Endangered species like the Jaguar, Vaquita and Gray Whale are vital to the ecosystem bordering the Northern Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California. Their preservation is essential for ecological balance and biodiversity.
The Northwestern Region of Mexico is important to biodiversity because it houses numerous animal species. According to the NOM-059 SEMARNAT-2010, five species are classified as endangered.
These species are the jaguar, the Olive Ridley sea turtle, the California condor, the Vaquita, the Peninsular Pronghorn, and the Gray Whale, which is classified under special protection. On World Wildlife Day, we tell you key elements to understanding their importance to the ecosystem.
These animal species play a crucial role in the food chain by keeping balance and allowing all species, including humans, to prosper.
Each species has a role in the system balance. The extinction of one could cause an imbalance in the food chain, triggering issues like the extinction of other species due to food scarcity, lack of nutrients or environmental deregulation. That is why their preservation and protection is crucial.
The jaguar and its regulating role
The jaguar is an animal that has been being displaced by the imminent growth of cities and infrastructure projects. For that reason, they find refuge in zones with mangrove or deciduous forests.
Their role in nature is crucial since they act as natural regulators by eating and reducing populations of species that usually feed on crops, such as rabbits, badgers, coatis, and raccoons.
These felines might cause fear among the population, and they tend to keep their distance from humans to avoid being hunted.
Olive Ridley sea turtle and sea oxygen
The northwestern Mexican coasts are inhabited by the Olive Ridley sea turtles, a species regarded as the smallest of all types of sea turtles from the Cheloniidae family.
Their essential role as oxygen providers to the sea makes them a regulator species.
Their main food source is phytoplankton, a planktonic community that consumes oxygen. Which, when abundant, leads to a significant reduction of oxygen levels, causing the mortality of other species.
California condor keeps habitats bacteria free
The California condor, a scavenger bird that can grow up to 1.4 meters in length, plays a crucial role in the northwestern region of Mexico.
This species went extinct back in 1939 in Baja California, but in the 90s, it was reintroduced due to its important role in controlling the spread of disease-causing bacteria. The main reason behind their reintroduction was that during their absence, it was found to have negative effects on both the region’s inhabitants’ health and agricultural products.
The Sierra de San Pedro Mártir is the headwaters of the watersheds that capture rainfall and provide the runoff that supplies water to San Quintin Valley, one of the most important agricultural centers in Mexico. The condor helps reduce the spread of bacteria that could affect biodiversity by feeding on the animal carcasses found on Sierra de San Pedro Mártir.
Vaquita, the species that provides balance to the ecosystem
The Vaquita, the world’s smallest cetacean and endemic to the Upper Gulf of California, is a crucial component of the marine ecosystem.
Their role in transferring nutrients and energy to other links in the food chain makes them a keystone species in keeping the ecosystem balanced.
However, the illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, along with fishing gear such as fishnet walls and gillnets, have pushed the Vaquita to the brink of extinction.To counteract this threat, the government and civil organizations have implemented a series of programs to protect and maintain this unique and emblematic species in Mexico.
Peninsular pronghorn grows vegetation in the desert
The pronghorn, a meter-tall mammal with reddish fur, lives in protected areas of Baja California, such as the Biosphere El Vizcaíno Reserve and the Valle de los Cirios Flora and Fauna Protection Area.
This species is threatened by illegal hunting, predation and habitat loss due to land-use changes. Remarkably, it is capable of surviving extreme conditions and going months without drinking water. They used to be abundant in North American plains.
Pronghorns play a crucial ecological role in shaping the desert ecosystem structure and dynamic by passively cultivating soil and vegetation through various interactions with their environment. Such as their hoof prints, seed dispersal via their digestive system and nitrogen deposition from their feces. It is in these ways that pronghorns contribute significantly to the floristic structure of their habitat.
Gray whales and their marine pest control
Gray whales, some of the ocean’s giants, can grow up to 15 meters in length and weigh as much as 33 tons. They travel 9,000 kilometers from the Alaskan seas to the Gulf of California to reproduce between December and April.
By consuming up to two tons of amphipods, mysidacea, small shrimp and polychaetes, gray whales play a vital ecological role. This behavior not only prevents sardine overpopulation but also enriches the ecosystem with essential nutrients through their feces.
Aside from their importance in the food chain, whales are crucial in keeping the marine ecosystem balanced.
The call for World Wildlife Day is to invest in the planet. We invite you to do so here: https://pronatura-noroeste.org/contribuye/
Translated by: G. Rubio León & Mayela Navarrete
Reviewed and edited by: César Egüez & Hannah Peralta
