In the Yucatan Peninsula alone, there are records of at least 2,400 cenotes interconnected with each other underground.
In ancient times, the cenotes were considered sacred and extremely important for the Mayan tribe. It was believed that these large concentrations of water, which look like blue water eyes looking at the sky, were places of entry for life and in turn a part of the path to the underworld known as Xibalba. For this reason, they were places of sacrifices to the gods in the different rites that they practiced.
However, these sacred places are currently threatened by the megaprojects promoted by the country’s state agenda.
Despite the historical and biological importance of the cenotes, little is really known about one of the most complex aquifer systems in Mexico.
What do you have to know about the cenotes?
These are unique ecosystems in the Mexican southeast. The word cenote comes from the Mayan, with the original meaning of “Hole with water”. Throughout the history of the region of the country, the cenote is a symbol of the spiritual link between the earth and the universe, especially in the worldview of the Mayans.
At the height of the Mayan civilization, cenotes were seen as portals to the underworld. They were magical passageways that were often used as the setting for mortuary rituals and sacred sacrifices. Entering a cenote implied a spiritual connection with the land, the water and the local fauna.
In addition to this mystical meaning, they also functioned as a water reservoir located in geological depressions. The powerful rainfall of the Yucatan Peninsula washes away the limestone rock and, over time, a system of underground caverns is generated.
Although the cenotes are fundamental within the ecosystem of the Mexican southeast, different biologists from the Department of Ecology of the Autonomous University of Yucatan (UADY) admit that they are “a partially known resource.” These, in addition to having a historical, cultural and mystical importance with the original peoples, are also home to unique ways of life within the country.
“Its waters, exposed to a greater or lesser degree to the prevailing environmental conditions on the peninsula, provide a peculiar environment in which unique forms of life have developed,” they write the authors.
And what is more important, the properties of the limestone with which they were created over thousands of years allow all the cenotes in the region to connect with each other. Therefore, if one of the cenotes in the system receives damage, it will also impact the others and the balance of the other ecosystems of the Yucatan Peninsula.
What animals do we find in the cenotes?
According to records of existing fauna in the cenotes, the animals that inhabit them are mainly fish and crustaceans. However, you can also find a wide diversity of aquatic plants that feed on the limestone sediment.
Similarly, the life that lives in a cenote depends on the age and morphology of the place. Mainly, they fall into the following categories:
- open sky
- semi-open
- Underground (or in grotto)
The oldest ones are completely exposed, while the youngest ones have the dome almost intact. Either way, no matter when this geological structure was created, the cenotes are interconnected with each other. Eventually, in addition, they flow into the sea.
The main threats to this ecosystem.
At the moment, there are records of at least 2,400 cenote formations within the Yucatan Peninsula. Mega projects such as the Mayan Train and the massive hotel infrastructure not only damage the ecosystem, but also disrupt the mystical connection that the original peoples have with these places today.
Irresponsible tourism, the use of sunscreen, sewage, and leaks from construction materials are among the main threats to cenotes in Mexico. The main problem is that damage suffered by one reverberates towards others. And so, one of the most important aquifer systems in the country has come to less.