Evaluación de algunos efectos de la extracción tradicional de bromelias sobre la herpetofauna de los bosques de Chanal, Chiapas

Abstract

During the celebration of Niño Florero in Chiapas every December, bromeliads are collected to form floral offerings to Baby Jesus. In this process amphibians and reptiles are killed causing losses of those organisms in the pine-oak forests. Fieldwork was carried out in the forests of Chanal, Chiapas; and consisted of direct sampling of bromeliads and interviews to plant collectors. We found that the most sacrificed animal is an endemic species, Abronia lythrochila. We propose three conservation strategies to achieve sustainability in the long term: volume reduction of bromeliads’ extraction, environmental education workshops and the establishment of protected zones.