“Jaguar Habitat at Risk: Maya Train Threatens Wildlife”

The "I Love Science" project recently conducted a study on the impact of the Maya Train route on jaguar territories. The study, led by Lucía Hernández, found that the presence of jaguars (Panthera onca) is being affected due to deforestation and the risk posed by the crossing of animals and hotel development, which is expected to devastate natural areas. The project aims to educate and engage young people in science, and as part of this, they created a map showing the overlap of the Maya Train route and jaguar territories.

The jaguar territory spans across the states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo. However, urban expansion has pushed this species to the brink of extinction. According to the study, Chiapas still has jaguars in areas such as Ocosingo, Benemérito de las Américas, Ocozocoautla, Villaflores, and the "La Sepultura" Biosphere Reserve. The areas in Chiapas where the jaguars and the Maya Train are in closest proximity include Río Chancalá, Chancalá, San Lorenzo, San Martín Chamizal, Nuevo Retiro, Victorico Grajales San Pedro, and the entire border area of the Usumacinta Canyon shared with Guatemala. Communities in Chiapas are closer to the Tenosique station of the Maya Train than the one located in Palenque.

In response to the Maya Train's comprehensive development project announcement in November 2018, scientists and researchers issued a letter outlining reasons against the project. They cited scientific data and local wisdom, emphasizing the need for prior, free, and informed consultation of the local indigenous communities affected, as required by Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the International Labor Organization (ILO). Despite these concerns, the Maya Train project proceeded without explicit consent from the local communities or consultation with experts. The scientists stressed that the construction works would impact the lifestyle, biodiversity, sustainability, environmental quality, and human rights of the peoples and communities in the region.