Cañón de Santa Elena Flora and Fauna Protection Area
| Cañón de Santa Elena | |
|---|---|
| Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Cañón de Santa Elena | |
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources) | |
View of the Santa Elena Canyon from Big Bend National Park, U.S. | |
| Location | Municipalities of Manuel Benavides and Ojinaga, Chihuahua, Mexico |
| Coordinates | 29°07′28″N 103°52′37″W / 29.12444°N 103.87694°W |
| Area | 277,209 ha (685,000 acres) |
| Designation | Flora and fauna protection area |
| Designated | November 7, 1994 |
| Governing body | Mexico |
The Cañón de Santa Elena Flora and Fauna Protection Area (Spanish: Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Cañón de Santa Elena) is a protected area for plants and wildlife in the Mexican municipalities of Manuel Benavides and Ojinaga, in the state of Chihuahua. It was founded on November 7, 1994 and has an area of 277,209 hectares.
The purpose of the reserve is to protect the Chihuahuan Desert, home to many species of plants and wildlife. Diverse species of the former category are found among scrub stands, microphyll desert, rosetophylous scrub, pasture, oak forest and riparian zones. Birds and mammals that have adapted to aridity, such as wildcat and some deer, as well as birds of prey, highlight the latter category.