Sierra de Álamos - Río Cuchujaqui Biosphere Reserve

The Sierra de Álamos - Río Cuchujaqui Biosphere Reserve, located in the Mexican State of Sonora, falls within the geographical provinces of the Western Sierra Madre and the Northwest Coastal Plain.

It consists of an elevational gradient of vegetation, from the tropical deciduous forest (lowland deciduous) to the Sierra Madre evergreen forest (pine-oak forest).

The Sierra de Álamos runs parallel to the coast of the Pacific Ocean and is crossed by numerous deep gullies that have been excavated by the rivers that flow into the Pacific; this is the case of the Cuchujaqui River, a tributary of the Rio Fuerte.

The region of Álamos is known for the confluence between the northern limits of many tropical species. The protected area hosts a wealth of key species like puma (Puma concolor), jaguar (Panthera onca), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and kinkajous (Herpailurus yaguaroundi).

The Sierra de Álamos - Río Cuchujaqui Biosphere Reserve is located in an enclave in one of the Municipalities harboring the most biodiversity of the State of Sonora. There is an abundance of the riparian forest of Taxodium mucronatum as well as a wide range of soils and geology.

It has mixed plant communities such as the Deciduous Tropical Forest (Lowland Deciduous Forest), the Sinaloa Thorny Shrubland and the Evergreen Sierra Madre Forest (Pine and Oak Forests).

The Sierra de Álamos - Río Cuchujaqui Biosphere Reserve contains extraordinary biological wealth, with a total of approximately 1,200 species of plants in 566 genera and 148 families. In terms of fauna, the area contains approximately 557 species of vertebrates.

Among the species of wildlife, the following can be found here: Guaiacum coulteri, the palm Brahea sp, the Cycad Dioon tomaselli, the Magnolia Magnolia pacifica, the Gila monster Heloderma suspectum, the scorpion Heloderma horridum, the Alamos mud turtle Kinosternon alamosae, the Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, the Humming bird Amazilia violiceps, the Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias, the Eared Quetzal Euptilotis neoxenus and the freshwater shrimp Macrobrachium sp.

Mammals such as the Jaguar Panthera onca, the Ocelot Leopardus pardalis, and the Otter Lontra longicaudis are also found within the Reserve.