In a significant effort to preserve Mexico’s rich biodiversity, the Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation has strengthened its collaboration with the Pedro and Elena Hernández A.C. Foundation, focusing on the conservation of the Caribbean flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) in the Yucatán Peninsula .
This initiative is not only dedicated to the protection and monitoring of this emblematic species, but also to the restoration of its habitat, in collaboration with various public and private organizations.
Recently, the Pedro and Elena Hernández Foundation has focused its efforts on Cozumel Island as part of the flamingo distribution area, always with the help of the FPMC, where they have carried out important flamingo monitoring work in the Laguna Colombia State Ecological Park.
This place, also known as Parque Punta Sur, covers 1,130 hectares and has been a refuge for flamenco, especially after the devastation caused by hurricanes Emily and Wilma in 2005, reported the general director of the FPMC, Alejandro Marchán Payán.
He explained that during the last decade, a restoration project was carried out in Punta Sur by the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR) and experts in mangrove ecosystems. This project has received constant monitoring, which has allowed the revitalization of the aquatic birdlife in the area and has resulted in an increase in the presence of the Caribbean flamingo.
The deputy director of the Punta Sur Ecotourism Park, biologist Héctor González Cortés, indicated that the recent registration of flamingos with identifying rings in Cozumel, framed in the Citizen Science initiative “Flamenco Lab” of the Pedro and Elena Hernández Foundation, represents a significant advance. since the information obtained from these sightings provides valuable data on the distribution and migration of these birds in the Yucatan Peninsula.
He added that the FPMC has been key in the implementation of this project, promoting community participation through informational posters provided by the FPyEH, which detail the ringing reporting process in Laguna Colombia Park.
David Alonso Parra, FPyHE flamingo conservation program manager, stated: “This iconic bird is not only an indicator of the health of wetland and mangrove ecosystems, but also contributes significantly to ecotourism, a vital source of income. for many local communities. Protecting and monitoring the flamingo helps preserve its natural habitat, which in turn supports numerous other species of flora and fauna. Additionally, its conservation encourages scientific research and environmental education, promoting greater awareness about the importance of conservation efforts.”
This joint effort between the Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation and the Pedro and Elena Hernández Foundation underscores the importance of inter-institutional collaboration and the crucial role of the community in the conservation of emblematic species of the Yucatecan Peninsula such as the Caribbean flamingo.
With information from the Pedro and Elena Hernández A.C. Foundation
TYT Newsroom