Dark clouds hang heavy in the sky. Tropical trees and flowering vines join giant columnar cactus; the desert becomes greener, more lush. Insects buzz and the sweet smell of flowers hangs in the air. Just inside the tropics, the Cape region is hot year-round. Winters are dry; summers are wet and humid. Many unique plants and animals inhabit the tropical tip. Their ancestors are from the Mexican mainland, from a time before the peninsula split from the rest of Mexico. In isolation, many new species have evolved here. The tip of the peninsula functions like an island surrounded by desert and sea.

In the Future Exhibits

• Look for lizards and snakes hiding in the green tropical canyon.
• Listen for the approaching summer storm followed by a downpour.
• Discover how desert and tropical forest merge in this rare habitat.

See the Discovery Room.

Habitat Journey | Ocean | Coast | Shrublands | Mountains | Mine Tunnel | Rainshadow Desert | Colorado River Delta | Midriff Islands | Gulf of California | Central Desert | Cape Region

Future Permanent Exhibits | Exhibits
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