Guatemala has in its 108,899 Sq. Km. (430 sq. Km.
inland waters) and elevations from 0 to 4,300 Mt. almost every ecosystem
with 2 exceptions that are Snow and Desert, giving our country a very
wide Biodiversity.
36.3% or about 3,938,000 hectares of Guatemala is forested (2005). Of
this, 49.7% or
roughly 1,957,000 hectares is classified as primary
forest, the most biodiverse form of forest. including 17 Conipher (Pine,
Cypress and Abets)
species, the most in any Tropical region of the
world
Guatemala is
the original land of value plants such as
Corn, (81 varieties documented
in 1925, prior to
the genetic improvement), squash, a wide variety of Beans and
Potatoes, Yucca (manioc),
Avocado,
Cacao, Tomato, Zapote, Jocote, Chicle (chewing gum),
Amaranth, Chili (Capsicum), and animals such as the Turkey (the North
American Turkey was introduced by the
English, 200 years after the
Spaniards took them from Central América)
Guatemala is
considered the fifth Biodiversity Hot Spot in the world. The
country has 14 eco-regions ranging from Mangrove forest (4 species), in
both ocean
littorals, Dry forest and Thorn bushes in the Eastern Highlands,
Subtropical and Tropical rain forest, Wetlands, Cloud Humid forest in
the Verapaz, Pacific
Piedmont, and other regions, Mix, Quercus and Pine forest
in the Highlands. See Maps
Guatemala has some 1246 known species
of amphibians,
birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World
Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 6.7% are endemic, meaning they
exist in no other country, and 8.1% are threatened. Guatemala is home to
at least 8681 species of vascular plants, of which 13.5% are endemic.
5.4% of Guatemala is protected under IUCN categories I-V. Guatemala has
the largest Protected areas in Central América that are:
|
Wetlands of
international importance (Ramsar sites), 2006
|
|
7 |
|
World
Heritage sites, 2005
|
|
4 |
|
Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, |
percent
of total land |
5.4%
|
|
Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent |
percent of total land |
3.72% |
|
Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, |
percent of total land |
1.73%
|
|
Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other |
percent
of total land |
17.85%
|
with a total
of 91 protected areas and more than 28% of the territory as a
protected area
|
Source: http://www.iucn.org
, www.ramsar.org/profile/profiles_guatemala.htm |
Guatemala:
Biodiversity -
Wildlife
Amphibians: total species 133, endemic species, 40, threatened
species, 74
Birds: total species 715, endemic species, 13, threatened species, 10
Mammals: total species 193, endemic species, 3 threatened species, 7
Reptiles: total species 236, endemic species 28, threatened species,
10
Fish: fresh water 112, tolerant to salt water 185, salt
water 354, total 651
Wildlife diversity total species 1928, endemic species 84, threatened
species 101
Guatemala:
Biodiversity -
Plants
Number of Native tree species:
700
Number of tree species in IUCN red list: Critically Endangered
2,
Endangered 30, Vulnerable 51
Vascular Plant
Species,
2004 Total: 8681
Number endemic: 117O
Orchids 734, Threatened 550
Number of Threatened Plant Species, Excluding orchids, (Year 2004), endemic
species 40, threatened species 74
