Wildlife Refuges

Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge [1] encompasses a remote peninsula on Guatemala’s Caribbean Coast and is unique for its combination of aquatic, coastal, and terrestrial habitats. The coastline is sparsely populated and includes some very attractive white-sand beaches. Logging, wildlife poaching, and the activities of drug traffickers pose the greatest threats to the park. A small biological station at the peninsula’s northwestern tip houses visitors and scientists.

Petexbatún Wildlife Refuge [2] is a wetland and tropical forest park in southern Petén encompassing a variety of lakes abounding in flora, fauna, and Mayan sites. It is one of the few areas in southern Petén where dense forests are still found. The archaeological sites of Ceibal, Aguateca, Dos Pilas, and Tamarindito are also in this area.

The Río Polochic delta, protected as Bocas del Polochic Wildlife Refuge [3], harbors important Lake Izabal wetlands and offers some of Guatemala’s finest bird-watching. The park’s wetlands and freshwater rivers and lagoons are crucial to the lake’s ecological balance and water quality. The ecosystem is also vital to many migratory bird species and provides refuge to a variety of animals, including crocodiles, howler monkeys, and manatees. Together with the adjacent Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, it accounts for about 80 percent of Guatemala’s biodiversity.