Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - On Saturday, July 27, Estero El Salado will be celebrating its 19th anniversary from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm with special exhibitions, workshops, and an Ecological Fair that features a series of family-friendly activities that gives participants a chance to win prizes.

In addition to the estuary's biologists and volunteers, several local organizations that work for the conservation of nature in the greater Banderas Bay area will participate in the Ecological Fair, in an effort to get everyone involved in preserving our natural environment.

Estero El Salado is a 169 hectares urban eco-reserve in the heart of the Puerto Vallarta hotel zone. Approximately 135 hectares of this protected area house mangrove vegetation and wetlands; the rest is comprised of two medium forest remnants bordered by water and underwater plants, thorn forest and secondary vegetation.

The estuary is home to a great diversity of wildlife. Over 100 species of birds in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats, more than 29 species of amphibians and reptiles, 10 types of mammals, and a great variety of invertebrates and fish typical of mangrove areas, have been sighted here.

As part of the Estero El Salado anniversary celebrations, on July 27th, visitors can take a free boat tour through the mangrove ecosystem aboard "La Aventurera," with advance reservations.

Led by a biologist, these tours travel about one kilometer along the channel, where passengers can observe and learn about the estuary's tropical birds and other wildlife, clusters of colorful crabs, amphibians and reptiles, as well as its 3 species of mangrove and their main features.

The free boat tours will be shorter than usual, but the quality of the information provided will remain the same. A normal tour of El Estero El Salado takes about one hour and 50 minutes, but these will only last about an hour.

To avoid long lines during the celebration, you will need to make a reservation to participate in the free tours. To reserve your space, visit aventurateporelsalado.com.

Entrance to the El Salado urban estuary costs 100 pesos for adults and 50 pesos for children. This is a special price for Puerto Vallarta residents. Prices for tourists who want to explore this area are $300 pesos for adults and $100 pesos for children.

To learn more about the El Salado Estuary, visit esteroelsalado.org.