Aguadas in the Maya Forest: Wildlife sanctuaries that join international conservation efforts

Abstract

The Maya Forest is considered the largest block of tropical forest in Mesoamerica with more than 30,000 km2 under some protection status; it is a trinational forest shared by Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. In the Maya Forest, rainwater is stored just in few ponds known locally as “aguadas”. Studies have documented that these ponds are essential for conservation of several endangered species that depend on water for their survival. Among these species are the jaguar, Central American tapir, white-lipped peccary, and king vulture. In 2015, researchers from Mexico and Guatemala that were monitoring ponds using camera traps, decided to join efforts and created informally an international group to share data to support the integral management of the Maya Forest. In 2016, and thanks to the Project “Enhancing the monitoring of biodiversity and climate change in the Maya Forest” of the German Technical Cooperation Agency - GIZ, Belize was included formally. Since 2018 the three countries have generated solid information about the ponds and their associated wildlife. In 2022, the group is still alive and is working hard for pond and wildlife conservation in the Maya Forest. Among the main achievements is the establishment of a monitoring protocol that translates in an annual report shared among all involved parties, and a series of workshops and seminars that intend to bring the information to other stakeholders such as local governments, community members, and NGO’s.