{"id":6355,"date":"2014-06-27T15:50:53","date_gmt":"2014-06-27T20:50:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/entreasures-of-campeche-part-iii-jungle-dreams-jungle-soundsestesoros-de-campeche-parte-iii-%e2%80%93-suen%cc%83os-de-selva-sonidos-de-selva"},"modified":"2020-01-21T01:53:32","modified_gmt":"2020-01-21T01:53:32","slug":"entreasures-of-campeche-part-iii-jungle-dreams-jungle-soundsestesoros-de-campeche-parte-iii-suenos-de-selva-sonidos-de-selva","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/treasures-of-campeche-part-iii-jungle-dreams-jungle-sounds\/","title":{"rendered":"Treasures of Campeche (Part III) – Jungle dreams, jungle sounds"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CALAKMUL_III_SUNSET\"<\/strong>There’s something wonderful <\/strong>about sleeping\u00a0in a tent: you can hear the sounds of nature all around you.<\/p>\n

Tucked into\u00a0our sleeping bags in almost total darkness, we listen as\u00a0an insect orchestra performs\u00a0a relaxing tune that soon carries us\u00a0into dreamland.<\/p>\n

We sleep peacefully well into the night. Then, without warning, we’re shaken\u00a0awake by\u00a0the\u00a0chilling growls of a large\u00a0creature<\/span>. Clic the arrow in the audio player below to hear what we heard:<\/p>\n\n

The first thought that comes to mind may very well be… A jaguar?!<\/em><\/p>\n

We’re in the home of Panthera onca<\/em>, the mighty jaguar, only roaring cat of the Americas. <\/em>A few hours earlier, on the way back from a day of bird photography in Calakmul, a jaguar crossed the road ahead of us. We watched in awe, electrified.<\/p>\n

Jaguars are not known to attack humans in<\/span>\u00a0the Yucatan Peninsula. It is\u00a0men who have killed jaguars during\u00a0centuries of hunting with the aid of spears,\u00a0dogs and guns<\/span>. Jaguars are the undisputed kings of this forest but have learned to dread homo sapiens<\/em>. Yet here, in consecrated jaguar territory, their conspicuous\u00a0<\/span>presence<\/span>\u00a0says something good about\u00a0conservation efforts in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Jaguars, being\u00a0the lone stealthy hunters they are, do not\u00a0broadcast their presence with constant growling. Jaguars\u00a0can climb trees, but they don’t travel through the treetops and by now I can hear leaves rustling somewhere up there on\u00a0the canopy.<\/p>\n

The howling that has awakened us, I realize, is the remarkable language of Howler Monkeys (Alouatta palliata mexicana<\/i>). Their bellowing calls, which can be heard from as far as three miles, were described by 19th century explorer John Lloyd Stephens as “grave and solemn, almost emotionally wounded, as if officiating as the guardians of consecrated ground<\/em>“.<\/p>\n

I grab my audio recorder and step into the moonless night. All I can see are hints of glimmering stars above the canopy. I take a few blind steps in the direction of the sounds and start recording as the monkeys continue their approach.<\/p>\n

Very soon they’re just meters away, knocking down fruits and branches on top of the camp’s kitchen. It’s too dark to see, but their presence is clearly felt. A few minutes of intense activity pass before\u00a0they resume their nocturnal exploration, leaving our camp behind in a wake of fading growls.<\/p>\n

Back in the tent, I can still hear the monkeys far in the distance. I realize this is\u00a0why Francisco Hernandez arranged for\u00a0us\u00a0to stay here. So we could\u00a0experience something like this.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"chiles\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The following morning<\/strong> Fernando Sastr\u00e9 makes\u00a0breakfast for our group in the kitchen of Camping Yaax’ che<\/strong>. Did you\u00a0hear the monkeys?<\/em>, he asks. People often mistake them for\u00a0a jaguar<\/em>, he says.<\/p>\n

Fernando and his wife Leticia are ecotourism pioneers\u00a0<\/span>in the Calakmul area. Their idea of setting up\u00a0an eco-camp was initially ill\u00a0received by the local community\u00a0<\/span>(this is not the traditional way to use the land<\/em>, some argued), but they persisted and in 2002, having received funding from a United Nations program, they were open\u00a0for\u00a0business.<\/p>\n

That first year they received\u00a0almost 900 guests, which boosted their disposition to continue with the project. Perceptions have changed since then, they tell me, and nowadays more and more local families are getting involved with ecotourism in one way or another.<\/p>\n

\"Making<\/a>

Making breakfast: Fernando Sastr\u00e9 on the left, Do\u00f1a Rosa on the right. (Photo \u00a9 Ivan Gabaldon).<\/p><\/div>\n

Here they use solar cells for electrical power, recycle all garbage\u00a0and manage human waste. Barely a tree has been cut in the property, Leticia says, and local fauna is free to come and go as\u00a0it\u00a0pleases. W<\/span>ater management poises the biggest\u00a0challenge, Fernando explains. Wells are not an option, as the aquifer is\u00a0far too deep in this part of the peninsula, so the camp depends entirely on harvesting water during the rainy season.<\/p>\n

Travelers are welcome to bring\u00a0their own camping equipment and to set\u00a0up their tents for a fee that includes the use of\u00a0camp-style bathroom facilities. Tents are also available for rent.\u00a0The camp is meant for nature observation and there are rules: all garbage must be separated,\u00a0water must be used judiciously,\u00a0<\/span>no music players, no shouting or drinking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

“Oxte tun” regional kitchen, in camp “Yaax’ che”. (Photo \u00a9 Ivan Gabaldon).<\/p><\/div>\n

An early arrival at the camp this morning\u00a0is Luis Alberto Jim\u00e9nez, our bird guide in\u00a0Calakmul.\u00a0Before we ask\u00a0Luis\u00a0about birds, we ask him about jaguars. “I’ve had fourteen jaguar sightings in the six years I’ve been working here”<\/em>, he’s proud to report.<\/p>\n

As for birding, Luis sees\u00a0the Calakmul\u00a0<\/span>archaeological site as the\u00a0perfect playground.\u00a0“It’s surrounded by forest, with long trails that lead to the different structures and are good for\u00a0bird observation”<\/em>, he says. “We can also stop on a couple of good places on the road to Calakmul.”<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Luis<\/a>

Luis looks for birds on the edge of the road. (Photo \u00a9 Ivan Gabaldon).<\/p><\/div>\n

We’ve been on the road for just a few\u00a0minutes when Luis calls out our first stop: he’s spotted a Pale-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus guatemalensis<\/em>). The bird lingers long\u00a0enough for me\u00a0to get out of the car and make a few frames, then retreats\u00a0deeper into the forest.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A perfect pose in good light by the side of the road: a Pale-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus guatemalensis). (Photo \u00a9 Ivan Gabaldon).<\/p><\/div>\n

We also spot a bird that Luis has mentioned among\u00a0his favorites: a male\u00a0Red-capped Manakin (Pipra mentalis<\/em>). The angle I get is far from ideal but it goes to show that,\u00a0just as\u00a0Howell and Webb state\u00a0in their famous field guide,\u00a0<\/span>this bird is simply “unmistakable<\/em>“.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A male Red-capped Manakin (Pipra mentalis). (Photo \u00a9 Ivan Gabaldon).<\/p><\/div>\n

Once back\u00a0on the road I feel\u00a0our\u00a0<\/span>day of bird photography is having an auspicious start<\/span><\/span>. To find out\u00a0how the rest of this\u00a0outing\u00a0went, leading up to an\u00a0encounter with Ocellated Turkeys, see\u00a0Part 1 of this trip report<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And come back soon for the final part\u00a0of this story. I’ll show\u00a0you what\u00a0we saw on the road from Calakmul to the city of Campeche.<\/p>\n

I.G.H.<\/p>\n

(…to be continued<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n

WAIT, STOP THE PRESS!<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

While\u00a0we were preparing\u00a0this story for publication\u00a0Calakmul has been\u00a0officially inscribed on UNESCO’s WORLD HERITAGE LIST\u00a0<\/strong>in recognition of its exceptional cultural and natural<\/strong> value.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Calakmul,<\/a>

Calakmul. (Photo \u00a9 Ivan Gabaldon).<\/p><\/div>\n

As stated in Mexico’s official press release<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

“During the 38th session of the World Heritage Committee, being held in Doha, Qatar from June 15-25, the Ancient Maya City and Protected Tropical Forests of Calakmul was inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)<\/strong> as a mixed property in recognition of its exceptional universal value.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The World Heritage Committee decided to inscribe Calakmul by consensus on the World Heritage List as excellent testimony to the Mayan civilization and its harmonious coexistence with its mega-diverse natural environment.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In 2002, UNESCO inscribed the Calakmul archeological zone as cultural heritage of humanity. In 2013, Mexico proposed extending the area of the cultural property<\/span> from 3,000 to 331,397 hectares<\/strong>, strengthening its cultural criteria and including natural criteria in order to create a mixed natural and cultural property under the name of the Ancient Maya City and Protected Tropical Forests of Calakmul, Campeche, Mexico.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Calakmul is set deep in the heart of one of the country’s biggest protected natural areas, the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, which is part of the largest tropical forest<\/span> of Mesoamerica.<\/strong> Located southeast of the state of Campeche, the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve became part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Program (MAB) in 1993.<\/span>“<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Great news for the continued\u00a0conservation of this unique part of Planet Earth. Congratulations, we say!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I.G.H.<\/p>\n

____________________________________<\/p>\n

RIDE INTO BIRDLAND sincerely thanks the Government of Campeche, the office of Governor Lic. Fernando Ortega Bern\u00e9s and the Campeche Secretary of Tourism for their invaluable support with the air and ground transportation that made this story possible. We also thank Don Francisco Hern\u00e1ndez,\u00a0 Ambassador ad-honorem for the State of Campeche, who invited us to discover the wonders of his homeland<\/em>.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

_________________<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information about Camping Yaax’ che and activities available in the area, visit redcalakmul.com<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The services of Luis Jim\u00e9nez Hern\u00e1ndez, an excellent guide who specializes in archaeology and birding, can be retained by contacting him to his cell phone at 983 135-1487, by email at luis8lewis@hotmail.com, or through his\u00a0FaceBook page<\/span><\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

_________________<\/p>\n

Bibliography:<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America<\/strong>. (2010, Steve Howell and Sophie Webb).<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America<\/strong>. (Sixth Edition)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Southern Mexico \u2013 Travellers\u2019 Wildlife Guides<\/strong>. (Les Beletsky, 2007).<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

I.G.H.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

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There’s something wonderful about sleeping\u00a0in a tent: you can hear the sounds of nature all around you. Tucked into\u00a0our sleeping bags in almost total darkness, we listen as\u00a0an insect orchestra performs\u00a0a relaxing tune that soon carries us\u00a0into dreamland. We sleep … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6629,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[27,30,37,38,128],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6355"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6355"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10364,"href":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6355\/revisions\/10364"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rideintobirdland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}