A group of activists staged a protest at the SEMARNAT offices in Mérida to highlight the environmental damage caused by pig farms in Yucatán. Less than two weeks after the symbolic closure of the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) delegation by water advocacy groups in the state, the organization Mercy for Animals set up a demonstration outside the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT). They called on authorities to address the exploitation of animals and the destruction of biodiversity in the Yucatán jungle caused by mega-farms.
Yesterday, from 9:00 a.m. until shortly after noon, Mercy for Animals and the Animal Defenders Network in Mérida expressed gratitude to the public for participating in the SOS Yucatán campaign. Through this initiative, they raised awareness about the serious environmental issues stemming from the real estate boom, industrial poultry and pig farms, mega-tourism parks like those operated by Grupo Xcaret, and water exploitation by large industries—despite significant reductions in local groundwater reserves.
By collecting signatures via Change.org, Yucatecans urged SEMARNAT to request a Ramsar Mission for the state. The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty that provides specialized technical advice on addressing ecological threats to wetland areas. These areas are at significant risk due to the real estate boom, particularly along the northern coast of the state.
Yesterday, volunteers from the Animal Defenders Network presented the collected signatures to SEMARNAT, whose offices are adjacent to those of CONAGUA. The intervention sought international attention.
They highlighted an alarming number of industrial farms in the state. Yucatán ranks third nationally in pig population, with 1,606,202 individuals. It also holds the third position in the population of roosters, hens, and chickens, totaling 38,116,894.
While SEMARNAT recorded 500 farms in 2023, Mercy for Animals reported an additional 372 potential facilities, bringing the total to 872. This exceeds the region’s ecosystem renewal capacity.
These mega-farms use biodigesters to mitigate environmental damage. However, SEMARNAT studies reveal that this effort is overwhelmed by the presence of black spots causing waste leakage into cenote waters causing severe impacts on water, air, and soil quality in a wide area between Kinchil and Celestún.
To counteract ecological harm, the organization proposed a Ramsar Mission. This international treaty involves a biological impact assessment. Eight sites in the state, five of which are mangroves or cenotes, have already been included in this protocol, as they hold global significance.
For more information on Ramsar Missions, visit: https://www.ramsar.org/our-work/activities/ramsar-advisory-missions
