25 

 sea turtles {Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, and Demwchelys coriacea; J. Cab Can, G. 

 G6mez Puc, and J. Foot Ake, pers. conim.). These wildlife products were sold to intermediaries and 

 eventually were purchased by tourists or business people who fabricated articles made from these 

 products. 



Study Area 



The study area was located on the Ejido X-Hazil y Anexos, one of the largest ejidos in 

 Quintana Roo (Figure 2-1). The population of Ejido X-Hazil y Anexos during the study was about 

 1,680 people distributed in the three villages of X-Hazil Sur, Uh-May, and Chancah Veracruz (Dachary 

 and Amaiz Bume, 1989; Dr. Juan Chi, pers. comm.). Ejido residents were primarily Maya and lived 

 in the villages, except for about 10 people who lived on a semipermanent basis at farms or camps 

 {ranches and campamentos) in the forest. The ejido is composed of the direct descendants of the Maya 

 who fought Mexican soldiers for more than 50 y during the Caste War (Reed, 1964; see below). 

 While Dachary and Amaiz Bume (1989) suggested that the population of the ejido had declined, local 

 officials (D. Ake Ayala, pers. comm.) indicated that the ejido was growing in population. At about 3.0 

 persons/kmS the human population density on the ejido was greater than the density on many other 

 nearby ejidos. For example, Ejido X-Maben had a density of only 0.8 persons/km^ (Murphy, 1990). 



The three villages that compose the ejidos were founded about 1915 after a smallpox epidemic. 

 Deaths due to this epidemic occurred throughout the region as well and forced many residents to 

 abandon their homes to seek new places to live (Villa Rojas, 1987:149). The presence of a few small 

 stone structures on the ejido suggests that the area was populated by the early Maya, but these 

 structures have not been studied by archeologists. Local residents suggested, however, that the area 

 had a relatively recent occupation dating from the early 1900s when four or five families founded a 

 small village near the site of Rancho Las Palmas (Kilometer 95, Route 307; and S. Yeh Ake, pers. 

 conmi.). These same families eventually founded the ejido. 



