Reserva de la Biosfera Los Petenes. 02/02/04; Campeche; 282,857 ha; 20°11'N 090°32'W. Reserva de la Biosfera. Located in the western Yucatan peninsula just north of the city of Campeche, whose old town is a World Heritage Site. Los Petenes owes its name to this unique ecosystem, consisting of islands of low seasonally flooded and/or mangrove forests associated with underwater springs from sinkholes or cenotes. The marine parts of the site are noteworthy for their seagrass beds, while inland the landscape is dominated by a saline wetland dotted with petenes. Worth highlighting are the communities of Button Mangrove Conocarpus erectus and Campeche Wood Haematoxylum campechianum. There are several globally near-threatened species, such as the Horseshoe Crab Limulus polyphemus and the Jabiru Jabiru mycteria. The site also hosts relatively large colonies of the White Ibis Eudocimus albus and Greater Flamingoes Phoenicopterus ruber. Cod, sardines, shrimp and octopus fishing are the main human activities in the site. Overfishing of stocks and illegal tree felling are the main problems, as well as the lack of the implementation of the management plan. In 2003, a joint council of several institutions was established to carry out a conservation initiative in western Yucatan. Ramsar site no. 1354. Most recent RIS information: 2004.

Last publication date: 02-02-2004