Ecobreves – CENTRAL AMERICA: Honduras and Guatemala to Protect Shared Ecosystems

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TEGUCIGALPA, Sep 1 2007 (IPS) - The governments of Honduras and Guatemala signed a cooperation agreement on Aug. 27 to protect the natural resources the two countries share along their Caribbean coastlines. The area of joint protection will be the biological corridor encompassing the Honduran region of Omoa and the Guatemalan wetland of Punta de Manabique. An assessment will be made of the conservation needs in the area and of the coastal communities, Honduran Environment Minister Mayra Mejía told Tierramérica.

Efforts include protection of emblematic species like the manatee (Trichechus manatus), sea turtles (Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae), osprey (Pandion haliaetus), toucan (Ramphastos sp), heron (Ardeidae) and others, she said.

The agreement is part of regional conservation strategies involved in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, said the minister.