Rio Lagartos Mayan port , the name in the Mayan language of this town was Hol-koben (Hol means the entrance and Koben means the kitchen or cuisine of the Mayan world of the coast).
PEOPLE LIVING & WORKING in RÍA LAGARTOS BIOSPHERE RESERVE
WHO OWNS WHAT IN THE RESERVE :
WHAT IS AN EJIDO?
More than 44% of land within the reserve belongs to ejidos. This is important, since ejidos can sell their land to private individuals. In our area that usually means ranchers. An ejido is an area of communal land used for agriculture, on which community members individually possess and farm a specific parcel. Learn more on the Wikipedia Ejido Page Rio Lagartos wikipedia
Within the reserve there are five kinds of land ownership:
- private property
- ejido land (long established ejidos)
- NCPE (Nuevos Centros de Población Ejidal, new ejidos)
- national territory
- ZOFEMAT (Zona Federal Marítimo Terrestre)
The fact that over 44% of the land belongs to ejidos is not as dangerous to the Biosphere’s integrity as it might seem, since all owners, including the ejidos and private individuals who might buy ejido land, are subject to zoning ordinances. However, much depends on close monitoring of activity within the 149,057 acres (60,347 ha) Reserve, and the interpretation and enforcement of zoning regulations.
WHO DOES WHAT?:
FLEXIBLE REGULATIONS
Here’s an example of how things work: Sein-net fishing, throw-net fishing and the use of explosives are thought of as prohibited within the Reserve’s waters. These activities not only indiscriminately remove fish, but also destroy sea-grass vegetation, which serves as food and shelter for many fish species, including important commercial ones in the estuary and in the Gulf of Mexico. However, sometimes the Director gives special permission for net fishing at certain times, using nets with openings that catch only large fish, and only in certain places. But some fishermen fudge a bit, use smaller net openings, in forbidden places, and at forbidden times. At this writing, every day you see net fishing up and down the estuary. Sometimes special permission has been granted for beachfront land across the estuary from Río Lagartos to be subdivided and sold to others, so already the structures shown below across the estuary from Río Lagartos are to be seen.
RANCHERS: Because of historic vagueness of boundaries, instances of invasiones, or “invasions,” have occurred, when ranchers claimed land considered to belong within the Biosphere Reserve.
FISHERMEN: Fishing is regulated within the reserve. Especially when it’s too windy to fish or fishing season is over, many fishermen offer themselves as guides on flamingo-viewing tours, in competition with licensed, trained guides.
GUIDES: When fishing season opens and there’s not enough inspectors to control who fishes, many guides go fishing, competing with fishermen who depend only on fishing for their livelihood.
THE SALTWORKS AT LAS COLORADAS: Building and maintaining the saltworks historically — since the time of the ancient Maya — has resulted in enormous destruction of habitat. Salt production provides important income in the region and the salt is needed. An agreement exists to not expand the current operation.
ECO-TOURS IN RÍA LAGARTOS BIOSPHERE RESERVE
FLAMINGO TOURS: The most popular tours are boatrides up the estuary to view flamingos. Several licensed guides with special training are available, plus numerous fishermen on a freelance basis conduct tours. Some do a good job and others don’t. Especially there’s the problem of certain guides getting so close to the flamingos, or actually boating in among them, that they upset the birds and cause them to fly. This is hard on the birds but such excitement may produce for the “guide” a bigger tip from some people.
BIRDING TOURS: Diego Nuñez deals with most serious birders wanting to be ferried around the area. At the right a group is birding from the back of Diego’s famous Flamingomobile, along a little backroad following the boundary between savanna/ranchland and marsh/mangrove ecosystems. Species diversity along this route is amazing. Diego offers several inland tours, as well as boat tours in the estuary and through the maze of mangrove islands around the estuary. Some birders just want to see a variety of birds at a leisurely pace, while others come with lists of rare and endemic species they want to see, and during their tour search only for those species. Endemic birds seen in this area include the Yucatan Wren, Mexican Sheartail hummingbird, Yucatan Bobwhite, Orange Oriole and Zenaida Dove. Species seldom seen elsewhere in Mexico include the Kelp Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull. In some years King Vultures are seen and Jabirus have been spotted. Diego’s tours are described online.
FISHING TOURS: Flyfishing for Tarpon inside the estuary, on a catch-and-release basis, is becoming popular. It’s easy to make contact with guides providing boating service to go into deeper waters in the Gulf of Mexico north of town, beyond the Reserve, as well.
CROCODILE BOAT TRIPS: These tours leave at the middle of the day and spot crocodiles can be approached close up and amazing photography usually is possible.
A DAY AT THE BEACH: The Gulf of Mexico’s sandy beaches are accessible by boat from both Río Lagartos and San Felipe. For a small fee you will be conducted to the beach and the boatman will return to get you at the hour you specify.
PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS:
Ojo de agua ” Chiquila”
The large, thatch-roofed structure at the right, next to the observation tower, is a restaurant with several tables, offering refreshments and snacks. The smaller, thatch-roofed structures are good for picnics. Among the shorter trees in the picture’s center and at the left there is a freshwater spring where swimming is possible. The boat tied up at the pier is ready to take visitors to see flamingos. Camping can be done in tents or RVs. Across the parking lot behind the buildings and to the left, a one-lane road into the mangroves goes for maybe 100 meters to a small chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guatelupe, who some believe revealed herself to a local man searching for firewood there. Also across the parking lot but to the right, an elevated walkway takes you over water into the mangroves to a small, picturesque freshwater spring called Petén Mac, where one can sit peacefully and look at interesting plants, birds and critters in the water. That’s Petén Mac below: