Islands and Protected Areas of Gulf of California, Mexico

Abstract

Located in northwestern Mexico, the site comprises 244 islands, islets, and coastal areas. Almost all major oceanographic processes occurring in the major oceans are also present in the Gulf of California, giving it a great importance for study. The area also represents a natural laboratory for speciation – it contains 39% of the world’s total number of species of marine mammals and a third of the world’s marine cetacean species. Most of the islands and coastal areas are part of the Sonoran Desert, and there is a dramatic contrast between the rugged and inhospitable islands and coasts and the brilliant reflection of the turquoise waters. High rocky cliffs and sandy beaches in countless forms and colors rim the islands and coasts. The diversity of marine life associated with spectacular submarine terrain and unusual water transparency turn the site into a globally renowned diver’s area.