Animals

VENTANILLA, Mexico- Ventanilla is called as such because there is a little opening that looks like a window within a rock outcrop that stretches out to sea from its beach. But this little window is not why people come here: they come here for the crocodiles, they come here because it is a truly undeveloped [...]

Sea turtle killed by fishing net in Mexico PUERTO ANGEL, Mexico- A large dark object floated out at sea near the beach of Puerto Angel. What is it? I watched as it bobbed in the waves, ever moving closer to the shore. When it was around ten meters out, it became apparent that it was a sea [...]

Tarantula Venom Not Deadly to Humans “Look up there,” my friend pointed up to a hole in the side of a tree. I looked through the dark of night, I saw the hole which sort of looked like a brown anus bored into the bark. “It is the nest of a tarantula.” “Are they dangerous?” [...]

Scorpions Eat Spiders in the Jungles of Guatemala FINCA TATIN, Guatemala- There are a lot of very large spiders that abound just about everywhere in the jungles of Guatemala — in the trees, on the ground, on the walls and ceilings of just about every human made structure. These large spiders tend to come out [...]

Coral snakes in Guatemala jungle FINCA TATIN, Guatemala- One bite from a coral snake and you are more or less dead meat. Huge doses of antivenin and artificial or mechanical respiration are needed to preserve life, and a single bite has been proven fatal within hours. The neurotoxin from a coral snake paralyzes the breathing [...]

Anteater – Wildlife in Central America FINCA TATIN, Guatemala- Anteaters like to inhabit the banks of rivers, swampy savannas, and the dark depths of humid forests. One such anteater pushed the bounds of his habitat in the eastern jungles of Guatemala. He fell into the Rio Dulce. Apparently, anteaters float. Or at least they float [...]

Tacuazin Habitat and Behavior FINCA TATIN, Guatemala- Tacuazin breaks into the kitchen of the Finca Tatin each night. She steals our fruit, she nibbles on the ends of our papaya, our pineapples. She leaves empty banana peels laying around the kitchen floor. Though Tacuazin seems to be a polite thief, as she usually just nibbles [...]

FINCA TATIN, Guatemala- “Why do these crabs only have one claw,” a visitor to the Finca Tatin asked me. “Because that is how God made them,” I spoke with firm finality as I walked by. How else could I respond? Though, I must admit, another answer could have been, “Because the lady crabs like them [...]

Scorpion Sting Treatment and Prevention FINCA TATIN, Guatemala- When in the tropics, I always shake out my clothes before putting them on my body, I always check my shoes to make sure no malicious little creature had made them their abode. This is preparation against scorpions, spiders, a half dozen other creatures that can bite, [...]