Protecting
the coral
- Make sure that
sewage from your boat, from others' boats, and from land is correctly
treated. The nutrients from sewage feed growing algae that can smother
and kill corals.
- Please take
only your memories and not anything dead or alive from the sea.
A touch, a step, or a kick with your fins will damage and may kill
the corals. Kicking sand with your fins near the corals may cover
them with sediment and they will suffocate.
- Please do
not buy, take from the sea or eat queen conch during mating season;
it is a species in danger of extinction.
- Take only pictures
and leave only bubbles! Keep your fins' gear, and hands away from
the coral, as this contact can hurt you and will damage the delicate
coral animals. Stay off the bottom because stirred-up sediment can
settle on coral and smother it.
Queen
Conch - El Caracol Rosado (Strombus gigas) and Lobster season
Many
people coming to the Mexican Caribbean look forward to fresh cooked
Lobster and Conch civeche. However, please do not buy from restaurants
and fisherman during the 6 months that they are restricted.
It is against the law to buy, capture, transport,
sell, eat or fish for Conch and Lobster during the months listed
below. The penalties are extreme - up to nine years in prison and
a substantial fine.
Conch
May 1 - October 31
Lobster March 1 - June 30
The
reasons for these are several. The Queen Conch is in danger of extinction
due to over fishing. During the mating season, the Conch come close
to the shore making capture very easy. When the density of conch is
low, there aren't enough to mate and lay their egg sacs. Similarly
the lobster mate and lay eggs during this season. The way that Lobster
are often harvested makes it hard not to kill the lobster before it
is caught. Once the Lobster is caught and it is identified as a female
full of eggs, it is often so wounded that it cannot be returned to
the wild. The best way to protect the species is to only buy during
the 8 months that lobster are allowed.
Why
are the Caribbean beaches white?
The beaches of the Caribbean originate from Parrotfish, who eat
coral and grind it in their guts. The chalky residue secreted is a
source of sand in the Caribbean.
Tips
for protecting Sea Turtles
NOTE: Turtle Season in the Yucatan is April
- November
- Use a red
lens over your flashlight. a White light may cause the female to
abort the nesting process, or other sea turtles nearby may be discouraged
from nesting if there are lights on the beach. Never shine a light
in the sea turtle's face.
- Do not take
pictures using flashes. This high-intensity light can be even more
disturbing than the flashlights.
- Stay clear
and out of sight of the turtle until she begins laying eggs, otherwise
you may scare her back into the sea.
- For your safety,
stay away from the turtle's head. Sea turtles, especially loggerheads,
have very strong jaws and can harm you if provoked.
- Do not handle
the eggs or put any foreign objects into the nest. You can introduce
bacteria or injure the eggs.
- Do not handle
or ride the sea turtle. In addition to being illegal, you may injure
the turtle or cause her to leave without finishing nesting.
- Do not disturb
tracks left by turtles. Researchers sometimes use the tracks to
identify the type of turtles that nested and to find and mark the
nests.
- Do enjoy the
experience and remember it for the rest of your life.
Importance
of mangroves to the ecosystem.
Mangroves
are thick groups of trees, which grow along the tropical coastal zones.
They represent an essential ecosystem in the close relationship between
terrestrial and marine life. Mayan Beach Garden borders a Mangrove
forest where a multitude of birds and wildlife live.
Which
kinds of mangroves are found in the Yucatan Peninsula?
Four species of mangroves live on the Peninsula: the red mangrove,
the black, the white and the "botoncillo". The red ones grow near
the coastal line; behind we find the black, next comes the white and
finally the "botoncillo".
Why
are the mangroves important?
Mangroves have several characteristics that make them an essential
part of the coastal ecosystem, for example: Mangroves thrive in a
mixture of salt and fresh water. Because they grow so close to one
another, their roots and branches become large nets that work as filters,
letting the water flow but stopping the harmful sediments, that damage
the reefs. Mangroves provide food and refuge to many terrestrial and
marine species. Some of the animals that spend part of their lives
living in the mangroves are: sea stars, sponge, anemones, sea urchins,
crabs, lobsters, iguanas, snakes, anteaters, lizards and many bird
species. Besides their essential role in the equilibrium of the terrestrial
and marine life, these ecosystems are very limited and in the extinction
process, they are so fragile that any minor alteration puts them in
great danger.
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