Flora and Fauna
The Reserve and the contiguous forested areas of the Maya Biosphere Reserve (Reserva de la Biosfera Maya) in the Guatemalan department of El Petén form one of the largest and least disturbed tracts of rainforest in the Americas north of Colombia. The forest is classified as dry forest to the west and tall and medium-height subperennial rainforest to the east. Among the trees, there are ceibas, Honduras Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), strangler figs (Ficus), chaká (Bursera simaruba), and chicle or chicozapote (Manilkara chicle).
The biosphere is home to 86 different species of mammals, 18 which can be found in the Official Registry of Mexican Ecology, a resource which outlines flora and fauna that are in danger of extinction, rare, threatened or are under protection. The area is home to 5 out of 6 of the six large cats that are native to Mexico. This includes its small but healthy population of jaguars as well as jaguarundis, ocelots, pumas and margays. The fauna also includes Central American Agoutis, Geoffroy's Spider Monkeys, Guatemalan Black Howlers, Baird's Tapir, White-nosed Coatis, Ocellated Turkeys, Crested Guans, toucans, and green parrots.
Read more about this topic: Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
Famous quotes containing the words flora and/or fauna:
“A man’s interest in a single bluebird is worth more than a complete but dry list of the fauna and flora of a town.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The whole fauna of human fantasies, their marine vegetation, drifts and luxuriates in the dimly lit zones of human activity, as though plaiting thick tresses of darkness. Here, too, appear the lighthouses of the mind, with their outward resemblance to less pure symbols. The gateway to mystery swings open at the touch of human weakness and we have entered the realms of darkness. One false step, one slurred syllable together reveal a man’s thoughts.”
—Louis Aragon (1897–1982)