Laguna Huizache-Caimanero. 02/02/07; Sinaloa; 48,283 ha; 22°50'N 105°55'W. Located in the southeastern part of the Gulf of California, the site consists of a series of wetlands, ranging from costal and continental to artificial. Due to its location along the Migratory Corridor of the Pacific, it is a site of high importance for migratory birds in Mexico, including the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchus) and the Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaia). It is also the habitat of a wide range of fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates, including species in danger of extinction or vulnerable, such as the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), the Mexican Beaded Lizard (Heloderma horridum), the Boa (Boa constrictor), the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and the Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea). The riverside of the lagoon is mainly constituted by mangrove forest, including red (Rhizophora mangle), black (Avicennia germinans) and white (Laguncularia racemosa) mangroves. The fishing resources of the lagoon are the main protein source for the surrounding communities and shrimp fishing is the main economic activity of the area. Among the negative factors affecting the site are: the sedimentation of rivers Presidio and Baluarte, deforestation, overfishing, and wastewaters discharge into the lagoon. According to the IUCN Protected Area Categories, the site belongs to Category IV and is under the federal jurisdiction of the National Water Commission of Mexico. Ramsar site no. 1689. Most recent RIS information: 2007.