quetzalteueyac

[Ann Rosenthal]

And to illustrate the vagaries of meaning variations:

1 Guatemalan Quetzal = 0.13038 US Dollar

And some latino irony involved here as well: this money is definitely
featherweight.

Ann Rosenthal

>
>
> PS: what is the current status re endangeredness etc of the
> > quetzal bird, anyway? Are they bred in captivity?)
>
> The quetzal may still be found in what cloudforest remains in that
> area.  It stays in the upper levels of the cloudforest, where its green
> feathers camoflage it from predators.  Its numbers, however, are
> threatened by the ongoing destruction of rainforest (which does not
> regenerate).  It is also endangered by people capturing and selling
> it.  (In other words, since people are buying it, people are
> undoubtedly breeding it--but buying one of these birds would be
> indirectly hasten the doom of the species by encouraging
> poaching).
>
> Cristi
>