Tabasco, Mexico Photograph by J. Correas/SEMARNAP   Neotropical Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests   6,600 square miles (17,200 square kilometers) -- about the size of Hawaii Critical/Endangered

· Crocs and Gars
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
More Photos

Crocs and Gars

These are seasonally flooded moist forests with associated wetlands (bogs, swamps, and neighboring mangroves). This ecoregion is home to nearly 60 species of fish, 85 reptiles, 26 amphibians, 103 mammals, and 260 plants.

Special Features

The deep, acidic soils of this region are rich in organic matter deposited from flooding streams and are among the most productive soils in Mexico. Along with a humid climate and abundant summer rains, these soils support lush vegetation ranging from ferns to fruit trees.

	Green iguanas often bask on tree limbs over water and will dive into the water if they sense danger approaching, often in the form of a hawk or eagle.

Wild Side

Orchids, bromeliads, and ferns drape the moist forests of Pantanos de Centla. From 2,000-pound (900-kg) manatees that swim gracefully through the coastal rivers and streams to jaguars that lie on a fallen tree trunk on the lookout for tapirs, peccary, red brocket deer, and white tail deer, the biodiversity of this region is amazing. The sounds of the forest range from the raucous morning chorus of howler monkeys to the high-pitched whistles of toucans hopping about in the tree branches. In marshy areas, osprey fly overhead while tiger herons and jabiru wade in the calm waters in search of fish and shrimp. This ecoregion is one of the last refuges in Mexico for the peje lagarto, a gar fish. It is also home to the endangered Morelet's crocodile and a variety of animals ranging from white turtles to green iguanas.

Cause for Concern

The moist forests of Pantanos de Centla have been gradually eliminated over the years due to their importance as a source of food and timber for local villagers. Local fisheries, deforestation for agricultural purposes and cattle grazing, and industrial pollution are currently the major threats to this habitat.

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