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Home to 12% of all species found in the world, Mexico is a treasure trove of biodiversity. More than 100,000 species of flora, fauna, and fungi can be found in the North American nation, which ranks second globally for reptile diversity and third for mammal diversity.
In Mexico's south east, the spectacular Yucatan Peninsula covers around 197,600 km2 – nearly twice the landmass of Iceland – and follows 1,100 km2 of coastline. Its diverse ecosystem includes tropical rainforests, coral reefs, sand dunes, coastal lagoons, caves, underground rivers, and nearly 190 km2 of mangroves. In 1989, the Mexican government established Dzilam State Reserve in the Yucatan Peninsula. Spread over an area of 690 km2, the reserve is rich with habitats home to rare and endemic species.
Due to human activity and climate change, the ecosystem in Dzilam State Reserve is rapidly deteriorating, with habitats for endemic species rapidly disappearing – many species are endangered and under official state-governed protection.
