On the other hand, a hematophagous species ( Desmodus rotundus) has also been recorded, which appears in the list of species of the Master Plan of La Reserva de la Biósfera Maya 2001-2006. We can also find piscivorous species, which feed on fish and remain in the same way in the upper part to go to nearby bodies of water. Those that come out of the upper part are the frugivores, who feed on fruits and need to be closer to the treetops. Depending on their diet they can be classified into different categories, the most common that we can find on El Peñón are insectivores, they feed on insects, for that reason they are found in the cracks of the lower part. We also document various species of flora and intermittent water bodies called “aguadas”.Įl Peñon de los Murciélagos, Biotopo Protegido San Miguel La Palotada El Zotzĭrone photos by Haniel López (2022) What kind of bats can we find in El Peñón?ģ9 species have been recorded according to previous research carried out in the biotope. During our visit we were able to observe and document the spectacle for 2 days in a row.
Their departure may vary due to the change of the seasons, but they leave regularly between 6:00pm – 6:15pm and return at 4:00am – 4:30am in groups. Within the Mayan worldview it was believed that bats came from the underworld.Įvery evening, thousands of bats come out of the cracks and fissures of the rock in search of food and water, causing an incredible phenomenon that lasts approximately 30 seconds. Later in the classical period, they settled in El Zotz, and during the wars, they climbed to the top to defend themselves.Īnother interesting fact is that in the archaeological sites of El Zotz vessels and glyphs with pictographs of bats have been found, the reason why the site is called in the same way ( zotz = bat in the Mayan language).
For example, El Palmar is the oldest place from the pre-classic period, it is the first Mayan settlement. This was the trade route to Tikal (at a distance of 30 km to the west) and therefore small groups of ancient occupations can be found in the area. Archaeological investigations indicate that the lower areas were used for cultivation and the upper areas for defense. According to data from the tour guides of the Biotope: this mountain range was a Mayan defense zone and more research is currently being done on how this defense worked. Our main goal during the visit was to document the bats in the area, they are found in “El Peñón de Los Murciélagos” a limestone formation, part of a natural escarpment that limits the Buenavista Valley. El Zotz, a reserve of biological and cultural value Starting from Flores, your drive to the municipality of San Andrés, until arriving at the village “Cruce Dos Aguadas”, from there continue to the right for approximately 23 km. The Biotope is located in the municipality of San José, Petén, 584 km from Guatemala City and 65 km from Flores Petén. In February of this year, we had the opportunity to visit the Biotopo Protegido San Miguel La Palotada El Zotz as part of our ongoing Biodiversity Documentation project in La Reserva de la Biósfera Maya.
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