Nature and Parks

Campeche State has a total land surface area of 56,844km, and 425km of coastal area occupied by 642,516 inhabitants. (INEGI, 1998) Fifty-five percent of the population is concentrated in the coastal cities, Campeche City and Ciudad Del Carmen. Thirty-two percent of its land outside of these cities is dedicated to federal and state funded ecological protected areas in an effort to preserve the unique ecosystems of the region.

Calakmul Biosphere Reserve

This nature reserve is located along with the ruins in the southeast of Campeche State. It was declared by the Mexican Government as an ecological reserved area on May 22, 1989. Occupying 723,185 hectares, it is the largest tropical nature reservation in Mexico.

Internationally, it represents an ecological link between the humid rain forests in Guatemala and the Lacondian Forest in Chiapas, Mexico.

In order to get there, a 60 km south deviation must be taken inside the forest. It has protected animals like: the jaguar, the eagle, etc.

Lagoon of Terms

This Lagoon was declared a national protected site on June 6, 1994. It covers an area of 705,016 hectares, thus being the largest lagoon in Mexico. It is also a part of the most important delta in Mexico. It has a complex ecological system comprised of fresh water, brackish water and salt water.

One can find coastal dunes, forests and many swamps with animal and plant life to match this varied ecosystem. There are tigers, ocelots, white tailed deer, raccoons and manatees.

The lagoon also offers a refuge for storks, green iguanas, pochitoque turtles and crocodiles. You can find a great variety of ecosystems.

Area of Petenes

The Petenes is an island with forests and swamps. The nucleus of this ecosystem is a sinkhole or fresh water spring. There is a fragile balance between the fresh water of the spring and the surrounding salt water of the ocean.

The ecological composition of The Petenes varies depending on the distance to the coast line. The area nearest to the coast is dominated by swamps.

As the distance increases, mangroves become predominant. At the furthest distance from the coast, the forest is dominant.

Celestun Biosphere Reserve

Celestun is one of the biggest swamp areas in the Gulf of Mexico. It is a sanctuary for many animal and bird species such as Pink Flamencos, turtles and migratory birds.

Other animals that can be spotted here include jaguars, ocelots, crocodiles and spider monkeys. Celestun is also important for the protection of commercial fish such as the octopus and red and black snail species.

Balamkin Biosphere Reserve

This area has a great diversity of plant life and has been placed as a reserve in order to prevent the extinction of some rare species of plants. There is also a great diversity of animal life.

Balamkin offers refuge to many reptiles and amphibians alive that are under threat of extinction.

All five of the feline species indigenous to Mexico (the jaguar, the ocelot, the tigrillo, the ounce and the puma) can be spotted here. Also, there are some monkeys, deer, the toucan, grey eagle, falcon, and others.
Some endemics species from the region, which are now, take care in special places.

This area was designated to the protection of some flora and fauna.