A portrait of the Yucatán peninsula by Rave

Photos released at the opening of the ninth World Wilderness Congress (WILD9) in Merida, Mexico, highlight the diversity and threats to conservation in the Yucatán peninsula Photograph: MODIS/NASA

The Rapid Assessment Visual Expedition (RAVE) is an initiative of the International League of Conservation Photographers, and was set up to address the challenges of modern conservation Photograph: Christian Ziegler/iLPC

Early morning at the Centro Ecologico Sian Ka'an, a small eco-tourism and education centre that serves as a model for sustainable development in sensitive tropical ecosystems. Revenue generated through tours, fishing, accommodations, and various activities funds conservation and education programs within the Sian Ka'an reserve Photograph: Claudio Contreras/iLCP

The RAVE has monitored areas of concern such as coastal island development and biodiversity loss Photograph: Ben Horton/iLPC

A whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the world's largest fish, by the island of Holbox, off the north coast of the Yucatán peninsula Photograph: Brian Skerry/iLCP

A cloud of bats emerges from a limestone cave at dusk, Calakmul biosphere reserve, Yucatán Photograph: Kevin Schafer/iLPC

Cenotes – subterranean pools – can be found all over the Yucatán peninsula. Cenotes have long been the main sources of water in much of the area Photograph: Jack Dikynga/iLCP

There are over 3,000 cenotes in Yucatán Photograph: Paul Nicklen/iLPC

Painted treefrog (Tlalocohyla picta). This species of frog is also found in parts of Belize, Guatemala and Honduras Photograph: Kevin Schafer/iLCP

The cozumel emerald (Chlorostilbon forficatus) is a hummingbird endemic to the island of Cozumel, Mexico Photograph: iLCP

A trio of Caribbean flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus) feed in the Laguna Rosada. They are highly social birds and live in colonies that can contain thousands of individuals Photograph: Cristina Mittermeier/iLCP

A jaguar (Panthera onca) photographed here via camera trap in Mexico Calakmul national park are the largest cat in America. They are classified as near threatened by IUCN Photograph: Florian Schulz/guardian.co.uk

An aerial view of Cancún on the Yucatán peninsula. Over the past few decades, the peninsula has seen some of the highest deforestation rates in the world, in addition to forest fires and unsustainable development for tourism infrastructure Photograph: Daniel Beltra/iLCP

A Mexican rodeo in Dzilam González, Yucatán. Cattle are an important part of economic activity, food security and culture in this part of Yucatán Photograph: Cristina Mittermeier/iLCP