Nacunday National Park facts for kids
The Ñacunday National Park is a special natural area in Paraguay. It's located in the Alto Paraná region, near the town of Ñacunday. This park covers about 20 square kilometers (which is 2,000 hectares or about 7.7 square miles). Its most famous feature is the amazing Salto Ñacunday, a large waterfall that is about 35 to 40 meters (115-130 feet) tall and 110 meters (360 feet) wide!
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What's the Weather Like?
The park has a warm, wet climate, like a sub-tropical area. It gets a lot of rain throughout the year, usually between 1,500 to 1,700 millimeters (about 59-67 inches) annually. The average temperature is around 21.5°C (70.7°F). Winds mostly blow from the north, similar to the Amazon rainforest region.
Plants and Trees (Flora)
The main type of forest in the park is called the Alto Paraná Atlantic Forest. This forest is full of tall trees, often reaching 15 to 20 meters (50-65 feet) high.
You can find many interesting trees here, such as:
- Argentine cedar (Cedrela fissilis)
- Palmito (Euterpe edulis), which is a type of palm tree
- Ñangapiry (Eugenia enflora)
There are also even taller trees, some reaching up to 35 meters (115 feet)! These include:
- Yvyrá pytâ (Peltophorum dubium)
- Petereby (Cordia dichotoma)
- Amba’y (Cecropia pachystachya)
Near the river, there's a special riparian forest with smaller plants. The park is also home to many different kinds of ferns and beautiful orchids.
Animals (Fauna)
The Ñacunday National Park is home to many different animals. You can find various mammals, birds, rodents, and reptiles living here.
The park also protects a part of the Ñacunday River. This river is very important because it's a habitat for many kinds of fishes. This is especially true where the Ñacunday River flows into the much larger Paraná River.
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The Ñacunday River and Waterfall
The park helps protect the sources of water and small streams. It also protects a section of the Ñacunday River itself. This river is famous for forming the incredible Salto Ñacunday waterfall. The waterfall is about 35 to 40 meters (115-130 feet) high. It's located about 900 meters (about half a mile) before the Ñacunday River joins the Paraná River.
The river is very important for the local Mbyá Guaraní villages. They use its water for their daily needs. Sometimes, people also enjoy swimming or playing in the river.
Visiting the Park (Tourism)
This park is special because of its stunning waterfall, the Salto Ñacunday. It's the most important waterfall in Paraguay after the Salto del Guairá, which no longer exists. The waterfall is about 35 to 40 meters (115-130 feet) high and 110 meters (360 feet) wide.
Right below the waterfall, there's an island that has formed over time from logs and wood falling down. Even though the park doesn't have a big tourism program, more and more people, both from Paraguay and other countries, are visiting, especially in the summer.
The Mbyá Guaraní People
The Mbyá Guaraní native people live in and around the park. They use the park's natural resources for their daily lives. They collect firewood, honey, fruits, and plants for medicine. The park is also a sacred place where they perform their traditional ceremonies. Local people also fish and hunt animals that are not endangered. The areas around the park are used for farming and raising cattle.
How to Get There (Access)
If you're coming from Asunción, the capital city, you would take Route 2. To reach the park, you can drive from Ciudad del Este to Los Cedrales. The road is paved at first, but then it becomes a dirt road. The park is about 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Ciudad del Este. Another way to get there is by taking Route N° 6, which connects Ciudad del Este with Encarnación.
Protecting the Park
The Ñacunday National Park was first created to protect this special area. It started as the Ñacunday Protector Forest in 1975. Later, in 1993, it was expanded and officially became the Ñacunday National Park, covering its current area of 20 square kilometers. This change helped ensure that the beautiful waterfall and the surrounding nature would be protected for a long time.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Ñacunday para niños
