ANIMALS IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION IN YUCATAN AND CAUSES - BIOLOGY - 2025

Some of the endangered animals of Yucatán are the ocellated turkey, the Yucatecan pig-nosed nauyaca, the white-nosed coati and the frentudo bolín. The degradation of natural ecosystems, caused by various human activities, brings as a consequence the general deterioration of the environment and the decrease of biodiversity, until its extinction.

Yucatán is a state that is located northwest of the Yucatán peninsula. This ecoregion is a wide limestone platform, which is extended more than 100 kilometers under the sea. Thus, the waters of the coast remain warm, favoring the abundance of marine life.

Yucatan squirrel. Source: Jim McCulloch from Austin, USA

The dry forests of Yucatán are isolated from other forests by the sea and by a wide expanse of humid forests. According to the experts, this isolation is responsible for the large number of endemic species in the region, as well as for the dispersal processes of animals and plants.

Yucatan animals in extinction

- Birds

The earwig hummingbird

The male of this species is 9.5 to 10 centimeters long and its weight is approximately 2.3 grams. In relation to the female, the total length of the body, including the tail, is 8.5 to 9 centimeters and the body mass averages 2.6 grams.

The beak is slightly curved and measures almost 1.5 times the size of the head. The coloration of the back can vary between green and metallic bronze. The throat has a bright metallic pinkish-purple hue. In contrast to these bright colors, the belly, chest and coverts are white.

Regarding its distribution, it lives in the center and on the north coast of the Yucatan peninsula. It has also been sighted in the center of Veracruz, near Xalapa. In both states, the habitat is under strong threat, due to the use of the land for agriculture, livestock, urban planning and tourism.

This situation has caused the populations of the earwig hummingbird to be decreasing, which is why the IUCN has classified this species within the group at risk of extinction.

The ocellated turkey

Ocellated turkey. Public domain, The ocellated turkey is a large bird. It measures between 70 and 90 centimeters and the weight ranges between 3 and 4 kilograms. It is an endemic species of the Yucatan peninsula, characterized by the beautiful tones of its feathers.

The coloration, in both sexes, is a mixture of iridescent green and bronze. However, the female tends to have a more opaque tone, with a more green tendency.

In relation to the tail, the plumage is bluish-gray, where a grayish-blue eye-shaped circle stands out. At the end, it has a blue-bronze stain and the feathers end in a shiny golden tip.

The ocellated turkey or wild turkey, as this species is also known, has a blue head, with red or orange warts. These are more noticeable in males, especially in the reproductive stage.

The populations of Meleagris ocellata are threatened, so they are vulnerable to extinction, according to the criteria of the IUCN. This is due to poaching, for commercial or sporting purposes. In addition, the habitat is fragmented, due to the felling of trees and agricultural use of the soils.

The Yucatecan parrot (

The Yucatecan parrot lives in the deciduous rainforests of the Yucatan Peninsula. She also lives in Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. According to the IUCN, this Mexican species has a low risk of becoming extinct from its natural habitat. However, it is important to control the threats that affect your environment, so that your situation does not worsen.

Amazona xantholora is 25 to 28 centimeters long and its weight ranges from 200 to 232 grams. Its body is round and compact, with a square tail. In general, the plumage is bright green with light blackish spots, which are more noticeable on the neck.

- Mammals

The Yucatan squirrel (

The Yucatan squirrel is medium in size and has a tail with dense fur. The coloration can vary from gray to black, while the belly is lighter, of a yellowish gray tone.

This mammal is distributed in the lowlands of the Yucatan peninsula. He also lives in northern Guatemala and southwest Belize. In these regions, it prefers evergreen, deciduous, and semi-arid oak and pine forests.

The natural habitat of this squirrel is fragmented. This has resulted in the population of Sciurus yucatanensis slowly decreasing.

This is why, although its risk of extinction is low, the implementation and execution of forceful actions is imperative, which prevent the exacerbation of the already existing problem.

The white-nosed coati (

Coati. From Photo by Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, The tail of this mammal is thin, measuring about a meter in length. Thus, it is almost as long as the rest of the body. In addition to size, the tail of the white-nosed coati is characterized by having rings in a darker tone than the base.

As for the coat, the dorsal area is generally brown, although there are reddish or yellowish species. The coloration of the belly is much lighter than that of the body. The eyes are bordered by a white circle, from which a line of the same color extends that reaches the muzzle, whose tip is also white.

The Nasua narica is threatened with extinction, since poaching and the degradation of the habitat where it lives have a negative impact on its populations.

- Amphibians

The Yucatán thief frog (

This animal is about 34 millimeters long from snout to cloaca. It has a flattened head, making it wider than it is long. As for the extremities, they are robust and the tips of the fingers of each leg are distended, similar to a disk.

The back of Craugastor yucatanensis can be gray or olive-brown, with dark spots. In relation to the belly it is almost transparent.

It is an endemic species of the Yucatán peninsula, inhabiting the north-central Quintana Roo and the east-central Yucatán. Among their preferred habitats are the deciduous and semi-deciduous tropical lowlands.

The IUCN has categorized this amphibian within the group of animals threatened with extinction. Its population is affected by the degradation of the habitat and by the disturbances of the land, due to fires, the construction of urbanisms and tourist activities.

The Yucatan mushroom tongue salamander (

The Yucatan mushroom tongue salamander. From Maximilian Paradiz - originally posted to Flickr as Bolitoglossa yucatana, CC BY 2.0, The body of this animal is slender, with a length of 5.3 centimeters, from the snout to the cloaca. As for the tail, it can be as long as the body and is usually thickened. This is due to the fact that large amounts of fat are deposited in it, which the amphibian uses in summer, when food is scarce.

The coloration of the back is mainly brown, gray, reddish brown, with irregular cream spots. This mottling could be presented in such a way that they form a strip that begins at the head and extends to the back. The sides of the body are dark brown and the belly is brown.

Bolitoglossa yucatana is endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula, where it lives in thorn forests and lowland tropical forests. In these regions, the amphibian is threatened, because its habitats are degraded. Thus, the ecosystem is altered, affecting the optimal development of the animal

- Reptiles

The nauyaca yucatecan pig nose (

This venomous snake exhibits marked sexual dimorphism. The adult female is approximately 46.2 centimeters long, while the male measures 36.8 centimeters. As for the tail, it reaches between 12 and 15% of the length of the body.

It has a triangular head, where there are two small eyes, whose pupils are vertically elliptical. Its body is robust and covered in scales. The dorsal are keel and are arranged in rows.

The dorsal coloration is gray, with dark brown spots, a black border and a light center. These blocks are separated by yellow or orange lines. As for the belly, it is yellowish, with some dark spots. In relation to the head, the upper part is gray, with occasional spots.

Porthidium yucatanicum is distributed to the north of the Yucatan peninsula, occupying tropical deciduous and thorn forests, at heights from sea level to 150 meters above sea level.

The communities of this snake are decreasing. This is mainly due to the fact that the animal is persecuted and killed by the local population, as it represents a danger to workers in the field, since it is a poisonous species.

This situation has caused the IUCN to include the Yucatecan pig-nosed nauyaca within the group of animals at risk of extinction.

Creaser's Mud Turtle (

The mud turtle. From Amdubois - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, The habitat of this reptile is found in the Yucatan peninsula, encompassing the states of Quintana Roo, Yucatan and northern Campeche. In these regions, it lives in shallow bodies of water, which generally form during the rainy season. When the dry season comes, the reptile hides under the ground.

Researchers have reported a slight decrease in the populations of this species, which is why the IUCN considers it within the group of animals of least concern of becoming extinct.

Among the threats to Creaser's mud turtle is hunting by local people. The meat of this animal is consumed gastronomically, but also, together with the blood, it is used by the locals in the treatment of some respiratory diseases.

In relation to the physical characteristics, the carapace measures 11 to 13 centimeters. It is smooth, oval and slightly raised at the rear. As for its coloration, it is dark brown, almost black, while the plastron is yellowish, with black sutures. The head, legs and tail are dark gray.

- Fishes

The Yucatan gambusia (

The male of this fish reaches a length of 5.5 centimeters, while the female measures around 8 millimeters. Its body is light in color, with a slight greenish yellow hue. The head is darker, presenting an olive green color.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of this species is in the fins. These have 2 or more rows of small black spots

Gambusia yucatana is distributed on the Atlantic slope of Mexico, ranging from the Coatzacoalcos river basin to the southeast of the Yucatan peninsula. It usually inhabits brackish and fresh river waters, although it could withstand temperatures of up to 42.4 ° C.

Due to the contamination of the waters where it lives, the species is slowly losing its natural habitat. This situation has caused the IUCN to categorize the Yucatán gambusia as of least concern of becoming extinct.

However, the conservation body recommends taking the necessary actions to eradicate the threats that afflict their populations.

The frentudo bowling (

Cyprinodon artifrons is a coastal species, which is located in the Gulf of Mexico, encompassing the Laguna de Terminos and the entire length of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Its habitat includes fresh, marine and hypersaline waters in tropical climates. Also, it can live in temperatures between 26 and 40 ° C and in waters with a low concentration of dissolved oxygen.

The development of urban planning and tourist infrastructures have destroyed the ecosystems where this fish thrives. This is why this species is part of the IUCN red list, as it is considered to be at low risk of extinction.

The size is about 4.9 centimeters. The color of the male is dark olive green, while the female is lighter. Both sexes have a whitish belly. On the sides of the body they have stripes and on the edge of the tail fin, they have a black spot.

Factors causing environmental alterations

Deforestation and fragmentation

One of the greatest impacts is generated by the deforestation of forests to use the land for agricultural and livestock purposes. In this sense, the dry forests of Yucatan are cut down and replaced by other plant species, such as pastures to be consumed during cattle grazing.

Habitat fragmentation hinders dispersal processes, limits food accessibility, mating success, and the expansion of populations to other areas. All this affects the development of various animal species, causing isolation and possible extinction.

Overfishing

In the last decades, the region presents an imbalance in the fishing potential and in the exploitation of this resource. Thus, many fisheries, non-traditional and traditional, are at their maximum level, reaching the overexploitation of the species.

Alteration of bodies of water

The mangroves, swamps, beaches, dunes and other bodies of water are fragmented by the construction of dikes and ports. This modifies the habitat and all the natural processes that take place in these ecosystems.

References

1. Alejandra Valero, Jan Schipper, Tom Allnutt (2019). Southern North America: Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Recovered from worldwildlife.org.
2. Kampichler, Christian, Calmé, Sophie, Weissenberger, Holger, Arriaga-Weiss, Stefan. (2010). Indication of a species in an extinction vortex: The ocellated turkey on the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico. Acta Oecologica. Recover from researchgate.net.
3. Itzel Chan (2016). Yucatan birds take the 'flight' to extinction. Recovered from sipse.com.
4. María Andrade Hernández (2019). Transformation of natural systems by anthropogenic activities. Recovered from yucatan.gob.mx.
5. BirdLife International 2016. Meleagris ocellata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.
6. BirdLife International 2016. Doricha eliza. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.
7. BirdLife International 2016. Amazona xantholora. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.
8. Cuarón, AD, Helgen, K., Reid, F., Pino, J. & González-Maya, JF 2016. Nasua narica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.
9. Jelks, H., Tolan, J., Vega-Cendejas, M., Espinosa-Perez, H., Chao, L. & Schmitter-Soto, J. 2019. Cyprinodon artifrons. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.