Ecology and Conservation in Guatemala

José Monzón Sierra

Guatemala Culture Geography Maps

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Guatemala is a gifted country in respect to wildlife diversity, mainly because of having many different ecosystems and being the bridge between north and south America. The abundance of volcanoes, mountains and climates are some of the reasons for Guatemala having 14 different life zones! Very few groups of animals and plants are well studied, but we know there are at least 445 species of trees, 668 birds, 213 mammals, 209 reptiles and 105 anphibians.

CONSERVATION IN GUATEMALA
Protected areas in Guatemala are managed by the government through the National Council for Protected Areas (CONAP) under the Guatemalan System of Protected Areas (SIGAP). The SIGAP includes a total of 152 protected areas including eleven different types of reserves:

1- National Park (see list below)
2- Protected Biotope (see list below)
3- Wildlife Refuge
4- Definit Prohibition Zone
5- Cultural Monument
6- Biosphere Reserve (see list below)
7- Natural Private Reserve
8- Multiple Use Area
9- Forestal Reserve
10- Regional Park
11- Biological Reserve

For more information about protected areas visit CONAP


Todos Santos Cuchumatán conservation area, Huehuetenango, Guatemala

GUATEMALAN NATIONAL PARKS
#
Name
 Department Total Size (Hectares)
1 Parque Nacional Tikal
Petén
55,005
2 Parque Nacional Sierra del Lacandón
Petén
202,865
3 Parque Nacional Laguna del Tigre-Río Escondido
Petén
45,168
4 Parque Nacional Mirador-Río Azul
Petén
116,911
5 Parque Nacional Yaxhá-Nakum-Naranjo
Petén
37,160
6 Parque Nacional El Baúl
Quetzaltenango
240
7 Parque Nacional El Reformador
El Progreso
60
8 Parque Nacional Grutas de Lanquín
Alta Verapáz
11
9 Parque Nacional Laguna El Pino
Santa Rosa
5,873
10 Parque Nacional Los Aposentos
Chimaltenango
15
11 Parque Nacional Naciones Unidas
Guatemala
491
12 Parque Nacional Río Dulce
Izabal
13,000
13 Parque Nacional Riscos de Momostenango
Totonicapán
240
14 Parque Nacional Cerro Miramundo
Zacapa
902
15 Parque Nacional Volcán Pacaya
Escuintla y Guatemala
2,000
16 Parque Nacional Sipacate-Naranjo
Escuintla
2,000
17 Parque Nacional Cuevas del Silvino
Izabal
8
18 Parque Nacional San José La Colonia
Alta Verapáz
54
19 Parque Nacional El Rosario
Petén
1,105
20 Parque Nacional Las Victorias
Alta Verapáz
82
21 Parque Nacional Laguna Lachuá
Alta Verapáz
14,500
TOTAL HECTARES OF NATIONAL PARKS IN GUATEMALA
497,690

GUATEMALAN BIOTOPES
#
Name
 Department Total Size (Hectares)
1 Biotopo Protegido Cerro Cahuí
Petén
650
2 Biotopo Protegido Laguna del Tigre-Río Escondido
Petén
45,168
3 Biotopo Protegido San Miguel La Palotada-El Zotz
Petén
34,934
4 Biotopo Protegido Naachtun-Dos Lagunas
Petén
30,719
5 Biotopo Protegido Mario Dary
Baja Verapáz
1,022
6 Biotopo Protegido Mario Dary
Izabal
6,265
TOTAL HECTARES OF BIOTOPES IN GUATEMALA
118,758

GUATEMALAN BIOSPHERE RESERVES
#
Name
 Department Total Size (Hectares)
1 Reserva de Biósfera Maya
Petén
2,160,204*
2 Reserva
34,934
3 Reserva de Biósfera Montañas Mayas Chiquibul
Petén
123,599
4 Reserva de Biósfera La Fraternidad
Chiquimula
8,000
5 Reserva de la Biósfera Visis Cabá
Quiché
45,000
6 Reserva de Biosfera Sierra de Las Minas
Alta Verapáz, Baja Verapáz, El Progreso, Zacapa e Izabal
240,803
TOTAL HECTARES OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES IN GUATEMALA
2,612,540

* The Reserva de Biosfera Maya is composed of many of National Parks, Biotopes and other conservation categories.


Lachuá lagoon in Lachuá National Park in Alta Verapáz, Guatemala

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