TULUM MAMMALS
Mammals of Quintana Roo and the Tulum area include wild animals steeped in Maya history such as the powerful Jaguar
Mammals of Quintana Roo and the Tulum area include wild animals steeped in Maya history such as the powerful Jaguar (Felis onca), who hunts at night in deep jungle areas, hiding and sleeping in caves of limestone. All the jungle animals seem to shout out warnings when this mammal comes around. Pumas (Felis concolor), Jaguarundis (Felis yagouaroundi), Margays (Felis wiedii) and Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) are also found throughout the area.
Red Brocket Deer (Mazama americana) and small White Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus yucatanensis) serve as prey for the large cats, along with Collared Peccaries (Peccari tajacu), Tapirs (Tapirus bairdii) and agoutis (Dasyprocta punctata).
Interesting and exotic mammals such as Nine Banded Long Nosed Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), Collared anteaters (Tamandua tetradactyla) and Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi yucatanensis, which can be observed in the wild at Punta Laguna Spider Monkey Reserve) represent an important part of the ecosystem.
Each member of the eco family performs it´s natural duty. There are 55 bat species, much appreciated in the Yucatan, which hungrily hunt mosquitos each dawn, dusk and throughout the night. Little Big Eared Bats (Micronycleris daviesi), Sword Nosed Bats (Lonchorhina aurita) and Wolly False Vampire Bats (Chrotopterus auritus) represent a few of our radar emitting friends.
Aktun Chen Park about 20 minutes north of Tulum is a great place to see wild exotic mammals and reptiles in a semi-free environment.