Old Providence McBean Lagoon National Natural Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parque Nacional Natural Old Providence McBean Lagoon |
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| Old Providence McBean Lagoon National Natural Park | |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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| Area | 9.95 km2 (3.84 sq mi) |
| Established | 1995 |
| Governing body | SINAP |
The Old Providence McBean Lagoon National Natural Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Natural Old Providence McBean Lagoon) is a special protected area located on the northeast side of Providencia Island in Colombia. It's part of a group of islands called the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina.
This park is one of only three national parks in the Colombian Caribbean that protect amazing coral reefs. The other two are Tayrona and Rosario and San Bernardo Corals.
About the Park
This national park covers about 9.95 km2 (3.84 sq mi), and most of it (9.05 square kilometers) is ocean! It became a national park in 1995. This was done to protect its beautiful nature, especially the important mangrove forests, from too much building and human activity.
The park is home to many different natural areas, like:
- Mangrove forests
- Colorful coral reefs
- Beds of marine grasses (like underwater meadows)
- A small area of tropical dry forest
Because of its incredibly colorful coral reefs, Providencia Island is often called "The Sea of Seven Colors" (Spanish: El Mar de los Siete Colores). Inside the park, you'll also find four small islands: Crab Caye and the Three Brothers Cayes.
The weather here is usually warm, with an average temperature of 25 °C (77 °F). It rains a lot, about 3000 mm (118 inches) each year, especially in October and November. There's a drier time from January to June.
Plants and Animals
The park's mangrove trees can grow quite tall, from 3 meters (10 feet) to 12 meters (39 feet) high. The most common type is the red mangrove. You can also find smaller numbers of black mangrove and white mangrove. These mangroves are super important because they protect the coastline and provide a home for many young marine animals.
Many different birds live in the park, with 74 species recorded! Some interesting birds you might see include:
- Audubon's shearwater
- Magnificent frigatebird (a large seabird with a huge throat pouch)
- Brown booby
- Royal tern
On land, you might spot a green heron or a bananaquit (a small, colorful bird). The waters around the lagoon and near the mangroves have large areas of marine grasses. These underwater plants, mainly Thalassia testudinum and Syringodium filiforme, are like underwater gardens that provide food and shelter for many sea creatures.
Visiting the Park
If you want to visit the Old Providence McBean Lagoon National Natural Park, there's a visitor center located on Crab Caye. You can get there by boat. To help protect the delicate environment, visitors are not allowed to go to the other small islands that are part of the National Park. This helps keep these special places safe for the plants and animals that live there.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional natural Old Providence McBean Lagoon para niños
