Fun Activities to do in a Rainforest

The most northerly rainforests are bound in Mexico. Having a good climate as it receives the most amount of rainfall in a year makes it a perfect location for dwelling of different species. In addition to this is Mexico’s location between North and South America that makes it an important site of migration of several animal species. All these characteristics crowned Mexico rainforests as one of the most suited sites for outdoor activities to those who find adventures up close with nature.

Here we have listed ‘must do’ activities once you reach rainforests of Mexico.

ZIPLINE AND CANOPY TOURS

For most travelers the best part of a forest is its canopy. And one thing’s sure, one cannot be able to fully enjoy the ambiance of a rainforest unless he is able to glide and have a trip on its canopy. Canopy refers to that part of a rainforest comprised of the top layer of trees, mostly its leaves and branches. Canopy tours involve climbing off a tree in a jungle and gliding from one edge of the forest to another edge which is lower through suspended ropes termed as zip lines. There’s no better way of exploring a forest in its perfect view without intervening species in it than through swinging on top of it. There’s nothing to worry about safety because there are travel guides that will surely assess you all throughout.

WATER TOURS

There are rainforests in Mexico that offers boating as a primary mode of transportation, the Amazon rainforest for example. Travelling through waters provide an extremely different experience rather that wandering through land, it is more convenient and time-saving. Furthermore, boating and river cruising is a great way to experience wildlife in its natural setting, take photographs and observe a myriad of species along the riverbanks. Several cruise companies offer these kinds of services; arrangement can be done in site or beforehand.

TOURIST ACCOMODATIONS

Most common form of sleeping accommodations in Mexico rainforests are in the form of eco-lodges. Eco-lodges provide basic to first class accommodations but still in contact with nature. Some provide tourist guides which will help you plan your next trip in the region. Surely, there’s nothing to think about in here; from camping to sleeping, everything is provided for your own satisfaction and comfort.

FOREST HIKES

Of course, your trip to Mexico rainforest will never be complete without getting up close and personal with creatures in their natural habitat. There are a number of forest reserves and national parks which offer guided hikes as you get in touch with Mexico’s flora and fauna. Not just biodiversity, but these parks give you modern facility accommodations that will definitely make your excursion an experience of a lifetime.

Mexico Harpy Eagle

Among the fifty species of eagles in the world, Harpy Eagle is one of the extremes in terms of strength and size. This bird was first sighted on Mexico since 1998 by an Indian who provides ecotourism tours in Lacandona jungle.

“The eagle was already an adult, identifiable by its size, gray head, very broad wings and white underparts which could not be confused with other raptors”, says Jose Eduardo Perez.  The harpy eagle is one of the uncommon residents of Mexico jungle that’s why it is indeed a rare sighting to see one. It is said that eagles live in pristine habitats with broad forest sections; which means that the presence of one speaks of good forest conservation in Mexico.

DESCRIPTION

Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is a large predatory bird equipped with large feet and talons adapted for hunting preys like monkeys, sloths and even other birds. This eagle has an average body length of 35 to 40 inches.

The Mexico harpy eagle has a behavior of gliding through a tree canopy and picks its prey by plucking it from a tree. Mating for them usually happens every other year that’s why they are not large in number. Additional to the factors that make them even fewer in the forest is the destruction of their habitat by logging and agricultural development. 

Often referred to as “the ruler of the rainforest”, the Harpy Eagle is one of the most endangered birds in Latin America. However, number of conservation efforts is being made not just in Mexico to preserve its remaining number and to increase their survival in the wild.

Considering the Weather when Traveling to Mexico

When traveling to Mexico, you must take into consideration the weather condition of the month or season you are planning your trip. This will ensure you that you will enjoy each day you’ll be in the country and not just stay indoors when in times of bad weather. Mexico unlike others perceived it to be is not an all sunny country, it is not always hot and in fact weather varies on each places.

Weather in Mexico is determined by the countries latitude and altitude. Being a country of terrains, weather varies in the different places. The country has numbers of tropical forests, valleys, deserts and mountains. That explains the different weather experienced in each part of Mexico. In general, Mexico’s coast climate is fairly pleasant all year round and only few have rainy weather, other times dry. In Mexico City, you may have days and nights.

Two Main Seasons

There are two main seasons in Mexico namely the Dry and Wet seasons. Rainy season is experienced during the month of May to September or can extend up to the month of October. You’ll experienced larger amounts of rainfall in these times and the rest of the remaining months will be fairly dry with few and lesser chances of rain. However, visiting Mexico during the rainy season can also be enjoyable. Rainy days provide more water for plants in the rainforests thus giving you lush green environment compared to when it is the dry season.

Hurricane Season

One thing you don’t want to experience during your vacation is natural calamities. This will not ruin your vacation but as well harm you if worse calamities occur during your trip. June to November is the hurricane season in Mexico. You have to check on weather bulletin for further reports if there are upcoming hurricanes or other natural calamities.

It is important that climate is one among the top consideration in planning your trip to Mexico. A lot of activities will be done when you are in vacation at a weather fair for travel. Getting around and travelling around the famous places and landmarks is more enjoyable on a sunny and fair weather. However, there are still good thing to see during the rainy season, those luscious green plants especially in the middle of the rainforests.

Facts about Your Rainforest

Coined as the Earth’s lungs but in reverse, rainforest “inhales” a large quantity of the earth’s carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a poisonous gas emitted by mammals.  We can attribute the clean air we breathe now with the rainforests.  As a matter of fact, tropical rainforests are the biggest terrestrial source of the air that we breathe.

Only 2 percent of the Earth is composed of rainforest yet it houses almost two third of all living species in the planet.  Also almost half of the medicinal compounds used by modern day medicines are found or made out of plants that can only be found in the rainforest. 

The biggest rainforests can be found in South America, at the Amazon Basin. In parts of Central America, Hawaii and Mexico, you will see smaller rainforests as well as in the islands of the Caribbean and the Pacific.  These rainforests has an average temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit and has rainfall of 160 to 400 inches in a year. This kind of condition makes the growing of plants abundant in the enclosure. 

Due to geographical location, the rainforest has become a better breeding ground and habitat for animals in the latter years. Before this day and age, animals are well protected by human hunting  and all human acts that can harm or lessen the number of different species of animals. There are nearly 50 to 70 million different life forms found in the rainforests back then.

Now, due to human acts and natural calamities, these life forms are gradually decreasing their number and some, nearing its extinction. Moreover, the rainforest itself is slowly destructed and we’re losing more and more of these natural habitat for animals as the years pass. There a study done by the Rainforest Action Network that an acre and a half of the rainforest is lost every day.  And if this rate continues, it is said that we can lose half of the remaining rainforest by the year 2025.

Here are some comparison and data as well comparing the loss of rainforests today and in the latter years:

Every second we lose an area the size of two football fields.

Every minute we lose an area 29 times the size of the Pentagon.

Every hour we lose an area 684 times larger than the New Orleans Superdome.

Every day we lose an area larger than all five boroughs of New York City.

Every week we lose an area twice the size of Rhode Island.

Every month we lose an area the size of Belize.

Every year we lose an area more than twice the size of Florida.

With these data, we can say that if we don’t act now in the conservation of our rainforest, we could not only lose the terrestrial formation but the living species like the flora and he animals that live in it as well.

The Endangered Animals of Mexican Rainforest

Mexico houses 10% of the world’s total land species in the world. In fact, the country is considered to be one of the five most biologically diverse places in the world. But due to destructive human activities, most of these species are near to extinction. To be exact, thirty species of animals are already classified to be extinct.

MONKEYS

First among the extinct animals is the mantled howler monkey which is known for its loud roars in communicating with one another. It lives in the Southern part of the country. Second is the Guatemalan black howler, which lives in the lowland rainforests.

CATS

The endangered Mexican jaguar, their largest cat weighs up to 250 pounds. Rainforests in lowlands remain as its primary habitat where it hunts other prey animals. Another extinct cat is the Mexican bobcat. Apparently, their jaguar is also near threatened status. Hunting, though strictly prohibited is the major cause of its extinction.

BIRDS

Among the roster of large and powerful eagles in the world is Mexico’s Harpy Eagle which lives in tropical rainforests. It is now endangered due to destruction of their natural habitat and also because of hunting. The hummingbird known for its reddish-brown crown is also an extinct specie of birds in Mexico. Last on the list is the short-crested coquette, a tiny hummingbird.

AQUATIC

Extinct species under this group include the Coahuilan box turtle and Vaquita. Vaquita is a porpoise found in the gulf of Mexico and travels by groups. On the other hand, the box turtle lives in shallow marshes of Coahuila.

MEXICAN WOLF

This small subspecies of gray wolf is the most extinct animal in the planet. Having a sad history of habitat destruction and poaching, this animal had been declared endangered in 1973. At present, the government is doing efforts on its reintroduction campaign.

RODENTS

Large species of rodents comprise Mexico’s list of endangered animals. The coasts have been developed as tourist attractions that lead to deterioration of their natural habitat. A dozen endemic rodent species  are now to extinction. Among the group are San Quintin kangaroo rat, San Martin Island woodrat, and island jackrabbit species.

Animals of Mexican Rainforest

In the previous articles, I have mentioned about the wide array of animals you can see in the Rainforest of Mexico. This time, I will list some of these animals so you can have a checklist of sort  to look at when you decide to travel the beautiful Mexican rainforest.

The Rainforest in Mexico is teeming with mammals, both wild and tamed. You will see them walk around with no harm of hunting them by those hunters because it is a protected environment.

The gentle mammal, the White tail Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can be seen in the area. The “Ceh” as commonly called by the locals are can be seen commonly at dawn and at twilight wherein they roaming around or resting on bushes, shrubs or places where there are water spots. 

An ant eater called the Northern tamandua (Tamandua Mexicana) can also be spotted. It can grow upto5 feet and can weigh more than 8 pounds. This animal has long snout with no teeth. The Northern tamandua is a nocturnal mammal that has light yellow graying white fur, long tail and big claws which helps them go branch to branch in search of termites, insects and ants for food. 

You can see a mammal that jumps from tree to tree in search of fruits as their food. This is the Kinkajou (Potos flavus). This mammal commonly called “mico” is a nocturnal animal, very likable and can be made as pet but it is better to see them in their natural habitat and have them multiply.

Long-tail weasel (Mustela frenata) also known as “Sabin” has a long and slim body , shinny  brown red fur and a pointed snout. A nocturnal ground dweller but also active at daytime catching prey on trees. This mammal eats reptiles and rodents.

Striped hog nosed skunk (Conepatus semiestriatus) or "Pai och" as what the locals call it is a skunk seen in rainforest and the grass area. This rare species of skunks are ground dwellers but can hardly be seen at daytime. They hunt for insects during the night but they can also fruits and lizards. 

“Uech“ as what the locals call it is a nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcintus) is also a nocturnal animal. A small mammal with long ossified armor that covers its entire upper body. This armadillo can be found to be of brown or dark gray in color.

Some other mammals can be found around Mexico’s rainforest. It is an interesting and educational trip as you are enjoying the beauty of nature together with the range of animals living freely and roaming around the vast Mexican rainforest.

Places You Must See When You Visit Mexico

Why Mexico?

First and foremost, with its size of about 1,964,375 sq. km, surely it would be interesting for everyone to tour on its vast area knowing that it is one of the fast growing countries when we speak of economy. Second, there are many places that you must see in Mexico – its beaches, natural wonders, cuisines and historical sites. There would be no spare time when you visit this spectacular country. We listed some of top visited destinations in Mexico to guide you through your travel.

MEXICO CITY. This must be the first thing you should see if you’re looking for a night life that rocks. Being the largest city and capital of Mexico, it houses most of the country’s beautiful spots. In fact, Plaza Garibaldi is considered as the Times Square in New York. Notice that its two tourist destinations, the Historic Centre (Centro Historico) and the "floating gardens" of Xochimilco are declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Not to mention its over 21 million population that will definitely make your tour really exciting.

PUERTO VALLARTA. Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican resort city situated in the state of Jalisco. Its name is derived from the state’s former governor, Ignacio Vallarta. It is the 5th largest city in the country. Your heart will be captured with the color-filled sunsets along the bay of Banderas. What makes it a popular destination for tourists are its one-of-a-kind beaches, variety of outdoor activities offered, wildlife, and sumptuous food. Travelers claim Puerto Vallarta as top of their favorite sites in Mexico.

OAXACA. Officially, Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca has organized local forms of governance. This state is best known for its indigenous people and culture. It is also a top spot for food buddies and for those who want to travel back to history. The area comprises of mountains, jungles, and beaches that makes it a true embodiment of the essence of the country.

ISLA MUJERES. Its name is a Spanish term for Island of Women. It is a small island found in the Caribbean Sea. In fact, the ports up to the main beaches are just footsteps away. There are plenty of spaces to do shopping, eat, or take a siesta. One interesting thing about this place is the romantic tale about a pirate who fell in love with a woman and loved her for his entire life.

TULUM. Tulum is a site of pre-Columbian walled city. It is formerly known by the name Zama, meaning City of the Dawn because it faces sunrise. The main attraction here is the tropical beach environment, which is one of the earliest resorts in Mexico. Its tourist destinations are divided into four areas: the archeological site, the pueblo or town, the hotel zone and the biosphere reserve of Sian Ka'an. Everyone can enjoy its amazing amenities while having the access to many other fantastic places in Yucatan.