Akumal Ecological Center: Making Sure Paradise Lasts

You can’t have a place as beautiful as the Riviera Maya, with its turquoise beaches and exotic wildlife, without some serious work from someone. Akumal Ecological Center is one such institution. Working behind the scenes, it has one main objective: do everything possible to make sure this place remains full of life for future generations to enjoy.

Akumal Ecological Center’s work with coral reefs

You can’t have main actors without a stage. One of the center’s main practices is to give maintenance and refurbish The Riviera Maya’s main stage—its coral reefs. Being one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world as well as one of the most popular tourist attractions, that’s no easy task.

It’s a sight to behold. They rescue the coral from the bottom of the ocean; clean it, and hang it on a clothesline underwater. After some time of systematic cleaning and making sure they’re healthy and growing, they relocate them, plating them into the reef itself.

Akumal Ecological Center works with turtles, as well

Once the stage is set, it’s time for the main actors. The Akumal Ecological Center also keeps an eye on the local ocean wildlife, their interaction with humans, and their impact on their ecosystem. The biologists at the center are continuously registering, observing, and studying the behavior of the local sea turtles to make sure their population is a healthy one and that it will continue to grow.

Local government and communities

This is such a massive task, the Akumal Ecological Center couldn’t possibly do it on its own. Mostly, the center works with local communities to maintain a healthy ecosystem. They manage many of the local tourist attractions, such as cenotes. With the help of Akumal Ecological Center, they learn how to take care of them so they keep enjoying their benefits.

The specialists at Akumal Ecological Center also produce various studies that look into the relationship between tourists and the local ecosystem. The goal: pass laws to regulate the tourist activities, such as the maximum number of tours per day, to help maintain places like the Riviera Maya for future generations to enjoy.