The Red Guara and the White-tailed Deer national bird and mammal of Honduras
On June 28, 1993, the government of the Republic of Honduras named the Red Guara and the White-tailed Deer by executive decree , as the national bird and mammal of Honduras , respectively. With the purpose of protecting, conserving and managing the environment in a sustained manner, as well as preserving the country’s natural resources.
Below is the decree issued by the then government of President Rafael Leonardo Callejas:
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC IN THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
Considering: that the State becomes obligated to the protection, conservation and sustained management of the environment, in order to preserve its natural resources for the maintenance of the ecological balance.
Considering: that it is necessary and urgent to issue legal provisions that allow the conservation and preservation of the genetic diversity of the constituent species of the Honduran fauna.
Considering: that the rich fauna of which the Honduran nation is proud, of birds and mammals, among other species, must be preserved with special protection for said wealth, which due to its beauty and rarity are subject to capture and commercialization at various times of the year, which has contributed to the decrease in their existence and their possible extinction.
Considering: that in surveys carried out by the Office of the National Commissioner of the Environment, it resulted within the birds that the RED GUARA (Ara macao) and the WHITE-TAILED DEER (Odocoileus virginianus) , among the family of mammals, are considered as the most popular species within the Honduran community.
In use of the powers with which he is invested and in compliance with articles 245, attribution 11 of the Constitution of the Republic; 11, 22 number 9 and 117 of the General Law of Public Administration,
DECREES:
FIRST: declare the bird called RED GUARA (Ara macao) and the mammal WHITE-TAILED DEER (Odocoileus virginianus) as sacred symbols of our fauna, in order to create in our country a positive attitude of preservation and conservation of the same, for the maintenance and control of the ecological system.
SECOND: this decree will enter into force from the date of its publication in the official newspaper «La Gaceta».
Given in the city of Tegucigalpa, municipality of the Central District, on the twenty-eighth day of the month of June, nineteen hundred and ninety-three.
COMMUNICATE.
RAFAEL LEONARDO CALLEJAS ROMERO
President
