La Reserva de Sian Ka'an

The Siancán Biosphere Reserve whose name means "Gate of Heaven" or "Place" Where the Sky is Born in Mayan is located in the Yucatán Peninsula which is a Limestone bedrock area with very little change in elevation and no true rivers on the surface With a territory of 528 000 hectares it is the largest protected area in the Caribbean Mexican unique because of its geography and moist land The beaches of Siancán are an essential part of the ecosystem serving as a transitional zone Between land and sea they form a very important habitat and walking ground for many species of wildlife The reserve is situated on the youngest geological segment of the peninsula having emerged from the sea less than two million years ago In fact swamps are younger than forests The park is divided into three areas: tropical forests wetlands and marine environments There are three main central zones Muyil in the north Cayo Culebras in the reef area and Banco Chinchorro in the south Ascensión and Guaymil the largest central area Most of the human population is concentrated in the fishing villages of Javier Rojo Gomez Punta Allen and Punterrero with more than a thousand residents The residents of Punta Allen mainly come from other parts of the Yucatán state There are no indigenous groups within the reserve they are established in communities around the area The main economic activity is lobster fishing Formed by lowland forest flooded savannas mangroves and a portion of the second e world's largest reef the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef the reserve fewer than 800 plant species and provides habitat for 350 bird species as well as The jaguar puma ocelot spider monkeys and toucans crocodiles and many species of turtles The climate is tropical with rain in the summer and occasional cyclones The area is cloudy 200 days a year and the average relative humidity is around 80% Tropical cyclones occur between June and October peaking in September Strong marine tornadoes or waterspouts also occur between May and October but their action is limited and brief Three hundred thirty-nine bird species have been recorded in Siancán with approximately two-thirds reproducing within the reserve The brown pelican with its large flat beak and big pouch is one of the most important birds in the park Due to the great diversity of aquatic habitats seabirds and wading birds are well represented The Siancán Biosphere Reserve is home to rare and spectacular creatures including Dolphins manatees and many species of tropical fish A group of wild dolphins has made Siancán their permanent home Between May and August the beach hosts four different types of Endangered turtles coming to lay their eggs on the soft sand The green turtle the hawksbill turtle the loggerhead turtle and the leatherback turtle which have los Important nesting areas in other locations throughout the Caribbean The Siancán Biosphere Reserve was established on January 20 1986 by presidential decree And its name was listed by UNESCO and the Biosphere Programme that same year The reserve was declared a Cultural Heritage Site of Humanity in 1987 Siancán is a Mayan phrase that can be translated as "where the sky is born" or "gift of the sky " It is believed that the reserve was inhabited during the Classic and Preclassic periods as part of the Capitanías de Coahuac and Huyamil There are 23 known archaeological sites within the reserve It is believed that the human remains pottery fragments and other artifacts discovered They have an age of up to 2 300 years within the reserve In the northern section of Siancán lies what is believed to have been ancient trade route Through lagoons and mangrove channels between the cities of Tulum and Mujil Tulum is a pre-Columbian site built during the postclassic period of the ancient Maya civilization The castle that faces the coast on the edge of the canyon is one of the largest buildings at the Tulum site The front wall of the castle has blurred drawings of a descending god and columns They represent the feathered serpent Kukulcan who was introduced to the Maya culture by the Toltecs There are traces of fresh fish in both chambers The 125 kilometers of coastal line that runs from the southern shore of the tourist town from Cancun through Playa del Carmen and the Tulum Mayan ruins and ends In the Siancán biosphere it is known as the Maya Riviera Wetlands marshes swamps and bogs are all included within the classification of wetlands The wetland habitat is also home to the Belize crocodile and the crocodile Americanos who are present along the coasts of Mexico Water plays a vital role in the existence of each of these habitats whether fresh salty or brackish Wetlands run along the coast of Siancán playing a protective role Important as a type of buffer between the ocean and the land it can absorb the impact of storms Wetland areas contain an immense biological diversity and are home to a wide range of species of a countless number of endangered species Four species of mangroves grow along the coastal areas of Siancán Mangrove communities are essential for the survival of many species of plants fish insects reptiles and birds The small white heron with a black beak and legs and yellow feet is one of the most important birds in the reserve Among the bird species found in Siancán is the pink flamingo The fresh water contained in the Yucatan aquifer erodes the limestone in the Surface weakening it and eventually causing its collapse The result of this phenomenon is a unique habitat known as a cenote Many cenotes remain connected to the aquifer and other cenotes through underground passages Occasionally it is discovered that the cenotes are completely isolated from other water bodies They are made of water and can contain fish and other wildlife that have evolved over time into completely different species The Maya people believed that God lived in a place deep within the jungle This is a cenote a water hole reflecting the sky like a mirror and it is revered as a sacred place A sacred and valued place as a precious source of water People made sacrifices at the cenote crying to ask for rain during the dry periods The waters below were revered The clarity of the cenote's waters reaches a depth of 50 meters A mythical world made of countless stalactites greets the eye about 300 meters ahead At some point this place was a seabed Fossil shells indicate its past The rain pierced through the porous layers of limestone and formed the stalactite caves As the ice age came to an end the groundwater level along with the sea level rose And the stalactite caves sank beneath the water Many of the mammal species found in Siancán live in the lowlands The tropical forests located in the western portions of the reserve The forests contain many species of hardwood including chichén chico zapote and mahogany Hello and other precious hardwoods The environmental importance of these areas is increased by the international demand for hardwood that has put pressure on many countries in the neotropics The vast network of estuaries and adjacent reefs enclose the bays and provide shelter for a large number of fish species Its algae is also a rich food source for fish mollusks and insects that are found in the area In turn it is part of the food chain for wading birds Siancán preserves a complex hydrological system of tropical forests swamps mangroves and a long barrier reef Providing habitat for a remarkably rich flora and fauna and many of the vertebrates The region's characteristic terrestrial features as well as 23 pre-Hispanic cultural sites