With the aim of implementing the “One Health” approach in the natural protected areas of the Selva Maya, shared by Mexico, Guatemala and Belize, a workshop was held to focus on the use and management of the Smart Mobile platform. This tool will play a crucial role in the early monitoring of wildlife health.

The workshop was held as part of the activities of the pilot project “SMART for Health in the Selva Maya” and took place from 11 to 15 September at the headquarters of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) México, bringing together officials from different sub-directorates of this environmental protection agency. The event will also include officials from the National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control Programmes (CENAPRECE) of the Mexican Ministry of Health and the National Service for Health, Food Safety and Quality (SENASICA), as well as operational staff from the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve and the Defenders of Nature Foundation (FDN) of Guatemala, with whom CONANP coordinates various monitoring and surveillance activities in the protected natural areas of the transboundary region.

At the end of November, the second phase of the workshop will take place, using the “Training for Trainers” methodology directly in the field for park rangers and guards from the two countries. This initiative aims to put into practice the categorisation agreed by CONANP, CENAPRECE and SENASICA, with the main objective of gathering information to support early monitoring of environmental and animal health in the Selva Maya region.