Jaguar Habitat at Risk in Playa del Carmen Land Dispute

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Global Construmining & Energy Projects, a firm based in Zacatecas, has submitted a request to change land use near the Tren Maya railway, Río Secreto, and Calica, raising concerns over potential threats to local wildlife, including jaguars.

Disputed Land Use Proposal

According to the Ecological Gazette of Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), the company filed the request under project code 23/MA-0176/06/25 on June 11, 2025. The application was submitted under the Unified Technical Assessment (DTU) in Mode A, which combines approvals for forest land use changes and environmental impact evaluations.

The proposal seeks to convert 59 hectares in the Playa del Carmen ejido, adjacent to Calica, into industrial platforms for storing construction materials. The site lies near the Tren Maya route and Río Secreto, an area frequented by jaguars and other protected species.

Omissions in Environmental Assessment

The company’s technical justification claims the land is “not near any natural protected areas.” However, the Felipe Carrillo Puerto Flora and Fauna Conservation Area, encompassing 2,000 hectares of Calica, is located less than three kilometers away.

“The property of interest lies outside any protected natural area,” the applicant stated, adding that it is “18.3 kilometers from the Cozumel Reefs National Park, 31 kilometers from the Puerto Morelos Reefs, and 55.6 kilometers from the Otoch Maáx Yetel Kooh Flora and Fauna Protection Area.” Notably, the report omitted mention of the Calica reserve.

Legal Rights and Local Impact

Global Construmining & Energy Projects holds usufruct rights to the land through a contract certified by Mexico’s National Agrarian Registry (RAN). Critics argue the project could disrupt a critical wildlife corridor, particularly for jaguars moving through the region.

The controversy highlights tensions between industrial development and conservation efforts in Quintana Roo, where rapid infrastructure growth, including the Tren Maya, has sparked debates over environmental safeguards.