Tikal National Park facts for kids
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
Tikal Temple I rises 47 meters (154 ft) high.
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| Official name | Tikal National Park |
| Location |  Guatemala |
| Criteria | i, iii, iv, ix, x |
| Inscription | 1979 (3rd Session) |
Tikal National Park is a special place in Guatemala, a country in Central America. It's located in the northern part of the Petén Department. This huge park covers about 57,600 hectares (that's like 142,000 acres!). Inside, you'll find the amazing ancient Maya city of Tikal. The park also has thick tropical forests, grassy savannas, and wet areas.
In 1979, UNESCO named Tikal National Park a World Heritage Site. This means it's super important to the whole world. It got this special title because of its incredible ancient Maya ruins and the unique nature all around them.
Discovering Tikal National Park
Tikal National Park was first thought of in 1949 by the University of Pennsylvania. They called it "Project Tikal." The park officially started on May 26, 1955. The government of Guatemala, led by Carlos Castillo Armas, created it through a special order from the Ministry of Education.
After the park was created, the University of Pennsylvania helped a lot. From 1956 to 1969, they worked to clean up the site. They also dug up and fixed many of the ancient buildings. Today, the main reason people visit Tikal National Park is to see the amazing ancient Maya city of Tikal. It's surrounded by a beautiful, thick forest.
Amazing Animals and Plants
Tikal National Park is part of a bigger area called the Maya Biosphere Reserve. This reserve is part of a worldwide program called "Man and the Biosphere." Because the park has so many different kinds of nature, lots of plants and animals live there.
Wild Animals of Tikal
You can find five different types of wild cats in the park. These include the powerful jaguar and the speedy puma. There are also several kinds of monkeys swinging through the trees. You might even spot anteaters looking for their next meal.
The park is also a bird watcher's paradise! More than 300 different kinds of birds live here. Some of the cool birds you might see are the crane hawk and the colorful ocellated turkey.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Tikal para niños
