Amigos del Delfín

Overview

Description

Amigos del Delfín carries out activities in the northeastern part of the Ría Celestún Biosphere Reserve, on the western tip of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Celestún was declared a Biosphere Reserve in 2000, due to its biological importance. It has a high diversity of environments in a relatively small area - mangroves, hillocks, coastal dune vegetation, savanna, and lowland flooded forest. Its plant life is considered to be in excellent conservation status. The variety of ecosystems in the Reserve represents the diversity of wildlife in the region and is the main nesting site for shorebirds and waterbirds; diverse ecological processes, biological communities, endemic plant and animal species, and diverse hydrological characteristics all occur here.

According to historical records for the area, 240 species in 50 families of birds have been identified, representing two-thirds of the birds recorded for Ría Celestún. Of the birds recorded, 24 are listed in Mexican Official Regulation NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2001 (a list of wild, terrestrial, and aquatic plant and animal species and sub-species and their conservation status), representing 10% of all birds. The pink flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber ruber), a threatened species, is one of the main attractions in the area.

Making a Difference

The Amigos del Delfín project is located in an area for the sustainable use of the natural resources in the Ría Celestún Biosphere Reserve and it functions as a protective buffer zone of the core areas of the natural protected area; here, the natural resources are still in good condition.

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Mérida (MID).

Nearest local/national airport: Mérida (MID).

Use the Celestún-Kinchil highway. We are approximately 1.2 miles (2 km) from the center of Celestún. There is a white road from there that has traditionally been used for salt extraction.

Additional Information

Date This Information Was Provided

November 2011.

Photos courtesy of Amigos del Delfín, Mexico, for SustainableTrip.org.