The Petén Rainforest

In the north, the landscape flattens out into rolling hills of tropical rainforests and swamps. Although the Petén takes up almost one third of Guatemala's landmass, only a very small percentage of the population actually live in this area. Because of this, the Petén is extraordinary rich in wildlife. In the national park of Tikal alone over 285 species of birds have been sighted. When we were visiting the park we saw brightly colored wild turkeys, toucans with their huge beaks, flocks of parakeets and many circling vultures. However, hiding among the thick tangle of vines and trees are the elusive quetzal. This impressive bird has been revered since the time of the ancient Maya and is the national bird of modern day Guatemala.

There are also many other tropical animals. During our visit we saw many families of spider monkeys swinging through the branches and heard the impressive calls of howler monkeys that saw through all the rest of the rainforest noises. Passing by one of the ancient Mayan water reserves, we saw two bumpy eyes of an alligator poking out of the water. Although we didn't see them, it was also exciting to know that jaguars were lurking somewhere in the depths of the forest.

Recently, this area of Guatemala has become an increasing popular tourist attraction because of its many archeological ruins. The Petén was the center of Mayan civilization and culture for more than 2,000. During this time they built extraordinary temples, palaces and cities out of stone. Around the year 900 AD, the Maya in this area seem to have suddenly disappeared. No one is quite sure why. With time, the rainforest crept back and slowly took the area over again, covering everything in vibrant green. It wasn't until almost a thousand years later that someone recognized the steep hills of trees as the remains of a Maya temple. Uncovering and restoring these Mayan ruins continues today.

For a long time modern day Guatemalans stayed away from the inhospitable rainforest in Petén. Unfortunately, this sense of isolation has been slowly fading. With the increasing population in Guatemala, many more people have ventured or been relocated into the rainforest with the promise of finally having their own piece of land and farm in peace. They have had to slash and burn back the rainforest to clear space for their crops. However, because the soil in rainforests is poor and unfertile after a few years they have to abandon this land and start over again somewhere else. This trend has done away with enormous tracts of jungle. Just as worrisome, though, is the new interest companies are showing in extracting the riches of the rainforest to sell abroad. Oil exploration and commercial logging of ancient rainforest hardwood in the Petén has cut new roads deep into the forest. In attempts to slow down the destruction of this invaluable ecosystem, over 40% of the area was declared part of the Maya Biosphere Reserve. Sadly, the Guatemalan government has done little to enforce its protected status, but there are community groups and NGO's (non-governmental organizations) that are working together to create small ecological parks throughout the area.