The site is part of a network of coastal wetlands in northern Chile, which includes estuarine and shallow marine waters, the site is important for its high biodiversity, as it supports more than 130 animal and plant species. It provides habitat for endemic species including 32 plants such as the copao (Eulychnia acida) and 16 animals, including the flathead mullet (Mugil cephalus), the spotted false monitor (Callopistes maculatus), the coruro (Spalacopus cyanus) and the Atacama toad (Rhinella atacamensis), a species classified as vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List. The site is of singular ecological value as a breeding, refuge and feeding habitat for a significant number of native and migratory birds. It is also a source of food and water for the surrounding communities. However, it has suffered the pressures of deforestation, erosion, and the discharge of waste and chemical contaminants.