Merida Yucatan. – Specialists from the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (Conanp) have observed a variation in the behavior of the pink flamingo in terms of temporality and permanence in nesting areas, a threat attributable to a changing climate and destruction of habitat that affects this species.
The institution released a report on the beginning of the reproductive cycle of the pink flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) in the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, in the northeastern part of Yucatán, in the municipalities of San Felipe, Rio Lagartos, and Tizimín.
The federal agency responsible for wildlife in protected areas estimated that, in a preliminary way, some 15 thousand nests and a general population of adult flamingos are located in the area of the Biosphere Reserve, of 30 thousand specimens that inhabit the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.
In recent years, the beginning of the flamenco breeding season has been monitored and that has allowed us to obtain observations on its changes in habits and reproductive times.
The observations of the specialists indicate that they observed the beginning of the reproductive cycle of the flamingo, observing a group of about a thousand individuals in Punta Manolo, east of El Cuyo, Tizimín; As the days went by, it increased to 7 thousand specimens, with courtship activities, copulations and nest building practices, anticipating the natural times of their reproductive cycle.
These changes in the behavior and modifications of the life of this species are due to the destruction of habitat, weather conditions and tides, flocks of flamingos traveled to different important points where previous years they had reproduced
In March, flocks of flamingos that had previously been moving between their former breeding sites, settled in the “Angostura” observing around 4 thousand individuals, to carry out the construction of nests, incubation, and copulations. As of April, the flamingo colony was increasing.
These changes were observed in areas with a higher concentration of individuals, being located in points with greater flora and fauna diversity in the estuaries where they were not visited so frequently, nor did they accumulate such large colonies of this species.
During this period, significant work has been carried out on the conservation of the species, ranging from the restoration of nesting areas, rehabilitation and de-silting of springs (springs), marking of juvenile specimens, and constant monitoring of their movements.
The institution has registered the birth of 143 thousand 741 flamingo chicks, of this population born, in the same period indicated above, 6 thousand 845 chicks of this species have been ringed from 1999 to 2020.
The National Commission for Protected Natural Areas currently manages 182 natural areas divided into 9 Regional Directions. The Yucatan Peninsula and Mexican Caribbean Region are made up of 25 Natural Protected Areas recognized worldwide for their high environmental value, which totals 8 million 562 thousand 758 hectares where there are about 14 thousand species of birds, fish, reptiles, mammals and species. marine.
Souce: gob.mx/conanp/
