Tiburón Island

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Satellite photo of Tiburón Island (top right).

Location of Tiburón Island.

Tiburón Island (Spanish: Isla del Tiburón or Isla Tiburón; Seri: Tahéjöc (/taˈʔɛxʷk/)^[1] is both the largest island in the Gulf of California and the largest island in Mexico, with an area of 464 square miles (1201 square kilometers).^[2] It was made a nature reserve in 1963 by President López Mateos.^[2] Tiburón is Spanish for "shark". The etymology of the Seri name is unknown.

View of the southern part of Tiburón Island from Bahia de Kino

Tiburón Island is part of the state of Sonora, as well as the municipality of Hermosillo, and is located at approximately the same latitude as the city of Hermosillo. It is located along the eastern shore of the Gulf of California, opposite Isla Ángel de la Guarda. It is part of the chain of islands known as the Midriff Islands or Islas Grandes.

Tiburón Island is part of the traditional homeland of some bands (or clans) of the Seri people, probably for many centuries if not millennia.^[3] In 1975 the Mexican government, through a decree by President Echeverría, gave the Seris recognition and title of communal property ("reconocimiento y titulación de terrenos comunales") with respect to Tiburón Island.^[4]

The island is presently uninhabited (except for a military installation on the eastern side of the island) and is administered as an ecological preserve by the Seri tribal government, in conjunction with the federal government. Bighorn sheep were introduced to the island a few years ago; hunting permits are highly restricted.

The island can be reached from Punta Chueca, which is the nearest community, inhabited by members of the Seri tribe, and from Bahía de Kino, a (non-Indian) community 34 km to the south. The distance from Punta Chueca to Punta Tormenta, the nearest point on the island is 3 km. The channel between the mainland and the island is called Canal del Infiernillo (Hell's Channel), due to the strong tidal currents and shoal water that occur there, which can make for challenging navigation. The island has a prominent mountain system of volcanic origin.

View of Tiburón Island across Infernillo Channel, south of Punta Chueca

A permit is required for day hiking and overnight stays on the island.

[edit] Notes

^ Mary B. Moser and Stephen A. Marlett, compilers. (2005) Comcáac quih yaza quih hant ihíip hac: Diccionario seri-español-inglés Hermosillo and Mexico City: Universidad de Sonora and Plaza y Valdés Editores. [1]
^ Comisión de Desarrollo de la Tribu Seri. (1976) Tribus de Sonora: Los seris. Hermosillo, Sonora.
^ Edward W. Moser (1963) "Seri Bands". The Kiva 28.3:14–27. (online Spanish version)
^ Comisión de Desarrollo de la Tribu Seri. (1976) Tribus de Sonora: Los seris. Hermosillo, Sonora.