The Chocón Machacas Protected Biotope is located in eastern Guatemala, in the municipality of Livingston, department of Izabal. Although officially declared a protected area in 1989, the University of San Carlos has been working in the biotope to preserve manatees (Trichechus manatus), forests and bodies of water of the Chocón River basin since 1981. One zone of the biotope is within the boundaries of Río Dulce National Park, in the northern section of a location called Golfete ("Small Gulf"). This area harbors a very complex hydrologic system that includes the sea, a lake and several rivers, all of which bestow upon it very special characteristics.

Biodiversity

Very few updated studies exist of the area; those available report 130 bird, 31 mammal, 31 reptile and amphibian, and 82 fish species for the area. Other papers report that the biotope might have a high diversity of aquatic flora. Among the most important fauna of the area, the king vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) and the orange-breasted falcon (Falco deiroleucus), are included in CONAP's Red List. The neotropical otter (Lutra longicaudis) is included in CITES' Appendix I, and three turtles, the Tabasco mud turtle (Kinosternon acutum), the Mexican giant musk turtle (Staurotypus triporcatus) and the slider turtle (Trachemys scripta), as well as the manatee (Trichechus manatus), have been included in IUCN's Red List.

Threats  

Although the biotope's area is critically threatened, efforts to protect and preserve its biological diversity have not been successful. Recovery demands emergency actions. The main threats are due to permanent human intervention; invasion of the protected area; the advance of the agricultural and cattle frontier; illegal extraction, hunting and fishing; and lack of institutional control of the area. The biotope's forest has been isolated by the fragmented surrounding habitat.