Sierra Madre Mountains Facts That Will Leave You Astonished

Sierra Madre Occidental is a mountain range that runs through western and northwestern Mexico.

Sierra Madre Occidental extends along the Gulf of California and is 10,863 ft (3,311 m) above sea level. It runs on for 932 mi (1,500 km), and these mountains are said to be 65-145 million years old.

The Sierra Madre mountains are famous for their abundant varieties of bird species and biodiversity. These range trends also contain a wide variety of endemic species, plants, and wildlife. They are made up of large folded sedimentary rocks.

This dramatic landscape also helps protect the vast and significant area, and the nation is also very rich in terms of habitat diversity. The Sierra Madre is a Spanish name for 'mother mountain range' in English. Occidental means 'western coast'or 'western mother range'.

The Sierra Madre is also known for oak forests. It has the most number of oak trees around all over the world. This range is extended over the southern extents.

Formation Of Sierra Madre Mountains

The Mexican Plateau is composed of a dramatic landscape. Sierra Madre mountains were also formed because of these faults.

The Sierra Madre is composed of large folded sedimentary rocks that formed over an extended period of about 145-65 million years ago. Its altitude went higher when there was erosion about 23 million years ago. This mountain range goes through many igneous rocks form when the magma cools below the surface of the Earth.

It is said that Sierras are believed to be a thick core covered by volcanic activity, and many rivers flow from these steep mountains. Some even say that the base of this mountain is made up of magma. The faults present in the mountain range are covered by alluvium and basalt.

It also shares boundaries with Mexico's Pacific coast, which is extended over the north of America Cordillera. This mountain also consists of a national park, extending north to the Sierra Madre mountain range.

You will be surprised to know that Sierra begins at the Rio Grande, the Big Bend National park, and extends to the southeast for about 44.7 mi (72 km). The Rio Grande is one of the most famous names associated with Sierra Madre.

Wildlife In Sierra Madre Mountains

Sierra mountain range contains various deciduous trees, oak trees, and wildlife. Mountain wildlife includes coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, and bears. Sierra mountains also have a unique community of endemic species. This forest also consists of a variety of zoological content.

This mountain is very rich in biodiversity. It also contains the diversity of Taxa and other deserts. It is the region with the highest diversity for the genus agave in 1995.

This mountain range is for its forrests of Occidental pine oaks, which passes through the Trans-volcanic Mexican belt. It also contains a wide variety of mammals, along with wild turkeys. Sierra mountain had almost 319 species of birds and 164 species of mammals. 

These forests have many reptiles, like rattlesnakes and spiny lizards. It is also home to Mexican spotted owls and tufted jays, which are now endangered.

In the past 165 million years of its formation these mountains include a wide variety of wildlife, which is more than any other mountain range. This mountain has remained the same as it was 165 million years ago.

Vegetation In Sierra Madre Mountains

Sierra Madre contains a wide variety of vegetation. The most common vegetation present are pine forests, oak forests, and mixed conifer forests. It also had many exploitable mineral deposits, like lead, zinc, copper, silver, and gold. Even at lower heights, Sierra shares various vegetations, like lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, and aspen stands.

This mountain range is very rich in minerals too. Here one can find minerals like genesis, gabbro, diorite, and chert. The rocks of this mountain also contain minerals like hornblende, quartz, biotite, calcite, and epidote.

It also includes a wide range of natural resources, namely coal, uranium, and methane. However, it has an almost abundant amount of gas and oil. Even if it is a rocky region, one can find many mountains, valleys, rivers, and waterfalls.

But most of the wildlife is found in Sierra Madre Occidental, which is parallel to western Mexico. Pine-oak is present in the most quantity in the Sierra mountain range. It mostly has wet seasons.

That is why this forest is rich in oak trees. But the oak trees have been cut for centuries, resulting in the near-extinction of oak-pine trees. 37% of these pine-oak trees were cut and converted into agricultural fields.

This is why there has been a decline in oak forests in the Sierra Madre Mountains over the past few years. The climate in this area is mainly wet and humid.

Annual rainfall is about 9.8-20 in (250-510 mm). There is a large amount of rainfall in the summer and sometimes snowfalls in winter. There is too much humidity due to higher elevations.

FAQs

What are the two important things about Sierra Madre mountains? 

These mountains are sparsely inhabited, with mining towns and farming communities serving as the only settlements. The Sierra Madre offers the potential for hydropower production, and a few stations have already been erected in the northern ranges. 

How tall are the Sierra Madre mountains?

Sierra Madre Mountains are about 10,863 ft (3,311 m) above sea level.

Where are Sierra Madre mountains?

Sierra Madre is located in southern Mexico, primarily in the state of Oaxaca, extending north into the states of Puebla and Veracruz.

How much land space does the Sierra Madre mountains take up?

According to many historians, its occidental stretches 700 mi (1,100 km) from northwest to southeast, with a breadth of 100-300 mi (160-480 km). The majority of summits reach beyond 6,000 ft (1,800 m), with a few exceeding 10,000 ft (3,000 m).

Where are Sierra Madre Oriental mountains?

Sierra Madre Oriental is a 700 mi (1,000 km) long-range of folded mountains in northeastern Mexico. These mountains, which were formed some 60 million years ago and are made up of limestone and shale, have significant copper, lead, and zinc resources.

How do the Sierra Madre mountains impact Mexico?

Mexico City is situated at a high altitude. Because there is less oxygen, fuels do not burn completely. This results in a greater gas level, injuring people's eyes, lungs, and heart. Sierra Madre mountains encircle the city and trap filthy air.

How high are the Sierra Madre mountains?

They are about 10,863 ft (3,311 m) in height. At 12,100 ft (3,700 m) above sea level (ASL), Cerro San Rafael is the highest peak in Sierra Madre Oriental and the state of Coahuila, as well as the second-highest point in Mexico.