The UNESCO World Heritage Site of
Sian Ka’an, which became a biosphere
reserve in 198 6, is one of the most sacred
natural sites for the contemporary Maya
population, having featured in their
ancestors’ cosmology. In the ancient
Mayan tongue, ‘sian ka’an’ means ‘the
place where the sky is born’.
A complex and serene mosaic of tropical
forests, mangroves and marshes, the
1.3-million-acre reserve is a habitat for
both freshwater and saltwater crocodiles,
plus a host of rare mammals, including
manatees, jaguars, pumas and the
Central American tapir. Hosting more
than 300 avian species, including the
bare–throated tiger heron, Sian Ka’an is
also a magnet for birdwatchers, who stay
at traditional lakeside cabanas, largely
operated by the local Maya population.
Around 2,0 00 people call the reserve
home, nurturing a sense of community,
espousing self-sufficiency and, above all,
coexisting in harmony with nature.
maropa
(Maropa)
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