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The Bahía de Banderas estuaries contribute to our privileged climate. ANDThe El Salado estuary meets 18 years as a protected natural area.
Bahía de Banderas has numerous ecosystems, both terrestrial and marine. youAll are important because they enhance the natural wealth of the region, also allowing the development of economic and recreational activities. An example of the diversity of ecosystems are the estuaries. What are they exactly?
Estuaries are coastal wetlands, that is, extensions of land areas located on the coastline that are periodically flooded with seawater and freshwater. The estuaries are home to an important diversity of plants and animals.
Estuaries provide humans with great and beneficial environmental services. They are great reservoirs of fresh water, purify and recharge our aquifers, provide food for thousands of people and function as a natural shield that protects the coasts. They also act as a natural sponge against floods and help protect us from climate change. The Mangrove ecosystem or mangrove forest absorbs solar radiation or external heat, and filters it. In other words, the lower part of the forest is always humid and cool. When a current of external air arrives, the mangrove cools the hot air that enters and leaves it cold. This process lowers the temperature in the city.
Bahía de Banderas wetlands: environmental protection
The estuary El Salado It is located in the transversal mountainous Neovolcanic axis that divides Mexico from the cold and the hot part. If you thought that our city is hot, you are wrong. There are even hotter places and due to its location, Puerto Vallarta is in a privileged area with a temperate climate due to its vegetation. Hence the importance of keeping the estuaries protected.
On the other hand, the estuaries also function as a rock in the river, which is used for the species to rest and feed before continuing their journey to other latitudes. Added to all of the above, the estuaries have a unique landscape value.
In the northern region of the bay we are fortunate to have several estuaries. In the area of Punta Mita, Nayarit, are the "Careyeros" and "La Lancha" estuaries. Both are small but they are still important for the region, as they serve as a refuge for numerous species of animals and cool the environment.
In the central part of the bay are the “Quelele Estuarine”, “El Chino” systems in Nuevo Vallarta, Boca Negra, Boca de Tomates and the “El Salado” estuary. The latter is the only protected estuary in the bay, and it is a nature reserve within the city of Puerto Vallarta.
The “El Salado” estuary can be visited. Guided tours of the canal are carried out on board a boat that is 2 kilometers long. During the tours you have the opportunity to learn and learn about the benefits of the mangrove, characteristic vegetation of the estuaries. You can also see crabs, snails, a great diversity of birds and crocodiles.
"El Salado" is the only protected estuary in the region and it is a nature reserve within the city of Puerto Vallarta.
Wetlands for our future
It is worth mentioning that every year worldwide on February 2, World Wetlands Day is commemorated. This date was established in 1970 in Ramsar, an Iranian city on the shores of the Caspian Sea, where an international treaty was signed in which nations agreed to care for and promote the conservation of wetlands. This agreement is known as the Ramsar Convention.
In 2015 the Ramsar Convention proposed that the commemorative motto be "Esteros para Nuestro Futuro". It is that the future of humanity really depends on estuaries and other wetlands.
Get to know and help us conserve the estuaries of Bahía de Banderas. These ecosystems are essential to maintain the climatic conditions that characterize this paradise. Do not miss the opportunity to take this tour that will show you the biodiversity of our bay, in a guided tour by expert biologists at super affordable costs.
Estero El Salado: Curious facts
- The tour lasts one hour and 45 minutes approximately.
- The estuary has more than 1000 different species of living beings including crustaceans
- El Salado has an extension of 169 protected hectares and a length of 2 km long.
- The magnolia, and a species of turtle and firefly, are endemic species in the region.
- Estero El Salado is a natural laboratory open to the scientific community of Mexico and the world to continue doing research. At different times, scientists and bird watchers travel from all over the world to carry out studies and observations.
- El Salado recently completed 18 years of being a protected natural area.
More information in:
https://www.facebook.com/AventuratePorElSalado/
Tel: 3222017361 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to make reservations
- Estero El Salado, Puerto Vallarta's biodiversity - 1 March 2022
- Biodiversity, the main quality of our paradise - 13 January 2022
- Esteros de Bahía de Banderas: Indispensable Ecosystems - 7 January 2019
I am interested in going to visit the Estero, could you tell me what the cost is and if they are open at the moment?
Hi, Diana. What a good plan! Unfortunately, now due to the health contingency, the estuary is closed...
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