Isla Tiburon is one of North America's premier wildlife and game refuges. Perfect for bird-watching, fishing, diving and solitary exploration walks through the mountainous terrain filled with cactus, deer, bighorn sheep and reptiles. The coarse sand beaches are cover with sand dollars and conches, perfect for an island memento. Since prehispanic times, the island was an important region within Seri Indian territory. On December 24, 1539, Captain Francisco de Ulloa discovered it without realizing it was an island. During the Seventeenth Century it was considered a peninsula. Since ancient times, this natural attraction was inhabited by members of the Seri Indian tribe, who although later preferred to live on the Continental Coast, never stopped considering it their territory, such as they had been told by their elders. Presently, it is an ecological reserve and its wild animal and plant species are under protection. DESCRIPTION This impressive island is approximately 50 kilometers long and 25 kilometers wide, being Mexico's largest island, with an area of 1,208 square kilometers. It is separated from the continent by the Infiernillo Channel, whose maximum depth is 13 meters. Therefore, only small vessels can cross it. Two mountain ranges traverse almost the island's complete length: la Menor and Kunkaak; they both decend into the beautiful Tecomate Valley. The presence of water holes allow wild animal and plant species to develop and to thrive. There are no human settlements on the island, since it is an ecologic reserve to preserve different regional wild animal and plant species. White tail deer and big horn sheep, among other animal species, live side by side without being bothered; vegetation mainly consists of coastal dune plants such as small-leafed thorny and thornless bushes. Thorny bushes mainly grow on the Kun Kaak mountain range. They are typical elements of low deciduous forests. Thornless bushes grow along a fresh water creek, together with "bebelama" and "palo blanco" trees which are much taller on the island than on the continent. "Opuntia" and "saguaro" cacti grow very densely and conspicuously in this valley. ACTIVITIES Besides admiring the island's wonders and impressive beauty, visitors can scuba dive, snorkel, fish and climb mountains.