Yucatan RAVE blog
Las Coloradas, Mexico
by Claudio Contreras, iLCP Emerging League, Mexico September 1, 2009
The flamingo banding day was a spectacular event. Four o'clock in the morning found me excited on my way towards the flamingo colony. There a group of experts totally in the dark herded more than 500 flamingo chicks towards a previously constructed corral. Every movement had to be carefully done to avoid the stressed birds to panick and hurt themselves. Once the chicks were captive they were handed over to a member of one of the seven groups who measured and weighted each individual as well as attached two rings to the chicks feet. Each member of the team, be it a young kid or senior persons had to transport the chick through this process till it was banded taking the chick to the edge of the lagoon for release. This event, now in its tenth year, while helping support the important work of the NGO Niños y Crias, allows persons to have an intimate and unforgettable experience with wild animals.
Mission #2:
The second mission is now also finished. Claudio Contreras was able to successfully document the flamingo banding in Ría Lagartos. The partner NGO was Niños y Crías. This marks the successful return of flamingos to nest in the Yucatan. Last year flamingos in Yucatan did not nest, because of the dry climate conditions, but during this season flamingos are nesting again in the Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve in a salt pond located within the Salt Industry of Yucatan known as ¨ La Esperanza ¨.
This is the first time in the history of the flamingo conservation program in Yucatan that a large colony nests in a salt pond. In 2007, 80 pairs reproduced successfully in this area. Currently, an 8,000 pair colony is settled along a sandbar which stretches into a dyke, approximately 2m high over the water mirror of the pond. Claudio should be able to show us some images soon.
- Cristina Mittermeier, iLCP Executive Director
Images from the Yucatan RAVE will be highlighted at
WILD9 November 6-13, 2009
This is the first time in the history of the flamingo conservation program in Yucatan that a large colony nests in a salt pond. In 2007, 80 pairs reproduced successfully in this area. Currently, an 8,000 pair colony is settled along a sandbar which stretches into a dyke, approximately 2m high over the water mirror of the pond. Claudio should be able to show us some images soon.
- Cristina Mittermeier, iLCP Executive Director
Images from the Yucatan RAVE will be highlighted at
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