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The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.




Saturday, September 10, 2011

Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve

Honduras is home to the Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, a region of 5,250 sq. km. (about 1,300,000 acres),  and host to the highest level of tropical biodiversity in Central America, as well as the indigenous Pech and Miskito Indians and largely unexplored archaeological sites.  It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982, but unfortunately this "protected" land is being threatened by illegal activities such as logging and land clearing for cattle grazing, hunting and poaching endangered wildlife and fish, the use of dynamite in rivers for fishing, narcotrafficking, and the forcing of indigenous peoples off their lands.  Not only are these activities gradually and significantly harming the land and its species, but they are also contributing to the illnesses and displacement of its people whose main source of water is from the rivers contaminated with dynamite debris.  

This insightful, eye-opening and poignant 30 minute documentary takes an in-depth look at the RPBR, how the land and its peoples are being affected, and takes you on a journey to explore a beautiful region of the world where much has gone undocumented.  I urge you to take the time to watch and share the information with others to raise awareness in support of this conservation movement which I feel is extremely important.

Taken from the UNESCO website:

39 species of mammal, 377 species of bird and 126 reptiles and amphibians have been recorded. Threatened species include giant anteater, Baird's (Central American) tapir, jaguar, ocelot, puma, margay, jaguarondi, Central American otter, Caribbean manatee, American crocodile, brown caiman, red brocket deer, harpy eagle, scarlet macaw, green macaw, military macaw, king vulture, great curassow and crested guan. Reptiles include green turtle, loggerhead turtle and leatherback turtle.
The site of Ciudad Blanca (White City) within the protected area constitutes one of the most important archaeological sites of Mayan civilization. Archaeological remains include the Piedras Pintadas petroglyphs on the bed of the Plátano River, believed to belong to an unknown pre-Columbian culture. The reserve also contains the site where Christopher Colombus first landed in the Americas in 1492. There are some 200 sites of archaeological importance.