[1] The northern slopes of the Sierra descend to the Chiapas Depression, which is drained by the Grijalva River and its tributaries (including the Río La Venta), which eventually empty into the Gulf of Mexico.

The southern slopes are drained by numerous smaller rivers and streams, descending to the narrow coastal plain and emptying into the Pacific Ocean.

Native trees include Ulmus mexicana, Manilkara zapota, Triplaris melaenodendron, Cedrela odorata, Liquidambar styraciflua, Haematoxylum brasiletto, and Croton guatemalensis.

The larger cats follow the movements of their favored prey in the area (which typically includes ungulates and other smaller mammals), such as Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii), red brocket deer (Mazama sp.

Local economic activities include animal husbandry, agriculture (maize, beans, and other crops), coffee growing, and timber harvesting.