Lagunas de Zempoala National Park

Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Location	Huitzilac Municipality, Morelos / Ocuilan Municipality, State of Mexico
Nearest city	Mexico City
Coordinates	19°03′21″N 99°19′12″W / 19.05587°N 99.3201°W / 19.05587; -99.3201Coordinates: 19°03′21″N 99°19′12″W / 19.05587°N 99.3201°W / 19.05587; -99.3201
Area	4,790 hectares (11,800 acres)
Established	November 27, 1936[1]
Governing body	Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources

Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (nahuatl language: Place of many Waters) is a natural protected area which consists of a group of seven lagoons. The park is located between the states of Morelos and State of Mexico, Mexico.

Geography

The lagunas of Zempoala are located in biological corridor named Chichinautzin, between the municipalities of Ocuilan de Arteaga, at the southwestern section of State of Mexico and Huitzilac, northwestern section of the state of Morelos, 50 km away from Mexico City.^[2]

The National Park covers about 4,700 hectares^[3] and lies at an elevation of about 2,900 meters (9,500 feet) above sea level.^[4]

The Park

The Park consists of seven lagoons, their names are Zempoala, Compila, Tonatihua, Seca, Ocoyotongo, Quila y Hueyapan^[5] which are supplied with water through the rivers descending from the Ajusco and the surrounding mountains, they are also supplied by rain;^[6] three of the lagoons have water the whole year and the other four are seasonal.^[7]

The three main lagoons, which are the year-lasting are^[8]

Zempoala- It is the biggest of all lagoons, here are located the tourist services. The parks security do not recommend swimming here because of the sediment. Tonatihua- This is the less visited lagoon, which makes it easier for tourists to hear the birds and see animals like rabbits or squirrels. Prieta- This lagoon is more visited than tonatihua because this is a good place for camping, tourists can also practice sports like hiking and horseback riding.

Flora and fauna

The abundant forests surrounding the park include different types of trees such as oaks, cedars, pine trees and firs. In the park there is a possibility of finding a great variety of mammals such as deer,^[9] foxes, weasels, rabbits, squirrels, skunks, birds (such as falcons, hummingbirds and sparrows), and amphibians such as the Axolotl.^[10]

Decree

The Zempoala lagoons were granted the title of national park on November 27, 1936 by the president of Mexico,^[11] and the decree was modified in May 1947^[12] to reduce the parks territory to its current 4,700 hectares.

References