Tayrona National Natural Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parque Natural Nacional Tayrona |
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IUCN Category II (National Park)
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| Location | Santa Marta, Colombia |
| Area | 150 km2 (58 sq mi) |
| Established | April 24, 1964 |
| Governing body | SINAP |
The Tayrona National Natural Park (also known as Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona in Spanish) is a special protected area in Colombia. It's located in the northern Caribbean part of the country, near the city of Santa Marta. This amazing park is about 34 kilometres (21 mi) from the city center.
Tayrona Park is home to many different kinds of plants and animals. Some of these are found only in this area, especially around the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. The park has many different types of weather and landscapes. It goes from dry areas at sea level all the way up to 900 meters (about 2,950 feet) high. The park covers about 30 square kilometres (12 sq mi) of ocean in the Caribbean sea and about 150 square kilometres (58 sq mi) of land.
In 2019, Tayrona National Natural Park was the second most visited national park in Colombia. A total of 458,755 people came to explore its beauty that year.
Contents
Why Was Tayrona Park Created?
The Tayrona National Park was officially started by a law from the Colombian Institute for Agrarian Reform (INCORA). This happened to make sure the area and its amazing natural environment would be safe and protected for the future.
Where is Tayrona Park Located?
The park covers an area of 150 square kilometres (58 sq mi). It is found in the area of Santa Marta city, which is in the Department of Magdalena. The park stretches along the northern coast of Colombia, right next to the Caribbean Sea.
The southernmost part of the park is Taganga. Its western edge follows the coastline towards the northeast. This includes about one kilometer of ocean area. The boundary then goes along the left side of the Piedras River until it reaches the North Highway. After that, it moves west, crossing several clear landmarks.
These landmarks include:
- Santa Rosa Hill
- Tovar Hill
- Guacamayo Pick
- Aguas Muertas Hill
- Cielito Pick
- Hondonada Site
- Humo Hill
The park also includes several streams and rivers. Some of these are the Piedras River, Cañaveral, Santa Rosa, La Boquita, Cinto, and other water branches like the Rodríguez and Gairaca creeks.
What is the Weather Like in Tayrona Park?
Temperatures in Tayrona Park and nearby cities are usually warm. They range from 27 to 35 °C (81 to 95 °F) at sea level. The amount of rain changes a lot throughout the year. It can be very dry or get around 975 millimetres (38 in) of rain in a month. Overall, the weather is tropical and hot. Farmers in the area need to use irrigation from streams to water their crops. These streams get their water from the snowy mountain peaks.
| Climate data for Tayrona National Natural Park (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 39.0 (102.2) |
32.8 (91.0) |
33.6 (92.5) |
33.8 (92.8) |
35.2 (95.4) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.6 (92.5) |
35.0 (95.0) |
34.8 (94.6) |
34.6 (94.3) |
33.6 (92.5) |
33.8 (92.8) |
39.0 (102.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.3 (84.7) |
29.4 (84.9) |
29.6 (85.3) |
29.8 (85.6) |
30.4 (86.7) |
30.9 (87.6) |
31.0 (87.8) |
31.3 (88.3) |
31.4 (88.5) |
31.0 (87.8) |
30.4 (86.7) |
29.6 (85.3) |
30.4 (86.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.1 (77.2) |
25.4 (77.7) |
25.7 (78.3) |
26.4 (79.5) |
26.9 (80.4) |
27.2 (81.0) |
27.0 (80.6) |
27.1 (80.8) |
27.0 (80.6) |
26.6 (79.9) |
26.5 (79.7) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.4 (79.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 20.7 (69.3) |
21.3 (70.3) |
22.1 (71.8) |
22.9 (73.2) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.3 (73.9) |
23.2 (73.8) |
22.8 (73.0) |
22.9 (73.2) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.1 (71.8) |
22.6 (72.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 14.0 (57.2) |
15.0 (59.0) |
15.0 (59.0) |
17.0 (62.6) |
15.6 (60.1) |
17.0 (62.6) |
17.0 (62.6) |
16.8 (62.2) |
16.2 (61.2) |
16.4 (61.5) |
15.0 (59.0) |
14.5 (58.1) |
14.0 (57.2) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 33.8 (1.33) |
32.7 (1.29) |
29.3 (1.15) |
105.6 (4.16) |
138.4 (5.45) |
70.4 (2.77) |
70.3 (2.77) |
106.3 (4.19) |
175.0 (6.89) |
266.3 (10.48) |
211.9 (8.34) |
154.2 (6.07) |
1,248.4 (49.15) |
| Average rainy days | 5 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 11 | 120 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 87 | 86 | 86 | 85 | 87 | 87 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 90 | 90 | 89 | 87 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 204.6 | 169.5 | 179.8 | 147.0 | 151.9 | 159.0 | 189.1 | 189.1 | 174.0 | 155.0 | 168.0 | 164.3 | 2,051.3 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 6.6 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 5.0 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.6 |
| Source: Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales | |||||||||||||
Amazing Animals and Plants in Tayrona Park
Scientists have carefully studied and listed many animal species living in Tayrona Park. This includes about 108 types of mammals and 300 types of birds. Some common animals you might find are the Mantled howler monkey, the oncilla (a small wild cat), deer, and over 70 different kinds of bats.
The park's 300 bird species include the montane solitary eagle, the colorful military macaw, the black-backed antshrike, the white-bellied antbird, and the tiny lance-tailed manakin. You can also find around 31 types of reptiles and 15 types of amphibians.
The ocean parts of the park are also full of life! There are 202 types of sponges, 471 kinds of crustaceans (like crabs and shrimp), and 96 types of annelids (worms). You can also find 700 kinds of molluscs (like snails and clams), 110 types of corals, and 401 types of fish that live in the sea and rivers.
When it comes to plants, Tayrona Park has more than 350 types of algae and over 770 different species of plants.
Tayrona is one of only three national parks in the Colombian Caribbean that has coral reefs. The other two are Old Providence McBean Lagoon and Rosario and San Bernardo Corals.
Exploring Ancient History in Tayrona Park
There is proof that people lived in the area of Tayrona Park a very long time ago, even up to the 1500s. Today, the park has places for visitors who enjoy eco-tourism. There are special paths perfect for walking and exploring.
You can visit the Archaeologic Museum of Chairama. It is located at the Cañaveral Site, close to where the Piedras River meets the sea. Other popular spots for visitors include Los Naranjos Path, Castilletes Beach, The Pool, the Piedras River, and the San Juan Out.
The ancient site of El Pueblito used to be a popular hiking spot. However, it was closed in 2019 because the local indigenous people who live there wished for it to be closed.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional natural Tayrona para niños
- List of national parks of Colombia
- Taganga
