Weekly · Year 01 · Number 28 · 10,000 copies · 16 Pages
RY Y EVEESDA N D WE
April 9-15 April, 2014
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LOCAL NEWS
Fishing Tournament
The Chuk Kay Fishing Tournament in Tulum, April 11-13, is considered the Grand Slam of Quintana Roo
SUCCESSFUL RETURN OF THE
BY GEMA GARCÍA
A
WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL BIRD
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pair of rare Quetzal birds, called K´uk or Kukuul by Mayans and Quetzaltototl by the Aztecs, have become part of an ambitious local breeding program. Listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as a Near Threatened species, these vibrantly colored birds, which are considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world, remain only the high cloud forest of the Southern state of Chiapas. Over the last 25 years, conservation efforts have seen the number of these striking birds rise threefold, however, they still remain a threatened species. In the United States, the birds can presently be seen only atthe Dallas Zoo. In Mexico,
the birds can be viewed at the Miguel Álvarez del Toro Zoo (Zoomat), at Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas. Zoomat was founded in 1942 and has worked toward conserving the Chiapan fauna and for several years, has managed a successful breeding program of the Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocino mocino). The Quetzal can be found from the south of Mexico to the west of Panama, encompassing Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. It inhabits only rainforests between altitudes of
3,280 and 9,842 feet above sea level. The bird has been declared an endangered species in Mexico due to the severe deterioration of its habitat and illegal hunting for its plumage, however, it can be seen in its natural habitat at “El Triunfo” Natural Biosphere located in the Sierra Madre mountain range in Chiapas. The Quetzal has been a symbol of nature and mesoamerican culture since ancient times. The Maya considered the Quetzal a sacred animal, a symbol of life, fertility and abundance. Its vibrantly green feathers were once used as currency as well as an embellishment for the costumes of Mayan priests or royalty. Kill-
ing or injuring a sacred Quetzal was an action considered worthy of the death penalty. During the bird’s reproductive season, it displays long tail feathers, which can reach over 3 feet in length. At the end of its reproductive season, the bird molts 75 percent of its feathers including its highly characteristic tail. The new Quetzal habitat at Xcaret is part of an agreement between Experiencias Xcaret and the Ministry of the Environment and Natural History of the Chiapas State Government and aims to preserve and support the breeding of the species. The program will be managed by Rodolfo Raigosa, Xcaret’s wild fauna manager.
You can see the Quetzal Did you in the wild in the know that…? El Triunfo Biosphere, Chiapas
Restaurant Review
This week we visited Zenzi Beach Club and Bar and sampled the varied menu of this popular spot on the beach
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ENTERTAINMENT
Comedy Festival
Dan Schissel, the man behind Stand up! Records and founder of the Akumal Comedy Festival speaks to TPT
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