Near San Fernando, Baja California, Mexico Photograph by Timothy Green   Southern North America: Baja California Peninsula in Mexico Deserts and Xeric Shrublands   About 30,000 square miles (77,700 square kilometers) -- almost as big as South Carolina Relatively Stable/Intact

· Desert Oasis
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Desert Oasis

Where on Earth can you find a grey whale in the middle of a desert lagoon? The answer lies in one of the largest and best-preserved deserts in Mexico, the Vizcaino and Magdalena deserts of Baja California. From the dry-hot sand dunes to volcanic mountain soils, the range of habitats here are very harsh and seemingly inhospitable. Yet an amazing diversity of life flourishes in this ecoregion. The Ojo de Liebre Lagoon in the central coastal area on the Pacific is a winter home to more than a million migrant ducks and geese and is a breeding area for migratory grey whales. From mountain sheep to burrowing owls, this ecoregion is home to over 400 species of plants, some 4 amphibians, more than 40 reptiles, over 190 birds and 69 mammals. It is also known for its high number of endemic bee species and numerous scorpions and spiders. And almost a quarter of all the plants in Baja California, from cacti that dominate the desert to thick-stemmed trees and shrubs in the rocky mountain soils, are found nowhere else on the planet.

Special Features

Many of the interesting features of Baja California desert ecoregion stem from the fact that this area has a steep and rugged terrain and is isolated from other similar ecosystems by its peninsular location. This isolation has led to high levels of endemism and diversity in a very extreme climate. It also contributes to the maintenance of a certain degree of humidity, which is responsible for keeping temperatures more or less stable throughout the day.

	The unusual boojum tree, or cirio, has a tapering trunk that reaches 59 feet (18 m) and is only surpassed in height by large cardon cacti.

Wild Side

As golden eagles and peregrine falcons soar above the forest, mule deer graze desert grasses among the thick-stemmed trees and shrubs of the rocky mountain ranges. Lower in the desert, a diversity of cacti with an amazing array of shapes and sizes fills the otherwise barren landscape. Yucca flowers stand on tall pillars, sometimes reaching 39-52 feet (6-12 m) into the desert air so they are more accessible to the bats, moths, and butterflies that pollinate them. Senita cacti can be seen growing beneath the soft beige of a blooming elephant tree. Peninsular kangaroo rats and Baja ground squirrels are among the animals that can be found only in this desert. And in Pacific lagoons, you can find migrant ducks and geese. This ecoregion is also the last refuge for the few surviving individual pronghorn antelope and puma in Mexico and is still home to fragile populations of mule deer and mountain sheep.

Cause for Concern

While the good news is that large portions of habitat in the Baja California Desert are well preserved, there is still great concern over the future of this unique ecoregion. The ecoregion is considered to be fragile and is susceptible to cattle grazing and soil and water pollution from salt extraction. Salt extraction has already had a serious impact on the breeding and migration of grey whales in the area, and cattle have effectively displaced populations of pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and mountain bighorn sheep. Off-road vehicles are also a problem, causing extensive damage to fragile desert vegetation, which may not recover for a century or more.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.