In the midst of a world convulsed by wars and bad news, there are also good actions. Like the care of nature and the protection of natural areas, which is what the earth, and humanity, need. Thus, Mexico declared the Wanha Biosphere Reserve Protected Natural Area No. 201. An area of 38,255 hectares to protect its ecosystem in the Los Ríos region, in Tabasco.
Wanha Biosphere Reserve
The region is located in the municipalities of Balancán and Tenosique. It includes a mangrove that is unique in the world, as well as waterfalls, lagoons, rivers, and wetlands that are a refuge for a large amount of wildlife.
The region is located in section 1 of the Mayan Train. The objective of the decree creating the Wanha Biosphere Reserve is to preserve and safeguard the biodiversity of the place as the heritage of Mexico and humanity.
The name Wanha means “quail river” and is made up of two Mayan words. “Wan”, which in Mayan means quail and “ha” which translates as river. The place has a self-sustaining ecosystem, since it provides water filtration and purification by itself, regulates its own temperature and protects itself against erosion. For this reason it is a natural refuge for many species of wild fauna and flora.
The area is the habitat of numerous species
As a protected area, the reserve acquires a series of measures for its protection, both economic and cultural. It is also a good source for teaching responsible tourism, environmental education and opens many opportunities for scientific research.
Within the reserve, the presence of the red mangrove and the buttonwood stands out. These are located about 120 kilometers from the coast, on the San Pedro River. It is the most inland mangrove in the world.
It is believed that the mangrove arrived there from the Gulf of Mexico about 125 thousand years ago. This mangrove is very important for science, and that is why the Community requested that it be declared a protected area in the midst of the Ramsar agreement. This international agreement protects wetland areas around the world.
The reserve also contains ecosystems such as tall evergreen forests, hydrophilic vegetation and is the habitat of 892 species of fauna and flora. It is home to many species of waterfowl. It includes “The Sanctuary of the Herons” and the “Ensenada Grande Lagoon”.
You can also find birds such as the parakeet, the snail hawk or the toucan. Additionally, there are amphibians such as the leopard frog or the Mexican salamander and mammals such as the white-tailed deer, the saraguato monkey, the cotton rat, the spider monkey, and the anteater, among others. The reserve is also a source for the economy through fishing for black bass and white bass. An invaluable corner of the Earth, ideal to admire its landscape.
