Nim Li Punit - Ecology

Ecology

Nim Li Punit is situated in a locale rich in forest, soil, rock and other natural resources. These assets, coupled with proximity to ample flowing mountain streams, guaranteed the Mayans at Nim Li Punit a resource base that allowed their civilisation to thrive. While most of the surrounding broadleaf tropical rainforest is secondary growth, due to the disturbance of the Maya themselves, there is considerable biodiversity of trees, herbs, mammals, birds, reptiles and other life forms. In addition to the soils being able to support basic prehistoric staple crops of beans and corn, there are diverse herbs in the vicinity known to have been used by the ancient ones for medicinal purposes.

Mammals found in the area include two primates: Yucatán Black Howler Monkey, Alouatta pigra and Central American Spider Monkey, Ateles geoffroya. Numerous rodents are found here including the common Paca, Agouti paca. A variety of carnivores are present such as the Cougar, Puma concolor and Jaguar, Panthera onca. Further, there are a host of bats and birds that frequent the present as well as the ancient forest.