View allAll Photos Tagged punta_allen
The vast sea grass beds of the Sian Ka'an were littered with large short-spined urchins known as West Indian Sea Eggs. These animals spend their days moving along the grass flats scraping up algae and other tasty bits with their self-sharpening teeth. Lacking the elongated needle-like spines of other urchin species, the West Indian Sea Eggs are often found covered with bits of vegetation, shells, and any other object they can grasp with their thousands of tube feet. Covering themselves in this manner provides camouflage from passing predators.
Punta Allen, Sian Kaʼan Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
Sian Ka'an is a biosphere reserve in the municipality of Tulum in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. It was established in 1986 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
With the participation of scientists, technicians, students, fishermen, farmers, rural promotors and administrators, together with regional and international partners, have successfully carried out more than 200 conservation projects basing all conservation actions on scientific and technical information for planning and implementing environmental policies and the proposal of viable solutions for sustainable use of natural resources and focusing their efforts established within eight protected natural areas that include the reefs of Banco Chinchorro, and Xcalak at South of Quintana Roo, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Cancun, the island of Cozumel that is located in front of Xcaret and Contoy Island up North, covering 780,000 acres (3,200 km2). These areas lie in parts of all seven Caribbean Sea coastal municipalities of the state, with the largest part being in eastern Felipe Carrillo Puerto Municipality, where the vast majority of Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve lies.
Part of the reserve is on land and part is in the Caribbean Sea, including a section of coral reef. The reserve has an area of 5,280 km².
The reserve also includes some 23 known archaeological sites of the Maya civilization including Muyil.
Within the Amigos de Sian Ka'an project objectives are the identification, protection and management of additional areas with high biodiversity value as well as those critical for maintenance of the life cycles of endangered, threatened and migratory species in the Riviera Maya and providing environmental education through books, journals and pamphlets and giving technical assistance and training to Mayan communities working with ecotourism.
150212 280-2
Trauertyrann Траурный королевский тиранн
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All images are the property of the photographer and may not be reproduced, copied, downloaded, transmitted or used in any way without the written permission of the photographer who may be contacted by registering with flickr and using flickrmail
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.facebook.com/catedraleseiglesias
© Álbum 2946
By Catedrales e Iglesias
By Cathedrals and Churches
Prelatura Cancún Chetumal
FELIPE CARRILLO PUERTO
PARROQUIA DE LA SANTA CRUZ
Párroco: P. Jaime Páramo LC
Vicario: P. José Ramón Gómez, LC
e-mail: jrgomez@legionaries.org
Tel. (983) 834 00 74
Casa Cural Domicilio Conocido
CP 77200
Tel. (983) 834 01 46
Capillas: Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Yoactún, Hobompich, Campocolché, Andrés Quintana Roo, Chancah‑De Repente, Chancah‑Veracruz, Betania, Chunhuás, San Luis, Xyatil, San Andrés, Nohcah, Xcopchén, Xpichil, Santa María Poniente, Yodzonot Poniente, Mixtequilla, Filomeno Mata, Naranjal, Punta Allen, Uhmay, Xharil, Tuzik, Pino Suárez, Señor, Dzulá, Laguna Canab, Yaxley, Kancabchén y Yodzonot Nuevo
www.facebook.com/catedraleseiglesias
© Álbum 2946
By Catedrales e Iglesias
By Cathedrals and Churches
Prelatura Cancún Chetumal
FELIPE CARRILLO PUERTO
PARROQUIA DE LA SANTA CRUZ
Párroco: P. Jaime Páramo LC
Vicario: P. José Ramón Gómez, LC
e-mail: jrgomez@legionaries.org
Tel. (983) 834 00 74
Casa Cural Domicilio Conocido
CP 77200
Tel. (983) 834 01 46
Capillas: Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Yoactún, Hobompich, Campocolché, Andrés Quintana Roo, Chancah‑De Repente, Chancah‑Veracruz, Betania, Chunhuás, San Luis, Xyatil, San Andrés, Nohcah, Xcopchén, Xpichil, Santa María Poniente, Yodzonot Poniente, Mixtequilla, Filomeno Mata, Naranjal, Punta Allen, Uhmay, Xharil, Tuzik, Pino Suárez, Señor, Dzulá, Laguna Canab, Yaxley, Kancabchén y Yodzonot Nuevo
While very common all over the Caribbean these small snails are always stunning to see. Of course their diet of live coral makes me cringe a little but then there is a natural balance to everything.
On our way to fish out of Punta Allen, we stopped to rest at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Cancun.
The area around the pool and courtyard is a bird mecca and one of the highlights of our trip.
Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Much as the name suggests, the Bearded Fireworm is a beautiful but formidable denizen of the reef. The fluffs of white hairs running along their sides are packed with a potent venom which if touched can cause a painful sting. Luckily the worms are really very passively mannered and can be commonly encountered roaming about the reef searching for the live coral in which they feed.
A Broadstripe Goby carefully examines every inch of a patient Redtail Parrotfish, picking off any pesky parasites it encountered. It was amazing to see just how motionless the parrotfish lay under that coral overhang, allowing the goby free and complete roam across its entire body.
Aquí pasamos casi todo un día mi esposa Cecy y yo.... Solitos.
Here we spent almost a whole day my wife and I. All alone.
50 km. de un camino de terracería (pista forestal) separan Tulum de Punta Allen. La mayoría de vehículos que realizan el trayecto son todoterreno pero nuestro Dodge Journey se comportó con dignidad.
One of the most exciting things about exploring coral reefs is peering back into the many dark crevasses to see what lurks within. Most of the time they are filled with colorful cleaning shrimp or a shy squirrelfish but often you peak in only to find yourself face to face with a menacing moray. Of course the imposing opening and closing of their mouths is just their means of breathing and they are really quite timid, more often that not they quickly retreat back into their lair. Nonetheless, always neat to see!
In my opinion, no snorkeling excursion in the Caribbean is complete without encountering a Trumpet Fish or two. These large critters are not especially flighty relying instead on their shape and coloration to provide camouflage amongst the many species of soft corals known as Gorgonians. It is always intriguing to watch them sway fluidly with the surge as if part of the coral themselves.
Anemones come in all shapes and sizes in the Caribbean and some can be quite large. The stinging tentacles of these lovely animals not only allow them to snag and subdue their prey but they also provide safe haven to a handful of creatures imune to their sting.
I was actually inspecting a small cleaning shrimp seeking safe harbor in a Sun Anemone when I felt a tiny little claw reach up and pinch my exposed finger. Withdrawing my hand I saw that a small Banded Clinging Crab had crawled up from underneath the anemone and, in an effort to try and "ward off" the threatening creature (me), it took up the defense. Cute little guy!