Despite being endemic endangered species, the Maya Train Project classified animals from the Yucatan Peninsula such as the jaguar, deer, and tapir as “harmful fauna” for railway operations.
Tren Maya S.A. de C.V. and the National Defense Secretariat (Defense) contracted the harmful fauna management service of Susoma Soluciones Ambientales S. de R.L. de C.V., according to local press
The services provided by Susoma include scaring away, capturing, removing, and even killing fauna in the vicinity of the Maya Train. The federal government awarded a million-dollar contract to this company to control harmful fauna in the Mayan Train
The jaguar, the tapir, and the deer, among other animals in the Yucatan Peninsula, were declared as harmful fauna for the operations of the Mayan Train.
This means that they are considered dangerous to maintain the safety and efficiency indicators of the Mayan Train.
The company Susoma received the contract TM-CGRMSG-SVS- 0200/204 of seven parts, one for each section from Palenque, Chiapas to Escárcega, Campeche to carry out “fauna control”.
Said control is carried out through mitigation activities such as scaring with fireworks, installing nets and traps, and tranquilizing darts for large specimens, among other methods.
In addition, section D of the contract indicates that animal containment activities can include slaughter under NOM-033-SAG/ ZOO-2014, which aims to establish the methods for killing animals.
This guarantees good levels of well-being and minimizes pain, suffering, anxiety, and stress for animals that are slaughtered.
Tren Maya S.A. de C.V. paid a total of 9 million 106 thousand 290 pesos for the Susoma service, whose contract is valid from September 3, 2024, to December 31 of this year.
The total cost for each of the seven sections of the Fourth Transformation megaproject was 1,121,464 pesos.
The contract includes developing a habitat management program to reduce wildlife attractions such as pruning flora, relocating tree species, creating natural barriers, and building drinking fountains away from the Tren Maya.
“The service […] will consist of carrying out preventive and corrective actions to control the damage that could result from the interaction of the Maya Train with the fauna of its area of influence and could put the occupants of the train, the fauna and the infrastructure at risk.”
Regarding scaring actions, it is stipulated that all species must be treated with dignity, although they include removal from their natural habitat through sounds, pheromones, trained animals such as dogs and birds, and fireworks.
Systemic trapping for capture and relocation is also permitted, the placement of Tomahawk-type traps of different sizes; and the installation of drop and cross nets.
As well as using mist nets and tranquilizing darts for large specimens with aggressive behavior.
TYT Newsroom
