By 1960, black bass were caught by the local fishermen, but with difficulty since the Maya can't afford scuba gear or the type of sturdy fishing tackle that's best suited for catching black bass. It's unlikely that they would use scuba gear if they had it, since few know how to swim.
The bass typically reach sexual maturity at about 10 inches in length, which can be as soon as one year. In two years, the bass have attained record size, the average weight being nine pounds.
An American scientist, Anne LaBastille, came in 1960 to study the giant grebe, a bird that apparently lives only on Lake Atitlan. She counted 200 birds, a number close to that known from the last count in 1936. The population seemed to be stable, but she was so fascinated by the rarity of the bird that she planned to return for further study. This bird is also called the Atitlan grebe, or locally, the zambullidor (in Spanish) or the poc duck (imitating the sound of its call).
Upon her return in 1965, LaBastille searched the reed beds along the shore for months. She found only 80 birds.
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