Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve

🇲🇽 Mexico

🐊 Crocodile and Pelican Lagoon
🌍 #124 Global · 3.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #7 in North America #57 in Tropical Forest
Yucatán, Mexico 724 spp. recorded

Ría Lagartos is a shallow coastal lagoon behind a barrier of mangrove, and it is visited by boat. Morelet's crocodiles lie in the channels on seven trips in ten and spiny-tailed iguanas hold every open bank.

21.588° N   87.899° W

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare5–20%
With luck20–40%
Possible40–70%
Likely>70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Belize Crocodile ★
LC

Belize Crocodile

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Crocodylus moreletii

50–60% · Likely
Black Spiny-tailed Iguana ★
LC Endemic

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Ctenosaura similis

50–60% · Likely
Brown Pelican ★
LC

Brown Pelican

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pelecanus occidentalis

70–80% · Very likely
Magnificent Frigatebird ★
LC Endemic

Magnificent Frigatebird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fregata magnificens

70–80% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Laughing Gull
LC

Laughing Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus atricilla

70–80% · Very likely
Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phalacrocorax auritus

70–80% · Likely
Great Egret
LC Endemic

Great Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea alba

60–70% · Likely
American Flamingo
LC

American Flamingo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phoenicopterus ruber

60–70% · Likely
Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

60–70% · Likely
Snowy Egret
LC

Snowy Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta thula

60–70% · Likely
Tricolored Heron
LC

Tricolored Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta tricolor

60–70% · Likely
Great Blue Heron
LC Endemic

Great Blue Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea herodias

60–70% · Likely
White Ibis
LC

White Ibis

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eudocimus albus

60–70% · Likely
Little Blue Heron
LC

Little Blue Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta caerulea

60–70% · Likely
Yellow Warbler
LC Endemic

Yellow Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga petechia

50–60% · Likely
Great-tailed Grackle
LC Endemic

Great-tailed Grackle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Quiscalus mexicanus

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Common Raccoon
LC Endemic

Common Raccoon

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Procyon lotor

40–50% · Likely
Gray Fox
LC Endemic

Gray Fox

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

20–30% · Possible
White-nosed Coati
LC Endemic

White-nosed Coati

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Nasua narica

Insufficient data
Bottlenose Dolphin
LC

Bottlenose Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tursiops truncatus

10–20% · With luck
Collared Peccary
Endemic

Collared Peccary

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Pecari tajacu

10–20% · With luck
White-tailed Deer
LC Endemic

White-tailed Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus virginianus

10–20% · With luck
Jaguar
NT

Jaguar

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera onca

5–10% · With luck
Tayra
LC

Tayra

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Eira barbara

Insufficient data
Great Fruit-eating Bat
LC

Great Fruit-eating Bat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Artibeus lituratus

Insufficient data
Pygmy Fruit-eating Bat
LC

Pygmy Fruit-eating Bat

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Artibeus phaeotis

Insufficient data
Central American Agouti
LC Endemic

Central American Agouti

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Dasyprocta punctata

Insufficient data
Coyote
LC Endemic

Coyote

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis latrans

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Brown Pelican ★
LC

Brown Pelican

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pelecanus occidentalis

70–80% · Very likely
Magnificent Frigatebird ★
LC Endemic

Magnificent Frigatebird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Fregata magnificens

70–80% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Laughing Gull
LC

Laughing Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus atricilla

70–80% · Very likely
Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phalacrocorax auritus

70–80% · Likely
Great Egret
LC Endemic

Great Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea alba

60–70% · Likely
American Flamingo
LC

American Flamingo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phoenicopterus ruber

60–70% · Likely
Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

60–70% · Likely
Snowy Egret
LC

Snowy Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta thula

60–70% · Likely
Tricolored Heron
LC

Tricolored Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta tricolor

60–70% · Likely
Great Blue Heron
LC Endemic

Great Blue Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea herodias

60–70% · Likely
White Ibis
LC

White Ibis

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eudocimus albus

60–70% · Likely
Little Blue Heron
LC

Little Blue Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta caerulea

60–70% · Likely
Yellow Warbler
LC Endemic

Yellow Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga petechia

50–60% · Likely
Great-tailed Grackle
LC Endemic

Great-tailed Grackle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Quiscalus mexicanus

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Belize Crocodile ★
LC

Belize Crocodile

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Crocodylus moreletii

50–60% · Likely
Black Spiny-tailed Iguana ★
LC Endemic

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Ctenosaura similis

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

American Crocodile
VU

American Crocodile

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Crocodylus acutus

40–50% · Likely
Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard
LC

Yellow-spotted Spiny Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Sceloporus chrysostictus

30–40% · Possible
Yucatán Whiptail
LC

Yucatán Whiptail

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Aspidoscelis angusticeps

30–40% · Possible
Common House Gecko
LC Endemic

Common House Gecko

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Hemidactylus frenatus

30–40% · Possible
Brown Anole
LC

Brown Anole

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Anolis sagrei

30–40% · Possible
Central American Boa
LC

Central American Boa

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Boa imperator

10–20% · With luck
Cozumel Spiny Lizard
LC Endemic

Cozumel Spiny Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Sceloporus cozumelae

10–20% · With luck
Mesoamerican Slider

Mesoamerican Slider

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Trachemys venusta

10–20% · With luck
Road Guarder
LC

Road Guarder

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Conophis lineatus

10–20% · With luck
Mexican Parrot Snake
LC

Mexican Parrot Snake

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Leptophis mexicanus

10–20% · With luck
Green Turtle
LC

Green Turtle

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Chelonia mydas

10–20% · With luck
Rainbow Ameiva
LC Endemic

Rainbow Ameiva

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Holcosus undulatus

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Giant Marine Toad
LC

Giant Marine Toad

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Rhinella horribilis

20–30% · Possible
Browns' Frog
LC Endemic

Browns' Frog

🌅 Crepuscular Amphibian

Lithobates brownorum

20–30% · Possible
Mexican Smilisca
LC

Mexican Smilisca

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Smilisca baudinii

20–30% · Possible
Sheep Frog
LC

Sheep Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Hypopachus variolosus

Insufficient data
Central American Gulf Coast Toad
LC

Central American Gulf Coast Toad

🌅 Crepuscular Amphibian

Incilius valliceps

Insufficient data
Yellow Treefrog
LC

Yellow Treefrog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Dendropsophus microcephalus

Insufficient data
Vaillant's Frog
LC

Vaillant's Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Lithobates vaillanti

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦩

Flamingos on the Salt Flats

FebMarApr

Caribbean flamingos feed on the salt flats at the far end of the lagoon, at their highest of the year.

American Flamingo
LC

American Flamingo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phoenicopterus ruber

60–70% · Likely
🐊

Crocodiles in the Channels

AprMay

Morelet's crocodiles are visible in the mangrove channels and Mexican tree frogs breed in the pools behind them.

Belize Crocodile
LC

Belize Crocodile

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Crocodylus moreletii

50–60% · Likely
Browns' Frog
LC Endemic

Browns' Frog

🌅 Crepuscular Amphibian

Lithobates brownorum

20–30% · Possible
🦜

Seabirds and Iguanas in Autumn

OctNov

Brown pelicans and royal terns crowd the sandbars while spiny-tailed iguanas bask on the banks.

Brown Pelican
LC

Brown Pelican

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pelecanus occidentalis

70–80% · Very likely
Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

60–70% · Likely
Black Spiny-tailed Iguana
LC Endemic

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Ctenosaura similis

50–60% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
50–60
60–70
70–80
60–70
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
Belize Crocodile
50–60
60–70
50–60
70–80
50–60
40–50
50–60
60–70
30–40
50–60
40–50
50–60
Black Spiny-tailed Iguana
50–60
50–60
40–50
60–70
60–70
50–60
70–80
50–60
50–60
60–70
60–70
50–60
Brown Pelican
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
80–90
70–80
60–70
60–70
80–90
80–90
Magnificent Frigatebird
80–90
70–80
70–80
80–90
60–70
80–90
80–90
80–90
50–60
70–80
80–90
80–90
Laughing Gull
70–80
70–80
60–70
80–90
60–70
70–80
80–90
70–80
60–70
70–80
80–90
70–80
Double-crested Cormorant
70–80
70–80
50–60
80–90
50–60
50–60
70–80
80–90
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
Great Egret
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
50–60
50–60
80–90
70–80
60–70
60–70
60–70
70–80
American Flamingo
70–80
60–70
50–60
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
70–80
60–70
80–90
60–70
60–70
Royal Tern
60–70
60–70
60–70
70–80
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
50–60
60–70
60–70
70–80
Snowy Egret
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
60–70
50–60
70–80
70–80
50–60
60–70
60–70
70–80
Tricolored Heron
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
50–60
60–70
70–80
60–70
50–60
60–70
50–60
60–70
Great Blue Heron
60–70
60–70
50–60
60–70
40–50
50–60
70–80
50–60
50–60
60–70
60–70
70–80
White Ibis
60–70
50–60
50–60
30–40
50–60
50–60
60–70
50–60
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
Little Blue Heron
60–70
70–80
50–60
40–50
40–50
40–50
50–60
60–70
60–70
40–50
60–70
60–70
Yellow Warbler
60–70
50–60
50–60
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
40–50
30–40
60–70
60–70
50–60
Great-tailed Grackle
60–70
40–50
60–70
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
20–30
50–60
40–50
60–70
Animal Events
🦩 Flamingos on the Salt Flats
🐊 Crocodiles in the Channels
🦜 Seabirds and Iguanas in Autumn

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Excellent
🐊 Crocodile and Pelican Lagoon

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
493
🐒 Mammals
121
🦎 Reptiles
88
🐸 Amphibians
22
724 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
26 Threatened 83 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Very good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
3.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
68%
📊
Coverage (204 species at ≥5% of 724 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
28%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (12 bird)
46% Global avg
0%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
147
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
15 Global avg
8
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
41

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve?

The most likely sightings are Magnificent Frigatebird (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), Laughing Gull (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), Brown Pelican (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), Double-crested Cormorant (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), Great Egret (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers) — among 724 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve for wildlife?

July has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Belize Crocodile in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve?

Yes — about 57% of wildlife watchers report a Belize Crocodile sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, based on 121 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Black Spiny-tailed Iguana in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve?

Yes — about 59% of wildlife watchers report a Black Spiny-tailed Iguana sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, based on 127 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Brown Pelican in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve?

Yes — about 75% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Pelican sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, based on 715 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Magnificent Frigatebird in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve?

Yes — about 78% of wildlife watchers report a Magnificent Frigatebird sighting in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, based on 750 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

⚖️

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