Protected Areas in Mexico

The Alto Golfo de California and El Pinacate Biosphere Reserve comprise the Pinacate area, Gran Desierto de Altar and Bahía Adair on the Gulf of California’s border in northeastern Mexico. Geological volcanic formations and the diversity of plant associations create its unique landscape.

Located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the Archipiélago de Revillagigedo is made up of four remote islands and their surrounding waters. Part of a submerged volcanic mountain range, the islands provide critical habitat for a range of wildlife and are of particular importance for seabirds.

Arrecife Alacranes (Scorpion Reef) is a reef surrounding a small group of islands off the northern coast of Yucatán, Mexico. Designated as a National Park and Biosphere Reserve, it is the largest reef in the southern Gulf of Mexico and the only known coral reef in Yucatán.

Located at the southeastern tip of the State of Quintana Roo in the Yucatán Peninsula, the Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve encompasses a mosaic of open water, seagrass beds, mangroves, sand beaches and coral reefs. It is considered one of the most outstanding marine sites in the region.

The Barranca de Metztitlán Biosphere Reserve is a protected natural area in Hidalgo, Mexico. It is known for its dramatic scenery of steep cliffs, deep winding canyons, and distinctive flora and fauna.

The Calakmul archaeological site in Campeche, Mexico, is both a World Heritage site and a Biosphere Reserve. The largest forest mass in Mexico and the second largest remnant forest left in Latin America is the heartland of the area where the Maya civilization reached its climax.

The Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve in Jalisco, Mexico, hosts a wide variety of ecosystems that make up one of the most diverse landscapes on the Pacific coast of the Americas. It is essential for conserving the vast dry and deciduous tropical forests, among the world's most threatened ecosystems.

The Cuatro Ciénegas Biosphere Reserve is located in the Cuatrociénegas Valley of Coahuila, Mexico, and includes the Cuatrociénegas Flora and Fauna Protection Area. It is considered the most critical wetland within the Chihuahuan Desert and one of the most important in Mexico.

Cumbres de Monterrey National Park and Biosphere Reserve is located in the northern portion of the Sierra Madre Oriental range in northeastern Mexico, near Monterrey, consisting of rugged terrain with steep mountains, deep canyons, rivers, and waterfalls.

El Cielo Biosphere Reserve is situated in the southern part of Tamaulipas state, within the Sierra de Cucharas, a mountain range derived from the Sierra Madre. It protects the northernmost extension of tropical and cloud forests and is one of Mexico's most ecologically rich and diverse places.