El Barril, Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico
Baja California, Mexico is known globally for its diversity of ecosystems including pristine islands, coastal lagoons, and fragile deserts distributed along a series of three mountain ranges reaching 6000 feet. Fortunately, this peninsula has developed more slowly than similar areas to the north and the Mexican mainland. Large areas have remained relatively uninhabited, with most human populations concentrated in a few coastal areas with a dependable water supply. As a result, most of the habitats of the peninsula and islands of Baja California have relatively intact ecosystems.
The islands of Baja California are natural laboratories of evolution, ecology and conservation biology. The sand dunes and mangroves of Isla Magdalena, off the Pacific coast of Baja California support a diverse array of plants, mammals, birds. In addition, it is an important breeding area for double-crested cormorants, herons, magnificent frigatebirds, and herons. Islas Magdalena and Margarita protect the spectacular Bahia Magdalena where gray whales come to give birth and green sea turtles forage. The plants and animals that inhabit these islands are well adapted to the confines of the island. Thus, the ecological interactions between them and the resulting evolutionary processes can be preserved intact by protecting small amounts of land. Today the M/V Seabird launched kayaks and Zodiacs to explore the mangroves and sand dunes of Magdalena Island, gaining a new appreciation for the diversity and importance of this spectacular island.
Baja California, Mexico is known globally for its diversity of ecosystems including pristine islands, coastal lagoons, and fragile deserts distributed along a series of three mountain ranges reaching 6000 feet. Fortunately, this peninsula has developed more slowly than similar areas to the north and the Mexican mainland. Large areas have remained relatively uninhabited, with most human populations concentrated in a few coastal areas with a dependable water supply. As a result, most of the habitats of the peninsula and islands of Baja California have relatively intact ecosystems.
The islands of Baja California are natural laboratories of evolution, ecology and conservation biology. The sand dunes and mangroves of Isla Magdalena, off the Pacific coast of Baja California support a diverse array of plants, mammals, birds. In addition, it is an important breeding area for double-crested cormorants, herons, magnificent frigatebirds, and herons. Islas Magdalena and Margarita protect the spectacular Bahia Magdalena where gray whales come to give birth and green sea turtles forage. The plants and animals that inhabit these islands are well adapted to the confines of the island. Thus, the ecological interactions between them and the resulting evolutionary processes can be preserved intact by protecting small amounts of land. Today the M/V Seabird launched kayaks and Zodiacs to explore the mangroves and sand dunes of Magdalena Island, gaining a new appreciation for the diversity and importance of this spectacular island.
