Description

Yaxhá, Nakum, Naranjo Natural Monument is in northern Guatemala, between the municipalities of Flores and Melchor de Mencos, Department of Petén. Until 1999, it was part of the Multiple Use Zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve. In 1999, the government recategorized it as a Natural Monument. The statutes have yet to be approved by the Guatemalan Congress, however, it functions as though they had been approved. The area borders Tikal National Park. It has a set of excellent archaeological sites and it houses a complex habitat of wetlands, tall and short forests which give it its unique characteristics.

Biodiversity

There are many regionally endemic animals in the area, including: Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii), Central American river turtle (Dermatemys mawii), howler monkey (Alouatta pigra), black-handed spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), and ocellated turkey (Agriocharis ocellata). Among the felines, the jaguar (Panthera onca), the puma (Felis concolor) and the margay (Leopardus wiedii) stand out. A number of the species in the area are found on the IUCN Red List (2001), while CONAP's Red List (2001a) considers C. moreletii, A. pigra, A. geoffroyi, P. onca, F. concolor y L. Wiedii to be in grave danger of extinction.

Threats

Yaxhá, Nakum, Naranjo Natural Monument is a threatened area that runs the risk of failing to protect biological diversity in the near future. The principle threats arise from the advancing agricultural frontier, forest fires, illegal use of forest products and illegal poaching. The limits of the biotope are not respected and human encroachment occurs, placing its conservation in danger.