The Motagua Valley
The pine forest and dry forest of the Motagua Valley constitute a biological corridor between the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve and Merendon in El Progreso and Zacapa departments. It has singular species of flora and fauna adapted to live in arid conditions, due to the fact that they live in one of the driest regions of Central America. Defensores de la Naturaleza began its actions in this area since 2002, for the conservation of the endemic biodiversity and endangered species in the zone.
High Endemism
Many endemic species threatened by the destruction of their habitat live in this important ecoregion, like the Heloderma or Scorpion (Heloderma horridum charlesbogerti), a very strange reptile subspecies that is endemic of Motagua Valley. It is an endangered species that for years has been caught and killed because the popular wrong belief that the “scorpion” is harmful and mortally poisonous. It is also important the presence of more than 70 bird species like the Momotus mexicanus, that lives exclusively in this region of Central America.
There are also flora species highly threatened like the cactus Selenicereus chontalensis, Myrtillocactus eichlamii and Escontria lepidentha. It is also important the conservation of some Bromelias, such as Tillandsia xerographica that is used for ornamentation and exportation.
The ecological integrity of the semiarid region of Motagua Valley is seriously threatened. Also the life zones (pine forest and dry forest)are not represented in the Guatemalan system of protected areas, SIGAP (for its initials in Spanish). The lower areas of the Motagua Valley have been used as agricultural lands, and the hillside areas have been used for cattle and other crops.