Tikal National Park
History
"Project Tikal", as it was named at the time, was first proposed by the University of Pennsylvania in 1949. Founded on May 26, 1955, Tikal National Park was established under government decree by the Ministry of Education, via the Instituto de Antropología e Historia, advised by Dr. Adolfo Molina Orantes and under the government of Carlos Castillo Armas. Once established, the University of Pennsylvania played a role in the park's cleaning, maintenance, excavation and restoration of the site from 1956 to 1969.
Today, Tikal National Park's main tourist attraction is the classical, Mayan city Tikal, which is surrounded by a dense, lush forest.
Ecology
Tikal National Park makes up part of the global Man and the Biosphere Programme, within the Maya Biosphere Reserve. Because of its lush and varied ecosystem, many species of plants and animals thrive within the park boundaries. Five species of cats reside within the park, including the jaguar and puma, along with several species of monkeys and anteaters. In addition, more than 300 species of birds are found in the park, including the crane hawk and the ocellated turkey.