The Jaguar (Panthera onca) is one of the most frequently encountered images in Mesoamerican art and iconography, in either naturalistic, stylized, or anthropomorphic form. Art is one of the ways in which people represent how they conceive of themselves, and their place in the world The appearance and frequency of jaguar motifs, as with any…
Maize: The most important crop for The Mayan Culture
It is estimated that, in Mesoamerica, agriculture could have occurred 9,000 or 10,000 years ago, approximately. This area, which covers the southern half of Mexico and part of Central America, has been considered one of the most important centers of plant domestication in the world due to the coexistence of extraordinary plant diversity and a…
A Place Called Mesoamerica
Do you ever wonder, what does Mesoamerica mean? This name appears in the history books we read at school, but the discussion and research about the breadth of its territory and culture needs to be explored even more. The word “Mesoamerica” has a Greek origin for the prefix “meso” which means “between something” or in…
Mysterious endangered cave
We were called by a team of biologists who have been studying the importance of an unknown cave located in Izabal, Guatemala. They are worried about the fate of the natural ecosystem that lives inside the darkness of the cave since it has been polluted and neglected by the local people living close to it.…
Tropical bird sanctuary in the Guatemalan caribbean
With their clean feathers, their unique sound, the birds that live on the Livingston shores gave us an unintended spectacle during the sunset. Pelicans, seagulls, egrets (Ardea alba, Egretta thula), cormorants, kingbirds, were some of the birds we could identify flying through the Río Dulce tall canyon, in Livingston. We saw many birds interact, including…
“El Niño Dormido” a unique species in the world
Guatemala and its multiple ecosystems hide a wide variety of flora and fauna. In one of the most particular landscapes, the dry tropical forest, the country’s “desert”, hidden in caves lives one of the biggest reptiles of Central America. Surrounded by trees, cactus, and folktales the Heloderma claims for protection and recognition because of its…
Guatemalan pumpkins
The main symbol of the Halloween tradition is pumpkin. Although October 31 is not a traditional celebration date for Guatemala, we know how it is celebrated in other countries. Pumpkins are something significant for the date. Orange and with monstrous carved faces. Do you know that in Guatemala we also have pumpkins? Although they are…
Why is Ceiba so important in our country and the Americas?
Ceiba is one of the largest trees in the tropics, measuring up to 70 meters high and its roots up to 5 meters deep. It is a tree that we can find in most places in the towns of Guatemala. It was declared a National Tree on March 8, 1955. It is also very common…
The design of bird nests native to Guatemala
During our expeditions we have found different bird nests in the treetops. The amazing thing about them is the design and location that each species chooses, according to their needs. The nests are multifunctional structures built by mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and insects. Its principal function is to create an adequate environment for eggs and…
Orchids of candelaria at Yaxha Lagoon
During our exploration in boat on Yaxha Lagoon, Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park, in the distance we noticed a light pink flower on the shore. While we were advancing we could see more and more of these flowers tangled in the water grass. Maybe a signal to get closer. When we stopped the boat a few moments…