Did you know that 80% of the 423 bird species which inhabit
or migrate through Baja California can be seen in Los Cabos?
Neither did we, but a study by Emer José García de la Puente
and Plácido Roberto Orozco Cruz Chavez, of the Autonomous University of Baja
California Sur ( UABCS ) has shown that to be the case. This, they claim, makes
the region perfect for the creation of a niche tourist marketplace in
birdwatching.
Birdwatching (or to give it a more grandiose title - ornithological
tourism) is considered to be an environmentally friendly business that
generates sustainable development , unlike mass tourism. The environmental
impacts are few but, they say, the economic potential of birdwatching is strong
, because of the Reserve Biosfera de Sierra La Laguna , which has a very high
biodiversity and is on the doorstep.
In the USA for exmple, 55 million people take birdwatching
tours every year, generating $ 11 million in revenues.
Unlike in the Yucatan Peninsula , where there are 17 clubs
that offer this activity, in Los Cabos there are no official birding clubs or
tours at this time highlighting a potential opportunity for local businesses.
" Los Cabos has a steady flow of tourists thanks to its
great diversity of environments and incuding within its territory to the
Biosphere Reserve of Sierra de La Laguna and the Estero de San José. The study
found a total of 332 species of birds, highlighting the presence of 4 endemic
species and 30 endemic subspecies and a total of at least 33 species of
particular interest to birdwatching tourists " stated the academics.
Because of the pre-existing tourist infrastructure, they
argue, Los Cabos is in great shape to take advantage of this potential new
source of tourist dollars.