MEXICAN & CENTRAL AMERICAN ECOLOGY & CULTURE

  by Mark Thompson

It's 2000 hours, March 15, 2002 D-Day (departure day). The white Chevy van backed to the door under a dim streetlight at Murray State College. The cool night air as we packed the equipment from Bruce Stewart's office. For some the nervousness of the first big trip without family, or did I pack any underwear? But, it was an intense feeling of relief for me because this was my second trip to Mexico, an educational vacation from work. After we loaded the equipment we loaded our personal gear and headed to the Prairie Kitchen in Ardmore. That is where we picked-up the fifth student, Lee Ann, from Wichita Falls and met Dr. Dwight Moore and seven of Kansas's finest.

   After introductions and re-introductions (Valerie & Sean's second trip also) and our last American meal. At 2300 hours we headed south down I-35 to Laredo. That is where we picked- up Dr. Chris Taylor from Mississippi State University.

      Day Two: Saturday, 0800 hours, Laredo, let the education began, the purchasing of Mexican insurance for the vans. The money exchange was next, the long line we created in front of the building and the shortfall of small peso notes. The larger notes are hard to get changed as you go south and we ended up with several of them (200 & 500 peso notes). Next, we crossed the Rio Grande to Nuevo Laredo and a vehicle inspection. As luck would have it Bruce pushed the button for a red light and we had to unload most of the van. The best is about to come, getting the van permits and filling out the papers, the showing of a photo I.D. and birth certificates or visas for the travel visas (photo coming). But, a major surprise everything went without a hitch. So, now we are on the second leg of the trip headed south to Bustamante.

      The old lonely highway we journeyed crossed a diversity of ecosystems everything from high pine forest to the thorny cactus deserts. 1630 hours we arrived at a mescal factory outside of Bustamante. It was amazing to see the simplicity of the brewing process. Now leaving the factory we headed down the narrow streets of town toward Bustamante Canyon. We stopped at a market and bought some snacks for breakfast. The hospitality and friendliness of the people is bewildering. Arriving at the canyon we quickly pitched a few tents before the sun run out then took a dip in the springs. The cichlids (small fish) were close to the bank for protection. Some local couples came to the springs for Saturday night played some music. One of the men did the dance when a water snake went up his pant leg and everyone had a good laugh at his expense. Sean and I caught one big marine toad 4-5 times the size of toads found in this area. The next morning I was up early to explore the surrounding area before we left the canyon. One cannot describe the greatness of the canyon in the early hours.

      Day Three: Sunday, 1000 hours packed and ready to move out for the last leg of our journey. The Tropic of Cancer is the next big stop. Everyone knows it is 23 ˝ degrees north of the equator except Christi she thought she was on top of the world.   Driving all day and night to arrive at San Blas at 0530 hours. Everyone was exhausted but we unloaded the vans and pitched camp using flashlights then got some needed rest before everyone else arrived later in the morning.

      Day Four: Monday morning came fast as the sun peeked over the mountain's top. As I gazed up and down the shore line the Magnificent Frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens), Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), and the Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) were still feeding on what the fisherman had left behind from the nights catch. After the others awoke, several of us walked down the beach to town enjoying the warm weather bird watching and gathering shells and rocks. Along the way a young boy about three feet high started following us. He followed most of the morning. We stopped at a market for soft drinks and ice cream. He stood in the edge of the street careful to keep 10 to 15 feet away. So I went in and bought him the biggest ice cream cone in the market. After big eyes, a smile from ear to ear and a few fast words he turned and ran down the street. By mid-afternoon the orientation began and the students were put into study groups. My study group (photo) got birds first followed by mammals, reptiles and amphibians and then fish.

      Day Five: 0600 hours, Tuesday the study group is loading in the back of a pickup truck headed for the neo-tropical forest in the mountains. We drove past banana and avocado (alligator pear) plantations, then turned up a narrow and bumpy cobble stone road headed into the mountains. The truck finely came to a rest at a fork in the road. It is always humorous to watch everyone disembark the truck, rubbing their head and butt. The first bird we saw was small and bright colored. But before we had time to identify it a hawk swooped down from the sky and snatched it off its lofty perch and all you could hear was its cry as a silhouette disappeared into the trees. As we hiked up the mountain road past the under story growth of coffee trees the birds were scattered throughout the shadows.  We saw so many different species it would take too much space to list them all. It is an ornithologist's dream, come true. But, there is one thing you must always remember- NEVER STAND UNDER THE TREE YOU ARE WATCHING BIRDS IN YOU COULD GET WHITE STUFF ON YOUR CAP.         

      It is now 1600 hours, and time to start mammals, by setting ten Sherman traps for small rodents. Next we set two mess nets for bats on a creek bank. In a short period of time we caught four. The one bat that sticks to mind is Desmodus rotundus murinus tangled in the net hanging by his teeth on Dr. Dwight Moore's finger. The blood is what this bat liked most because he is a Vampire Bat.  

      Day Six: 0700 hours we are back on the edge of a saw grass swampy area swatting gnats and mosquitoes checking the Sherman traps we set the evening before. It was amazing to see how fast folks could gather their equipment. I had six mice caught. We released nine of the eleven mice caught because they were the same species and one was processed the day before. We took the two back, to camp and made study specimens of them and the bats. In between the mice catching and camp we stopped to identify and make plaster cast of tracks. The most common track was the Mapache (Raccoon) (Procyon lotor). I found one set of fresh Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) tracks.

      1800 hours, we have rested sense noon and ready to start Reptiles and Amphibians. Everyone gathered their flashlights, insect repellant and water bottles then loaded in the back of the pickup truck. The narrow bumpy roads to a mountain creek we go. I enjoy these rides you can not get one like it at an amusement park. We captured two snakes and several species of frogs.

       Day Seven: 0700 hours, we made study specimens of the frogs and snakes then ate breakfast. Now, this is why we ate breakfast, starting from the camp we hiked the mountain trails looking for snakes and lizards overturning rocks and logs. I even had to climb a tree to kick out a large iguana that got away. As the day progressed we caught several small lizards and one iguana after several miles of walking. They were made into study specimens the following morning.  Check out the photo of Sarah getting a firsthand look at the iquana!

      Day Eight: 0900 hours, fish day, seining the ocean, watching the surf toss the shorter people on their heads as we pulled on the one hundred foot net. In seven passes we hauled in one large fish and nine smaller species. We took the fish back to camp and keyed them in Spanish. After we ate breakfast we drove to a freshwater stream. We learned to check the ph, oxygen levels, water speed and temperature of the different ecosystems within a stream. We shocked and collected some freshwater fish for study specimens. That night everyone loaded on the bus and went into San Blas for some gift shopping.

      Day Nine: Joint boat ride though the crocodile infested mangrove swamp. It was spine tingling to observe the many different species of habitants of the swamp (birds, crocodiles and iguana). The snorkeling and swimming at the café gift shop was a blast. As all good things are they must come to an end that is what made the bus ride back to the camp a sad event. That is were everyone has to say their good-byes after a short awards ceremony and group photographs.

      Day Ten: 0500 hours, pull up stakes, load them up, move them out, the long trip to Real de Catorce. After driving all day and night we arrived at 0500 hours the following morning.

      Day Eleven: Slept in the van for a couple of hours to give the town folks time to wake up. Got rooms at Hotel de Real ate some hot breakfast and took my first hot shower in over a week. Now was the time to do some serious sight seeing and shopping at the sidewalk stands set up and down the streets. Real de Catorce is a historian's best fantasy- land. There is good people and lots of history in this small town. At 1800 hours we all met at the hotel to visit and eat our last big meal together before heading home. 

      Day Twelve: The plan was to leave by 1000 hours, but last minute shopping and good-byes took longer than expected. We got off at 1200 hours for the long journey home. We drove the rest of the day and by 1600 hours we were sitting at the border. We made break neck speed getting back across without any delay by 1900 hours we had Chris back to his truck in Laredo. After Chris got squared away the group went to Denny's to eat and stretch before departing for the last leg of our trip. 1100 hours, headed north to arrive in Ardmore at 0800 hours and to say good-bye to Kansas's finest, our newfound friends.