Protected Areas in Mexico

The El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve is Mexico's most diverse evergreen cloud forest and one of the most important sites for bird migration. Its cloud forest is reported to be one of the most extensive remnants in the country and contains the greatest diversity of tree species in North and Central America.

The Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino World Heritage site is located on the Pacific Coast of the central part of the Baja California Peninsula and is embedded in the much larger El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, encompassing desert, mountain and coastal/marine ecosystems.

Huatulco National Park, also known as Bahias de Huatulco National Park, is a National Park of Oaxaca, Mexico. Also a Biosphere Reserve, it is located in the Sierra Madre del Sur physiographic province, characterized by bays, cliffs, rocky escarpments, and lowland jungle.

Situated off the southeast coast of Mexico, the Isla Cozumel Biosphere Reserve incorporates two Ramsar sites: Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park and Manglares y Humedales del Norte de Isla Cozumel, encompassing richly diverse marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

The Gulf of California in northwestern Mexico was once famously dubbed the "Aquarium of the World." The striking natural beauty of the Sea of Cortez, formed by rugged islands with high cliffs and sandy beaches, contrasts with the brilliant reflection from the desert and the surrounding turquoise waters.

Islas Marietas are a group of small uninhabited islands a few miles off the coast of Nayarit, Mexico, southwest of the peninsula known as Punta de Mita. The islands are characterized by their wealth of bird and fish fauna. The island archipelago is both a National Park and Biosphere Reserve.

The Los Volcanes Biosphere Reserve surrounds the Popocatepetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanoes, Mexico's second and third highest peaks, as well as Izta-Popo Zoquiapan National Park. The area's diverse ecosystems consist of pine-oak forests and high mountain prairies.

The La Michilía Biosphere Reserve is a natural protected area in Mexico, located south of Durango between the two mountain ranges of the Sierra Michis and the Sierra Urica. The area between these two Sierras has several plateaus and small hills, separated by valleys and canyons of varying depths.

Home to the Lacandón indigenous tribe, the Lacandón Forest is known for the extraordinary diversity of its flora and fauna. The Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve encompasses much of this rainforest natural region, home to important Mayan archaeological sites, including Yaxchilan and Bonampak.

The Lagunas de Montebello National Park and Biosphere Reserve are located in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas physiographic province of Mexico, near the border with Guatemala. The protected area comprises a myriad of multi-colored lakes in a pine forest, along with the Maya ruins of Chinkultic.