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From Sinaloa in the North to Oaxaca in the south, the states of Mexico’s Pacific coast have a fascinating and diverse range of ecosystems. Of about 15 different vegetation zones which exist in Mexico, seven occur along the Pacific coast. The area along the coastal highway consists mainly of tropical deciduous forests, savannah, and thorn forests, while slightly inland, you will find Pine-Oak forests, cloud forests, arid/tropical scrub forests, and occasionally high coniferous forests at higher elevations. Since the resort towns of Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, and Acapulco all sit along the coastline, we’ll focus on the coastal ecosystems.

The tropical deciduous forests of Mexico’s pacific coast run along the entire span of the Mexican coastline. Since the Mexican winter is not particularly cold, the loss of leaves by most of the species in these forests is triggered by the dryness of the winter season.

During the spring and summer, the rainy season comes and many of the trees and bushes of the forest flower. Cardinal Sage, Spider Lily, Mala Raton, and pink Trumpet are among the more common flowering plants you’ll see in the area. Among the more interesting of trees in these zones is the strangler fig, known to Mexicans as matapalo, the killer tree. These trees often wrap around other trees for support, and eventually “choke” the tree to death by cutting off nutrients to their victim tree. These forests support a wide variety of exotic animals, including the small, armored armadillo, the rust colored spider monkey, and the ever romanticized Jaguar. The Pacific coast of Mexico lies along the Pacific Flyway, the route that migrating birds from the north, but the more exotic birds are the native varieties. Parrots, Frigate birds and the ever-present brown Pelican tend to be the favorites of tourists.

In the area surrounding Mazatlan, areas just south of Puerto Vallarta, and areas between Manzanillo and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, thorn forests dominate the landscape. Lower rainfalls in these areas only allow for sturdier species of trees which are able to outcompete the common species in the tropical deciduous forests. Acacias and Mimosas are among the most common of plants in the thorn forests, but the most famous would have to be the morning glory tree. The tree has a bad reputation among Mexicans, who know it either as Palo Bobo (Food Tree), or Palo del muerto (Tree of the Dead). Legend has it that if you drink from the waters near a morning glory tree, you will go crazy, although no evidence exists to support the claim. Many of the animals which reside in the Southwest United States live well in the thorn forests, including coyotes and rabbits, as well as more exotic species such as the armadillo.

Should you visit Acapulco or Manzanillo, the area surrouding both cities consists primarily of savannahs. The savannah is essentially a grassland, consisting of slightly marshy pasture grasses. However, there are several dominant species of trees living here. The coconut palm should be the most familiar to visitors, as it tends to be an international symbol of tropical paradise locations. However, the trees are very useful in Mexican society as they are used for lumber, candy-making, and, of course, coconuts. Also of note is the Fan palm, which grows tall, but orients its branches horizontally, not unlike a hand-held fan.

The waters off the Pacific coast of Mexico are rich in marine life. There are several species of Cetaceans, or whales, which appear along the coast. The Pacific gray whale, a cousin of the now-extinct Atlantic gray whale, migrates along the Artic-Pacific corridor yearly, and during winter, moves to their breeding grounds off the Mexican coast. Numbers of gray whales are slowly increasing, with current estimates at about 26,000 total. Another visitor to the Mexican coastline is the Humpback whale. Also decimated by European and American whalers, the humpback is still considered endangered and will likely be a rare sight for many years to come.

Although Cabo San Lucas gets most of the fame for Mexican sportfishing, the other resorts of the Pacific coast of Mexico have an abundance of excellent game fish. Of the billfish species, five live here in large numbers: swordfish, sailfish, striped marlin, blue marlin, and black marlin. While the billfish are generally considered to be the most sought-after game fish, the feisty roosterfish, several species of Jack, surfperch, dorado, mackerel, and various species of tuna also inhabit these waters. There are also many species of sharks living off the coast here, including hammerheads.

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