Heard more often than it is seen, the Yucatan White Scrotum Howler Monkey (Scientific name Alouatta Pigra) makes a fearsome sound and its’ howls can carry for several miles. It is slow moving and spends most of its’ day resting, often slumped over a tree limb.

Howlers usually appear depressed as they customarily sit hunched back with a gloomy expression on their face. Although the species is arboreal, they seldom make crashing leaps from tree to tree like Spider Monkeys.

They are large and stocky, up to 17 pounds, with glossy sheen fur. Males are larger than females with a longer black beard and a white scrotum, which is taken by females to be a sign of the male’s sexual maturity and breeding proclivity.

Often seen hanging from its’ tail when feeding, they consume large quantities of leaves, but also eat available fruits, nuts and flowers in season. Calls include barks, grunts and howls at dawn and dusk, culminating in a loud continuous rumbling roar by the male, which can be unsettling to say the least.

So, if you are traveling solo in the Yucatan Peninsula and are feeling romantically inclined, you may want to give some thought to emulating the Yucatan White Scrotum Howler Monkey. He seems to have no trouble finding a date. If you would like to hear a Howler for yourself, contact your Trans Caribbean sales representative.

In breaking news from the local newspapers, it has been announced that the governor of Cozumel has just presented his administration’s plan to build a new cruise ship pier on the Island of Cozumel.

The new pier will be located north, near the small marina “Banco Playa” and will dock 4 cruise ships at the same time. Currently Cozumel has three major port piers like this, with one being in the heart of the city of San Miguel.

The promoter of the construction work is officially Apiqroo. Since the day of the announcement there have been rumors that the pier is also being promoted by Carnival Cruise Line and a group of Businessmen from the North of the country.

This site was selected after a “thorough analysis of the area” states the document, which stresses that the Program of Ecological Order and the location in the UGA A1 with predominant zoning for tourism activities were considered.

The pier is being located outside of the protected natural areas and no protected or endangered species were found that could have been affected. “There are no reef areas that could be affected and at this time this zone is one of marine and recreational activities”.

The estimated construction time for the new pier from ground breaking to the starting of operations will be nine months. Once finished, the pier will be able to hold 4 cruise ships.

To allow navigation in the pier area, 747 cubic meters of sand will be dredged in an area of 491.350 sq meters which will open a navigation channel of a kilometer and a half.  This work will take between 23 to 24 weeks.  The document indicates that the dredged sand will be used in the Cozumel’s beach restoration projects.

This is good news as the municipality has been planning to restore the beach areas of Cozumel for several hotels in order to improve their beach areas for guests from around the world.

Also, the government’s international investment agency recently announced the creation of a new wind farm to be built on the south end of the island.The farm’s turbines will generate some 60 megawatts, enough to power about 19 thousand homes. Construction of the first phase of the project, called "Cozumel 1", is expected to start in 2012.

With all the new infrastructure going in, including a new car ferry pier and even a Sam’s Club, Cozumel prices will most certainly be increasing.

Contact your Trans Caribbean Trust agent or oceanfront@transcaribbeantrust.com  to find out more about our beachfront and interior listings on Cozumel Island today.