The largest lagoon in the Gulf of Mexico area, the Laguna de Términos comprises a network of estuaries, swamps and ponds that together form a uniquely important coastal habitat. Red, white and black mangroves fringe the lagoon, and the area is an important nesting ground for several species of marine turtle and numerous migratory birds.
As well as encompassing wildlife habitat, the Laguna de Términos is home to the state’s second-largest city and Mexico’s principal oil-production center. The lagoon’s ecosystem remains threatened by various environmental dangers – including oil spills and over fishing – despite being designated a Flora and Fauna Protected Area in 1994.
Hemmed in by a narrow strip of land that is traversed by Hwy 180, the lagoon can be explored from various points along the way.
