Jaragua National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jaragua National Park
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Reserve
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| • Total | 1,374 km2 (531 sq mi) |
| • Water | 905 km2 (349 sq mi) |
Jaragua National Park (which in Spanish is Parque Nacional Jaragua) is a very important national park in the Dominican Republic. It's located in the Pedernales Province, which is in the far southwest part of the country.
This park is huge! It covers about 1,374 square kilometers (that's 530 square miles). A big part of it, 905 square kilometers, is actually ocean. This makes Jaragua National Park the largest protected area in the whole Caribbean region. It's a special place where nature is kept safe.
Contents
About Jaragua National Park
Jaragua National Park was created on August 11, 1983. It was named after a powerful ancient chiefdom called Xaragua. This area was once home to the Taíno people, who were the first inhabitants of the island.
Where is Jaragua Park?
The park stretches along the southern slopes of the Baoruco Mountain Range. It goes from a town called Oviedo all the way to Cabo Rojo. This means it covers a lot of different types of land and sea.
What Makes Jaragua Special?
Jaragua National Park is unique because it protects many different kinds of natural places. These include dry forests, mangroves (special trees that grow in salty water), and scrub areas. It has both land and ocean habitats, which means it's home to a wide variety of plants and animals.
Amazing Habitats
The park is part of the Hispaniolan dry forests ecoregion. This type of forest gets very little rain. It's a tough place for plants and animals to live, but many have adapted to it. The mangroves are also very important. They act like nurseries for young fish and protect the coast.
Islands and Lagoons
Several islands are part of the park, including Beata Island (Isla Beata) and Alto Velo Island. There's also a beautiful bay called Bahia de las Aguilas (Eagle's Bay).
Inside the park, you'll find many lagoons. One of the most famous is Lago de Oviedo. This lagoon is known for its many different kinds of birds. Other lagoons include Laguna Salada, Manuel Matos, La Rabiza, Puerto en Medio, Bucán Base, and Salado Bucán. These lagoons provide important water sources for wildlife.
The park is also special because it's the only protected area from a very old landform called the Paleoisla del Sur. This landform helped create the island of Hispaniola thousands of years ago.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Jaragua para niños
