserve, this is just two
almost regardless of your interest. of them.
182
Cenote
Yalahau
C enote Yalahau is the most

northern cenote in the Yucatan
Peninsula and is located in the state
around 25 metres in diametre, and
perhaps about 3-5 metres in depth.
of Yucatan. This cenote is not well You can clearly see the Ojo de
known, but never the less just as Agua, meaning the water eye, of
beautiful as the others. this cenote when swimming in it.
The Yalahau is often referred to as You can also feel the powerful cur-
the “fountain of youth” and is an rent from it and you need a rope to
open cenote with crystal clear wa- hang on to when passing where the
ter. The cenote itself is not so big, water comes out.
183
Cenote Yalahau
Connected to the cenote is a small The area where the cenote is lo-
stream where the water runs out cated is a flora and fauna protected
into the Laguna de Yalahán, which area with the name Yum Balam
is between Isla Holbox and the which was established in 1994.
main land. The Laguna de Yalahán
is also called Laguna Conil. Yum Balam is Mayan and means
“Lord Jaguar” in English. The Yum
To get to the cenote Yalahau you Balam reserve covers 154,000
need to go to Isla Holbox, a small hectares which include the La-
island at the very top of the Yucat- guna de Yalahán, Isla Holbox and
an peninsula. To get to Isla Holbox, main land mangrove forest. Of the
you first need to go to the city of 154,000 hectares, about 60,000
Chiquila, a small town east of the hectares is dense jungle or forest. In
cenote Yalahau and west of Can- these jungles you can find five dif-
cun. Chiquila is about a two-hour ferent endangered big cats, Jaguar,
drive from Cancun, and Holbox is Puma, Margay, Ocelot and Jagua-
another 30 minutes by boat from rundi. The remaining 94,000 hect-
the main land. The cenote Yalahau ares is mostly water, which also in-
is only reachable by boat, and it’s habits some amazing animals and
a 20 minute ride from Isla Hol- fish. You can find the whale shark,
box, and another 5-10 minute walk manta ray, dolphins and sea turtles
when you get to the shore. just to mention a few.
To go there you must accompany There is also an exciting story

a guide who has knowledge of the about the cenote Yalahau. Old ru-
area, it is nearly impossible to find mors say that once there was an
the cenote if you don’t know where old sailor named Jean Claude, who
it is, as the shoreline looks like a told a story in one of the bars in
dense mangrove forest and the ac- Cozumel. The story was about the
cess to Yalahau is only a small pier Mayan Indians and how the Euro-
in the middle of the mangroves. peans infiltrated their communities,
184
Cenote Yalahau
h The town on the small Isla Holbox, a quiet little place.

i The surroundings of the cenote Yalahau, dense tropical forests as long as you can see.
185
Cenote Yalahau
h The cenote Yalahau is located in between the mangroves in the north coast of Yucatan.
i The water in the cenote is crystal clear, and you can clearly see the ojo de aqua.
186
Cenote Yalahau
but he also told about a pirate with cenote a magical place. The spring
the name of Molas who roamed the was originally very important to
seas in this part of the Caribbean. the Mayan fishermen and travel-
lers to collect vital fresh drinking
Together with Henry Morgan the water. This was until a Mayan king
pirate lived among the Mayan In- closed the cenote for the public,
dians and robbed ships that crossed and made it a place of rest for his
too close to the shore line of trea- spouses to swim in. The king made
sures and supplies. He said that a commandment to build gardens
the pirate Francisco de Molas later and fountains around the cenote,
used the area around the cenote and to build a pool decorated with
Yalahau as his refuge. It was said Jade at the water eye.
that Molas hung around the area
for around 40 years, robbing and The area of Yalahau was also an
stealing. important merchant port for the
state of Quintana Roo. When the
A legend says that Molas had a Spanish arrived in this area they
slave who helped him hide all his were surprised by the beauty of the
treasures on the islands in the area. place and the fact that the Mayans
Then Molas cut his head off and no longer visited. Another legend
buried it together with his body. says that they moved to another
The legend says that Molas was planet!
bitten by a poisonous snake and
died. He died without saying where The pool remained undisturbed and
he had hidden the treasure and intact with all its beauty. The royal
many Holboxeños say that on dark centre and port was destroyed by
nights, when the wind blows from the Spanish conquerors. They re-
the west, they can see the head of moved all the jade and took all the
the slave trying to tell where the precious stones with them.
treasure is. The locals at Holbox, The rest of the stone structures that
due to its history, also consider the were in the gardens, were removed
187
Cenote Yalahau
and used to construct the first con-

vent in the area, just a few kilome-
tres from the water eye.
Today all of this is only rumour

and story. The area is covered with
a dense jungle that is a shelter for
all the wildlife found in the area.
In the cenote
you can find different kinds of fish,
among these are the mollies and
the cichlids. The bottom is covered
with rocks and gravel, and the wa-
ter is quite fast flowing due to the
powerful water eye. So if you have
the opportunity to visit this cenote
you should, if not for the fish, then
just for the beauty and nature sur-
rounding it.
g This is the small bridge that leads to the cenote

Yalahau, not easy to spot in the mangroves.
188
Biotope data
Biotope data
Laguna
Chacambacab
Water temp. (C) 26 - 33 Date of measurement
Air temperature (C) 34 24.09.2008
µS 170 Time of measurement
CA n/a 14:00
TH n/a
NH3 n/a GPS data:
CU n/a 18O 28’ 56.69” N
NO2 n/a 89O 04’ 56.27” W
NO3 n/a
PH 7,50 - 8,10 Altitude: 118 m.a.s.l.
190
Biotope data
191
Biotope data
Rio
Bec
Water temp. (C) 26 - 33 Date of measurement
CA n/a 10:00
TH n/a
NH3 n/a GPS data:
CU n/a 18O 27’ 43.00” N
NO2 n/a 89O 02’ 09.22” W
NO3 n/a
PH 7,50 - 8,10 Altitude: 114 m.a.s.l.
192
Rio Bec - Biotope data
193
Biotope data
Cenote
Crocodrilo dorado
Water temp. (C) 29 Date of measurement
CA 870 ppm 15:45
TH 66 ppm
NH3 > 5,80 ppm GPS data:
CU 0,06 ppm 17O 54’ 40.24” N
NO2 0,05 ppm 88O 51’ 22.14” W
NO3 30 ppm
PH 6,90 Altitude: 35 m.a.s.l.
194
Cenote Crocodrilo dorado - Biotope data
195
Biotope data - Cenote Crocodrilo dorado
196
Cenote Crocodrilo dorado - Biotope data
197
Biotope data
Cenote
Azul
CA n/a 13:50
TH 55 ppm
NH3 0,00 ppm GPS data:
CU 0,00 ppm 18O 32’ 01.48” N
NO2 0,00 ppm 88O 27’ 59.39” W
NO3 0,00 ppm
198
Cenote Azul - Biotope data
199
Biotope data - Cenote Azul
200
Cenote Azul - Biotope data
201
Biotope data
Laguna
Bacalar
CA n/a 12:00
TH 47 ppm
NH3 n/a GPS data:
CU n/a 18O 42’ 40.56” N
NO2 0,00 ppm 88O 22’ 47.68” W
NO3 0,00 ppm
202
Laguna Bacalar - Biotope data
203
Biotope data
Xel-Ha

µS 4000+ Time of measurement
CA n/a 11:00
TH 70 ppm
NH3 n/a GPS data:
CU n/a 20O 18’ 52.08” N
NO2 0,00 ppm 87O 21’ 37.83” W
NO3 0,00 ppm
204
Xel-Ha - Biotope data
205
Biotope data - Xel-Ha
206
Xel-Ha - Biotope data
207
Biotope data
Cenote
Escondido
CA n/a 15:00
TH 40 ppm
NH3 n/a GPS data:
CU n/a 20O 11’ 38.73” N
NO2 0,00 ppm 87O 29’ 45.28” W
NO3 0,00 ppm
208
Cenote Escondido - Biotope data
209
Biotope data - Cenote Escondido
210
Cenote Escondido - Biotope data
211
Biotope data
Cenote
Cristal
CA 150 ppm 13:00
TH 70 ppm
CU 0,07 ppm 20O 12’ 01.26” N
NO2 0,08 ppm 87O 29’ 59.38” W
NO3 22 ppm
212
Cenote Cristal - Biotope data
213
Biotope data - Cenote Cristal
214
Cenote Cristal - Biotope data
215
Biotope data
Cenote
Kaape-Ha
CA 142 ppm 12:10
TH >80 ppm
NH3 >5,80 ppm GPS data:
CU 0,05 ppm 20O 09’ 17.20” N
NO2 0,11 ppm 87O 27’ 31.46” W
NO3 33 ppm
216
Cenote Kaape-Ha - Biotope data
217
Biotope data - Cenote Kaape-Ha
218
Cenote Kaape-Ha - Biotope data
219
Biotope data
Cenote
Beh-Ha
CA n/a 10:30
TH 50 ppm
NH3 n/a GPS data:
CU n/a 20O 29’ 21.10” N
NO2 0,00 ppm 87O 15’ 00.48” W
NO3 0,00 ppm
220
Cenote Beh-Ha - Biotope data
221
Biotope data - Cenote Beh-Ha
222
Cenote Beh-Ha - Biotope data
223
Biotope data
Cenote system
Ponderosa
CA n/a 13:00
TH 50 ppm
NH3 n/a GPS data:
CU n/a 20O 12’ 01.26” N
NO2 0,00 ppm 87O 29’ 59.38” W
NO3 0,00 ppm
224
Cenote system Ponderosa - Biotope data
225
Biotope data - Cenote system Ponderosa
226
Cenote system Ponderosa - Biotope data
227
Biotope data
Cenote
Yalahau
CA 165 ppm 09:50
TH 73 ppm
CU 0,06 ppm 21O 27’ 23.69” N
NO2 0,08 ppm 87O 24’ 20.80” W
NO3 25 ppm
228
Cenote Yalahau - Biotope data
229
Biotope data - Cenote Yalahau
230
Cenote Yalahau - Biotope data
231
Thanks &
Credits
Thanks & Credits
Thanks & Credits
First of all we want to thank fam- Michael Riniolo, Fred Poeser and
ily and friends that have supported all the people at CESiaK for giving
us in the process of making this us a great stay. Very special thanks
book, including everyone who has go to Stephen and Christine Elliott
contributed towards making the for checking the text, which we
trips enjoyable and problem free. greatly appreciate. Our final thanks
Special thanks to Jesper Hannibal go to all the wildlife and to the
Rejser, Kenneth Anthony Johnson magnificent nature of Mexico, and
from EcoColors, Christopher Lo- of course all the fantastic Mexican
pez “Bread and water” Paniagua, people for giving us a very pleasant
Cameron Boyd from CESiaK, Jim stay in such a wonderful country.
Conrad from backyardnature.net,
Picture Credits
Pictures not specifically mentioned for the free licence pictures col-
in the picture credits are photo- lected from Wikipedia/Wikimedia.
graphed by the authors. All rights All pictures mentioned in the photo
reserved. None of the photos may credits are photographed by other
be copied or used in any form of persons and any form of copying
reproduction without permission or reproduction must be approved
in writing from the authors, except by the photographer in writing.
www.wikipedia.org (Public domain pictures, Free license)

Page: 17 (top), 40 (bottom), 45, 47, 71 (bottom), 75 (top), 76 (left side),
76 (right side), 78 (top) all maps, flags and Coat of arms. Credits for pho-
tographers can be found on the webpage.
233
References
References
Book and publication resources: STEVE GERRARD, The cenotes of the Riv-
iera Maya.
LES BELETSKY, Travelers Wildlife Guide
Southern Mexico First Edition 2007 and The ALFREDO MEDINA CHEMOR, Cenotes.
Ecotravelers wildlife guide Tropical Mexico
1999. AARON ELKIN, Pirates Gold, 2006
STEVE N. G. HOWELL, A bird finding guide

to Mexico, First edition 1999. Web resources:
LAKE HUNTER & DAVID ANDREW, Lon- www.vivanatura.org

ley Planet watching wildlife , Central America, www.wikipedia.org
first edition 2002. www.nature.com
www.mayanbeachgarden.com
GUNTHER KÖHLER, Reptiles of Central www.mexico-herps.com
America, first edition 2003. www.biodiversitylibrary.org
www.mammals-worldwide.info
JIM CONRAD, Mexico; A hikers guide to www.wildbirds.org
Mexico’s natural history, first edition 1995. www.birdinginmexico.com
www.mayanindians.com
RENE CALDERON-MANDUJANO, HUM- www.visitmexico.com
BERTO BAHENA BASAVE & SOPHIE www.unesco.org
CALME, Anfibios y reptiles de la Reserva de www.amigosdesiankaan.org
la Biósfera de Sian Ka’an y zonas aledas, first www.desertfishes.org
edition 2005. www.cichlidae.com
www.fishbase.org
MANFRED K. MEYER, LOTHAR WIS- www.mongabay.org
CHNATH & WOLFGANG FOERSTER, Leb- www.siankaan.com
endgebärende Zierfische, Arten der Welt, first www.cesiak.org
edition 1985. www.fws.gov
www.xelha.com
THOR JANSON, Maya nature; An introduc- www.caves.org
tion to the ecosystems, plants and animals of www.uwec.edu
the Mayan World, first edition 2001. www.backyardnature.net
www.travelyucatan.com
FIONA A. REID, A field guide to the Mam- www.mexicotoday.com.mx
mals of Central America and Southeast Mex- www.mayan-world.com
cio, first edition 1997. www.yucatanadventure.com.mex
www.piratesrefuge.com/
IÑIGO FERNÁNDEZ, History of Mexico.
235
Index
Index
A Biotopes 5 Cenote Azul 125, 128,

Black-beaded Lizard 38 167, 168
Achiote 28 Blind Swamp Eel 38 Cenote Beh-Ha 154, 159,
Ah Balam 69 Brazil 20 166
Ah Balam Chel 69 Bursera simaruba 74 Cenote Cristal 147, 148,
Ah Camul 69 152
Ah Kim Pech 80 C Cenote Escondido 141,
Ah Kom Tzohom 69 146, 148, 152, 166
Ah Pach Uitz 69 Cabomba sp. 88
Calakmul 33, 62, 81, 82 Cenote Kaape-Ha 153
Ah Tupp Kabal 69 Cenotes 23, 100, 104, 136
American Crocodile 100 Calakmul Biosphere Re-
serve 33, 82 Cenote Yalahau 183
American Flamingo 181 Central America 99
Americas 20, 81, 82 Calkini 69
Calkini Codex 69 Centro Ecologico Sian
Amigos de Isla Contoy 95 Ka’an 105
Amigos de Siankaan 60 Campeche 19, 23, 30, 54,
65, 72, 79, 80, 81, CESiaK 105, 106, 109,
Annatto shrub 28 110, 112
Astyanax fasciatus 148 85, 89, 94, 113,
131, 176, 181 Chaahk 128, 152
Astyanax mexicana 88, Chacah 74, 77
104, 146, 158 Campeche City 81
Camul 69 Chacambacab 85, 86, 88
Atanzahab 70 Chan 69
Atole 72 Canada 16
Cancun 29, 37, 44, 95, Chan Santa Cruz 152
Aztec 14, 15 Charcoal 41
Aztecs 73 97, 105, 106, 125,
128, 131, 135, 141, Chechen 74, 77
Azul 125, 128, 130 Chel 69
147, 168, 184
Chetumal 89, 113, 125,
B Caribbean 19, 22, 94, 97,
141, 147, 168
99, 100, 131, 168,
Baja California 16 174, 181, 187 Chiapas 65, 72
Belize 19, 23, 37, 62, 65, Celestun 37, 181 Chicanna 84
94, 98, 114, 125 Celestun Special Bio- Chicanna Ecovillage 84
Belonesox belizianus 92, sphere Reserve Chichen Itza 42, 178, 181
100 181 Chicxulub Crater 178
Biósfera 37 Cenote 114, 125, 128, Chiquila 184
Biosphere 33, 82, 99, 130, 141, 142, 146, Christian 72
100, 104, 105, 106, 153, 160, 166, 167, Coatzacoalcos 73
141, 159, 181 168, 174, 178 Coba 97
Biosphere Reserve 100, Colombia 82
104 Columbian 65, 131
237
Index
Conservation International Escárcega 30 Guatemala 19, 23, 30, 34,

60 Europe 52 62, 65, 72, 80
Cortés 73 European 16, 74 Gulf of California 19
Cozumel 95, 184 Europeans 14 Gulf of Mexico 19, 29,
Cretaceous Tertiary ex- exCichlasoma salvini 88, 80, 81, 176
tinction 178 130
Crocodile 86, 100 exCichlasoma uropthal- H
Crocodrilo dorado 113, mus 104, 136, 158, Heloderma horridum 38
114, 119 174 Henry Morgan 187
Cuba 44 Hermosillo 20
Culinary ingredients 20 F
Hernán Cortés 14, 73
Cyprinids 158 Felipe Carillo Puerto 152 Holbox 187
Cyprinodon sp. 136 Fish 5 Holboxeños 187
Cyprinodon suavium 38 Flamengo 37 Honduras 62, 65
Cyrus Lundell 82 Floridichthys polyommus Hotel Los Lirios 153
D 38 Huitzilopochtli 15
Francisco de Molas 187
Darwin 37 Freshwater 5 I
Day of the Dead 70, 72 Fundulus grandissimus 38 Isla Contoy 95
Día de los Muertos 70 Fundulus persimilis 38 Isla Holbox 184
Dolphins 136 Isla Mujeres 95
Doña Marina 73, 74 G
Ix Cuat 69
Don Martín Cortés 74 Gambusia sexradiata 88, Ix Cuat Chel 69
Dzibilchatun 181 92, 130 Izapan 62
Dzilam de Bravo 33 Gambusia sp. 140
Gambusia species 104 J
E
Gambusia yucatana 100, Jack Dempsey Cichlid
EcoColors 55, 56, 59, 60 130, 174 174
Eco-tour 55 Giant Killifish 38 Jaguar 184
Ecotourism 27 Gobiomorus dormitator Jaguarundi 82, 184
Ecovillage 84 104, 130 Jose Maria Morelos 59
Education 44 Gobiosoma 136
Ek Balam 59 Google Earth 41 K
El Salvador 62, 65 Greek 65
Endemic 38 Guadalajara 16 Kaape-Ha 158
English 52 Kinich 74, 77
238
Index
Kizin 77, 78 Mesoamerican civiliza- Nahuatl 15, 20, 73

tions 14 National Geographic Soci-
L Mestizaje 16 ety 33
Lagoon of seven colours Mestizo 74 National System of Pro-
131 Metopium toxiferum 74 tected Areas 82
Laguna 85, 86, 88 Mētztli 15 Natural 37
Laguna Bacalar 125, 131, Mexica 29 Natural Resources and
134 Mexicali 20 Fishing 95
Laguna Conil 184 Mexican 16, 19, 30, 44, Nicte-Ha 74, 77
Laguna de Yalahán 184 74, 95, 109, 148 North America 16, 19
La Malinche 73 Mexican Blind Brotula 38 North American Plate 16
Language 52 Mexican molly 119 Nymphea sp. 88, 142
Limestone 30, 47 Mexicano 37
Mexico 6–242, 13, 14, O
M 15, 16, 19, 22, 27, Oaxaca 19
28, 37, 38, 47, 51, Ocellated Killifish 38
Maguey 15 54, 62, 70, 73, 81,
Malinche 73, 74 Ocelot 82, 184
82, 94, 95, 97, 106, Ojo de Agua 183
Malinchista 73, 74 114, 128, 131
Mangrove 24, 37, 160, Olmec 14, 62
Mexico City 15 Ophisternon infernale 38
166 México-Tenochtitlan 15
Mangrove Molly 100, Mēxihco 15 P
136, 140 Mēxihtli 15
Margay 184 Mextli 15 Paal Kaba 69
Maya 14, 33, 37, 44, 61, Michoacán 19 Pacific Ocean 19
62, 65, 66, 72, 73, Mixtec 14 Parachromis friedrichstalii
81, 82, 95, 99, 131, Moctezuma 73 148, 158
178 Molas 187 Parachromis friedrich-
Mayan 22, 24, 27, 59, 62, Monterrey 16, 20 sthalii 104, 146,
66, 80, 98, 105, Morlets Crocodile 100 160, 166
128, 131, 152, 158, Mundo Maya 72 Paratheraps synspilum 88,
160, 178, 181, 187 Muyil 141, 142 92, 100, 130, 146,
Merida 38, 42, 45, 46, 47, 148, 158, 160, 166
176 N Parque 37
Mesoamerica 33, 62, 65, Parque Natural del Fla-
74 Na Balam Chan Chel 69 mengo Mexicano
Na Cuat Chan Chel 69 de Celestún 37
239
Index
Passport 51 Q Sea Turtles 140

Paynalla 73 Secretary of Environment,
peninsula 153, 184 Quintana Roo 23, 29, 30, 95
Peninsula 5, 24, 28, 29, 54, 65, 72, 80, 89, Sian Ka’an 27, 97, 99,
30, 38, 42, 45, 47, 93, 94, 95, 97, 98, 100, 104, 105, 110,
48, 52, 61, 72, 80, 125, 131, 135, 167, 112, 141, 142, 153,
81, 82, 94, 95, 99, 176, 181, 187 154, 159
114, 119, 125, 128, Sian Ka’an, 56
134, 135, 147, 160,
R Sian Kaán 37
168, 176, 178, 183 Recycling 56 Sian Ka’an Biosphere
Pereskipsis scandens 178 Red-Eared Slider Turtle Reserve 105, 106,
Peso 51 146, 166 159, 160
Petén 34 República Mexicana 15 Sierra Madre Occidental
Petén Department 30 Reserva de la Biósfera 19
Petenes 34 Sian Kaán 37 Sierra Madre Oriental 19
Petenia splendida 130 Reserve 33, 82, 99, 100, Sierra Nevada 19
Phoenicopterus ruber 181 104, 105, 106, 110, Sisal 38
Playa del Carmen 167 141, 159, 181 Socio-cultural impacts 56
Poecilia mexicana 119, Rhamdia guatamalensis Sonoran 20
130 158 South America 95
Poecilia orri 100, 136, Rhamdia guatemalensis Spain 15
146, 148, 154, 160, 174 Spaniards 14
166 Río Bec 85, 88, 89, 92 Spanish 27, 33, 52, 73,
Poecilia velifera 174 Río Lagartos 37 74, 134, 148, 178,
Ponderosa 167, 168 Riviera Maya 22, 97, 168 187
pre-Columbian Americas Rocio octofasciata 174 Spanish Conquistadores
65 Rocky Mountains 19 134
Progreso 37 Roman 65 Spider Monkey 97
Pseudoxiphophorus bi- Roman Catholics 16 Street Kitchens 28
maculatus 92, 100 Sustainable 55
Puebla 16 S Sustainable travel 55
Puente Sorpresas 89
Sac Be 152 T
Puma 184
Sailfin Molly 174
Punta Allen 153, 159 Tabasco 30, 65, 72, 80
San Felipe 37
Punta Laguna Spider Tenosique 30
San Francisco de
Monkey Reserve Teotihuacan 14
Campeche 80, 81
97
240
Index
The Coral Reef Alliance X

60
The Nature Conservancy Xcaret 27, 135, 140
60 Xel-Ha 27, 135, 136, 146
Thorichthys meeki 92, Xictli 15
100, 130, 154, 158, Xiphophorus maculatus
160, 166 100, 104
Tizic 74, 77 Xpujil 89
Toltec 14
Toluca 16
Y
Tope 54 Yalahau 184, 187, 188
Travel Foundation 60 Yucatan 5, 21, 23, 24, 28,
Tropic of Cancer 19 29, 30, 33, 34, 37,
Tulum 37, 97, 100, 105, 38, 41, 42, 44, 45,
135, 141, 152, 153, 46, 47, 48, 52, 61,
159 62, 65, 72, 73, 80,
Typhliasina pearsei 38 81, 94, 95, 99, 114,
119, 125, 128, 134,
U 135, 147, 153, 160,
UNESCO 80, 97, 100, 168, 175, 176, 178,
106 181, 183, 184
United States 16 Yucatan Killifish 38
U.S dollars 51 Yucatan peninsula 153
Uxmal 178, 181 Yucatan Peninsula 23, 24,
27, 28, 29, 45, 47,
V 48, 52, 61, 72, 81,
99, 114, 119, 125,
Veracruz 73 128, 134, 147, 148,
Villa and Puerto de San 160, 168
Francisco de Yucatec 158
Campeche 81 Yucatecans 30, 42
Yum Balam 184
W
World Wildlife Fund 60 Z
Zapotec 14
Zetas 44
241
“In wilderness i sense the miracle of life, and
behind it our scientific accomplishments
fade to trivia”(Charles A. Lindbergh, 1902-1974)
T he Yucatan Peninsula- land of the Mayan indians. Tropical forests, wet-

lands and cenotes is just some of the wonders in this part of Mexico. To-
gether with the Maya pyramids and the rich diversity of fauna and flora, this is an
excellent place to observe and photograph fish in the crystal clear waters.
Cichlids, mollys and tetras are just some of the fish found in these wonderful
biotopes which is featured in this book. We hope you enjoy our second book in
this series and find it interesting and useful.
ISBN 978-87-993012-1-8

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A Selection of

© Kai Qvist & Rune Evjeberg

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be

Edition and layout: Kai Qvist & Rune Evjeberg

FRESHWATER FISH BIOTOPES

Biotopes in Quintana Roo 93

A selection of freshwater fish biotopes in Mexico 2

Biotopes in Yucatan 175

Biotope data 189

Thanks & credits 232

A selection of freshwater fish biotopes in Mexico 2

U nlike Rune Evjeberg, my

states we have visited throughout complicated in both language and

We chose from the beginning to do Pleasant reading

M ost people associate early

became part of the Spanish Em- Still another hypothesis sug-

divided into municipalities, gov- be narrowly defined according to

h More than 170.000 km2 are considered “Protected Natural Areas”.

ered part of North America, along Sierra Nevada. A fourth mountain

Many parts of Mexico, particularly estation is one of the most serious

A n area of large contrasts is an

gem that is now visited annually contiguous water systems, with

h Sunset over the magnificent Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve.

storm tides would reach much example of a sensible project is

There are a number of national The culinary tradition of the pen-

per-like in its taste. Achiote, which

Almost every street kitchen we

As with all places you travel to, it is

M ost of us think of “the Yuca-

boundaries lie. Attempts to draw catán does have many sinkholes,

are typical. Some coastal zones the vegetation gets. Correspond-

in doing so they change so drasti- species, of which two are endemic,

h Jesus lizard, another reptile found in the Yucatan peninsula.

Earth for a high-altitude look at the the groundwater is threatened. Pes-

What’s to be done? a paradise for those wanting to see

One small bright spot in the eco-

I could make this little article ex-

You know the old cliché, “when

W hether you are an experi-

can often be difficult, but if you in expectations, because not everyone

Accommodation is also an impor- We have always pre-booked our ac-

sive, compared to the general price counter many warnings on drugs,

If you read the general travel ad-

Editors note: Kenneth Anthony

This resentment can be directed any amount paid out including

services from outside the region, many important actions to achieve

EcoColors sustainable travel

We are currently working with dif-

W hen you travel to a foreign

they get all of this knowledge? populations throughout the Maya

a ritual celebration that can be hours of October 31st the souls of

the other Mesoamerican powers, one of the greatest peoples of Me-

h Hernan Cortes and La Malinche meet Moct-

g Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st

i Chacah tree (Bursera simaruba). The good tree;

h The Chechen tree (Metopium toxiferum). The

his last request. The man answered

“That is easy” said Kizin, and he

C ampeche is located in the

Campeche is home of a large fish- The state capital, San Francisco

still inhabit many communities. is classified as a dry forest to the

The innermost zone contains most nowhere you find a comfortable

L aguna Chacambacab is a little