Isla del Carmen (Baja California)

Isla del Carmen is an island of 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres), located in the Gulf of California, in Loreto Municipality in the eastern portion of the state of Baja California Sur, Mexico. The island is protected within Loreto Bay National Park which is within the UNESCO "Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California" Mexican World Heritage Site.

Isla Carmen
Isla del Carmen chapel
Isla Carmen is located in Mexico
Isla Carmen
Isla Carmen
Geography
LocationGulf of California
Loreto Municipality
Coordinates25°58′39.2″N 111°09′14.23″W
Administration
Mexico
StateBaja California Sur
Demographics
PopulationUninhabited

History

The tidal bay on the north east end of the island was the site of a salt producing facility run by the company Salinas del Pacifico SA de CV. The submerged remnants of a loading dock are still present off shore of the bay.[1]

Environment

Climate

The island has a desert climate similar to that of the Sonoran desert.[1]

Conservation

Efforts to protect the island began in 1996 when the Vida Silvestre Organization, AC and Salinas del Pacifico SA de CV began a partnership to protect the native flora and fauna. Isla del Carmen supports many bird species, such as the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), the scissor-tailed flycatcher, magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificent) and the blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) as well as various reptiles and rodent mammals. The island provides nesting sites for seabirds such as the yellow-footed gull (Larus livens), the osprey (Pandion haliaetus) and the American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus).[1]

A program to reestablish the once native Big Horn Sheep population on the island began in 1995. [1]

References
  1. "Isla El Carmen". OVIS.org. Retrieved 4 August 2018.


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