Bats of Uaxactún, Maya Biosphere Reserve, Petén, Guatemala
A inicios del 2025, los lagos Yaxhá y Sacnab se unieron por el aumento de su nivel de agua, un fenómeno no visto desde 1981. FLAAR Mesoamérica documentó el evento con imágenes aéreas y terrestres, registrando la inundación en el área. Aunque el acceso se vio afectado, el parque sigue recibiendo visitantes gracias al transporte en lancha. Este evento es clave para entender variaciones históricas del agua, relevantes para la arqueología, y plantea la necesidad de estudiar los cambios ambientales que también podrían incluir sequías severas.
Description
In July 2024, a visit was made to the village of Uaxactún in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (RBM), Petén, Guatemala. Educational talks were given to secondary-level students, and a species assessment was conducted using mist net captures and high-frequency recordings. A total of 20 bat species were identified, belonging to six of the seven families recorded in Guatemala, including frugivorous, insectivorous, one nectarivorous, and one hematophagous species. Ten of these species are protected by national legislation. Most of the captured bats play a key role in forest regeneration through seed dispersal. Mimon cozumelae stands out as an indicator species of well-preserved forests. The results reflect a high species richness in the area, highlighting the need for continued research. This work was made possible through the collaboration of FLAAR Mesoamérica, ACOFOP, BQB Biósfera, ASOGUAMA, and PCMG.
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