FLORA AND FAUNA OF CHIHUAHUA: MOST OUTSTANDING CHARACTERISTICS - BIOLOGY - 2025

The fauna and flora of Chihuahua is sheltered in several protected areas, such as Tutuaca, Campo Verde or Cerro de Mohinora. According to the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, at least 195 species are at risk of disappearing.

This risk is mainly due to three reasons: lack of water, effects of climate change and human activity.

Chihuahua is a border state of Mexico, located northwest of its territory. Although its capital is Chihuahua, its most populated city is Ciudad Juárez. The state has 67 municipalities.

It has 13.77 inhabitants per square kilometer and its territory is just over 247 thousand square kilometers. To the north it borders the United States, to the east with Coahuila, to the south with Durango, to the southwest with Sinaloa and to the west with Sonora.

In the Chihuahuan flora, desert shrubs predominate, such as guamis, Hojaén, Mariola, Cenizo and Guayacán. There are also mesquite, gatuños and huizache.

In terms of fauna, Chihuahua is a state with animals common to the rest of North America, such as black bear, coyote, white-tailed deer, bald eagle or the American bison.

Because it is a state with a very strong livestock activity, it is common to find cattle in most of its extension.

The 10 main representatives of the flora of Chihuahua

1- Encino

It is a tree with a large and branched trunk that forms extensive forests.

2- Wicker

It is a willow or shrub with long and flexible yellow branches that is often used for basketwork.

3- Wild walnut

It is one of the largest and longest-lived trees that can be found in this desert.

Its wood is hard and resistant, and is widely used for joinery work.

4- Poplars

They grow lushly in spaces with water. Its leaves are wide and oval, and its wood is white and light.

5- Wild sunflowers

Wild sunflowers can have several large, yellow flowers.

They belong to the group of herbaceous plants. From these you can extract feed for livestock.

6- Pitaya cactus

They are small cacti (they do not exceed 50 centimeters) and have several arms. Aesthetically they stand out for the red-pink color of their fruit, the pitaya.

7- Green vara tree

It is a thin-trunk tree that grows, remains green, and flourishes in desert climates.

Its flowers are small (they measure 2.5 centimeters) and yellow with red spots on one of its petals. The aroma of these flowers is sweet.

8- Sotol

It is a herbaceous plant with a short stem, and leaves with thorns on the edges and a spike at the tip.

The stem of the sotol is used in the preparation of a popular Chihuahuan alcoholic beverage of the same name.

9- Carrizo

It is a long, creeping rooted plant that grows near water. It is used in the manufacture of brooms.

10- Wild vine

It is a kind of liana that usually serves as a water reservoir in desert environments.

The 5 most characteristic animals

1- Mexican wolf

The Mexican wolf almost disappeared in the state of Chihuahua during the 20th century.

Fortunately, local wildlife protection groups managed to reproduce and reintroduce it into its natural habitat, reaching agreements with ranchers and state authorities.

2- Rattlesnake

It is a type of poisonous snake that can reach 60 centimeters in length.

It has a triangular head, a rattle on its tail, and it is viviparous. One drop of its poison could kill up to 20 men.

3- Puma

Also known as a mountain lion, it is a large carnivorous mammal: up to 2 meters long and 100 kilograms in weight.

It has a small and broad head. Its ears are round and its tail is long and thick.

4- Coyote

It is a mammal native to the American continent. It belongs to the canidae family and has an appearance similar to that of the wolf or the jackal.

It grows to approximately 60 centimeters. On average it weighs about 15 kilograms and looks very slim.

It has long ears and muzzle and a wide, bushy tail. It is an animal that rarely walks in a pack and lives 6 years on average.

5- Dwarf owl

It is a nocturnal bird of prey with large eyes and smaller than the other species of owl.

It makes their nests holes in the ground and their diet is largely based on rodents.

Other representative animals of this Mexican state are:

- Desert turtle.

- Chihuahua Carpita.

- Kangaroo rat.

- Telocote.

- Dove hawk.

- Wild turkey.

- Bull toad.

- Plain puppy.

- Long-eared trogon.

- Brown deer.

References

1. Wikipedia (s / f). Chihuahua Flora and fauna. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org
2. Amazing Chihuahua (s / f). Flora of Chihuahua. Recovered from: chihuahuaincreible.wordpress.com
3. Tell me Inegi (s / f). Chihuahua natural resources. Recovered from: Cuentame.inegi.org.mx
4. The illustrated little Larousse (1999). Encyclopedic dictionary. Sixth edition. International coedition.
5. Government of the State of Chihuahua (2017). Santa Elena Canyon, flora and fauna protection area. Recovered from: chihuahua.gob.mx
6. Government of the State of Chihuahua (2017). It is important to preserve the native flora: SEDUE. Recovered from: chihuahua.gob.mx
7. Hernández Luís (2016). Flora and Fauna of Chihuahua, new guests of the local zoo. Recovered from: diario.mx
8. La Jornada (2011). Chihuahua: 195 species of flora and fauna are at risk. Recovered from: codigodelicias.com