Not every ecosystem and habitat in the world has been explored yet. In commemoration of World Habitat Day, FLAAR Mesoamérica encourages you to learn about one of the least known environments of the Maya Biosphere Reserve. The savannas of Petén may be the habitat of a number of species that still needs to be defined.…
Guatemala’s wildlife is like no other and we should take care of it.
Wildlife in Guatemala is unique, as in few places in the world. To better understand this, it is worth understanding the natural history of this country: Phallus indusiatus at Paso Caballos, PNLT. Photo by: Boris Llamas. August 2021. Guatemala is located in between two broad continental masses that support almost every kind of ecosystem…
The Study of Wetlands
Wetlands are understood as “extensions of marshes, swamps, peat bogs or surfaces covered by water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, stagnant or currents of fresh, brackish or salt water, including extensions of marine water whose depth at low tide it does not exceed 6 meters” – Ramsar. Every February 2, World Wetlands Day…
The dilemma of the spring in Guatemala, is it really eternal? Part 2
The fall equinox has roughly started (on September 22nd), but instead of turning brown and losing their leaves, many plants start to bloom and create impressive sceneries throughout Guatemala. Yet, many species had already bloomed starting from March. Why are there again so many flowers? Combretum sp. road from Jalapa to Chiquimula, Dec. 2021. Photography…
Importance of Mangroves
Mangroves are a type of forest located in coastal areas of tropical and subtropical regions. Their characteristics allow them to be highly productive. They provide ecosystem services such as: Refuge and habitat of wild flora and fauna (rich biodiversity) Food source and supply of nutrients to other species (fish, crustaceans, birds, reptiles, etc.) Carbon capture…
We found a passionflower tree! Its name is Flor de Mayo (Erblichia odorata)
On our expedition on April 7, 2022, in Aldea El Rosario, Livingston, Izabal, we were able to photograph this incredible passionflower tree, commonly called Flor de Mayo. Something unusual since passionflowers usually grows like a vine. This tree is incredible for the color of its flowers, very strong orange. When you see it, you feel…
World Bee Day
Bees are considered one of the most important animals on the planet, they have benefited humans, plants, and the environment for a long time. By carrying pollen from one flower to another, bees and other pollinators enable not only the production of an abundance of fruits, nuts, and seeds but also more variety and better…
We Found the Cacao de Montaña flowers! (Stenanona stenopetal)
In one of our expeditions of the: “Proyecto de Documentación de Biodiversidad de Livingston” the path of Lagunita Creek (Río Sarstún) was visited. In it, we could see a cauliflorous tree that had red fruits growing from its trunk. The tree had already flowered that year, so they wanted to investigate with our plant scouts…
El dilema de la primavera en Guatemala: ¿Es realmente eterna?
Tanto en Guatemala, como en el extranjero, los guatemaltecos reconocemos con orgullo a nuestro país como el de la eterna primavera. Sin embargo, existen muchas probabilidades de que la mayoría de nosotros no identifique cuando ocurre esta estación. ¿Será porque todo el año vemos flores que no la reconocemos, o bien, que muy pocas veces…