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Guatemalan Flora and Fauna Research

Guatemalan Flora and Fauna Research

Our primary interest in plants are utilitarian plants, especially edible plants (edible seeds, fruits, vegetables, pulp (around seeds), edible flowers, roots, tubers, leaves, stalks) of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador.

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We have accomplished lots of successful research on these utilitarian plants and also on flowers that appear in Maya paintings and sculptures.

Plus, have an improved list of all plants used for roof thatching (much more than pictured by Wauchope and other writers on domestic Maya house construction). Naturally, we are also working to save endangered species and fragile ecosystems.

For fauna, our interests and research include:

  • Mammals. We have nice reports on howler monkeys, spider monkeys, gray fox in Yaxha, and bats in Biotopo El Zotz.
  • Birds. Especially waterbirds (we already have pelicans and herons reports), hummingbirds, birds that are featured in the Popol Vuh, and birds that make impressive woven pendant nests like orioles, oropendolas, and cacique. We are also interested in endangered species.
  • Reptiles. Especially turtles and crocodiles, we have documented Crocodylus moreletii, a crocodile species found only in México, Belize, and Guatemala (Petén)
    Amphibians. Toads, frogs, and others.
  • Insects. Lightning bugs and beetles, wasps, bees (especially stingless), termites, butterflies, and moths.
  • Arachnids. Spider nest structure plus other Arachnids and other creatures.

You can find some of these reports in our E-library and complete information on www.maya-ethnobotany.org if you are more interested in plants, you can visit www.maya-ethnozoology.org if your want to learn more about animals, or in case your main interest is archaeology and Mayan culture be sure to explore our site www.maya-archaeology.org.

FLAAR Mesoamérica, over the years we have worked in different departments of Guatemala, mainly in Alta Verapaz, Petén and recently Izabal. The effort made over many years allowed us to form alliances to carry out greater projects in conjunction with government institutions:

  1. Yaxhá Project: During 2018 and 2019, expeditions were made to the Yaxhá, Nakum, and Naranjo National Parks.
  2. Livingston Project: In September 2020, the agreement: “Livingston Biodiversity Documentation” was authorized by the municipal mayor of Livingston, Ing. Daniel Pinto. It was carried out for 15 months in the protected areas of the municipality: Área de Usos Múltiples Río Sarstún, Parque Nacional Río Dulce y Reserva Protectora de Manantiales Cerro San Gil.
  3. Reserva de Biósfera Maya Project (RBM): In March 2021, the Biodiversity Documentation agreement was authorized in the main Protected Areas of the Reserva de Biosfera Maya in cooperation with the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP by its acronym in Spanish).

Our expeditions are full of adventure and constant discoveries. We have found many interesting species, mainly flora, with a variety of uses. Our desire is to share this information with the Guatemalan population and the world to promote its responsible use, conservation, and appreciation.

Your contribution will be appreciated.

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