Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve facts for kids

Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve (which means "The Petenes Biosphere Reserve" in Spanish) is a special protected area in Mexico. It's located on the western side of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the state of Campeche. This amazing reserve is home to huge mangrove forests and wetlands. It's also a fantastic place for many kinds of birds and other wild animals.

Exploring Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve

Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve covers a large area of about 815 square kilometers (315 square miles). To the west, it meets the Gulf of Mexico. To the north, it touches another important protected area called Ría Celestun Biosphere Reserve. The city of Campeche is located just south of this reserve.

Coastal Areas and Uplands

The reserve includes beautiful coastal beaches and sand dunes. These natural barriers protect many lagoons and wetlands behind them. In the eastern part of the reserve, you can find slightly higher lands, which are called uplands.

Wildlife and Nature in Los Petenes

The reserve is famous for its huge mangrove wetlands. These wetlands are part of a long stretch of mangroves known as the Petenes mangroves. They run along the western coast of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Unique Mangrove Forests

Freshwater from the peninsula's large underground water system (called an aquifer) flows into the reserve. Here, it mixes with the salty water from the Gulf of Mexico, creating the perfect home for mangroves. Two important types of trees found here are the button mangrove (Conocarpus erectus) and Campeche wood (Haematoxylum campechianum).

Underwater Gardens and Dry Forests

Off the coast and inside the lagoons, you can find beds of seagrass. These are like underwater gardens that provide food and shelter for marine life. In the higher parts of the reserve, there are tropical dry forests.

Amazing Birdlife

Los Petenes is a paradise for birds! More than 300 different kinds of birds have been seen here. About 56% of these birds live in the reserve all year round. Another 43% visit only during certain seasons, like winter or summer. A small number (1%) are occasional visitors.

Some of the many bird species you might spot include:

• The bright pink American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber)
• The tall jabiru (Jabiru mycteria)
• The large wood stork (Mycteria americana)
• The colorful Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata)
• The snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis), which loves to eat snails
• The beautiful orange oriole (Icterus auratus) and hooded oriole (Icterus cucullatus)
• The tiny least tern (Sternula antillarum)
• Birds of prey like the crane hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens), common black hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus), and black hawk-eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus)
• The Yucatan amazon (Amazona xantholora), a type of parrot
• The fast bat falcon (Falco rufigularis)
• The small ferruginous pygmy owl (Glaucidium brasilianum)
• Water birds such as the least bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), reddish egret (Egretta rufescens), blue-winged teal (Spatula discors), northern pintail (Anas acuta), American wigeon (Mareca americana), and lesser scaup (Aythya affinis)
• The impressive king vulture (Sarcoramphus papa)
• And the hen harrier (Circus cyaneus)

Because of its rich birdlife, the reserve is known as an Important bird area.

Protecting Los Petenes

The Mexican government officially made Los Petenes a biosphere reserve in 1999. This means it's a special place where nature is protected, and people also learn how to live with and use the land sustainably.

International Recognition

In 2004, the reserve received another important title. It was named a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. This is a global agreement that helps protect important wetlands around the world.

In 2008, the Mexican government suggested that Los Petenes and the nearby Ría Celestún reserves should become a World Heritage Site. This would mean they are recognized as places of outstanding universal value to humanity.

See also

In Spanish: Reserva de la biosfera de Los Petenes para niños