Ctenosaura alfredschmidti, photo: Carlos Albecete.
This discovery proves that not all news from Guatemala is bad news. An ecological evaluation completed in July 2003 by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in El Mirador Río Azul National Park confirmed the discovery of the lizard Ctenosaura alfredschmidti. Until now, this species, which is relatively new to science, had only been found in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. According to WCS-Guatemala’s director, Roan Balas, the ecological evaluation of Mirador Río Azul could still produce more surprises like this one.
WCS staff holding the lizard, Ctenosaura alfredschmidti, photo: Carlos Albecete
El Mirador Río Azul National Park, part of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, is located in northeastern Guatemala in the department of Petén. The park borders Mexico and Belize. Biological diversity in the area has not been well documented. The few studies that have been conducted have documented uncommon species, such as the orchid Ryncholaelia digbyana var. Fimbripetala, which was considered a rare species of Mexico and Honduras that was found in the park in 2001.
The park still maintains its ecological characteristics and is one of the few Guatemalan parks without people living in or immediately surrounding its borders. However, human activity is slowly encroaching and could eventually threaten its biological integrity and biodiversity. The recent discovery confirms that El Mirador Río Azul National Park is of the utmost importance for conservation and the area deserves our best efforts in order to keep it pristine.
ParksWatch – Guatemala: August 2003