| Bahía de Loreto National Park | |||||||
| Alt Name: | Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto | ||||||
| Iucn Category: | II | ||||||
| Map: | Mexico | ||||||
| Relief: | 1 | ||||||
| Location: | Baja California Sur, Mexico | ||||||
| Nearest City: | Loreto, Baja California Sur | ||||||
| Coordinates: | 25.8642°N -111.1217°W | ||||||
| Established: | July 19, 1996 | ||||||
| Governing Body: | National Commission of Protected Natural Areas | ||||||
| Url: | http://www.loreto.com/loreto-national-park-info/ | ||||||
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Bahía de Loreto National Park (Spanish; Castilian: Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto) is a national park on the east coast of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico, about 203km (126miles) north of the city of La Paz in the state of Baja California Sur. The park protects 2065.81sqkm of relatively pristine marine ecosystem in the central Sea of Cortez, including five large uninhabited islands and many smaller islets in Loreto Bay. It is known for its great variety of coastal environments, such as sandy beaches, sea cliffs, submarine canyons, and marine terraces, and is home to an exceptionally high biological diversity, especially of marine mammals.
The national park was created by federal decree on July 19, 1996, and is administered by the Natural Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP), an agency of Mexico's Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources.[1] In 2004, it joined the Ramsar list of Wetlands of International Importance,[2] and in 2005, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site collectively with many other protected areas in the Gulf of California.
Bahía de Loreto National Park protects Loreto Bay, located in northwest Mexico off the coast of Loreto Municipality in the state of Baja California Sur; the city of Loreto abuts park territory. The park covers an area of 206580.75ha, 88% of which is ocean surface; the islands, islets, and coastal regions that comprise the remaining 12% are mostly uninhabited.
Five main islands serve as the park's chief focal points and tourist destinations: Isla Coronados, Isla del Carmen, Isla Danzante, Isla Monserrat, and Isla Santa Catalina. Though the municipality of Loreto is not within park boundaries, it is the primary starting point for tours of the park and is considered a major influence on the area's ecology.[3] The municipality had a population of 11,812 at the 2000 census.[4]