857 Reasons to Fall in Love with the Gulf of California
Hold your breath for this—the Gulf of California is an oasis of life, boasting a staggering 857 endemic species! That's right, 857 species of fish, seabirds, marine mammals, and macroinvertebrates that you won't find anywhere else on Earth.
Have you ever wondered what makes the Baja California Peninsula and the Gulf of California such remarkable biodiversity hotspots? Spoiler alert: it's a fascinating interplay of geography, history, and evolutionary events that have crafted these regions into one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth. Let's take a journey through time and ecology to unravel the captivating tapestry of life that exists here.
Picture this: millions of years ago, during the Middle Miocene, the Baja California Peninsula was not a peninsula at all. In fact, it was snugly connected to the rest of North America. This geological origin story explains why much of the terrestrial flora and fauna resemble those found on the mainland. However, a cataclysmic event separated this now-peninsula from the main continent, setting the stage for unique ecological phenomena. The subsequent northwestern drift of the landmass led to some key changes in ecological patterns.
