Book publication: Guatemala's bird of the gods as a conservation icon

The book "La vida del Quetzal en la historia del arte mesoamericano" brings together the results of years of research at the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) on the national bird of Guatemala: the quetzal. The book takes the reader back 2800 years into the past and illustrates its iconic significance in the present.

The quetzal was once revered as a sacred bird by the Maya, Olmecs and Aztecs. Today, its habitats, the mountain rainforests of Central America, are increasingly disappearing. Environmental destruction and unsustainable land use have led to the quetzal only being found in isolated regions from Panama to Mexico.

Prof Dr Ulrich Schulz, Professor of Zoology and Applied Animal Ecology at HNEE, has spent many years studying the exotic bird in its habitats and reconstructing its cultural history based on extensive literature research. In collaboration with Ursula Thiemer-Sachse from the Freie Universität (FU) Berlin, the Spanish-language book was produced as a result. HNEE students were also involved.

In their book, the authors explore the almost three-thousand-year history of the "bird of the gods" and illustrate its symbolism for international nature conservation today. It was published to mark the 200th anniversary of Central American independence on 15 September and is now also available online freely available online. A second edition of the book will soon be printed and distributed to schools in Guatemala. This is being financed by the Guatemalan consulate. "This is really great and motivating news for me. Because in addition to the cultural history and symbolism of this iconic bird, it can also be used to communicate the importance of protecting the quetzal and its habitats and promote the idea of sustainability in Central America," says author Prof Dr Ulrich Schulz.