Laguna de la Restinga Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Laguna de la Restinga
IUCN Category II (National Park)

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Location	Isla Margarita, Venezuela
Area	188 square kilometres (73 sq mi)
Established	6 February 1974
Governing body	INPARQUES

Ramsar Wetland
Designated:	4 September 1996
Reference #:	857

Laguna de la Restinga is a beautiful national park located on Isla Margarita in Nueva Esparta state, Venezuela. It's famous for its huge salt lagoon, which is full of amazing fish and birds.

This special place is recognized worldwide! It's on the Ramsar list, which means it's a very important wetland for the planet. It's also known as an Important Bird Area, showing how vital it is for many bird species.

Where is Laguna de la Restinga?
Plants of the Park
Animals of the Park
Visiting Laguna de la Restinga
Images for kids
See also

Where is Laguna de la Restinga?

This park is found between the eastern part of Margarita Island and the Macanao Peninsula. These two areas are connected by a long, thin strip of land. This strip stretches for more than 15 miles (about 24 kilometers). It goes from a place called La Guardia on the main island to Punta Tigre on the peninsula.

The park was officially created on February 6, 1974. It covers a large area of about 188 square kilometers (or 18,800 hectares). A big part of the park is a saltwater lagoon, which is about 25 square kilometers (2,500 hectares) in size. This lagoon is surrounded by mangrove trees and has many channels, like natural waterways, that stretch for 18 kilometers.

A sand and seashell bar separates the shallow lagoon from the sea to the north. To the south, a wide channel connects the lagoon to the ocean. The western coast of the park is rocky, with cliffs and small beaches. The weather here is mostly dry, with an average temperature of 27°C (81°F) and not much rain.

Plants of the Park

The park is part of a special area called the Venezuelan Dry Forest. Inside the lagoon, you'll find large mangrove forests. These forests cover about 9.1 square kilometers (910 hectares).

The main types of mangroves here are:

Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)
Black mangrove (Avicennia nitida)
White mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa)

On the sandbar, you can see buttonwood mangrove (Conocarpus erectus) and different kinds of grasses. The land around the saltwater areas is home to xerophytes. These are plants that can live in very dry places. The dry, tropical climate helps thornwood trees and shrubs grow here.

Animals of the Park

The lagoon is usually about 8 feet (2.4 meters) deep. It's a great home for many types of fish, including:

Red snappers
Gruntfish
Sardines
Swordfish
Black mullets

You can also find oysters clinging to the roots of the mangrove trees. Many birds come to the lagoon to find food. Some of the colorful birds you might see are:

The park is also home to three special animals that are only found in this area:

A type of deer called Odocoileus carriacou margaritae
A rabbit known as Sylvilagus floridanus margaritae
A snake called Leptotyphlops albifrons margaritae

Visiting Laguna de la Restinga

Many tourists love to visit Laguna de la Restinga. You can get to the boat pier in the lagoon by taking a bus from Porlamar. From there, small motorboats that can hold five people will take you on a fun trip.

These boats travel through the winding channels that go through the mangroves. Some of these channels have very romantic names, like Mi Dulce Amor (My Sweet Love) or Túnel de los Enamorados (Lovers Tunnel). The boat ride often ends at an open-air shack on a shell beach. Here, you can enjoy fresh fried fish, a perfect treat after exploring the beautiful lagoon!