Sian Ka'an means "Where The Sky Is Born." It is the name the Maya, of the 5th century AD, gave to the southern part of what is now the state of Quintana Roo. Today it is the name of a biosphere reserve covering 1.3 million acres of land along the southern coast of the state.

Biosphere reserves are a new concept. The goal is to preserve an area’s flora, fauna and ecosystem while satisfying the needs of the local population. In biosphere reserves, conservation is not conceived of as prohibiting use but rather as the rational and long-term sustainable use of local resources.

Sian Ka'an is made up of a wide variety of wetlands and coastal habitats. Included in these are tropical forest, low inundated forest, cenotes (sink holes), low tropical forest, savannas, mangrove forests, coastal dunes, reef lagoons and coral reefs.

Three hundred and thirty six species of birds are found in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve. Included in these are the ocellated turkey, great currasow, parrots toucans and trogons. The aquatic birds include species such as white ibis, roseate spoonbill, therare jabiru stork, wood stork, flamingo and 15 species of herons, egrets and bitterns. The great variety of habitats are home to jaguar, puma, ocelot, margay, jaguarundi, spider and howler monkeys, tapir, white-lipped and collared peccary, manatee, brocket and white-tailed deer and crocodiles. Green, loggerhead, hawksbill and leatherback sea turtles also make this their nesting place