Nature Study in Mexico is an unforgettable adventure
Having spent many vacations in Cancun, Mexico, I decided take the plunge and move to study the beautiful nature that I admired in my previous trips. Having lived many years in comfort and the safety of American suburbia, it was time for adventure. After learning Spanish, I went to the Yucatan and rented a house in the suburbs of Playa del Carmen and myself hired a maid. Then with the help of hired guides and friends, I have visited many remote places in the jungles of Mexico. It was an unforgettable experience to see a variety of animals in their habitat natural.
The booming city of Playa del Carmen is an hour south of Cancun, and easily accessible by public buses. Both cities are on the Caribbean Sea, where coral reefs abound along the coast. The sheer beauty of white limestone sand, and richly colored, the turquoise ocean me attracted there. Being an artist of nature, I was fascinated by plants and animals of the region. Armed with my camera, paper drawing pencils and I had to work on drawing and photography of insects, birds, plants and anything else exotic. Soon my work I landed a job as an illustrator principal of a large nature park called Xcaret.
Whenever I had a drawing to deliver to my employer, I used the bus to Xcaret, and then down a long path back into the jungle near the park office. These walks fascinated me, because of the track was just off their pens and a zoo aviary. Flamingos, spider monkeys and harpy eagle were animals, I could see the best Track. Once I made the mistake of giving one of the monkeys a cookie, only to see the monkeys run after him to fly, trying to beat it! I quickly pulled the cookies a couple more and gave the rest to them, to prevent monkeys original injury. They are all sitting there munching quietly as I slipped off, no one lives in hope.
In Mexico, you will see iguanas in the wild frequently. As I walked down the path of nature on my way to work, there was rustling in the tall tree next to me. I raised my eyes to see a big, 6 foot male green iguana with a fringe of bright orange on the back, in the canopy of trees. He looked down at me. I remember people telling me that iguanas are eating well, taste like chicken, and they are called "chicken of the tree." I never knew if it was true or not, but then I was not about to go eat iguanas. No, I'm not so adventurous in my choice of restaurants. Black iguanas usually seen sitting by a pile rocks. Everywhere there were rocks were male iguanas sunning themselves. Interesting creatures. In Chankanaab Park (on the island of Cozumel) there is a huge iguana that walks around the public areas, forgetting humans who pass it. It will bite if petted, the park employee said. So I took pictures of it and kept my distance.
Another lizard that was interesting and plentiful, was Basiliscus Basiliscus basil. There are several varieties of basil is in Mexico. It can run on water if it becomes pretty scared, and I've seen from fright unintentionally. Later I found another smaller and called for my work, they have intense eyes, looking very serious. When I finished the drawing, ran vertically in the jungle, glad to be free of big, scary man with whom he had spent a few hours.
The jungles of Mexico are fascinating, but I do not recommend walking your way into one. Firstly, the foliage is very dense. Second, there are bugs there that can hurt you if provoked, namely, scorpions, snakes and spiders. Look but do not touch. I saw all these areas, and paid people to remove them from my house. Scorpions come after you if they are agitated. Return quickly, wherever they may not follow. The lighter color, they said, are more dangerous than black. There are tarantulas in Mexico, and they're big, but not aggressive, thank you goodness. I had a tarantula Red-kneed removed from the front of my door once. My good habit of throwing other spiders, it is inside, and laugh when I'm scared them. "What is it? Is innocent!" She said. Yuck. I took his word.
As for snakes, there are some that are a sufficient reason not to walk alone in the jungle. First, there are enormous boas. My ex-husband was called by the ladies next door to remove a 6-foot boa in their rental apartment. They said that everything slipped into the back door open. Lesson learned, never leave a door open to your home if you live near the jungle. Then there is a purple serpent called the inhabitants Coralio. I do not know its scientific name, but she was beautiful but deadly. A man who lived near me had a whole apartment full of snakes, and I showed them more closely. Snakes are interesting, but better watch your step, since I left and I almost stepped on one during an evening stroll. There are other snakes to be monitored, but this is the kind that we saw. All snakes to mind their own business if not caused, it seems, evil seems to be when humans are not giving attention and step on one by mistake. So it is better to watch where you walk.
Then there was the amazing birds. A variety of colors beautiful shapes and sizes, birds in Mexico are exotic and fascinating. My favorites are the Toco Toucan, Motmot, currasows, Yucatan jay, cuckoo color cinnamon pileated woodpecker and purple trogon (a relative of the resplendent quetzal). They had the knack to show each time I did not have my camera with me. I draw and take notes on what I saw, and then compare them later. There was a bird that was as colorful as he called the premises, "Siete colores" (seven colors). After looking up, I identified as a painted bunting. Another bird locals call "pecho amarillo" (Yellow chest), otherwise known as Kiskadee great, used to sit outside my window and yelling "Eeee, Eeee!" force of his lungs. We used to remind him, and he answered me. Very strange bird.
In Playa del Carmen, there is an outdoor aviary, built in the jungle, in the Playacar section. I went there and went around to see the different birds that are usually hidden by jungle. A bird took a liking to me, a person who currasow followed me everywhere. She was my guide to birds, and posed for photos freely. I finally chachalaca to see a close, a parent at a turkey, who is shy, strong (its call sounds like a rusty meat grinder), and group travel. In addition, there were Scarlet Ibis, more flamingos, egrets, and more. The aviary is a must if you visit Playacar.
Another interesting natural area in the Yucatan were all the bugs. Insects of all kinds in large quantities. I could have done without the mosquitoes, though, thank you God for insect repellent. My favorites are the butterflies. Sometimes when you drive on roads at a distance, we came across undulating masses of different butterfiles yellow, white or black. butterflies Monarchs also migrate in large groups to Mexico, I saw them once, too. The butterfly more beautiful than I found by chance in nature, In my opinion, was the Morpho butterfly. It has a large iridescent blue wings, was not as common as other butterflies, and preferred the Privacy unpopulated areas such as fields and jungles. There was another butterfly which was tall, dark and with its wings closed, was the size of a broad base. It was called an owl butterfly, and flew slow. I'm really close to him and he seemed to not be afraid. He had designs on its wings, which were as numbers. Fascinating.
Beetles. Ahh, beetles .. not very graceful, and apparently not quite clear, but engaging with their antics less graceful. There were gold beetles that used to fly in my window while I was working, frequently. They are generally landed on their backs, legs waving helplessly in the air. Finally, the situation would be based on turning me into the right-side up, then some fly, others somehow find themselves on the back again. It was weird, but I had the opportunity to attract these insects metallically color, which looked as if they were gilded in gold brushed.
Grasshoppers and locusts are abundant in the jungle Yucatan. There are so many varieties of grasshoppers, I lost count. As for the locusts. their bodies are gigantic, the size of a sparrow. I caught one for the draw, then when I let go of my balcony, he flew in the right way. His big green body was visible for a very long time, as soaring into the sunset, it was surreal.
Sea creatures and fish are abundant in the Caribbean Sea. Although reefs are endangered and are showing signs of damage, they are always beautiful. Every day I dive in the area of low traffic near home. It was serene to get to the beach early in the morning, pick up some shells that washed up on shore, then to my place on the beach. I snorkel up what my body has cooled every day. There were not many large predators in the areas I swam in, because of the breakwater that line the coast, separating the shores of the sea water and deeper. Every once in a while, a barracuda that will find its place in the area of the reef my, what big teeth they have. There, you can see dolphins playing in the waves made by large yachts or ferries. Dolphins are creatures very Social and seem afraid of humans. Some of the most memorable fish and smaller creatures I saw were brittle starfish (they live under the rocks and out of your hand quickly if you try to hold one), octopus, conch, sea turtles, moray eels, blue tongues and of course the ladies feisty. Although I did not have my diving license, I went on some tour professional underwater where the water was so shallow dive Snorkeling was possible. Tours are great for finding beautiful coral gardens that are not visible to everyone. The prettiest I have seen were near the town of Puerto Morelos.
Other places I like to explore are the Cenotes Azul, and Dos Ojos. Cenotes are water bodies natural brackish water that the Mayan Indians used to build their villages around. Now they are sitting in the jungle and tourists from entering to go cave diving. Under the Yucatan is a complex network of caves that attract cave-divers from around the world. Not me, I just prefer to swim in the crystalline waters of the mouth of the cenotes, and observing the fish I saw. One of the cenotes were fish I had seen in animal return to the United States, there are of course swimming. Jack Dempsey fish and mollies SailFin green, with a kind of fish livebearer I did not recognize. They were very colorful, and Dempsey, who is fighting cichlids like to take on each other, have ragged fins. However, all fish were in very good health. How wonderful it is to swim among them in their natural habitat. The nature around cenotes is interesting, too. I saw a basilisk run across water, when I swam too close to him, and a duck diving for fish and stay underwater for an extended period. Nature abounds in and around of cenotes.
The nature of Mexico is abundant and beautiful in all its forms. The warm tropical climate and highlights the flora and fauna unlike anything I ever seen in my home state of Ohio, or even in my current state of Florida. Living among the lush jungles, jungle frogs sing for hearing and spending the night with my wonderful co-workers in Mexico, guides and friends has changed my life. By being respectful of nature (see, do not touch) and watch where you walk, you can see clouds of butterflies, brightly colored birds and animals like coatimundis, agoutis and other normally seen in zoos. My employer promoted the preservation of the fauna of Mexico, and I had the honor of all things art is natural for them. I'm bored walking on the jungle path to their office a week and see the zoo animals, and wild trees. If you love nature, be sure to visit Mexico and go on visits to see the beauty of nature, but with professionals who know where to take you. This will be an experience you will enjoy and remember not always.
About the Author
Carolyn McFann is a scientific and nature illustrator, who owns Two Purring Cats Design Studio. Educated at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Carolyn is a seasoned, well-traveled artist and photographer. She has lived and worked in Cancun, Mexico for two years, among other interesting professional assignments in other countries. Clients include nature parks, museums, scientists, corporations and private owners. Her focus is on realistic, natural artwork and illustration through her agent and her website, http://www.cafepress.com/twopurringcats She has been the subject of tv interviews, articles for newspapers and other popular media venues.
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