leaves the area open to ocean breezes. Wave action is stronger, but not as strong as those beaches that face the open ocean as there is a coral reef and a man-made stone barrier in front of it. According to legend, Purépecha chief Calzontzin had a stone barrier built here to keep the waves down and the sea creatures out, creating a kind of swimming pool. Las Gatas is the most popular snorkeling beach in Zihuatanejo. Gear can be rented at Carlo Scuba, along with PADI instruction and certification. Colorful tropical fish can be seen along the man-made breakwater, as well as the abundant coral and sea urchins. At the far end of the beach surfing is possible, and a path leads to the lighthouse on the point of the bay. Wildlife Reptiles: Green iguana (Iguana iguana), cocodrilo de Tumbes (Crocodylus acutus), tortuga lora (Lepidochelys olivacea), Common House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus), Mexican Spiny-tail Iguana (Ctenosaura pectinata), Meso-American Slider (Trachemys venusta), (Sceloporus siniferus), (Urosaurus Bicarinatus), False Cat-eyed snake (Pseudoleptodeira latifasciata)​, (Boa Sigma), Western Lyre Snake (Trimorphodon biscutatus), (Salvadora Mexicana), (Anolis Nebulosus), (Sceloporus melanorhinus), Yellow-bellied sea snake (Pelamis platura), Mexican Mud Turtle (Kinosternon integrum), Speckled Racer (Drymobius margaritiferus), (Lepidophyma Tarascae), Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), (Leptophis diplotropis), (Sceloporus Pyrocephalus), Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), (Oxybelis Microphthalamus), (Agkistrodon bilineatus), (Phyllodactilus Lanei), (Manolepis putnami), (Maisora Aquilonaria), ¨Nauyaca nariz de Cerdo¨ (Porthidium hespere), Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas), (Indotyphlops braminus), (Holcosus undulatus), (Dermochelys coriacea), (Aspidoscelis guttatus), ¨Culebra Cola Larga de Pacífico¨(Enulius flavitorques), (Conophis vittatus), (Coniophanes michoacanesis), Pond Slider (Trachemys scripta), Brown basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus), (Coluber mentovarius), (Aspidoscelis deppii), (Sceloporus utiformis), (Leptodeira polysticta), (Leptodeira maculata), (Micrurus laticollaris), (Tantilla sertula), (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima), (Scincella assata), (Symphimus leucostomus). Repitles The municipality The town of Zihuatanejo is the seat of the municipality of Zihuatanejo de Azueta and as such is the governmental authority for approximately 416 communities, with a total population of 104,609 as of 2005, and an area of . There are small indigenous communities in the municipality which speak Nahuatl and Tlapaneco. Population increase for the period of 1995-2000 was 1.85 percent, with a population density of just under fifty people per square km. The greatest population increase was seen in the 1980s when the municipality jumped from 25,751 to 63,366 residents. The municipality borders the municipalities of Coyuca de Catalán, Coahuayutla de José María Izazaga, Petatlán and La Unión de Isidoro Montes de Oca, as well as