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Sian Kaʼan Biosphere Reserve
Biósfera de Sian Kaan Quintana Roo.JPG
Sian Kaʼan
Sian Kaʼan Biosphere Reserve is located in Mexico
Sian Kaʼan Biosphere Reserve
Sian Kaʼan Biosphere Reserve
Location in Mexico
Location Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Area 5,281 km2 (2,039 sq mi)
Established 1986
Administrator National Commission of Natural Protected Areas
Type: Natural
Criteria: vii, x
Designated: 1987 (11th session)
Reference #: 410
Region: Latin America and the Caribbean
Designated: 27 November 2003
Reference #: 1329

Sian Kaʼan Biosphere Reserve (Spanish: Reserva de la Biósfera de Sian Kaʼan) is a biosphere reserve in the municipality of Tulum in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. It was established in 1986 and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

“Sian Ka’an” means “gate of heaven” or “a place where heaven begins”.

With the participation of scientists, technicians, students, fishermen, farmers, rural promoters and administrators, together with regional and international partners, have successfully carried out more than 200 conservation projects basing all conservation actions on scientific and technical information for planning and implementing environmental policies and the proposal of viable solutions for sustainable use of natural resources and focusing their efforts established within eight protected natural areas that include the reefs of Banco Chinchorro, and Xcalak at South of Quintana Roo, Sian Kaʼan Biosphere Reserve, Cancun, the island of Cozumel that is located in front of Xcaret and Contoy Island up North, covering 780,000 acres (3,200 km2). These areas lie in parts of all seven Caribbean Sea coastal municipalities of the state, with the largest part being in eastern Felipe Carrillo Puerto Municipality, where the vast majority of Sian Kaʼan Biosphere Reserve lies.

Part of the reserve is on land and part is in the Caribbean Sea, including a section of coral reef. The reserve has an area of 5,280 km2.

The reserve also includes some 23 known archaeological sites of the Maya civilization including Muyil. Remains of the Decauville railway Vigía Chico-Santa Cruz, which was operated from 1905 to 1932, can be found at several places.

Within the Amigos de Sian Kaʼan project objectives are the identification, protection and management of additional areas with high biodiversity value as well as those critical for maintenance of the life cycles of endangered, threatened and migratory species in the Riviera Maya and providing environmental education through books, journals and pamphlets and giving technical assistance and training to Mayan communities working with ecotourism.

Biological species

A list of some of the species recorded in Sian Kaʼan:

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Sian Ka'an para niños

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