Mexico is one of the 18 countries of the world that have been defined as “megadiverse”.   With over 200,000 different species, Mexico is home of 10–12% of the world's biodiversity.  Mexico ranks first in numbers of reptiles with 707 known species, second in mammals with 438 species, fourth in amphibians with 290 species, and fourth in flora, with 26,000 different species.  Mexico also ranks first in number of species of cactus.

Mexico is considered to have the second most ecosystems in the world and fourth most overall species. Approximately 2,500 species are protected by Mexican legislation. The Mexican government created the National System of Information about Biodiversity in order to study and promote the sustainable use of ecosystems.

The Lake Chapala region is representative of the whole country in the diversity that it is  possible to encounter. Encroachment by humans has reduced the species of wildlife in the area, but irrigation has probably increased the available flora.  Species of birds and butterflies do not seem to have suffered from human intrusion as there are literally hundreds of each.