On March 28th from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time, some parts of the world will turn off their lights. So do not panic if your neighborhood or even your city gets dark for a complete hour, they are just letting The Earthshine, at least for an hour. The “Earth Hour” is a movement…
News & Blog
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…
A Paradise Of Vanilla Orchids In The Guatemalan Caribean
The last expedition was one of the most awaited by FLAAR Mesoamérica team. We went to Livingston, a municipal area from Izabal department in Guatemala, located 15 km. aprox. by boat across Puerto Barrios city. The paths we found in our expedition inside the tropical jungle are home to many native plants. We have a…
“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…
BioFest: The Biodiversity Festival
In November, Guatemala City became the favorite destination for nature lovers! Mesa de Barranqueros invited us to share a dream: Citizens who enjoy their green, healthy and biodiverse metropolis, all this through BioFest, the Biodiversity Festival. This Festival was born as an initiative to bring Guatemalan people closer to the abundant biodiversity inside the city.…
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…
Aquatic biodiversity in the Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park wetland
Everyone in the world depends on the different ecosystems on Earth and the services they provide. In recent years, people have transformed ecosystems more quickly and extensively than in any other period of history. Largely to quickly meet the demands of food, fresh water, wood, fiber and fuel. According to the UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment…
FLAAR Mesoamerica “family” at wedding of Cucu and Erick
The last weekend of December 2019 two “graduates” of FLAAR Mesoamerica got married and they invited five other individuals from FLAAR Mesoamerica to attend. In the photo are: Senaida (experienced plant scout and photo assistant), Josefina (experienced illustrator for MayanToons books for children), Cucu (Melanny Celeste Quiñonez Izquierdo) with husband Erick Flores Cucu did illustrations,…
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…