Los Cabos Authorities Take Action To Protect This Popular Tourist Site 

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Last Updated 3 months ago

Even though less popular than tourist sites such as the Los Cabos Arch and renowned beaches such as El Médano Beach, the Estuary of San José del Cabo remains a popular attraction among tourists. 

This is why the local government is now taking action to protect this delicate ecosystem and preserve its flora and fauna. 

But how? 

Implementing access gaps 

The Los Cabos government has recently decided to implement access gaps in the San José del Cabo estuary to serve as firebreaks. 

Commenting on this recent initiative, Raúl Verdugo Montaño, the Director of Ecology of Los Cabos, said: “The intention [is] to open some gaps for the passage of the fire teams, who are the first to enter [in case of fire].”

These gaps will be extremely effective in not only preventing the spread of fire but also in allowing firemen to enter the area promptly.

Raúl Verdugo Montaño, however, explained how the creation of these gaps is a challenging endeavor due to the high palms typical of the estuary.  

He later specified that these will need constant maintenance work due to the high speed at which the local vegetation grows. 

But why has this new measure been put in place? 

The recent fire 

On Monday the 15th of January, a huge fire quickly spread in the San José del Cabo estuary, burning several acres of land. 

The fire started at 1:00 pm and lasted for over an hour. Six fire extinguishing units and 25 firemen arrived in the area promptly to extinguish the fire. 

However, according to Raúl Verdugo Montaño, they were only able to access the area thanks to a local road which luckily led them there. “If [the fire was] in the core area, we would have had to look for a way [to enter] at the last moment,” commented the Director of Ecology of Los Cabos. 

Following this accident, several local citizens started to protest, demanding the government to work on a project aimed at protecting this unique area. 

A few days after the fire, a total of 76 million pesos were invested thanks to the Environmental Sanitation Trust to restore the area.

Two different projects were proposed and the Executive President of the Los Cabos Hotel Association, Lilzi Orcí Fregoso, stated: “I am sure that these projects will be approved on the first try. I have been requesting a meeting to find out how we closed the year in terms of resources, to see the projections for the upcoming months, and to put together a list of works to prioritize.”

Now, only a couple of weeks after the fire, it seems that the local government is on the right track to restore this important ecosystem. 

Everything you need to know about the San José del Cabo Estuary

But why is this area so popular among tourists? The San José del Cabo Estuary is the largest body of freshwater in Baja California Sur. Declared a Protected Natural Area in 1994, this park extends over an area of 125 acres of land. 

It is thanks to the unique conditions of this place that several animal species, in particular birds, have found their natural habitat here. 

This is why the San José del Cabo Estuary is so popular among bird watchers. With species ranging from gulls to herons, egrets, turkey vultures, and red-tailed hawks, this is considered by many a bird sanctuary. 

Rules to follow when visiting this area

Due to the many tourists visiting this area every day, the local government has decided to issue a number of rules aimed at protecting this estuary. 

First and foremost, people are prohibited from using all sorts of inflammable material. This includes pyrotechnics, fireworks, and all kinds of explosives. 

On top of this, visitors coming here with their dogs are asked to keep their four-legged friend on the leash at all times, to avoid damage to the local flora and fauna. 

Lastly, tourists should avoid leaving their trash behind and instead carry their waste with them to then dispose of it in the proper way once outside the park.