Prehistoric bear skulls found underwater in Mexico

The ancient remains of four prehistoric bears have been uncovered by archaeologists diving in underwater caves in Mexico.

Scientists think the extinct species lived in the caves in the ice age before they became filled with water.

Human remains were also found.

David Cuen reports.

Watch video at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16632419

New Butterfly Species ID'ed by DNA

New research into the particulars of butterfly DNA has unmasked as many as nine new butterfly species previously lumped together with known butterfly species.

The interloping butterflies, all found in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, have long remained incognito in the collection of El Colegio de la Frontera Sur-Chetumal (ECOSUR), a research center in Mexico. They are known as "cryptic species," because, although their markings and body types are nearly identical to previously identified butterfly species, their genes tell a different story.

"We expect all nine cryptic species will be new to science," said lead scientist Carmen Pozo, in an email.

The ECOSUR team used a technique known as DNA barcoding for their research, which is published online in the journal PLoS ONE.

By looking at the same stretch of DNA in 857 butterfly specimens in the institution's collection, the technique allowed the researchers to root out genetic differences large enough to set one species apart from another and compare the genetic sequences with a large database of known species.

In addition to identifying nine butterfly species that are likely new to science, the genetic study allowed scientists to sort 71 caterpillar specimens into 16 different species and match them with their adult counterparts — a difficult task when relying on appearance alone, since there's notoriously little resemblance between a caterpillar and its more elegant, fully grown form.

Pozo also said that following the life cycle of each species in the field is time-consuming and expensive. "Barcoding helps link the adults with caterpillars of each species in an easy, quick, cheap and accurate way," she told OurAmazingPlanet.

The researchers noted that having the ability to quickly identify which caterpillar turns into which butterfly could aid conservation efforts for threatened species and allow crucial caterpillar habitat to be identified and conserved.

The researchers also found four butterfly specimens in the collection that were incorrectly labeled as one species when, in fact, their DNA revealed they belonged to a different species altogether. Two of the newly-labeled butterflies represent new records for both the region and the country as a whole.
One of the specimens, Adelpha iphiclus, belongs to a species that has never before been seen in the Yucatan Peninsula. Another, Taygetis lache, has never before been found in all of Mexico.
All of the specimens studied belong to more than 100 different species in the Nymphalidae family, which encompasses about one-third of the 160,000 known butterfly and moth species worldwide.

The scientists noted that the revelation of the mislabeled species and the nine entirely new butterfly species adds to the evidence that many butterfly species around the world await discovery.

"This is exciting, because we are discovering new species in a well-known butterfly family," Pozo said, "which means we have more biodiversity than we thought." And yet, she said, the excitement that comes with new discovery is tempered by the fact that habitat loss is threatening several of the species.

This story was provided by OurAmazingPlanet, a sister site to LivScience. Follow OurAmazingPlanet for the latest in Earth science and exploration news on Twitter @OAPlanet and on Facebook.


http://www.livescience.com/17196-butterfly-species-uncovered-dna-barcoding.html

Pictures: Rare "Cyclops" Shark Found

One-Eyed Anomaly
Photograph courtesy Marcela Bejarano-Álvarez

Talk about a one-of-a-kind discovery—an extremely rare cyclops shark (pictured) has been confirmed in Mexico, new research shows.

The 22-inch-long (56-centimeter-long) fetus has a single, functioning eye at the front of its head—the hallmark of a congenital condition called cyclopia, which occurs in several animal species, including humans.

Earlier this year fisher Enrique Lucero León legally caught a pregnant dusky shark near Cerralvo Island (see map) in the Gulf of California. When León cut open his catch, he found the odd-looking male embryo along with its nine normal siblings. "He said, That's incredible—wow," said biologist Felipe Galván-Magaña, of the Interdisciplinary Center of Marine Sciences in La Paz, Mexico.
Once Galván-Magaña and colleague Marcela Bejarano-Álvarez heard about the discovery—which was put on Facebook—the team got León's permission to borrow the shark for research. The scientists then x-rayed the fetus and reviewed previous research on cyclopia in other species to confirm that the find is indeed a cyclops shark.

Cyclops sharks have been documented by scientists a few times before, also as embryos, said Jim Gelsleichter, a shark biologist at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. The fact that none have been caught outside the womb suggests cyclops sharks don't survive long in the wild.

Overall, finding such an unusual animal reinforces that scientists still have a lot to learn, Gelsleichter added.

"It's a humbling experience to realize you ain't seen it all yet."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/10/pictures/111013-shark-albino-one-eyed-fetus/#/one-eyed-cyclops-shark-pup-holding-face_41775_600x450.jpg

However, read here for Greg Laden’s view...

Mexico to reintroduce wolves into Sonora

Wolves reintroduced into Mexico
September 2011. Mexican authorities plan to release five Mexican wolves this month at an undisclosed ranch location in northeastern Sonora, Mexico; it is believed that the wolves being released will be fitted with satellite tracking collars.

Arizona has been actively involved in the multi-partner effort reintroducing Mexican wolves to portions of their historical range in the east-central portion of the state for many years. In 1998, 11 captive-reared Mexican wolves were released into the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area (BRWRA) in eastern Arizona. The current population was assessed to be around 50 animals during 2011 monitoring.

Sky Islands of SonoraThe Sky Island region of northwest Mexico and southwest United States is a unique blend of temperate and tropical biological zones and species, and was named a World Biodiversity Hotspot by Conservation International in 2005. El Aribabi is a huge ranch that hosts over 35 species of plants and animals protected by Mexican law, including jaguars, golden eagles, Chiricahua leopard frogs and ocelots.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/mexico-wolves.html

Hidden Baja Undersea Park Is the World's Most Robust Marine Reserve

ScienceDaily (Aug. 13, 2011) — A thriving undersea wildlife park tucked away near the southern tip of Mexico's Baja peninsula has proven to be the world's most robust marine reserve in the world, according to a new study led by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.

Results of a 10-year analysis of Cabo Pulmo National Park (CPNP), published in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) ONE journal, revealed that the total amount of fish in the reserve ecosystem (the "biomass") boomed more than 460 percent from 1999 to 2009. Citizens living around Cabo Pulmo, previously depleted by fishing, established the park in 1995 and have strictly enforced its "no take" restrictions.

"We could have never dreamt of such an extraordinary recovery of marine life at Cabo Pulmo," said National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Enric Sala, who started the study in 1999. "In 1999 there were only medium-sized fishes, but ten years later it's full of large parrotfish, groupers, snappers and even sharks."

The most striking result of the paper, the authors say, is that fish communities at a depleted site can recover up to a level comparable to remote, pristine sites that have never been fished by humans.

"The study's results are surprising in several ways," said Octavio Aburto-Oropeza, a Scripps postdoctoral researcher, World Wildlife Fund Kathryn Fuller fellow and lead author of the study. "A biomass increase of 463 percent in a reserve as large as Cabo Pulmo (71 square kilometers) represents tons of new fish produced every year. No other marine reserve in the world has shown such a fish recovery."

The paper notes that factors such as the protection of spawning areas for large predators have been key to the reserve's robustness. Most importantly, local enforcement, led by the determined action of a few families, has been a major factor in the park's success. Boat captains, dive masters and other locals work to enforce the park's regulations and share surveillance, fauna protection and ocean cleanliness efforts.

"We believe that the success of CPNP is greatly due to local leadership, effective self-enforcement by local stakeholders, and the general support of the broader community," the authors note in their report.
Strictly enforced marine reserves have been proven to help reduce local poverty and increase economic benefits, the researchers say. Cabo Pulmo's marine life recovery has spawned eco-tourism businesses, including coral reef diving and kayaking, making it a model for areas depleted by fishing in the Gulf of California and elsewhere.

"The reefs are full of hard corals and sea fans, creating an amazing habitat for lobsters, octopuses, rays and small fish," said Brad Erisman, a Scripps postdoctoral researcher and co-author of the article. "During some seasons thousands of mobula rays congregate inside the park and swim above the reef in a magnificent way."

The scientists have been combining efforts to monitor the Gulf of California's rocky reefs every year for more than a decade, sampling more than 30 islands and peninsula locations along Baja California, stretching from Puerto Refugio on the northern tip of Angel de la Guarda to Cabo San Lucas and Cabo Pulmo south of the Bahia de La Paz.

In the ten years studied, the researchers found that Cabo Pulmo's fish species richness blossomed into a biodiversity "hot spot." Animals such as tiger sharks, bull sharks and black tip reef sharks increased significantly. Scientists continue to find evidence that such top predators keep coral reefs healthy. Other large fish at Cabo Pulmo include gulf groupers, dog snappers and leopard groupers.

"I participated, back in the 1990s, in the studies for the declaration of the marine park. Frankly, we decided to go ahead because the community was so determined but the place at that time was not in good environmental health," said Exequiel Ezcurra, Director of the University of California Institute for Mexico and the United States (UC MEXUS) and co-author of the article. "If you visit the place now, you cannot believe the change that has taken place. And all of it has occurred thanks to the determination of a community of coastal villagers that decided to take care of their place and to be at the helm of their own destiny."

"Few policymakers around the world are aware that fish size and abundance can increase inside marine reserves to extraordinary levels within a decade after protection is established; fewer still know that these increases often translate into economic benefits for coastal communities" said Aburto-Oropeza. "Therefore, showing what's happened in Cabo Pulmo will contribute to ongoing conservation efforts in the marine environment and recovery of local coastal economies."

In addition to Aburto-Oropeza, co-authors include Brad Erisman and Grantly Galland of Scripps Oceanography; Ismael Mascareñas-Osorio of Centro para la Biodiversidad Marina y la Conservación in La Paz, Mexico; Enric Sala of the National Geographic Society and Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes in Spain; and Exequiel Ezcurra of UC-MEXUS at UC Riverside.

The research was funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, International Community Foundation, Moore Family Foundation, Pew Fellowship Program on Marine Conservation, Robins Family Foundation, The Tinker Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110812153216.htm

Discovered by chance, the secret Mexican crystal caves big enough to drive a car through

Discovered by two miners looking for lead, these amazing crystal-lined caves could be mistaken for Superman's ethereal Arctic lair.


These stunning white beams of gypsum have been growing at a snail's pace for hundreds of thousands of years in caves below Naica in Mexico.

Ten years after the amazing discovery, scientists are petitioning the Mexican government to claim for Unesco World Heritage status to protect the unique formations for future generations.

'They're really one of the Wonders of the World,' said Juanma Garcia Ruiz, a geologist from Spain's Instituto Andaluz de Las Ciencias de la Tierra, who has studied at the mine.


These stunning images, which were taken by world-renowned Spanish photographer Javier Trueba, show the sheer size of the crystals, some of which measure up to 11 metres.


Growing slowly over time, it is still unclear why the formations fill the caves at such haphazard angles.

The huge mines at Naica have been excavated for years, but in 1975 a massive area was drained so mining operations could take place.


When the water disappeared the crystals stopped growing, however, it was more than 25 years before two miners stumbled across the vast Crystal Caves and the incredible collection of gypsum was discovered.

The formation of the beams 290 metres below the surface, occurred when super-heated water began cooling and became saturated with gypsum.

Over time, crystals formed in the water.


One of the major problems still facing scientists wishing to study below the ground at Naica is the heat.

A hot spring located close to the Crystal Caves means the temperature is too hot for people to remain in the crystal chamber for longer than ten minutes at a time.

Fortunately, other sections of the mine are air-conditioned.


Professor Garcia Ruiz said: 'If you go down into the mines you can't survive for more than ten minutes. The heat is extreme.

'But the mine itself is very big, there is a huge number of chambers down there and you can drive a car through it.'

Soon, Professor Garcia Ruiz is planning to return to Naica and continue his studies, however, he is calling for more to be done to ensure the crystals get the proper care they deserve.


'The crystals need to be preserved much better.

'They really are something amazing and I think there is still people in Mexico who don't know how important it is to preserve them as much as possible.

'I'm trying to convince the people of Mexico to claim Naica for Unesco World Heritage site.

'Naica is very unique and the chance of having another one on the planet is very low.'

By Daily Mail Reporter

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2018219/Naica-Mine-Crystal-caves-discovered-chance-Mexico.html

Ancient Mexicans bred wolf-dog hybrids, anthropological study finds (via Chad Arment)

Mexican researchers said Wednesday they have identified jawbones found in the pre-Hispanic ruins of Teotihuacan as those of wolf-dogs that were apparently crossbred as a symbol of the city's warriors.

The National Institute of Anthropology and History said the jawbones were found during excavations in 2004 and are the first physical evidence of what appears to be intentional crossbreeding in ancient Mexican cultures.

The jawbones were found in a warrior's burial at a Teotihuacan pyramid. Anthropological studies performed at Mexico's National Autonomous University indicate the animal was a wolf-dog.

"In oral traditions and old chronicles, dog-like animals appear with symbols of power or divinity," said institute spokesman Francisco De Anda. "But we did not have skeletal evidence ... this is the first time we have proof."

Wolf- or dog-like creatures appear in paintings at Teotihuacan, but had long been thought to be depictions of coyotes, which also inhabit the region. But archaeologists are now reevaluating that interpretation.

Several jawbones were made into a sort of decorative garment found on the warrior's skeleton at the 2,000-year-old site north of Mexico City.

The wolf-dog apparently served as a symbol of strength and power.


Dogs and wolves are very similar genetically, and there has been evidence of ancient remains that may show natural crossbreeding.

But archaeologist Raul Valadez said the animal was the result of intentional selection. While the inhabitants of Teotihuacan had dogs, wolves and coyotes, they almost exclusively used wolf-dog bones in the ceremonial arrangement.

Of the bones found, eight were wolf-dog, three were dogs and two were crosses of coyotes and wolf-dogs.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/12/ancient-mexicans-bred-wolf-dog-hybrids-anthropological-study-finds.html

Ancient Mexicans bred wolf-dog hybrids, anthropological study finds (via Chad Arment)

Mexican researchers said Wednesday they have identified jawbones found in the pre-Hispanic ruins of Teotihuacan as those of wolf-dogs that were apparently crossbred as a symbol of the city's warriors.

The National Institute of Anthropology and History said the jawbones were found during excavations in 2004 and are the first physical evidence of what appears to be intentional crossbreeding in ancient Mexican cultures.

The jawbones were found in a warrior's burial at a Teotihuacan pyramid. Anthropological studies performed at Mexico's National Autonomous University indicate the animal was a wolf-dog.

"In oral traditions and old chronicles, dog-like animals appear with symbols of power or divinity," said institute spokesman Francisco De Anda. "But we did not have skeletal evidence ... this is the first time we have proof."

Wolf- or dog-like creatures appear in paintings at Teotihuacan, but had long been thought to be depictions of coyotes, which also inhabit the region. But archaeologists are now reevaluating that interpretation.

Several jawbones were made into a sort of decorative garment found on the warrior's skeleton at the 2,000-year-old site north of Mexico City.

The wolf-dog apparently served as a symbol of strength and power.


Dogs and wolves are very similar genetically, and there has been evidence of ancient remains that may show natural crossbreeding.

But archaeologist Raul Valadez said the animal was the result of intentional selection. While the inhabitants of Teotihuacan had dogs, wolves and coyotes, they almost exclusively used wolf-dog bones in the ceremonial arrangement.

Of the bones found, eight were wolf-dog, three were dogs and two were crosses of coyotes and wolf-dogs.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/12/ancient-mexicans-bred-wolf-dog-hybrids-anthropological-study-finds.html

Flamingos gathered in the shape of a flamingo is 'holy grail' of pictures

A photographer in Mexico claims he captured a real ‘bird’s eye view’ when a flock of flamingos gathered in this incredible shape.
Bobby Haas explained he had spent half an hour photographing the birds in their natural habitat from the air and was ready to head home. Yet just as the helicopter turned to leave he noticed the flamingos created an unusual formation.

Mr Haas said: 'I was just leaving when I noticed that the flock was moving into a shape resembling a flamingo. I told the pilot to whip around but go in slowly, since if you startle the flock they will splinter’.

His chance to snap the birds was fleeting and Haas only managed to take one picture. It wasn’t until he developed it months later that the picture’s true majesty became clear.

‘It’s the holy grail in photography when you capture an image you’ve never seen before and may never see again.

‘It really was a spiritual moment’, Mr Haas added.

‘Some people have actually said that the image is divine intervention and proof that there is a God.’

Holy creation seems like a stretch, but it is certainly a once in a lifetime snap.


http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/847972-flamingos-gather-in-the-shape-of-a-flamingo#ixzz161lg3skN

Flamingos gathered in the shape of a flamingo is 'holy grail' of pictures

A photographer in Mexico claims he captured a real ‘bird’s eye view’ when a flock of flamingos gathered in this incredible shape.
Bobby Haas explained he had spent half an hour photographing the birds in their natural habitat from the air and was ready to head home. Yet just as the helicopter turned to leave he noticed the flamingos created an unusual formation.

Mr Haas said: 'I was just leaving when I noticed that the flock was moving into a shape resembling a flamingo. I told the pilot to whip around but go in slowly, since if you startle the flock they will splinter’.

His chance to snap the birds was fleeting and Haas only managed to take one picture. It wasn’t until he developed it months later that the picture’s true majesty became clear.

‘It’s the holy grail in photography when you capture an image you’ve never seen before and may never see again.

‘It really was a spiritual moment’, Mr Haas added.

‘Some people have actually said that the image is divine intervention and proof that there is a God.’

Holy creation seems like a stretch, but it is certainly a once in a lifetime snap.


http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/847972-flamingos-gather-in-the-shape-of-a-flamingo#ixzz161lg3skN

Mysterious Livestock Attacks in Mexico Blamed on Chupacabra

Over the past two months, shepherds and ranchers in rural Mexico have become increasingly concerned that the Hispanic vampire beast el chupacabra might be stalking their livestock.

The chupacabra (the word means "goat sucker" in Spanish) is the world's third best-known monster after Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, and first appeared in 1995 Puerto Rico. It had a heyday of about five years, when it was widely reported in Mexico, Chile, Nicaragua, Spain, Argentina, Brazil and Florida, among other places, though sightings have decreased since then.

According to some, the monster has returned. -

http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/chupacabra-beast-livestock-attacks-mexico-100908.html

Mysterious Livestock Attacks in Mexico Blamed on Chupacabra

Over the past two months, shepherds and ranchers in rural Mexico have become increasingly concerned that the Hispanic vampire beast el chupacabra might be stalking their livestock.

The chupacabra (the word means "goat sucker" in Spanish) is the world's third best-known monster after Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, and first appeared in 1995 Puerto Rico. It had a heyday of about five years, when it was widely reported in Mexico, Chile, Nicaragua, Spain, Argentina, Brazil and Florida, among other places, though sightings have decreased since then.

According to some, the monster has returned. -

http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/chupacabra-beast-livestock-attacks-mexico-100908.html

Mexican Archaeologists Extract 10,000 Year-Old Skeleton from Flooded Cave in Quintana Roo

The Young Man of Chan Hol, named after the cenote it was found in, was recovered in a 542 meters long and 8.3 deep cave where stalagmites abound, and is reached after going through flooded, dark and difficult labyrinths.

MEXICO CITY.- One of the earliest human skeletons of America, which belonged to a person that lived more than 10,000 years ago, in the Ice Age, was recovered by Mexican specialists from a flooded cave in Quintana Roo. The information it has lodged for centuries will reveal new data regarding the settlement of the Americas.

The Young Man of Chan Hol, as the skeleton is known among the scientific community, due to the slight tooth wear it presents, which indicates an early age, is the fourth of our earliest ancestors found in the American Continent, and has been studied as part of a National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) project.

After 3 years of studies conducted In Situ to prevent information loss, the Chan Hol skeleton was subtracted from the water by a team of specialists headed by biologist Arturo Gonzalez, coordinator of the project Study of Pre Ceramic Men of Yucatan Peninsula and director of Museo del Desierto de Coahuila (Museum of the Desert of Coahuila), with the participation of speleodivers Eugenio Acevez, Jeronimo Aviles and Luis Garcia, part of the recently founded Instituto de la Prehistoria de America (Institute for American Prehistory), funded by INAH.

The Young Man of Chan Hol, named after the cenote it was found in, was recovered in a 542 meters long and 8.3 deep cave where stalagmites abound, and is reached after going through flooded, dark and difficult labyrinths.

UNAM (National University of Mexico) physical anthropologists that studied the remains think they were placed in the cave after a funerary ceremony that took place by the end of Pleistocene, when the sea level was 150 meters lower, before the caves, probably walked by this person, got flooded.

Sixty per cent of the skeleton was collected: representative bones of 4 extremities, vertebrae, ribs and the skull, as well as several teeth. Physical anthropologists find this “great,” since in cases of 10,000 years old samples usually only the skull or jawbone is found, and sometimes, 20 or 30 percent of the skeleton.

Along with the skeletons of the Woman of Naharon, Woman of Las Palmas and Man of El Templo, discovered as well in flooded caves near Tulum, Quintana Roo in recent years, the Young Man of Chan Hol is a key factor to understand the settlement of the Americas, since its finding strengthens the hypothesis of the American Continent being populated by several migrations from Asia.

Arturo Gonzalez, paleo biology specialist, mentioned that the 4 skeletons found in Quintana Roo flooded caves “reveal that migrations from Southeast Asia happened earlier than Clovis groups’ ones, who would have crossed from Northern Asia through Bering Strait as well, by the end of the Ice Age.

“Our dating confirmed that skeletons collected in Quintana Roo caves belonged to members of Pre Clovis groups and are part of the few human rests found from the American Terminal Pleistocene, with physical features similar to those of people from Central and South Asia, suggesting there were several migrations to our continent”.

The first physical anthropology report, conducted by physical anthropologists Alejandro Terrazas and Martha Benavente, from the UNAM (National University of Mexico) Institute of Anthropological Investigations, indicates the skeleton belonged to a young adult, probably a male; legs were flexed to the left and arms extended to both sides of the body, which is a “new fact to be studied”, since no skeleton had been found before in this position.

The skeleton of the Young Man of Chan Hol must stay as they are for several months until their consolidation, before undergoing morphoscopical studies (of the skull and bones) to verify if it shares morphological and physical features with the other 3 skeletons found in the caves; gender, age, cause of death and age at the time of death will be confirmed too. Carbon 14 Dating will be conducted as well as Computed Axial Tomography (CAT) studies to determine composition, density and interior form of the bones.

Ancestors Underwater
In 2006, two German speleodivers named Thursten discovered the skeleton while exploring the Chan Hol (small hole in Maya) cave, aiming to lengthen the life line (guide placed by divers to avoid getting lost inside caves). They saw the osseous rests and informed the Quintana Roo INAH Center, which specialists began registration immediately.

Taking the Joven de Chan Hol out of the water context was not easy. It took 3 years after the Thurstens found it to conduct In Situ archaeological and physical anthropology studies that finally allowed the extraction with minimum conservation risks.

Studies include photographic and video registration of the remains and their context; more than 50 exploration immersions in the cave were conducted to study the possibilities of moving the skeleton, since each centimeter of the skeleton and its context represented an irreplaceable piece of the millenary history puzzle.

Investigations are being conducted by INAH, UNAM, Museum of the Desert of Coahuila and the Institute for American Prehistory in a project –now inter-institutional- that originated 10 years ago in INAH: the Underwater Archaeological Atlas for the Register, Study and Protection of Cenotes in the Peninsula of Yucatan, headed by the pioneer of underwater archaeology in Mexico, Pilar Luna Erreguerena.

Recovery of the fourth Ice Age skeleton was conducted by biologist Arturo Gonzalez, director of the project, with the collaboration of physical anthropologists Alejandro Terrazas and Martha Benavente, who gave indications from the surface to take the bones out without loosing important information for the reconstruction of their identity.

Inside the cave, Arturo Gonzalez was accompanied by speleodivers Jeronimo Aviles, Eugenio Acevez and Luis Martinez. The four of them carried 80 kilograms of equipment, among oxygen tanks, lamps and snorkels, as well as waterproof cameras (a photographic camera and 2 camcorders), a tripod, lighting devises, and 3 plastic boxes with protection inside to carry the millenary human remains.

Recollection was conducted in 2 days, with a total submersion time of 5 hours, during which the last registration took place. Bones were placed in plastic bags with water from the cave to avoid temperature and acidity changes, and after it, in previously numbered boxes, where the remains were brought to the surface.

A stalagmite was collected with the bones, since it had fell on the left humerus of the skeleton; this is important for anthropologists because it allows assuming that the human rests were placed in the cave more than 10,000 years ago, since this mineral formations are not found in flooded caves.

Arturo Gonzalez detailed that in the Ice Age the Peninsula of Yucatan must have been a desert pastureland that turned into rainforest due to climate change. Young Man of Chan Hol and his peers found refugee in the caves and drank rainwater that filtered to the most profound caves.

Since 2002 evidences of such lifestyle have been found: lithic tools, fireplaces, rests of extinct animals from the Pleistocene, as well as other 3 human skeletons named: Woman of Naharon, Woman of Las Palmas and Man of El Templo, with ages that vary between 10,000 and 14,000 years old.

Placing of these 4 skeletons is evidence of the funerary use given to caves, since the arrangement of the remains do not correspond to natural positions, but to a Post Mortem ritual assemblage.

Mexican Archaeologists Extract 10,000 Year-Old Skeleton from Flooded Cave in Quintana Roo

The Young Man of Chan Hol, named after the cenote it was found in, was recovered in a 542 meters long and 8.3 deep cave where stalagmites abound, and is reached after going through flooded, dark and difficult labyrinths.

MEXICO CITY.- One of the earliest human skeletons of America, which belonged to a person that lived more than 10,000 years ago, in the Ice Age, was recovered by Mexican specialists from a flooded cave in Quintana Roo. The information it has lodged for centuries will reveal new data regarding the settlement of the Americas.

The Young Man of Chan Hol, as the skeleton is known among the scientific community, due to the slight tooth wear it presents, which indicates an early age, is the fourth of our earliest ancestors found in the American Continent, and has been studied as part of a National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) project.

After 3 years of studies conducted In Situ to prevent information loss, the Chan Hol skeleton was subtracted from the water by a team of specialists headed by biologist Arturo Gonzalez, coordinator of the project Study of Pre Ceramic Men of Yucatan Peninsula and director of Museo del Desierto de Coahuila (Museum of the Desert of Coahuila), with the participation of speleodivers Eugenio Acevez, Jeronimo Aviles and Luis Garcia, part of the recently founded Instituto de la Prehistoria de America (Institute for American Prehistory), funded by INAH.

The Young Man of Chan Hol, named after the cenote it was found in, was recovered in a 542 meters long and 8.3 deep cave where stalagmites abound, and is reached after going through flooded, dark and difficult labyrinths.

UNAM (National University of Mexico) physical anthropologists that studied the remains think they were placed in the cave after a funerary ceremony that took place by the end of Pleistocene, when the sea level was 150 meters lower, before the caves, probably walked by this person, got flooded.

Sixty per cent of the skeleton was collected: representative bones of 4 extremities, vertebrae, ribs and the skull, as well as several teeth. Physical anthropologists find this “great,” since in cases of 10,000 years old samples usually only the skull or jawbone is found, and sometimes, 20 or 30 percent of the skeleton.

Along with the skeletons of the Woman of Naharon, Woman of Las Palmas and Man of El Templo, discovered as well in flooded caves near Tulum, Quintana Roo in recent years, the Young Man of Chan Hol is a key factor to understand the settlement of the Americas, since its finding strengthens the hypothesis of the American Continent being populated by several migrations from Asia.

Arturo Gonzalez, paleo biology specialist, mentioned that the 4 skeletons found in Quintana Roo flooded caves “reveal that migrations from Southeast Asia happened earlier than Clovis groups’ ones, who would have crossed from Northern Asia through Bering Strait as well, by the end of the Ice Age.

“Our dating confirmed that skeletons collected in Quintana Roo caves belonged to members of Pre Clovis groups and are part of the few human rests found from the American Terminal Pleistocene, with physical features similar to those of people from Central and South Asia, suggesting there were several migrations to our continent”.

The first physical anthropology report, conducted by physical anthropologists Alejandro Terrazas and Martha Benavente, from the UNAM (National University of Mexico) Institute of Anthropological Investigations, indicates the skeleton belonged to a young adult, probably a male; legs were flexed to the left and arms extended to both sides of the body, which is a “new fact to be studied”, since no skeleton had been found before in this position.

The skeleton of the Young Man of Chan Hol must stay as they are for several months until their consolidation, before undergoing morphoscopical studies (of the skull and bones) to verify if it shares morphological and physical features with the other 3 skeletons found in the caves; gender, age, cause of death and age at the time of death will be confirmed too. Carbon 14 Dating will be conducted as well as Computed Axial Tomography (CAT) studies to determine composition, density and interior form of the bones.

Ancestors Underwater
In 2006, two German speleodivers named Thursten discovered the skeleton while exploring the Chan Hol (small hole in Maya) cave, aiming to lengthen the life line (guide placed by divers to avoid getting lost inside caves). They saw the osseous rests and informed the Quintana Roo INAH Center, which specialists began registration immediately.

Taking the Joven de Chan Hol out of the water context was not easy. It took 3 years after the Thurstens found it to conduct In Situ archaeological and physical anthropology studies that finally allowed the extraction with minimum conservation risks.

Studies include photographic and video registration of the remains and their context; more than 50 exploration immersions in the cave were conducted to study the possibilities of moving the skeleton, since each centimeter of the skeleton and its context represented an irreplaceable piece of the millenary history puzzle.

Investigations are being conducted by INAH, UNAM, Museum of the Desert of Coahuila and the Institute for American Prehistory in a project –now inter-institutional- that originated 10 years ago in INAH: the Underwater Archaeological Atlas for the Register, Study and Protection of Cenotes in the Peninsula of Yucatan, headed by the pioneer of underwater archaeology in Mexico, Pilar Luna Erreguerena.

Recovery of the fourth Ice Age skeleton was conducted by biologist Arturo Gonzalez, director of the project, with the collaboration of physical anthropologists Alejandro Terrazas and Martha Benavente, who gave indications from the surface to take the bones out without loosing important information for the reconstruction of their identity.

Inside the cave, Arturo Gonzalez was accompanied by speleodivers Jeronimo Aviles, Eugenio Acevez and Luis Martinez. The four of them carried 80 kilograms of equipment, among oxygen tanks, lamps and snorkels, as well as waterproof cameras (a photographic camera and 2 camcorders), a tripod, lighting devises, and 3 plastic boxes with protection inside to carry the millenary human remains.

Recollection was conducted in 2 days, with a total submersion time of 5 hours, during which the last registration took place. Bones were placed in plastic bags with water from the cave to avoid temperature and acidity changes, and after it, in previously numbered boxes, where the remains were brought to the surface.

A stalagmite was collected with the bones, since it had fell on the left humerus of the skeleton; this is important for anthropologists because it allows assuming that the human rests were placed in the cave more than 10,000 years ago, since this mineral formations are not found in flooded caves.

Arturo Gonzalez detailed that in the Ice Age the Peninsula of Yucatan must have been a desert pastureland that turned into rainforest due to climate change. Young Man of Chan Hol and his peers found refugee in the caves and drank rainwater that filtered to the most profound caves.

Since 2002 evidences of such lifestyle have been found: lithic tools, fireplaces, rests of extinct animals from the Pleistocene, as well as other 3 human skeletons named: Woman of Naharon, Woman of Las Palmas and Man of El Templo, with ages that vary between 10,000 and 14,000 years old.

Placing of these 4 skeletons is evidence of the funerary use given to caves, since the arrangement of the remains do not correspond to natural positions, but to a Post Mortem ritual assemblage.

Chupacabra Alert: 300 Goats Mysteriously Slaughtered in Mexico

(Sept. 2) -- Shepherds in Mexico are up in arms -- or heads, as the case may be -- over a rash of beheadings inflicted on their goats, and many people are blaming the legendary predator known as the chupacabra.

Over the past two months, more than 300 goats owned by shepherds in Mexico's Puebla state have been decapitated by someone, or something, that hasn't yet been tracked down.

According to various reports, Felix Martinez, president of Colonia San Martin, recently stated that nearly 40 goats were killed near his municipality. Strangely, there was reportedly very little evidence of blood in the area where the goat bodies were found -- throwing suspicion on an unknown animal or chupacabra.

The chupacabra falls into the cryptozoological category of cryptids, a term used to describe animals that haven't yet been confirmed by science, like the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot.

Chupacabra sightings often emanate from the Southwest U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America and Mexico, and the animal is thought to attack livestock, leaving behind puncture wounds after it drains their blood.

AOL News reported in July that a bizarre-looking animal, allegedly a goat-blood-sucking chupacabra, was shot and killed by Texas Animal Control officer Frank Hackett.

"All I know is, it wasn't normal. It was ugly, real ugly. I'm not going to tell no lie on that one," Hackett told NBC DFW.

Medical researchers have speculated that the purported chupacabras of Texas and Mexico may actually be coyote hybrids, something DNA tests could determine.

Meanwhile, in Mexico, groups of peasants have formed watch groups to monitor any possible chupacabra activity in their communities.

Read more at: ufodigest.com.

See video at: http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/chupacabras-suspected-in-300-goat-beheadings/19616888

(Submitted by Marije Tintin)

Chupacabra Alert: 300 Goats Mysteriously Slaughtered in Mexico

(Sept. 2) -- Shepherds in Mexico are up in arms -- or heads, as the case may be -- over a rash of beheadings inflicted on their goats, and many people are blaming the legendary predator known as the chupacabra.

Over the past two months, more than 300 goats owned by shepherds in Mexico's Puebla state have been decapitated by someone, or something, that hasn't yet been tracked down.

According to various reports, Felix Martinez, president of Colonia San Martin, recently stated that nearly 40 goats were killed near his municipality. Strangely, there was reportedly very little evidence of blood in the area where the goat bodies were found -- throwing suspicion on an unknown animal or chupacabra.

The chupacabra falls into the cryptozoological category of cryptids, a term used to describe animals that haven't yet been confirmed by science, like the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot.

Chupacabra sightings often emanate from the Southwest U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America and Mexico, and the animal is thought to attack livestock, leaving behind puncture wounds after it drains their blood.

AOL News reported in July that a bizarre-looking animal, allegedly a goat-blood-sucking chupacabra, was shot and killed by Texas Animal Control officer Frank Hackett.

"All I know is, it wasn't normal. It was ugly, real ugly. I'm not going to tell no lie on that one," Hackett told NBC DFW.

Medical researchers have speculated that the purported chupacabras of Texas and Mexico may actually be coyote hybrids, something DNA tests could determine.

Meanwhile, in Mexico, groups of peasants have formed watch groups to monitor any possible chupacabra activity in their communities.

Read more at: ufodigest.com.

See video at: http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/chupacabras-suspected-in-300-goat-beheadings/19616888

(Submitted by Marije Tintin)

Festival of Wildlife 2011. Baja California, Mexico.

Leading specialist tour operator Wildlife Worldwide has announced that the destination for its eighth annual Festival of Wildlife for 2011 will be Baja California in Mexico, from 10-21 March. A donation of £100 per booking will go directly to support local conservation projects.


Mark Carwardine
The second longest peninsula on earth, Baja is widely recognised as one of the world's premier whale-watching destinations and the small group will be escorted by a number of celebrity wildlife experts including BBC TV personality Mark Carwardine, who will share their knowledge during excursions and hold presentations and workshops.

Blue whales
Accommodation will be right next to the Pacific Ocean, in a private, comfortable camp which has been built in the ideal location to spot grey whales. There will also be visits to the Sea of Cortez, on the opposite side of the peninsula, to be wowed by the astonishing sight of blue whales.

The itinerary commences at San Ignacio Lagoon, one of the best places in Baja California to see grey whales as they arrive from their long migration from the colder waters of the north. The lagoon's shallow waters provide the perfect location to see the mating antics of these amazing cetaceans, as they court each other with passionate water acrobatics.

Sea of Cortez
The second part of the trip will be spent in the Sea of Cortez, where excursions on small boats will provide the chance to see the blue whale - the largest animal in the world with other possible sightings of fin, pilot and sperm whales.

There is also an additional option to witness the annual migration of 300 million butterflies in Mexico's central forests, before the Festival of Wildlife commences.

The Festival of Wildlife 2011 costs from £4250 pp (sharing a room) which includes international flights with Iberia from London, charter flight from La Paz to San Ignacio, private transfers by road and boat as described in the itinerary, accommodation on a full board basis (breakfast and lunch only on day nine), local conservation fees, English speaking guides and activities as detailed in the itinerary.

For further information call 0845 130 6982 (www.wildlifeworldwide.com).

Cocaine haul hidden in sharks

Mexico's navy has seized more than a tonne of cocaine stuffed inside frozen sharks.

Officers cut open more than 20 shark carcasses filled with slabs of the drug after checking a container ship in the southern Mexican state of Yucatan.

Drug gangs are coming up with increasingly creative ways of getting drugs into the United States - in sealed beer cans, religious statues and furniture - as Mexico's military cracks down on the cartels moving South American narcotics north.

President Felipe Calderon has sent 45,000 troops and federal police across Mexico to try to crush powerful smuggling cartels.

But traffickers armed with arsenals of grenades and automatic weapons are far from defeated, and violence has spilled over into US states like Arizona.

Some 2,750 people have died in drug violence in Mexico this year, a pace similar to that of 2008, when 6,300 were killed.

http://news.uk.msn.com/odd-news/article.aspx?cp-documentid=148059689