Editing Oaxaca (section)

===Nature and conservation===
[[File:Bosque Comaltepec.JPG|thumb|right|The conserved rainforest of [[Santiago Comaltepec]], Oaxaca]]
Although it is the fifth-largest state in Mexico, it has the most biodiversity. There are more than 8,400 registered plant species, 738 bird species and 1,431 terrestrial vertebrate species, accounting for 50% of all species in Mexico. It is also among the five highest-ranking areas in the world for endangered species.<ref name="turdes">{{Cite journal |author=Ana Luz Ramos Soto |author2=Roberto Gerardo Gómez Brena |date=August 2008 |title=Turismos y Economía en el Estado de Oaxaca |trans-title=Tourism and Economy in the State of Oaxaca |journal=Tur y Des |volume=1 |issue=3 |url=http://www.eumed.net/rev/turydes/03/rsgb.htm |language=es |access-date=August 15, 2010}}</ref><ref name="WWF">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/mexico/thestateofoaxaca.html |title=The State of Oaxaca |publisher=World Wildlife Fund |access-date=August 15, 2010}}</ref> The state has important ecological zones such as the [[Selva Zoque]] in the northeast.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wwf.org.mx/wwfmex/prog_bosques_fs_sz.php |title=Selva Zoque |publisher=EEF Mexico |access-date=June 28, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527184324/http://www.wwf.org.mx/wwfmex/prog_bosques_fs_sz.php |archive-date=May 27, 2010}}</ref> Vegetation varies from those adapted to hot and arid conditions such as [[cactus|cacti]], to evergreen tropical forest on the coasts.<ref name="mediofisico"/> Forests in the higher elevations consist of [[conifer]]s, [[Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest|broadleafed trees]] and a mixture of the two. In the lower elevations by the coast there are evergreen and deciduous [[rainforest]], with those dropping leaves doing so in the dry season. In the driest areas [[mesquite]], some cactus and grasslands can be found.<ref name="forestal ">{{Cite report |title=La actividad forestall en el Estado de Oaxaca |url=http://www.ccmss.org.mx/documentos/Sint-Oaxaca-pdf.pdf |author=Lucía Madrid |publisher=Consejo Civil Mexicano para la Silvicultura Sostenible |access-date=August 15, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722225948/http://www.ccmss.org.mx/documentos/Sint-Oaxaca-pdf.pdf |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> There are also 58 species of aquatic plants.<ref name="turdes"/>

Wildlife includes a wide variety of birds, small to medium-sized mammals and some larger ones such as deer and wildcats, reptiles and amphibians. Off the coast there are fish and shellfish, as well as dolphins and whales which pass by during their migrations.<ref name="mediofisico"/> The state is a prolific place for reptiles such as turtles, lizards, snakes and crocodiles. Of the 808 registered reptile species nationwide, 245 are found in the state.<ref name="WWF"/> The state has the most amphibian species at 133,<ref name="turdes"/> with one-third of all Mexican species of frogs and salamanders.<ref name="WWF"/> It is home to 120 species of freshwater fish, 738 species of birds (70% of Mexico's total) and 190 species of mammals.<ref name="turdes"/> Some insect forms such as grasshoppers, larvae and cochineal have economic importance for the state and there are several species of 'giant' stick insects indigenous to the region (such as Bacteria horni which has a body length of up to 22&nbsp;cm).<ref name="turdes"/> The most important ocean creatures commercially are shrimp, tuna, bonito, [[huachinango]] and [[mojarra]]. Sea turtles used to be exploited for both their meat and eggs but this was stopped by the federal government in the 1990s.<ref name="mediofisico"/> The coast of Oaxaca is an important breeding area for sea turtles such as the [[leatherback turtle|leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea)]], which is classified as endangered throughout its global range. Despite conservation efforts starting in the 1970s, the number of nesting sites and nesting turtles has dramatically decreased.<ref name="leatherback">{{cite journal |author1=Laura Sarti M. |author2=Scott A. Eckert |author3=Ninel Garcia T. |author4=Ana Rebeca Barragan |year=1996 |title=Decline of the World's Largest Nesting Assemblage of Leatherback Turtles |journal=Marine Turtle Newsletter |volume=74 |pages=2–5 |url=http://www.seaturtle.org/mtn/archives/mtn74/mtn74p2.shtml |access-date=August 15, 2010}}</ref>

Conservation efforts in the state are hampered by high marginalization, lack of economic alternatives, agricultural conflicts, change of land use (agricultural activities, fires), over-exploitation and pollution of natural water sources, inadequate forest management and illegal tree felling, unsustainable coastal tourist developments, climate change, limited local capacity, and limited local knowledge and valuation of natural resources.<ref name="WWF"/> However, there are seven officially protected natural areas in the state: [[Benito Juárez National Park]] at {{convert|3272|ha|acre|abbr=on}}, [[Huatulco National Park]] at {{convert|11845|ha|acre|abbr=on}}, [[Lagunas de Chacahua National Park]] at {{convert|14920|ha|acre|abbr=on}}, [[Playa de Escobilla Sanctuary]] at {{convert|30|ha|acre|abbr=on}}, [[Playa de la Bahía de Chacahua Sanctuary]] at {{convert|31|ha|acre|abbr=on}}, [[Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve]] at {{convert|490678|ha|acre|abbr=on}} and [[Yagul Natural Monument]] at {{convert|1076|ha|acre|abbr=on}}.<ref name="forestal "/>

====Lagunas de Chacahua National Park====
[[File:Instituto Nacional de Ecologia Chacahua.jpg|thumb|right|Entrance to the crocodile nursery located inside the Lagunas de Chacahua National Park]]
[[Lagunas de Chacahua National Park]], created in 1937,<ref name="vivanatura"/> lies about {{convert|54|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} west of [[Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca|Puerto Escondido]], near a village called [[Zapotalito]]. It can be reached via Federal Highway 200 or by boat from Puerto Escondido. The park encompasses {{convert|132.73|km2|sqmi|abbr=off}}, about {{convert|30|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} of which is taken by various lagoons such as the ''Laguna de Chacahua,'' ''Laguna de La Pastoria,'' and ''Laguna Las Salinas''.<ref name="MexDesOax">{{cite journal |last=Quintanar Hinojosa |first=Beatriz |date=August 2007 |title=Laguna de Chacahua |journal=Guía México Desconocido: Oaxaca |volume=137 |page=68 |url=http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx}}</ref> There are various smaller lagoons that are connected by narrow channels.<ref name="vivanatura">{{cite web |url=http://www.vivanatura.org/Chacahua.html |title=Lagunas de Chacahua |website=Vivanatura.org |access-date=February 21, 2008}}</ref> The rest of the park consists of dry land.<ref name="MexDesOax"/>

The park has 10 different types of vegetation: "selva espinosa", swampland, [[deciduous]], sub-tropical broadleaf, [[mangrove]], [[savannah]], "bosque de galleria", "tular", palm trees, and coastal dunes. 246 species of flowers and 189 species of animals have been documented so far in the park. Birds such as [[storks]], [[herons]], wild ducks, [[blue-winged teal]]s, [[pelican]]s, and [[spoonbill]]s can be found here. Three species of turtles also visit the park to lay their eggs.<ref name="MexDesOax"/>

====Benito Juárez National Park====
[[File:Oaxaqa (41).jpg|thumb|left|Cerro de San Felipe, Benito Juárez National Park]]
[[Benito Juárez National Park]] is located {{convert|5|km|mi|1|abbr=on}} to the north of Oaxaca within the municipal limits of San Felipe del Agua and Donaji, Oaxaca, and San Andres Huayapan of the central district. It was designated as a national park under a presidential decree, in 1937. The topography of the park has an elevation range varying from {{convert|1650|to|3050|m|ft|0|abbr=off}} [[above mean sea level|above sea level]]. The climate is Coastal sub-humid and Temperate sub-humid. The main rivers that flow through the park are the Huayapan and San Felipe rivers. Most of their flows used to be utilized to meet drinking water needs of Oaxaca through an aqueduct in the early part of the 18th century, during the colonial period. However, it is now tapped for water supply through piped system to the city.<ref name=planeta>{{cite web |url=http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/parques/oaxaca.html |title=Benito Juarez National Park |work=PLANETA.COM |access-date=July 13, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100428090709/http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/parques/oaxaca.html |archive-date=April 28, 2010}}</ref><ref name=life>{{cite web |url=http://oaxaca-travel.com/guide/natural.php?getdoc=true&lang=us&doc=home&section=&atractivo=11.04.02.02 |title=Plant Life: National Park "Benito Juárez" |access-date=September 11, 2010 |publisher=Oaxaca's Tourist Guide |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714223740/http://oaxaca-travel.com/guide/natural.php?getdoc=true&lang=us&doc=home&section=&atractivo=11.04.02.02 |archive-date=July 14, 2011}}</ref> The park covers {{convert|2737|ha|acre|abbr=off}}, including the {{convert|3111|m|ft|0|adj=on|sp=us}} high "Cerro de San Felipe" (San Felipe Mountain), part of the [[Sierra Madre de Oaxaca]] which has metamorphic rock formations. It has a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. There are pine and oak forests in the upper reaches of the mountain, while the lower reaches have scrub oaks, and tropical deciduous forest in the canyons. Most of the forest is secondary growth, having been previously forested.<ref name=planeta/><ref name=life/>

====Huatulco National Park====
[[Huatulco National Park]], also known as Bahias de Huatulco National Park – Huatulco, was initially declared a protected area and later decreed as a National Park on July 24, 1998.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wdpa.org/siteSheet.aspx?sitecode=103157 |title=Huatulco National Park |publisher=World Database on Protected Areas |access-date=September 11, 2010}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Located in the Santa Maria Huatulco town, to the west of Cruz Huatulco, it extends to an area of {{convert|11890|ha|acre|abbr=off}}. In the low lands of the park, there 9,000 species of plant (about 50% of the species are reported throughout the country) in the forest and mangroves in the coastal belt. Fauna species have been identified as 264, which includes [[armadillos]] and [[white-tailed deer]]. Bird species are counted at 701, which include [[hummingbirds]], [[pelicans]] and [[hawks]]. The amphibian and [[reptile]] species are counted to be 470, which include [[Black Iguana]], [[salamander]]s and snakes. [[Dolphin]]s, [[whale]]s and [[turtle]]s are sighted species off the coast line, out of the identified 100 marine species. Vegetation is dominated by the low forest growth of caducifolia in 80% area with the unusual feature of {{convert|50|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} high trees.<ref name=huat>{{cite web |url=http://www.huatulcokiosk.com/huatulco-tour/Huatulco-National-Park.php |title=Bahias de Huatulco National Park |access-date=September 11, 2010 |publisher=Huatulco Tour Guide |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100913054422/http://huatulcokiosk.com/huatulco-tour/Huatulco-National-Park.php |archive-date=September 13, 2010}}</ref>

====Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve====
{{main|Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve}}
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve, which encompasses the states of [[Puebla]] and Oaxaca in Mexico, was established as reserve in 1998 covering an area of {{convert|490187|ha|acre|abbr=on}}, with an altitudinal range of {{convert|600|to|2950|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}. It is in the valley of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán-Quiotepec. The six rivers which flow through the reserve are the Tomellín, Chiquito, Las Vueltas, Salado, Zapotitán and Río Grande of the Papaloapan watershed, which finally flow into the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. On account of wide variation in topography and annual rainfall, the micro-climatic conditions in the reserve has created a biosphere reserve, which is very rich in flora and fauna. The rich biodiversity of the preserve consists of 910 plant genus, 2,700 vascular species, 102 species of mammals, 356 species of birds which includes the endangered Green [[Macaw]] (''[[Ara militaris]]''), and 53 species of reptiles. However, the reserve is faced with threats from poaching, deforestation, overgrazing, and trash scattered on the highways and secondary roads that pass close and through the reserve. Inadequate patrolling staff is an issue which needs to be addressed to remove the threats to the biosphere reserve.<ref name=Biosphere>{{cite web |url=http://www.parkswatch.org/parkprofiles/pdf/tcbr_eng.pdf |title=Mexico: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve |access-date=September 11, 2010 |publisher=Parks watch Org.}}</ref>