Lençóis Maranhenses National Park facts for kids
The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses) is a special national park located in Maranhão, a state in northeastern Brazil. It's famous for its unique landscape of huge white sand dunes and clear blue lagoons.
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Discover Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
This park covers about 1,500 square kilometers (579 square miles). It looks a lot like a typical desert with its large, white sand dunes. But here's the surprising part: it's not a real desert!
Even though it has lots of sand, the region gets a regular rainy season. This happens in the first half of the year. Despite all the rain, you'll find almost no vegetation growing here.
How the Lagoons Form
When it rains, fresh water collects in the valleys between the tall sand dunes. A layer of rock underneath the sand stops the water from sinking away. This creates beautiful blue, green, and black lagoons surrounded by the desert-like sand.
The lagoons are at their fullest between July and September. This is when they are most amazing to see!
Amazing Animals of the Park
When the lagoons are full, they connect to nearby rivers, like the Rio Negro. This allows many different kinds of fish to swim into the lagoons.
One special type of fish, called the wolf fish or tiger fish (Hoplias malabaricus), lives here all the time. When most of the water evaporates, this fish stays hidden. It waits in the mud and moist areas until the next rainy season. Then, it comes out again when the water returns!
Images for kids
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A view of the stunning lagoons and dunes
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Another beautiful scene from the park
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See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional de los Lençóis Maranhenses para niños
