Los Quetzales National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Los Quetzales National Park |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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Visitor entrance to Los Quetzales National Park.
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| Location | Costa Rica |
| Nearest city | San Isidro de El General, Costa Rica |
| Area | 50.00 square kilometres (19.31 sq mi) |
| Established | 2006 |
| Governing body | National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) |
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| Official name: Turberas de Talamanca | |
| Designated: | 2 February 2003 |
| Reference #: | 1286 |
Los Quetzales National Park (which means Quetzals National Park in Spanish) is a special place in Costa Rica. It was created in 2006 to protect nature. This park is managed by the National System of Conservation Areas, which helps look after all of Costa Rica's protected lands.
The park is about 97 kilometers from a city called San Isidro de El General. It covers an area of about 50 square kilometers (or 19 square miles). There are not many buildings inside the park, just a small ranger station and one main road that goes through mountains.
Los Quetzales National Park is surrounded by other protected areas. On its north, west, and south sides, it borders the Los Santos Forest Reserve. On its northeast side, it is next to Tapantí National Park. The land for Los Quetzales National Park actually came from the Los Santos Forest Reserve when it was created.
Plants and Animals in the Park
This park is mostly a cloud forest. A cloud forest is a type of rainforest that is often covered in clouds or fog. This makes it a very wet and unique place for plants and animals to live.
The park is named after a beautiful bird called the Resplendent quetzal. This bird lives in the park and is famous for its bright green and red feathers and long tail. The Resplendent Quetzal is also the national bird of Guatemala.
What is a Ramsar Site?
Part of Los Quetzales National Park is also a special area called a Ramsar site. A Ramsar site is a wetland area that is important for nature around the world. These sites are recognized under an international agreement called the Ramsar Convention.
The Ramsar site in this area is called Turberas de Talamanca. It was named a Ramsar site in 2003. This important wetland area is shared with several other protected places nearby. These include Chirripó National Park, Tapantí National Park, Los Santos Forest Reserve, Vueltas Hill Biological Reserve, and Macho River Forest Reserve. When the Ramsar site was first named, the area that is now Los Quetzales National Park was still part of the Los Santos Forest Reserve.
How to Get to the Park
You can get to Los Quetzales National Park using Route 2. This road is also known as the South Inter-American Highway (Carretera Interamericana Sur). It is part of the larger Pan-American Highway system.
You can reach the park from the north if you are coming from the Greater Metropolitan Area, which includes cities like San José and Cartago. You can also access the park from the south, from a place called Pérez Zeledón.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Los Quetzales para niños
