Cerro Hoya National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cerro Hoya National Park |
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| Parque Nacional Cerro Hoya | |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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 Cerro Hoya National Park
Location in Panama
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| Location | Mariato District, Veraguas Province, Panama |
| Area | 333.4 km2 (128.7 sq mi) |
| Designation | National Park |
| Designated | 1984 |
Cerro Hoya National Park is a very important protected area in southwestern Panama. It was created in 1984 to protect its unique natural environment. This park is a special place where many different kinds of plants and animals live safely.
Contents
Where is Cerro Hoya National Park?
This amazing park is found in the southwestern part of the Azuero Peninsula. The park gets its name from its highest point, Cerro Hoya, which is a tall mountain reaching about 1,559 meters (5,115 feet) high.
Inside the park, you can also find Punta Mariato. This spot is the southernmost tip of mainland North America! Imagine standing at the very end of a continent.
Different Forest Types
Cerro Hoya National Park protects two main types of forests, called ecoregions:
- Isthmian-Pacific moist forests: These cover the lower areas and hills of the peninsula. They are usually warm and humid.
- Talamancan montane forests: These are found higher up, above about 950 meters (3,117 feet). They cover about 77 square kilometers (30 square miles) of the park. These mountain forests are special because they are separated from other similar forests by more than 150 kilometers (93 miles). This makes them a unique home for many species.
Animals of Cerro Hoya
Cerro Hoya National Park is home to a wide variety of animals, especially birds. Over 225 different kinds of birds have been seen here!
Bird Species
Some of the incredible birds you might find include:
- Crested eagle (Morphnus guianensis)
- Azuero dove (Leptotila battyi)
- Great green macaw (Ara ambiguus)
- Three-wattled bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus)
- Great curassow (Crax rubra)
- Scarlet macaw (Ara macao)
The park is also the only place in the world where the Azuero parakeet (Pyrrhura picta eisenmanni) lives. Its entire home range is only about 700 square kilometers (270 square miles), making it a very rare bird!
Mammals and Other Animals
The park is also home to many interesting mammals. These include:
- Jaguar (Panthera onca)
- Puma (Puma concolor)
- Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi)
- Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)
- Neotropical river otter (Lontra longicaudis)
- Panamanian night monkey (Aotus zonalis)
- Azuero howler monkey (Alouatta coibensis trabeata)
- Central American spider monkey
- Panamanian spiny pocket mouse
- Darien harvest mouse
A special type of frog, the Craugastor azueroensis, has also been found living in the park.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Cerro Hoya para niños
