Guatemala
Biodiversity
Guatemala is a privileged country, with a great diversity of natural habitats. One of the biggest advantages of Guatemala is that in a single day you can travel from the beach to the mountains, going through totally different natural landscapes. In Guatemala you can find black sand beaches on the Pacific coast, white sand beaches on the Caribbean, volcanic chains and summits of more than 2700 meters, active volcanoes, caves, cenotes, lagoons, rivers, large waterfalls, spiny and dry forests with very low levels of precipitation, cloudy forests and tropical forests with trees over 36-42 meters high.
Birdwatching
Guatemala, the heart of the Mayan world, is also a meeting point for many birds, both resident and migratory. Birdwatching, generated by passion for birds, is an activity that moves millions of people around the world.
More information: http://turismo-responsable.com/en-s64
National Parks
Guatemala has several protected areas intended for the preservation of endangered plants and animals. The Monterrico Nature Reserve serves as a refuge for nesting sea turtles. The natural environment of Monterrico, located on the Pacific coast southeast of the country, has a pleasant combination of sandy coasts, swamps, estuaries, mangroves and reeds. 15% of Guatemala´s territory is constituted of national parks, national monuments, and wildlife and biosphere sanctuaries. In addition, with more than 19 different ecosystems (beaches, mangroves, wetlands, alluvial plains, thorny forests, deserts, savannas, lowland rainforests, cloudy and cold forests, pine woodlands / holm oak woodlands - just to name a few), it is possible to see an impressive variety of flora and fauna.
More information about observing wild animals: http://turismo-responsable.com/en-s40-avistamientos
Working animals
Guatemala is one of the most populous countries in Latin America, but also one of the poorest. More than half of its 14 million people live below the poverty line, and more than 250,000 working horses live mostly in these poor rural communities
For more information on the topic: http://turismo-responsable.com/en-s24
Recommended projects and rescue centers:
Here is a list of local NGOs that can be contacted in case you want to make a donation, a complaint or find an animal that needs help in Guatemala:
AMA- Asociación de amigos de los animales
